The Real Molding Development Story

[awoodc]

I recall a much different story regarding the Amhicar moulding development.
Hugh wrote on Yahoo Groups in March 2006
“
Dear Amphicar Owners,

PATIENCE, PATIENCE, PATIENCE! Stainless steel hub caps, stainless
steel splash rubber mouldings, stainless steel interior mirror
attachments, new technology chrome outside door handles, and now the
next step in the pursuit of Amphicar
perfection . . . STAINELESS STEEL TRIM MOULDINS!

These will be the last mouldings you will ever buy! Scratches,
installation mistakes, dents, nicks, distorted or peeling coatings are
now history. Rewards await the Amphicar owner who is patient. Master
stainless restoration kits at prices that will leave you breathless!!!!

Hugh”

(Needless to say the above never happened)

In 2006 we had been asking for aluminum moulding for about 2 years. Since he was not going to do them we did. Later, Hugh changed his mind and began developing his chrome plated aluminum moulding.


Our cars did not come with a chrome mirror like finish they came with a bright dip anodized aluminum finish such as the moulding sold by us on Ebay and on amphicarparts.com.


You guys know me by reputation if not in person and you probably realize that I make parts that are needed to help our cause and not neccessarily for the income. I do not use “Hype” to sell parts since they all have a number in the parts books.


What you SHOULD know about our Amphicar moulding is that unlike the trim from Gordon Imports OURS DOES NOT HAVE TO BE CUT TO FIT THE CAR.. Also, you can buy once piece or all the pieces at any time. In other words you can now have trim that is correct and matches you existing good pieces.


You are a great bunch of guys and hope to help you save with other Amphicar parts in the future.

Allan
’66 red
amphicarparts.com
( email me if you have questions: amphicarparts@earthlink.net)

 

[Woodsie]

I agree !

The Quality of parts is very important. Just because you make alot of parts does not make them all worthy of bolting on

Seven hundred dollar driveshafts, and One hundred fifty for rear wheel cylinders

WE CAN DO BETTER Even more so in this economy. Prices will have to be much lower

Hey thats just my two cents

 

[amphijim]

Not going to let this one pass...

Sour Grapes!

Recently, Gordon Imports offered a line of new mouldings. Hugh went to a lot of trouble over the years to get a high-quality product at a fair price, and along the way managed to create something that both looks good, and holds up better than the original trim the cars came with. Personally, I don't think the material the things are made of should matter that much, if the product is going to serve it's intended purpose. My own car had it's original aluminum mouldings when I got it and I found they were fragile, easily dented and didn't hold up very well despte much effort to restore and protect them. I've had Hugh's chrome trims on my rear fins for a while now and they look as good today as when they were installed. The material of the part doesn't bother me. I went for the looks, and I'm convinced. I like the chrome better.
As for the hype you speak of, I will not stand by and begrudge Hugh's efforts, nor his unbridled enthusiam for any part he may have in stock or tries to recreate, part number notwithstanding. I happen to know he went through a huge hassle trying to get mouldings he was happy with, despite his initial exuberance and then ongoing disappointments with results that didn't live up to their promise. After seeing his new pieces, I'm glad he was such a stickler about it.
Beyond that, whether you, Hugh, or anyone else happens to create and market a part that might not be considered like an "original," so what? My own car has some pieces that aren't original, or original-like, including some items I have purchased from you. And my car is better for it.
As far as needing to cut or shape mouldings to fit, it might come as a surprise to everyone to learn that ALL the original trims were supplied long and needed cutting. This was because there were minor differences car to car throughtout the entire Amphicar production run, and the company knew it. Amphicar purposefully had the supplier build all the trims long so there would be enough material to work with on any individual car. The notion of having to trim a part to make it work on my own car doesn't bother me. However, I would be pretty disappointed if a trim just out of the box happened to be too short for my particular car.
As to why you make parts at all, Allan, you comment that it is "for our cause," and not necessarily for the income. Well, gosh! So, do you file as non-profit? After comparing your prices to Gordons on say, front bumpers, maybe you do. So that leaves, what? This "Crusade?!?"
Frankly, I've never understood this undertow of resentment towards Gordon Imports. There always seems to be this manic joy when another outfit creates something that'll work on an Amphicar, yet should Hugh come up with an alternative, there is this vicious backlash. WTF people!? As owners of these cars, we can only benefit from the greater choice of parts. There really is no call for this petty jealousy.
Finally, regarding prices of parts: We are talking here about a limited supply of parts for "hundreds" of vehicles, not hundreds of thousands of them. Since a great many of these pieces aren't being manufactured any longer, as the supplies dwindle, the prices will go up. Why does this simple fact of supply and demand seem so daunting? A word of advice: Watch for the Monthly Specials, or the Weekly Specials, or the Snowman Specials. The parts you speak of, and many others like them, go on sale quite often and are bargains when they do. If the prices still bother you, then go ahead and buy from somebody else. Be a Crusader! Join "The Cause." Many of these other suppliers have prices that are.....higher...........
The Amphicar has become a valuable machine. Why on earth would the parts prices not reflect that? If that's still too much to stomach, what can I say? I hear Toyota Camrys are nice...

 

[Woodsie]

Just to be fair i think it should be looked at as COMPETITION not a Crusade
I like to think that a car like this is worth a decent amount in enyones world

the quality of the parts Does matter - behind the schenes many of us are making our own and refurbishing many other parts

There should be a stronger interest in everyone. We can offer to better

the sport and keep it reasonably priced - Sweet Grapes you say!