R
rogtwo@aol.com
Guest
Well, Mike, while I haven't given-up on floating ideas on this list (I'm
quite stubborn), the results so far have not been encouraging.
In the month and a half that I have been here, the there seems to be a
knee-jerk reaction that any "new" idea is bad. Be it door seals,
transmission bearings, etc., there seems to be a reaction that different is
NOT good. Based on messages I've seen on the list and in private, it appears
that people with positive things to say about innovations are scared off from
posting their opinions due to the strong negative reactions that occur on
this list.
When I mentioned that I was planing on using Frost King seals, it would have
been good if someone with actual experience with these seals (positive or
negative) had come forward with their experience. It didn't happen -- not
even after Tommy suggested this information was available.
Continuing with the door seal example: Of the swampings that were described
in detail, NOT ONE was due to a seal failing that had previously tested as
good. If I remember correctly, the leaky door seals all gave problems on the
FIRST swim after their installation or modification. This is not a really a
problem with the seals, it is an installation and testing problem.
To repeat what I've said before, when I took my car for it's first swim, I
was in the water for only about two minutes. I then pulled up and the ramp
and parked with the bow high. II opened the engine cover, and looked for
water under the engine with a flashlight. I saw more than I expected, so I
only went back into the water for a short time, staying close to a beach
where I could easily land in less than one minute.
In all the cases describing leaky door seals, this same test approach would
have prevented any significant problems. Thus, I think the lesson to be
taken from others door seal problem is not that one shouldn't experiment with
the seals, but that one should always carefully test any new instillation --
be it the original design or not.
Don't get me wrong, I greatly appreciate having the Amphicar Lovers list, and
I have learned valuable things from it (e.g., don't install thick trim on the
body seam around the door opening). It just doesn't seem that the list is
very supportive of "new" ideas (whether the ideas are really new or not).
Roger St. John
White '63
Seattle
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
quite stubborn), the results so far have not been encouraging.
In the month and a half that I have been here, the there seems to be a
knee-jerk reaction that any "new" idea is bad. Be it door seals,
transmission bearings, etc., there seems to be a reaction that different is
NOT good. Based on messages I've seen on the list and in private, it appears
that people with positive things to say about innovations are scared off from
posting their opinions due to the strong negative reactions that occur on
this list.
When I mentioned that I was planing on using Frost King seals, it would have
been good if someone with actual experience with these seals (positive or
negative) had come forward with their experience. It didn't happen -- not
even after Tommy suggested this information was available.
Continuing with the door seal example: Of the swampings that were described
in detail, NOT ONE was due to a seal failing that had previously tested as
good. If I remember correctly, the leaky door seals all gave problems on the
FIRST swim after their installation or modification. This is not a really a
problem with the seals, it is an installation and testing problem.
To repeat what I've said before, when I took my car for it's first swim, I
was in the water for only about two minutes. I then pulled up and the ramp
and parked with the bow high. II opened the engine cover, and looked for
water under the engine with a flashlight. I saw more than I expected, so I
only went back into the water for a short time, staying close to a beach
where I could easily land in less than one minute.
In all the cases describing leaky door seals, this same test approach would
have prevented any significant problems. Thus, I think the lesson to be
taken from others door seal problem is not that one shouldn't experiment with
the seals, but that one should always carefully test any new instillation --
be it the original design or not.
Don't get me wrong, I greatly appreciate having the Amphicar Lovers list, and
I have learned valuable things from it (e.g., don't install thick trim on the
body seam around the door opening). It just doesn't seem that the list is
very supportive of "new" ideas (whether the ideas are really new or not).
Roger St. John
White '63
Seattle
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
