Amphicar Update

[Daniel & Kathy Gibson]

Hi Gang,

Here is the update after about 6 or so trips to the lake.

1. The car is doing amazingly well. It purrs like a kitten, and has shown no
sign of a
temperment yet.

2. As expected, the car is an attention magnet. My two favorites are the people
that turned
around, and followed us to the lake, and the trailor-sailor who started yelling
"NO WAY"!,
"NO WAY" as we launched. Most amusing!

3. All visible leaks are fixed. I finally conquered the leak under the door with
a extra
piece of weatherstripping. I am sure I get some around the hood, but I probably
bilge less
than 2 gallons of water out after a 40 minute swim. Does that seem excessive?

4. The only real problem at this time is the brakes. They are pretty swervy when
first
depressed. I am sure that my front brake lines are close to clogging, so they
are going to
be replaced this week!

Thats all for now...

Dan
64 Ivory "Das Boot" (unless someone else is using that name..I would hate to
copy)

 

[John Friese]

Hello Dan,

Glad to hear things are going well with your car. You're probably
right about the brake lines and it's always a good idea to change old
brake lines anyway.

I know a lot of Amphicar people are happy with leakage about like
yours but I can tell you when you get all the leaks fixed, these cars
barely lead a drop. I've been out for 5 hours at a time and had only
a few drops of water in the car. In fact, I've never run the bilge
pumps except to check that they actually work. It takes a bit of
patience and perhaps luck but Amphicars can be made leak free.

John Friese

White 67
Red 67






--- In amphicar-lovers@yahoogroups.com, Daniel & Kathy Gibson
<dkgibson3@a...> wrote:
> Hi Gang,
>
> Here is the update after about 6 or so trips to the lake.
>
> 1. The car is doing amazingly well. It purrs like a kitten, and has
shown no sign of a
> temperment yet.
>
> 2. As expected, the car is an attention magnet. My two favorites are
the people that turned
> around, and followed us to the lake, and the trailor-sailor who
started yelling "NO WAY"!,
> "NO WAY" as we launched. Most amusing!
>
> 3. All visible leaks are fixed. I finally conquered the leak under
the door with a extra
> piece of weatherstripping. I am sure I get some around the hood, but
I probably bilge less
> than 2 gallons of water out after a 40 minute swim. Does that seem
excessive?
>
> 4. The only real problem at this time is the brakes. They are pretty
swervy when first
> depressed. I am sure that my front brake lines are close to
clogging, so they are going to
> be replaced this week!
>
> Thats all for now...
>
> Dan
> 64 Ivory "Das Boot" (unless someone else is using that name..I would
hate to copy)

 

[Daniel & Kathy Gibson]

Re: Re: Amphicar Update

Thanks John. I do need to gigure out how to check for leaks around the trunk
lid,
as I am sure that is one of the main culprits. Possibly the headlights as well.

Dan

John Friese wrote:

> Hello Dan,
>
> Glad to hear things are going well with your car. You're probably
> right about the brake lines and it's always a good idea to change old
> brake lines anyway.
>
> I know a lot of Amphicar people are happy with leakage about like
> yours but I can tell you when you get all the leaks fixed, these cars
> barely lead a drop. I've been out for 5 hours at a time and had only
> a few drops of water in the car. In fact, I've never run the bilge
> pumps except to check that they actually work. It takes a bit of
> patience and perhaps luck but Amphicars can be made leak free.
>
> John Friese
>
> White 67
> Red 67
>
> --- In amphicar-lovers@yahoogroups.com, Daniel & Kathy Gibson
> <dkgibson3@a...> wrote:
> > Hi Gang,
> >
> > Here is the update after about 6 or so trips to the lake.
> >
> > 1. The car is doing amazingly well. It purrs like a kitten, and has
> shown no sign of a
> > temperment yet.
> >
> > 2. As expected, the car is an attention magnet. My two favorites are
> the people that turned
> > around, and followed us to the lake, and the trailor-sailor who
> started yelling "NO WAY"!,
> > "NO WAY" as we launched. Most amusing!
> >
> > 3. All visible leaks are fixed. I finally conquered the leak under
> the door with a extra
> > piece of weatherstripping. I am sure I get some around the hood, but
> I probably bilge less
> > than 2 gallons of water out after a 40 minute swim. Does that seem
> excessive?
> >
> > 4. The only real problem at this time is the brakes. They are pretty
> swervy when first
> > depressed. I am sure that my front brake lines are close to
> clogging, so they are going to
> > be replaced this week!
> >
> > Thats all for now...
> >
> > Dan
> > 64 Ivory "Das Boot" (unless someone else is using that name..I would
> hate to copy)
>
>
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--

Daniel and Kathy Gibson
http://www.katestrackshack.com
"Kate's Track Shack -Your Internet Home For Inexpensive 8-tracks!!"
AND...
http://drnooseandjambone.com
"DrNoose And Jambone - Do It To The Optigan!"

 

[nelson625@aol.com]

Re: Re: Amphicar Update

Dan with "Das Boot"'
I don't get on line very often, so this comment is not very timely.
However, I would have to agree with John Friese - To wit: When I first started
swimming with my 67, I took in a certain amount of water and I presumed this
was both normal and to be expected. I could actually see it trickle in at the
front of the driver's door. Then a year later, I put self-stick weatherstrip
around both doors making for VERY EFFECTIVE double seals. That was 3 years ago.
Except for testing my 2 bilge pumps every so often by putting water in with a
hose, I haven't taken enough water aboard since to turn the pumps on, one of
which is automatic. I think I take more water aboard from spray and splashing.
I actually do take on a minor amount - I measured about 2 quarts after about 4
hours in the water recently, but I can live with that. As to the comments re
brakes: I have been using the "Split Personality" in the water significantly
now for the last 4 years and other than a bit of "fade" right after I come
out, I have had no failure or even worry yet. That doesn't mean they shouldn't
be
gone through. One of the front half cylinders is frozen, so it's on the
schedule! I do recommend, however, that you be sure that your emergency brakes
are
functional in the event of a fluid failure.
I had a neat experience this past weekend which might interest some of
you. Someone recently referred to the thrill of taking first timers in as
being a bit of a rush with which I would readily agree. This past weekend,
however, I took a 98% blind and about 80% deaf man "swimming." (He uses 2
hearing
aids and can hear some, but only with difficulty. Due to his hearing impairment,
he didn't hear the splash as I "zoomed in" as is my custom and after we were
away from the ramp and motoring out, he asked "are we in the water yet?" I
said "Reach your hand down and feel the water" which he immediately did and he
got so excited - he couldn't get over it. Someone with a double impairment such
as he has doesn't probably benefit from as many thrills as most of us, so this
was really special for him - and likewise, then for me.
Victor "Splash" Nelson with the "Split Personality" near
Daytona Beach


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