To Do List whenCar's apart

[SNOWBIRD]

This is a list we can all add to.
Todays must do,
This should be done when car is dissasembled, before blasting or cleaning.
but should be done to EVERY CAR(Amphicar)
Cut or drill an inspection hole in the top of the frame.(In front of tranys a good spot)
I do it big enough to get a shop vac hose in and a garden hose in.
drill a 1/2 inch hole in side near rear(just infront of trany)
Sometimes you are lucky and there clean but most are full of a type of sewer mud.!!!The blackest drittyest stuff I have ever seen.
I run the garden hose in it and move from rear to front many times till water comes out clear. once done let dry..(restore car) then put a removable plug in small hole an pour in some oil. then cap top hole. This is a real bummer to do to a clean restored car but all should be inspected.
GORD>S
Club is welcome to use this in news letter.

 

[SNOWBIRD]

Next on the list.
Take a friend, have them Turn your steering wheel back and forth as you look at the steering box.You will more than likely see the box moving a bit, this is a week spot in the Amphicar. I HAVE seen them break right off.
The car I am working on right now has evidence of a break in the bracket on the past.
I strongly recommend the whole box be braced.Some guys brace over to the bottom of car, I brace over to the inner front wheel well with a removable T bracket. Att. is a photo of the front area showing my T bracket.

Gord.

 

[SNOWBIRD]

You will notice on the picture,(Amphicar lovers message board) above the brace, on top of front inner fender near blanket you can see where a patch was welded,the car I am doing right now is same way, bad on both inners,
On the early cars, where the shock bolts on , there is a inner plate that will hold water causing this rust. a simple way to get water back out is to drill a hole on back side of brace bracket to let this trapped water out, then shoot some undercoating up the hole too.
Holes should also be drilled in the convertable boot, down in those bottom traps, incase water gets down in there(from those big splash ins that soak the rear passenger!)
When I am welding in steel quaters I always instal a drain plug on the inners bottom so water can be drained from the quaters, If your car does not have drains make sure the water is blowen out of there with compressed air before putting away.

 

[SNOWBIRD]

Today I was welding in new Rocker inners and floor area where Jack plate is(if you really dont want a show car leave these jack plate off(they are a real rust spot,, but,,, I do sell new ones)
the wire harness runs threw this rocker,, I decieded to install loops to hold the wire up off the bottom.Although this can only be done if replaceing rocked metal you could run the harness threw a plastic tube, cut a few 1 1/4s about 2 inches long and put threw round holes.

 

[SNOWBIRD]

I thought you people(Hey Dave) would add to this list.
Herb was here yesterday looking at His car and it is still very much apart, to the point where you can see the hindge pivots, I have had 2 door hindges break the pins right off, so I thought we should come up with a way to oil them.what we did was take a piece of steel line and aim it at the hinge and bring the other end up into the trunk area and clamp in place. now all you have to do is put a piece of clear hose on oil can and steel line, pump away and hindge is oiled.We did the same for the rear hood pivots too.
This would be harder to do when car is together but still could be retrofitted.
In front you woulde have to take the triangle pieces off, and rear hood would have to come off and set up would be by feel and or mirrors.

 

[Midwest Amphicar]

I drill extra holes in hood and engine cover for drainage. Later Dave the Wave

 

[SNOWBIRD]

Also drill at least 3/8th holes in all the cross braces and rear box frames to let water out. The have holes sideways for things to bolt on but no drain.. most are fill of rust chips when I work on them.Also drill on the slanted frame by foot plate. once done the car oil all these cross frames etc.
The car I am doing now, the rear frame where Rad is is just plum full of rust chips. because all metal is off I can clean it out, but on most cars it just stays,, not good!Id upload more pic but untill I can get on High speed it takes Hours..

 

[SNOWBIRD]

Here's a big one I forgot about.
Getting oil out of a transmition on a Amphicar is a messy tough job,
While the engine and trany are out of body would be a good time to modify the trany to have a oil suction tube on it(likeboats do for engine oil)I have seen a picture of this mood but forget whom did it.
OR you could install a hatch on the floor of the engine pod. Im thinking more in the way of a oil pan cover used on the old VW air cooled motors, There about 3 inch in Dia, and held on with 6 10mm nuts.Install it where the Trans, drain will be right above it, When time comes you just drain oil into a oil pial under car.
Also change the drain plug in the oil pan.Put in a Brass plug with a inside Allan fit...
It will make oil changes much easyer.You put a tube in to motor pull drain plug threw tube and oil comes out threw tube into your catch basin.

 

[SNOWBIRD]

rear fender lower quarter's
I install a water drain plug on the inners of all steel fenders at the lowest point.Weld a bolt of the size you want your drain to be in that area, and drill hole threw inner fender, then by removing the drain plug any water(any you will be surprised) in there can drain out. If you do not do this you must blow all pockets with compessed air to clear or it (water)will freeze(northern) and rust everywhere else.!

 

[fouramphs]

Here is a real important one that I forgot, Was talking with Craig in Alaska last night and the subject came up.
The gas tank vent hose comes out of tank and into horn cavity.
A horn works by a set of points opening and closing(Making sparks)
Verb dumb eh?
For the cars that have a side vent blower I would run a new vent hose over to this blower exit and insert hose close to outside vent so fumes will exit car there.
On cars with no blower some thinking will have to go into a better plan.
Maybe up into the front windshield post as it has holes in the top where conv. locks in , but not good when top is up is it..
I never go far with top up.
GORD S>

 

[jfriese]

I wouldn't worry much about this since I've never heard of a fire caused by the horn sparks. These sparks are very much sealed anyway. It also takes a rather specific ratio of air to fuel to get ignition and this is an unlikely situation to happen there either.

John Friese
67 White
67 Red

 

[fouramphs]

As the cars are being assembled I add a few extras,
2ed bilage pump installed in front of trany.
a extra float switch hooked to an alarm to let you know theres too much water.
I sell a sound proofing kit, I does keep Amphis a bit quiter when driving.You don't have to yell so loud. Silver reflectors in motor area keep lid and side fenders cool.Fibreglass seat base with sound and silver keeps rear pass. bottoms cooler
I add a clear lexan side guage holder under dash, beside heater knobs and add a volt meter to moniter the chargeing system, Gen/or alt. and on each side I wire a LED lite to indicate L or R turn signal is working and wire it up so comes on with brakes too.If INA had had it in her car last year she would have seen brakes were draging before her car locked up on road at Penns, swim last year.
If you plan to have a radio in car plan to pre wire speakers before floor cover is down.
Conv. top.The old tops with side Zippers I add a very larger ID thingey to the zipper so you know its up or down.
All my new Amphicar tops come with Velcro sides now, so when you here a rip its just the velcro letting go not your top RIPPING.
I don't even like putting the snap on the tops as if you forget these the top rips too.
GORD/S