Love that Barn fresh smell!

[Amphicar BUYER]

I finally picked up an Amphicar that I have been working a deal on since last July. Yesterday I loaded up a 1966 Amphicar that has been sitting since 1979. It was painted and new upholstery was installed back in '79. The drive train has been lost to history someplace. They think it was in his (the guy "restoring" it) Dad's stuff when he died and it was liquidated by mistake. Now the storage bill came due and the deal is done.

I washed it and cleaned up the interior. It is a real nice solid car.

[Amphicar BUYER]

In the sun for the first time since '79...

[Amphicar BUYER]

and after a well deserved bath....

[Wowabunga]

So... How hard will it be to find a replacement drive train for this thing ????

[Amphicar BUYER]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So... How hard will it be to find a replacement drive train for this thing ????</div></div>

For me, I just need to go out to the garage. I am on the Amphicar board so I have friends I can call too.

[Snappydwp1]

There is a TV show here in California called "California Gold with Huell Howser." It's on the PPS Channel 10 station. A couple of years ago he did a great show of a retired couple with their Amphicar motoring on lake Castaic. It's one of their favorite repeat shows.

[Mika Jaakkola]

Is it correct to ask, how much an Amphicar in that condition costs.. app... ?? I have always kept the model very desirable for me atleast.. .

[Amphicar BUYER]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Is it correct to ask, how much an Amphicar in that condition costs.. app... ?? I have always kept the model very desirable for me atleast.. . </div></div>

What it cost VS. what it is worth are 2 different questions. I am assuming that you are asking what it would be worth in this condition. If you are really interested in one, it's a good question to ask. I can give you various prices depending on the condition and location of the car.

I see you're in Finland. I have heard about some boat regulations particular to Scandinavian countries that may preclude you from having one. There is one car made for the King of Sweden by the factory to meet the specifications. It had a higher transom and different lighing.

Feel free to contact me and I'd be happy to answer any questions. I prefer not to do it in a public forum as that would be in bad taste.

[Amphicar BUYER]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> There is a TV show here in California called "California Gold with Huell Howser." It's on the PPS Channel 10 station. A couple of years ago he did a great show of a retired couple with their Amphicar motoring on lake Castaic. It's one of their favorite repeat shows. </div></div>

I would love to see it myself! I am always looking for stuff like that for the club archives. There is a retired couple (in thier 80's) close by that live on a lake in the middle of the city. They drive down the driveway, thru the backyard and into the lake. Sometimes they get spotted by the newspaper and end up on page 2 . Both of them are very kind folks. A joy to be around.

[Snappydwp1]

I'm sure if you contact the Huell Howser show at this link you can ask them about the show with the Amphicar and they will sell you a copy of the video.

http://www.calgold.com/

[Guest my3buicks]

while not an absolute, Old Cars Price Guide lists these cars at #4 $6,700 # 3 $13,400 # 2 $23,500 # 1 $33,500 - again this is a guide(I have seen them advertised higher and lower) I don't think there is a problem asking how much one like that would cost/be worth as it's not classified info - now if he had asked you how much you paid would have been diff. What's the big secret in what these cars or any car for that matter is worth? Nothing poor taste about it.

[Amphicar BUYER]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> while not an absolute, Old Cars Price Guide lists these cars at #4 $6,700 # 3 $13,400 # 2 $23,500 # 1 $33,500 - again this is a guide(I have seen them advertised higher and lower) I don't think there is a problem asking how much one like that would cost/be worth as it's not classified info - now if he had asked you how much you paid would have been diff. What's the big secret in what these cars or any car for that matter is worth? Nothing poor taste about it </div></div>

First, try re-reading my post BEFORE you get your panties in a bunch.

Those prices are not accurate at all! I can show you other "guides" that place them at <30% of those values which is also inaccurate. Amphicar values are not like most cars. They change quite a bit from what you find printed. There are specific conditions of an Amphicar that will determine if it is a $500 Amphicar or a $70000 Amphicar (yes that is the spread). The car I bought here is worth considerably less because of the specific rare parts missing as well as some rare parts that remain intact.

Several factors are involved here that differentiate them from other collector cars. It is no "secret". I took his question as what I paid for that car (that is why my message stated the answer as it did).

I have always felt uneasy when asked "what's it cost(or worth)?" I believe that discussing this in a public forum <span style="font-weight: bold">IS</span> in poor taste, as is speaking of what you do not know. If he is interested it is between him and I and I will gladly answer all his questions privately. That is why I asked him to contact me offline. Don't try to make this something it isn't, So please simmer down my3Buicks.

People call me from all over asking me about them and some have purchased a Amphicar sight unseen based entirely on my reccomendations. I have 6 Amphicars now and have owned many more of them. I am also one of a handful worldwide who restore them exclusively, so I can say I know of what I am speaking about.

[Guest my3buicks]

Thank you John, you just did what the board is intended to do - teach us things about a particular car. Your latest post is all that was needed to begin with. You will note I said the OCPG was just that a guide and that I had seen them higher and lower - that's pretty much how all cars work to some degree, you will always have the extremes. I just don't like to see when someone asks a simple harmless question they get the Broadway song and dance.