A friend of mine's dad had one of these back in the late 60s, early 70s and used to take us down to the local river and tool around. It was friggin' awesome!
I saw one of these cars when they were new. It came to the lake I spent most every summer at and instead of coming up to the boat ramp with a boat the car was just driven right into the lake. People from all over the park came to see what the deal was. It was something amazing. I have since seen on video some new fast fiberglass water jet powered cars that go really fast and have crossed the English Channel. The Amphicar would never have been able to do that as it was just for very calm waters
Real people, real life projects of the You-tube world are better than any show from television, I have stopped watching television long ago. The best entertainment can be found by watching a everyday man or woman working in their little shop or garage or driveway with NO CORPORATE SPONSORS.
Very cool! When I was a kid, there was a red one, frequenting the beach and water, when I used to go to Crystal Beach, in Ontario, Canada! Even back then, although a shock to see it in the water initially, most people never thought twice about it. Actually, it made the beach experience even more fun. In the 60's, something new happened every day! Crystal Beach, Ontario, Canada, 50's & 60's? Wonderful...
The artificial deadline is all about profit at the shortest time. The restoration guys are fantastic. Cheers guys ! You see the smile on Alan's face when the car was ready to go.
I can remember seeing the Amphicar when throwing the Paper, it was really hard to believe a Car could float, it was the same color and everything, just weird bringing the memory back, that feeling is still the same, just weird i say! The memory alone is worth every Penny, the memory and the feeling is priceless. Really Cool, Thanks!!!
When I lived in London in the 1970s,a guy who lived down the road from me had five of these things. I had only seen pictures of them before. Two were complete and three were in parts.He said that one day they would be working as well,and may be worth something. Before I left the UK in 1983,he had bought two more for if I remember correctly, 160pounds each .There were a few around then,and I even saw one on the Thames at putney,but they didn't cost much.The Triumph Engine was a piece of crap really and he had re-powered his with 1600 Ford blocks,not original but more reliable. Seeing this on U Tube brought back memories. Of the Amphicars he had four were light green two red and one white.
That is funny because I lived in London Ontario Canada and a guy who lived down the road had a red one a green one and a white one . All in mint restored condition they were for sale at around 5k back in the earlier 1980's . And he drove the white one in the Thames river. So I know they all worked. More than a new car but after watching this I see I could have made a ton of money. I always like them just never seen the value as a young man , he died before he finished the last Blue one , and I think his wife just sent it to the scrap yard.
All these project shows use the same stupid formula... an unrealistic deadline that's caused by the scmuck at the top. He pushes everyone hard til they blow and the narrator keeps on giving us updates on what their up against. I like the show, but PLEASE COME UP WITH A BETTER SCENARIO.
I have a 53 minute video of my 5 year restoration. Can not place link here, won't let me. My YT Channel MyGoingsOn. You can see it there along with the mini series of the 5 year restoration. The video is titled: 62 Restoration 5 years in 50 minutes Time lapse.
This is their shtick every single time. As if missing this one particular auction is that big of a deal. These auctions are held all the time. I actually saw one of these at a Philadelphia marina in the 80s when I was a teen. I was fishing at a boat launch that is maybe 2 miles from the one they are showing and an ampicar pulled in and then drove into the Delaware river! The Delaware river at that time stunk so bad you could smell it blocks away. There was endless containments in the water. That probably killed a lot of these cars because most US rivers were in even worse shape in the 60s and 70s when these things were around.
those cars are already done,they show the phases in building the car,,,they all have a desdline,to make us believe they do take 12 weeks,,when it's actually 6 months
A friend had one of these in c 1967. The were slow on the street and slow in the water. They overheated without encouragement. One day I carefully removed the radiator cap but it blew up in my face. It was painful. I went to he hospital for some help, the skin just came off like a bad sunburn. His car had stalks on the back, with lights on them, like on boats. I didn't see one car here with the light stalks. We would drive around the Los Altos Palo Alto Ca area and flash the lights on the stalks, like we were cops, and we would pull over girls!
@@abdielmendez3412 That stupid drama is that shitty "reality tv show" element everyone is starting to hate. Like, come on, we want something interesting, not drama AGAIN!
congrats on not liking a show m8 not everything's for everyone, but you gotta realize if they just sat around and did the same thing without making it seem like a rush than its just every other garage, not very entertaining to many. you should just consider it entertainment thats what its made to be G
In 66 I could have bought a very nice Amphicar for 3,000 dollars. I didnt have that much so I bought a 61 Comet for 1500 bucks. I still have the Comet but the Amphicar would have been worth much more.
I saw one of these in action when I was about 7 years old in 1972. I am now age 55. I never forgot watching it “swim” in the water and drive out. They look so funny looking. I actually forgot about them.
Master Restoration Artist , Alan Lewenthal ???? lol, I dont see him doing anything artistic at all? Actually, i dont see him doing any work that has to do with building the car? He's just the business owner, the man with the money.
+tom slick Alan Lewenthal will forever be remembered as "Ferrari Hat Guy" at the Barratt-Jackson Auction bidding on an Oldsmobile show car for a client. He's a bit of an ass, running around the stage, jumping behind the wheel during the bidding and behaving like a 13 year old Beiliber.
Ferrari Hat Guy is a Dolt It was great watching Allan Jones bidd him up into the stratosphere. I got the feeling that Jones, along with some of the BJ regulars just got pissed over Alan's antics. I love it when guys like Alan believe they have some special insight into the market. Wayne Carini seems to fall in love with the most oddball weird cars and is always genuinely surprised when he sells them for less than his own estimates. When Wayne's bizzaro cars bring in less at an auction, he immediately adds the 10% buyer's premium back into the price and claims the hammer price plus buyer's premium is close to his original estimate and the car sold for pretty much he expected.
It goes down the road and in the water but it doesn't do either very well. It's a toy. And a novelty. A restored one would be nice but most guys would be happy with one that just runs.
INCREIBLE RECUERDO ESTE AUTO CUANDO YO VIVIA CON MIS PADRES EN GUAYNABO PUERTO RICO ESTE AUTO PERTENECIA A UNA PERSONA ( NO RECUERDO EL NOMBRE ) EN UNA CALLE QUE TENIA POR NOMBRE " CAMINO ALEJANDRINO " A VECES UNO PASABA POR ALLI Y LO TENIA AFUERA DE LA MARQUESINA , UNA VEZ RECUERDO UN DOMINGO LO LLEVO A LA LAGUNA DEL CONDADO ,DETRAS DE LOS HOTELES EN EL CONDADO Y LO CONDUJO POR EL AGUA FUE UN SHOW TODO EL MUNDO SE PARO A VERLO , EL TRANSITO EN LA AVENIDA CONDADO SE DETUVO POR UN MOMENTO , INCREIBLE QUE TODAVIA EXISTA Y CAMINE
11:21 if this was 2015 or anywhere near that, they could have ordered the part from holland where the biggest amphicar dealer in the world is stationed
Many years ago as a young photographer I got a chance to ride on the road and in the water in one of these . There were two propellers low and in the rear of vehicle . The amphicar i was in ( Sunbeam ? ) had very poor ballast . With only three of us in it , there was only a couple inches of it above water . we got soaked and it was fun ! though it did not sink . at the end of the boating part of the ride, the driver easily drove it up the boat launch ramp onto land .
pause @ 43:38 and you can see the clarity of the front windshield. Looks to me they didn't put in any effort to make it clear again. 85K for that tiny vechile is BS !
The intro says he has always wanted to put old cars back on the road but it seems that there's more interest in making money selling them. So what if he doesn't make the deadline for a particular auction? There's always the next one.
1957 in Minneapolis. I saw these often enough that I thought everybody knew about them. Never saw one in the water though. Was 7-8 yrs old. Curiously, with the riots going on, I went to a segregated school there in Minneapolis. I don't bet the city fathers would own up to that. Black kids on a different schedule and only on first floor. My sisters went same school 4 years older but didn't know the black kids were even there. I remember watching them play soccer in a fenced in area early in the morning. They were way better than we were.
When was just a young kid. Probably 6 or 7 years old (62 now) I saw one of these cars. We used to walk a couple of miles to swim in Lake Washington and also fish there. One day I watched a car drive right into the water and not sink. Not only did it not sink it had a motor and they guy drove it around like a boat. Never forgot that day and this is the exact car I observed that special day. Adding drama these shows by giving a "life or death" time frame to get it done and coming with phony baloney problems which supposedly makes it impossible to get it done on time combined with the stressful heavy metal music. Who do they think they are fooling ? Not me that's who not, and I won't be watching this video.
they also saved that car and look what a good job they did. Don't be made you can't afford the restore. I mean shit, now this car will last another 50 years. I used to have your same sentiment, but then you think it takes A LOT of money to keep all these old cars running and keep the entire hobby alive.
I spent 5 years restoring a 1962 Ford Fairlane. A copy of my first car at 16 years old. Love went into my car. If I had the Amphicar and restored it. It would never touch salt water, fresh water?. Yes, only twice a summer, dry each time right after. I have a 53 minute video of my 5 year restoration. Can not place link here, won't let me. My YT Channel MyGoingsOn. You can see it there along with the mini series of the 5 year restoration. The video is titled: 62 Restoration 5 years in 50 minutes Time lapse.
The made-for-television artificial deadlines don't really add anything tbh. The work on the cars is the bread and butter of these series, not the money or the hyped up tension.
I know where one is right now. Its sitting in a garage under a split level Summer home on Lake Erie near Port Clinton. Ohio. Its the same color. The wheels are off and its sitting on steel milk crates. It's been there like that at least since the early 80s.
This is such a unique & rare auto.....$85,000+ isnt a bad deal for this restored car. How many are left ????? Did I hear someone say 500?......I have only ever seen one in my lifetime. From what his video shows,.....these guys did a great restoration....Its just a matter of time for the pay off......Its sad about the navigation light....oh well shit happens,.... I only wish I had the $$$.
Never knew that the engine was built under license from Standard motors of Coventry, England. They built engines for Massey-Ferguson tractors. Then bought Triumph Cars in the 1960s.
Did you know i really like these types of show, in 2016 my favourite programme was leepu and pitbull they also known as restoration and now i like you programme very much..
This one went wrong for me when they said that the front marine light lens is unavailable. Anybody who knows anything about the Amphicar knows Gordon Imports; they have those lenses in stock and ready to ship, along with just about every other Amphicar part.
The show producers want drama, since its a tv show and those old pencilpushers think that drama will always be needed. Hell, Inside West Coast Customs they have better deadlines than here. Sure some drama is involved, but at least believable drama, because custom car parts, that are custom made are harder to get, plus fitting and such. With these old cars, you can easily make some parts even yourself with their shop equipment.
Now that you've said the source, it was like 5 minutes to find it: gordonimports.com/store/front-marine-light-lens-p-18857.html It's bloody expensive though... but hey, rarity always has a price.
He probably did the same with the water pump and paid multiples of what he would have paid if he had just called The roadster Factory in Armaugh. Cuz he don't know nuttin' about them furrin' cars.
I was at lake of woods several years ago and I saw one floating around and I went to see it and the guy gave me and my kids a ride around the lake in it we had a blast
Wheeler Dealers did the same car and theirs sold for £35,000 which was $42,350 at 2014 exchange rates (when they sold the car). Their restoration was bare metal too with most of the floor replaced, they don't have any phoney deadlines on that show, and all the work is done (supposedly anyway) by Edd China. The Amphicar is a valuable cars but $85, 000 just to restore it, that is double what the WD cars sold for. All these restoration shows do is inflate the prices of the cars, they get ppl interested that have more love of money than cars. Muscle cars don't mean anything or to most ppl outside of the US, but at least years ago they were bought and worked on by guys who loved the cars for the cars themselves. Because of shows like this the cars are getting big bucks spent on them, they are then bought by investors who want to protect their investment so don't drive them, which is sad.
+Michael Greenwell hes asking how much they paid you to say this? they blow a shit load of money, doing original shit, but original doesn't matter unless its the original engine and transmission. other then that they just poor money down the drain putting rebuilt engines with little horsepower back into these things, instead of new engines that are cheaper then the rebuilt and have alot more horsepower and are more reliable. Honestly they are a disappointment.
When I was a kid (early 80s) my friend's grandfather owned a junkyard and he had one of these probably in better condition than this one. Same color too.
Slow and Land and slow in the water... and they overheated with aplomb. Like when we pulled into the gas station at Coyote, south of San Jose, in July 1968. I carefully rotated the radiator cap and Spew....scalding water on my face. I recovered without scaring. The car we drove had to stalks with colored lights, yellow and blue as I recall. We took it to Linda's in Mt View......someone reading this is smiling. We would follow some girls and turn on the lights and maybe they would pull over
It seems as though people are upset with the guy putting the money in to get the car restored. Heck everyone has got to eat. In the meantime we get to enjoy seeing a fabulous vehicle!
No, you can't. You can't print optically clear materials, they come out hazy or almost clear but not clear enough. This is however likely just a deep-drawn part. You make a mould out of a piece of HDF, you can route it, you can make it per hand, and you vacuuform a piece of lexan or acrylic on top. Should it not have been made like that originally, you need to cast it out of polyurethane in a silicone mould, and you could actually use a 3D printed model to make the mould. Besides, collectors are a weird market. sometimes a damaged original part makes the car worth more than a re-manufactured part especially if the part was re-made in a different manner with different materials or technology than originally.
As of now days; we don't see very much 4 door sports cars, being driven even on the freeway. We now days have SUVs; that are being driven out on the freeways.
I seem to remember that my parents had a car in the mid 1960's that could go through a lake - it was called a Renault Caravel - it was a hot red convertible - with a hard top - and I do remember propellers behind the exhaust pipes!!!!!!!!!!!
What! A car show where the crew is up against a crazy deadline, they find a bunch of problems that make it worse than they thought, and the vital parts they need to finish are not going to arrive on time. Oh wait, that is every show on cars except Roadkill.
