Okay guys,
Listen up. If you are bidding on the ebay Amphicar. The one in Newport, Rhode
Island that is currently at 8,000., Take the advice of Elmer Fudd, and be
vewy, vewy careful.
This auction has no picture and the description is incredibly vague. He says
that he did all this work in 1996, but the car has been stored since then.
After a two hour drive to go see it, he could not get access to the garage
where it was stored, and I had to look through the windows at a car covered
with boxes, parts and dust. So my description will not be 100% accurate.
Be aware that he has had this car in the salt water in Newport several times,
although he says that "he swam in fresh water afterwards to flush it clean",
whatever that is worth. The top is already tattered, and the sides are ground
down to the sheet metal on both sides approximately 12 inches up. I do not
recall seeing the body lip from my poor vantage point, so it may be an
earlier car, or it may have had the lips ground or cut off in the last sheet
metal repair. There was surface rust all along the rear body edges and on the
top of the doors where small holes were present. I can't remember if these
were to mount the window sweeps or if there were some drilled holes there,
but it looks a little crispy under the paint.
He had little or no memory of what was specifically done, only that he
recalls having spent 12K on the car after buying it for 12K, but admitting
that he shipped it back and forth to Long Island for the work, so that may
have chewed up a lot of $$. He did say that he had a new clutch put in.
Although his ad says new transmission, he could not specifically recall when
I asked him.
It may not be a bad car for someone who is willing to do a restoration, and
it may be solid underneath (I could not get close enough to tell), and in
fairness to the seller, he has indicated to all inquiries that it would need
4 or 5 K of work, but I just want you guys to know that without a photo or
accurate description, to be careful and ask many questions. At the current
price, it may be well worth it to some of you who can restore these yourself
or to someone who doesn't yet have one, but before you bid too much higher,
check out the car in detail if at all possible. Please, do not tell him that
I have bad mouthed the car. I am only trying to warn fellow web towed
enthusiasts so that you do not get disappointed. Good luck,
Chas
