January — February, 2009 Issue #138

January — February, 2009
Issue #138
President’s Message
By Ron Green
A
s I transition from interim president to president, and
begin my two-year, one-time term, I not only look forward to serving the club, I also promise to always keep
the lines of communication open with the membership. Looking ahead, as an organization, we must also think about the next group of club officers and the future of the IAOC.
Please contact me if you may be interested in serving your club. Note any particular skills or areas of interest, such as
editing the newsletter, being a membership chairperson, working on the membership registry, maintaining the web
site, etc. Your names will be put on file for future elections through due process. David Chapman continues to work
on updating the bylaws, with membership distribution for approval once complete.
I want to say “thank you” to those vendors and suppliers who responded to the board of directors’ request for
information regarding the status of their web-site and newsletter ads. Please remember to notify me of any changes,
especially vehicles that have been sold.
For those of you planning on hosting a swim-in, please provide me, as soon as possible, the dates and approximate number of people expected to attend. This will help us expedite the club swim-in donations and postings on the
web site and in the newsletter. Many members plan their vacations and time off early, so it is important to post everything in a timely manner. Included in this issue is a preliminary swim-in schedule. For 2009, we have the potential of
offering a record number of swim-ins.
Speaking of swim-ins, Evansville promises to be a good one. We thank new member Kenny Adams for organizing this. It should be very interesting swimming alongside amphibious World War II vehicles. We have had another request for the board to once again consider moving our national convention. Celina would remain a regional
swim-in. We have mentioned a new national swim-in possibility several times in Wheels–n–Waves and at the Celina
International Amphicar Owners Club Board of Directors
Ron Green
President
1926 Princeton Avenue
Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, 17011-5400
greenr@mhs-pa.org 717-737-3879
John Lambert
Membership Chairman
19090 Hickory Ridge Road
Fenton, Michigan, 48430-8522
jlambertspc@aol.com 810-750-4967
Mike Bayman
Celina Coordinator
4372 West US Hwy. 36
Urbana, Ohio, 43078-9663
bayman4@ctcn.net 937-652-2505
John Capone
Treasurer
322 South Bluff Street
South Beloit, Illinois, 61080-1806
capon23@aol.com 847-533-7803
Keith Mathiowetz
Wheels –n– Waves Editor
E2315 County Road B
Scandinavia, Wisconsin, 54977
kcmath@tds.net 715-445-5387
Gloria Tiller
Celina Coordinator
7084 West F Avenue
Kalamazoo, Michigan, 49009-8862
read@kazoobooks.com 269-385-2665
David Chapman
Barley Orchard Tunnel Hill
Upton upon Severn
Worcestershire WR8 0QL
United Kingdom
david@avonlogic.com 44 1684 592985
Ed Price
Membership Registrar
1230 E. Madison Avenue
El Cajon, California 92021-6402
edprice@cox.net 619-440-2977
Larry Solheim *
Webmaster
22128 State Route 9, #57
Mount Vernon, Washington 98274
lrs@wavecable.com 360-333-9197
* Denotes non-voting board member
:
2009 Membership Dues:
$30 U.S.A. currency for all countries
(Send dues to Treasurer John Capone)
2
banquet. Unfortunately, no one has come forth to pursue a different venue. This would include having to contact or
meet city officials, arranging hotels, mapping out land and water tours, planning entertainment, finding eateries and
banquet facilities, etc. It’s a lot of effort, plus the member would definitely need to be in close proximity. Please contact us with any suggestions regarding a new location.
Board of Directors Activities
To keep our members abreast of important IAOC activities, the board of directors is publishing motions, vote
results, and Amphicar-pertinent information in Wheels–n–Waves.
Pennsylvania Waterways and Amphicars
A
few months ago, the possibility of the Amphicar’s not being allowed to operate on Pennsylvania waterways
was a close reality. That prohibition would have included all Amphicars, not just those registered in Pennsylvania. This came about after one of our members was simply operating his car (with no legal issues) and encountered an overzealous park ranger.
We have had several conversations with John, the head director of Pennsylvania state parks. John was of great
assistance and a huge asset to the Amphicar community as the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission was considering the removal of Amphicars from all waterways. John negotiated with the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission to
allow us on the non-state-park waterways, explaining to the organization that Amphicars are United States Coast
Guard approved, etc. For other waterways, however, there was a catch. In order for Amphicars to operate on Pennsylvania state-park waterways, the state required the IAOC to enter into a 10-year Special Activities Agreement. The
IAOC did, and that solved the problem.
The IAOC board of directors has reviewed and approved this agreement, although, basically, it is not applicable to an Amphicar. The IAOC also paid the one-time $50 fee, which is good for 10 years. This is what the Pennsylvania state parks organization required; there was no option. The document is a rather lengthy agreement that talks
about parades and temporary displays, etc.
Boating regulations seem to be becoming more stringent throughout the country. Hopefully, this will not
spread to other states. Please contact us if you run into a similar situation in your state.
From the Editor
By Keith Mathiowetz
H
i, all. I want to take a moment to thank those who have submitted their stories, swim-in reviews, and photographs for publication in Wheels-n-Waves. Without your generous efforts, our little magazine wouldn’t be
the enjoyable newsletter that it is. Thank you so much!
Although my thermometer is reading just 5 degrees above zero as I write this, I know that the big swim-in season is just around the corner, and it’s going to be great! If you’re planning to attend an event or two, please bring your
camera along to capture a few wonderful moments of the Amphi lifestyle. After the fun, just mail or e-mail your pictures to me, and I’ll make every effort to print them in upcoming issues of Wheels-n-Waves so that all of our members
can feel as though they were there.
To ensure the photographs will look great in print, here are a couple of tips. First, please do not submit images
taken with a cell-phone camera. I’ll admit, the devices are handy, but the pictures from them won’t be suitable for
printing. Second, please set your digital camera to take medium or large pictures. The larger, the better. I realize these
settings take up more memory space, but a small image can’t be enlarged without it looking extremely distorted.
Thanks for all your help, and I look forward to seeing you at a meet very soon!
3
Story and photography by
Victor and Carol Nelson
O
ctober 17-19, 2008,
was the occasion of
the 9th annual Lake
Mirror Classic Auto Festival
in Lakeland, Florida. It was
the fifth time some of our
Amphicars had participated,
although our Amphicars only
appeared on Saturday, the
actual show day. Five Amphicars participated. They
belonged to Peter and Cheryl
Fredsall (although Dan Borgman came with Peter this year
instead of Cheryl), Ray and
Chris Handloser, Victor and
Carol Nelson (although VicFive Amphis pose proudly at the Lake Mirror Classic Auto Festival.
tor was flying solo), Pat and
Linda Rovetto, and Steve and Ingrid Sell. Ray Martin, who lives nearby, came to see the show, he but did not bring
his Amphicar.
The first three times the Amphicars took part in this event, the ramp situation was quite poor. Boats are not
allowed on this small lake (which is inside the city of Lakeland), except for this one annual event. During those first
years, to accommodate vintage boats and the Amphicars (which the event organizers felt would be an added attraction
for the show), a special portable ramp was constructed. However, it did not work very well, and a few antique boats
were hoisted in and out with a crane. Finally, in
2007, the city put in what they called a “ramp.”
However, it consisted of two 18-inch-wide concrete
strips 41 inches apart, which proved to be unsatisfactory for the Amphicars. Our wheels just managed to
straddle the space between the ramps, and a few
inches either way meant one set of wheels was inboard of one ramp. Undoubtedly, the city was looking at costs and decided the two strips would be fine.
There wasn’t much concern when a car entered the
water; however, a real problem appeared when an
Amphi was coming out. If they weren’t on both
ramps, the rear wheels were looking for traction
from the lumpy bottom of fairly smooth stones. Because of this problem, the event’s personnel were
required to be present to guide the driver. For the
few antique boats, it was of no concern, because a
A heavenly view of two Fjord Green beauties!
4
boat trailer could be backed down the
ramps with no problem and then be
towed out. Ford Heacock, the event’s
chairman, and I discussed the problems and possible solutions in detail
on the telephone and by e-mail. The
ideal answer, of course, would be to
concrete the center area between the
ramps, but Ford told me that the city
would not consider this, since the
ramp had just been installed. Ford,
however, promised that he would
have the stones moved away from the
ramp area and a load of sand or other
material be put in place to solve the
problem. Unfortunately, regardless of
Spectators loved looking at the pirate-ship Amphicar.
what I had been told, the ramp area
had not been altered at all since last year. Ford had sent me pictures of the ramp last year, and Dan Borgman and I inspected it early Saturday morning and ascertained that no changes of any kind had been made.
This did not mean that it was not a very nice show, or that we with the Amphicars did not enjoy it, but, again,
as in the previous years, we could not go in and out at will, as the public — and car owners — badly wanted. Once the
swim-in was finished, and people asked, “Are you going to take them in the water?,” we had to answer, “We already
did at 1 o’clock!” As testament to the attraction the Amphicars draw, the show did, this year, finally put an Amphicar
picture in the brochure (probably to pacify me, as I repeatedly pointed out that they made a big fuss over our amphibians but did not show one in their brochure). As in years past, event organizers had us on the schedule to parade around
at least half of the lake at 1:00 p.m. prior to our much-ballyhooed splash-in. However, this year, the Amphicars were
located way out of the mainstream, and, not only did we not get to use the cars for more than the splash-in and the 20
minutes or so which this involved, but we were unable to hear the speakers or the activities and missed out completely
on the tuxedoed lunch delivery to the participants around the lake, which, like last year, was heralded and led by a
plaid-attired bagpiper.
The show itself was fine, but any hopes of having the opportunity to go swimming periodically after the 1 p.m.
session were dashed. We were situated three-quarters of the way around the lake away from the ramp and were directed back to the same area following our swim-in. In any event, it was obvious that some official connected with the
event would have to remain by the ramp to guide us in or out in order for us to use it subsequently. Sadly, though our
splash-in was scheduled for 1 p.m., our lunches were among the last to be delivered, which occurred about 15 minutes
before we took the cars in the water.
Amphicars are, of course, a different kind of animal, and most
of us enjoy putting them through their paces to delight show attendees,
as well as ourselves. This time, we were out of the mainstream of the
activities, and we all felt that we were much better situated in 2007,
which was by the corner of the lake where the bagpiper and tuxedo
line marched in; additionally, we were relocated near the monument
following our swim-in.
Steve Sell was given a Best in Class trophy, although neither
he nor I know exactly what class that was, and Peter Fredsall received
the Judges’ Choice award. However, being situated where we were
and unable to hear the event announcements, we were largely in the
dark concerning things that were going on, including these awards.
Both awards were presented in person by the event’s honorary chairman, famed race-car driver Bobby Allison. Had we been apprised of
what was transpiring, I, at least, would have gotten some photos of
these presentations.
A little fixing time at the show.
5
Story and photography by Ina Z. Cabanas
I
read the note: “TV crew looking for an Amphicar to reenact Washington crossing the Delaware.” I could do that.
I had been to one of the actual December 25th reenactments about eight years ago. As I stood on the bridge
watching the little row boat carry General Washington and his
soldiers across the Delaware River from Pennsylvania to New
Jersey, I thought it looked easy. As I remembered it, General
Washington chose that spot because it wasn’t too wide or too
deep.
I
can
do
“Inabot” prepares for her unique voyage
that! It
into the history books.
didn’t
matter
that my Amphicar was, once again, in pieces waiting for an engine. It didn’t matter that my temperature gauge always registered in the red-hot zone or that I had this horrible fear of sinking. I can do that! This was my big chance. After all, didn’t I
own an Amphicar for five years? Wasn’t I a member of the
IAOC for six years? This certainly qualified me!
It didn’t matter that, two years ago, I froze every time I
got to the
ramp at
The TV crew shoots a segment on land
Grand
Lake St.
before we hit the water.
Marys,
and, when I finally got up the nerve to go into the water, my
husband, Bob, had to push me out. I wasn’t going to tell anyone
that my tailpipe was shooting out oil or that I was only running
on two cylinders.
This was my big chance. The year 2008 was definitely
going to be my year. I had a rebuilt transmission, and I was
waiting for my rebuilt engine. I can do it!
I got up my nerve and called Ron Green. “I am your
woman for the job,” I stated. However, Ron said that there were
I take “George Washington” across the
two other members who had already volunteered, plus “...the
Delaware River in style!
Delaware River is extremely dangerous.”
6
I thought, “Well, phooey to you, Mr. President!” I didn’t
want to do that TV filming anyway. I was too busy.
Time passed, and my engine arrived. I forgot all about
Ron’s comments and the TV filming. I never wanted to do it
anyway. Now, I was just focusing on getting my Amphicar up
and running for Celina.
One night, the telephone rang. It was my best buddy,
Ron Green. The other Amphicar owners who had agreed to
cross the Delaware with General George Washington had cancelled. The gig was mine, if I wanted it. How could I turn it
down? Ron and the club needed me.
My mechanic, who operates on his own time frame,
guaranteed me that the engine would be operational in less than
I engage the propellers while “George”
o n e
and his friend enjoy the ride.
week.
Two weeks later, I wasn’t any closer to getting my Amphicar to
prepare for the Delaware crossing.
Within days of the TV filming, my Amphicar was ready
for pick-up. I was ready to water-test it, but the weather turned
hot, too hot. The humidity was worse. The Amphicar overheated on the way to the Delaware River, and we had to turn
around and stop to cool off the engine. Enough with all of this
history! Let me just give you the facts.
It all took place on Friday, the 13th of June. That didn’t
bother me, though. I saw it as a good omen. I must have arrived
at the ramp in Burlington, New Jersey, about two hours early.
A successful crossing! Filming of the
Nate Letteer and his crew flew to New Jersey from Colorado.
event was covered amply.
Their goal for the TV show, “Driving Through History,” was to
show what it would have been like if General George Washington had been lucky enough to have had an Amphicar.
The film crew was wonderful to work with. They were
very happy with the spot I had picked to have General Washington cross the Delaware. The guys had never seen an Amphicar and loved taking pictures of it, sitting in it, and filming it.
Dave, the narrator, was overjoyed when I let him drive the Amphicar
after we
got into
the Delaw a r e
River.
Tom, the camera man, and Dave, as
I
George Washington, relax after sailing.
tried not
to let my
fears get in the way of a great afternoon. We drove in and out of
the water numerous times as the guys filmed every possible angle. While we were filming, some politicians arrived, followed
by a camera man and a reporter from a large newspaper to write
a story about me and the Amphicar.
As Nate, his crew, and I hugged good-bye, all we could
talk about was the final edited version of the filming. I am
From left to right are Tom, Nate, me,
proud to say that my Amphicar really shined that afternoon and
Dave, and Jim. What a day!
made the club proud.
7
the Swimin’s fine
In 2009!
By Keith Mathiowetz; photography by IAOC members
L
ooking for a swim-in to attend in 2009? Check out this year’s events being held all across the United States and
Canada. As always, the Celina, Ohio, gathering is the national meet and promises to attract the most cars, but
the other meets offer just as much fun and excitement, and the people who partake in them are always wonderful. If you are thinking about hosting a swim-in in your area, please be sure to let the board of directors know!
Tavares (Lake dora), Florida, March 26-29
The Lake Dora Swim-In’s camaraderie is unbeatable, and
Florida’s weather is definitely a lot different than the
weather up north! For more information, contact Vic Nelson at nelson625@aol.com, or call 386-228-2118.
Austin, texas, april 17-19
Amphi activity in the Lone Star State! Please continue
checking www.amphicar.com for updated information.
Seattle, Washington, may 2
Orillia, Ontario, canada, june 25-27
Be a part of the Seattle Yacht Club’s “Opening
Day of Boating Season” by being in a big boat
parade! See www.amphicar.com for details.
There’s nothing like escaping to the north country for Amphicar
fun! Gord and Joanne Souter welcome everyone with open arms,
and there are lots of terrific land and water cruises to enjoy. Will the
Amphicars again go through the locks in the nearby canal as they
did once before? Come up and find out! Call Gord at 705-327-2820
for more information.
Chicago, Illinois, june 6
Join Dave “The Wave” Derer and other Amphi
enthusiasts from the Midwest to experience
downtown Chicago in a unique way — via the
city’s rivers! Call 815-849-5498
8
Boston, Massachusetts, August 27-30
The Boston Swim-In will be hosted by Gerry O’Bara and
Lori Esters. At last year’s event, participants enjoyed
great swimming, food, and an appearance on “Good
Morning America.” Call 508-360-1658.
San diego, California, August
Celina, ohio, july 22-26
The big one! The IAOC national meet! The one we can’t
wait to attend! This traditional gathering is filled with
cars, parades, a car show, and an Amphicar-only swap
meet, as well as numerous other activities. Log on to
www.amphicar.com for all the glorious details!
The 9th Annual San Diego Swim-In will take place this
August. Additional information will become available at
www.amphicar.com.
Holland, Michigan, Early September
Join your “Water Wonderland” Amphicar friends in
Michigan for a weekend of fun! Check out the updates at
www.amphicar.com.
Evansville, Indiana, august 5-11
Lake of the Ozarks, late September
Swim with vintage military amphibious vehicles at the
Military Vehicle Preservation Association’s big Indiana
meet. For an informative description of this fantastic
weekend, visit www.amphicar.com.
Roger Sallee and Dave “The Wave” Derer host this action-packed amphibious weekend in Missouri’s beautiful
Lake of the Ozarks. Stay tuned for new information at
www.amphicar.com.
9
Story by Victor Nelson; photography by IAOC members
I
n making the preparations for the March 26-29, 2009, Lake Dora Swim-In, in Tavares, Florida, I wrote to Terry
Fiest, the coordinator of the annual Sunnyland Annual Boat Show, last September, as our Amphicar swim-in is
under the umbrella of the Sunnyland Annual Boat Show. When I did not receive answers to questions I had
asked, I contacted him again this January and finally had a lengthy telephone conversation with him. The principal
matters I had raised with him concerned the use of the ramp on Sunday, whether we Amphicar folks will be part of
their Friday-evening Captains’ Party, and how registration was to be handled. Registration had once been a problem
area, but had been resolved satisfactorily at the Mount Dora site. Now, however, the Antique & Classic Boat Society
has some agreements with the Municipality of Tavares, which is now the show’s location. (Our event is still on the
same Lake Dora, but six miles west of Mount Dora, where, for years, we held our swim-ins). They had an excellent,
brand-new ramp put
in last year, and with
the new arrangements
came some changes.
Last year’s show
went excellently, and
our Amphicar location and ramp usage
(except for Sunday)
was great, but there
were a few matters
which needed to be
addressed. Registration will be handled
directly with the
sponsoring Antique
& Classic Boat Society, and the fee will
change from $25 to
10
$40, which includes two adults and immediate family members under 18.
The show has a web site, www.acbs-sunnyland.com. Terry Fiest told me this is very user friendly. However, I
did not find it so great. After considerable difficulty, I was able to extract the two-page registration form. However, all
the information and the entire event schedule is on this site and easy to bring up. Terry told me that if people have
problems printing the registration form, they can e-mail him at terry.fiest@cubic.com or call his cell phone at 407-493
-6487; the organization will mail anyone the registration form. The registration fee includes the Captains’ Party Friday
night. Hopefully, the temperature will be in the 70s or above. This is always a fun party with great ambiance, likeminded attendees, and a pretty good assortment of food choices. Drinks are
obtained from a cash bar.
The summary of the pertinent
information is that the show starts with
a reception hosted by Hagerty Insurance
on Thursday afternoon, March 26, from
6:00 to 8:00 p.m., and the show ends
Sunday afternoon, March 29. The chairman told me that though he favored a
reduced registration fee and recognizes
what a significant role the Amphicars
play in the event, he was out-voted by
all but one of the members of the ACBS
board. I believe, personally, that the reason is partly because, though we are not
antique boats in the normal sense, the
Amphicars attract a disproportionate
amount of attention, and a fair number
of the antique-boat owners are, to some
extent, jealous of the attention we get.
In two different years, newspapers that
featured articles on the show had photos
of the Amphicars. One year, the Orlando Sentinel, on the front page of its Sunday edition, featured a three-picture display of my Amphicar in a “going, going, gone” sequence. I told Terry that, other than the out-of-state people, the Amphicars will seldom arrive before Friday afternoon and usually depart on Sunday. Our Amphicar parade and grand
splash-in will still be held on Saturday at 1 p.m. As mentioned, this is all shown in the printed schedule at the web
site.
The complete registration form and a $40 check — made out to the Sunnyland ACBS — should be sent to the
address in Mount Dora, as shown on the form. When you arrive and check in, you will receive name badges, a goodie
bag, and other items. The Inn on the Green will continue to be our de facto headquarters, though it now has had a
change in its personnel. Both the Inn on the Green and our banquet site, however, are closer to the Tavares swim-in
location.
There is a very nice RV park three miles away with full hookup sites costing $35 a night. Dry camping will be
available at the event site, with the cost being $100 for the whole event, regardless of the number of days utilized. Unfortunately, electric power or other amenities will not be available.
Sadly, Dave Monier, who has not owned an Amphicar now for some time, is bowing out as our swim-in leader
and will no longer be participating. So, at our banquet, be thinking about good candidates to take the reins and carry
on with this wonderful Lake Dora Swim-In, as I, too, will be relinquishing any leadership role, though I will still be
available in an advisory capacity.
Assuming that you northerners have had your fill of winter and the fluffy white stuff, mark your calendars and
plan to get together here in central Florida. If you are staying in a motel, call immediately to make reservations. No
special room rates have been arranged, but mentioning the annual Amphicar contingent may create a reduction. For 11
years in a row, we have had exceptional weather, and we have again requested more of the same. The camaraderie is
unbeatable, and the weather is definitely great. If you have questions or want more information, contact me at nelson625@aol.com, or call 386-228-2118.
11
Www.amphicar.com
CheCk out What’s NeW!
Story by Larry Solheim, webmaster
H
appily, we are getting back on track after a short period of disruption. The goal, per the board of directors, is
to maintain an easily utilized web site, frequently updated and readily available as a tool for member information and Amphicar event communication. Admittedly, this is a tall task, following in the wide (and deep)
footsteps of the intrepid wizards of
electrons and html
bytes who have created and run the
“modern” site since
August, 2000! To
that end, you will
note some simplification of graphics,
updated pictures
and articles, and
new
bo ar d -o fdirectors scans of
Amphicar technical
manuals, including
a series of Electrical Manuals not
previously posted.
An Amphicar owner since
1994, I am a firm
believer in the
strength of the
IAOC as an organization and the
benefit it can be to
each owner, “owner
-wannabe,” or enthusiast. If there is
a motto, it should be “community,” as we are a unique community that enjoys a unique vehicle.
Advertisement over. I can be the “mechanic” to keep the site running and updated, but it will take the participation of the entire membership to provide the stories, pictures, events, and advertisements to be posted for the edification and enjoyment of all.
If you have items of interest, concerns, or complaints (or even compliments) that you wish to share with the
membership, please send a message to webmaster@amphicar.com or contact@amphicar.com. Our promise is that
every input will be reviewed and acted upon promptly!
Stay warm until summer, and keep those fins up!
12
Getting more heat from your heater
To get the hottest air out of your
heater, insulate the metal surfaces inside of the
heater-core box with very thin foam tape; do
the same with the metal tube holding the
heater motor. (Be sure the heater-motor fan
Helpful Tips and Tricks from Hugh Gordon
blade doesn’t hit the tape.) Because you can’t
see the metal defroster ducts, wrap foam tape
around them to keep the air warm. If you drive your Amphicar in winter temperatures below 30 degrees, experiment
with covering a small part of your radiator with pieces of cardboard.
Hugh’s Views
Testing doors for leaks
Check each door for leaks the simple, fast way while you’re on dry land. After adjusting your water lock handle stop, spray water on your closed door all along
the gap between the door and body. Have someone shine a flashlight inside the 4-inch holes bePre-Paid Ads by Primary Service & Parts Providers
low the inside door sill area. (You may have to
NOTE: These are nominal-fee, pre-paid ads from those whose goal is to provide quality
peel down the rubber mat glued to the inside sill
parts and/or services to the amphibious community. Contact the newsletter editor if you
area first.) If water rushes past the seals, it will roll
are interested in this or other forms of advertising within the Wheels-n-Waves newsletter.
Midwest Amphicar
Celebrating 10 years of full-time,
Amphicar-only service!
Specializing in:
 Metal restoration & manufacturing of panels
 Transmission repairs & manufacturing of parts
 Customer service
 Quality, Integrity, Value, & Honesty
815-849-5498 — www.midwestamphicar.com
over the white plastic strip. If it’s a small leak, it
will flow down through the three small holes on
top of the door sill. Just shim your seal on the door
with thin rubber strips (like inner tube rubber) to
tighten the fit against both seals. Also, be sure
your water lock handle is adjusted tightly against
the stop and actually pulls the door in towards the
body.
Inside and Out Restoration Using Roto-Body
All Steel Fabrication For Integrity & Strength
Showroom Appearance & Performance
All Work Completed By East Coast Amphicar
Billy “Splash King” Syx 609-625-1015
Email amphisplashparty@msn.com
13
Member Spotlight
Meet Ken (KD) Roy
I
t was the spring of 1971, and KD just turned 21. He was tired of making payments on his new $3,000 Dodge
Challenger, so he sold it to buy a $100 1960 Sunbeam Alpine. When he drove the Sunbeam, people would stop
him and ask if it was one of those “water cars,” to which he replied, “Huh?” After some research, he found there
was an amphibious car named the Amphicar. KD’s search was on. Within a year, he spotted one in the river and sped
up to talk to the owner, who shared a little information about it. He said it was worth about $5,000, but his Amphicar
wasn’t for sale.
Fast-forward to about 1977. KD had started a computer consulting business and was doing fairly well. He
spotted an Amphicar for sale in the classified ads of the St. Paul, Minnesota, newspaper, and he rushed over to see it.
It was the same one he had seen years earlier. The owner needed the money and sold it to KD for $3,000, which made
KD one happy dude! People were always flocking to see KD’s Amphicar. Soon, they were telling him about their
“niece’s friend’s grandma’s neighbor” who had one in their barn. Within a few years, KD had six of them. He later
found the owner of the Amphicar dealership in Minneapolis, Minnesota, who still had five Amphicars and many parts,
but he would never sell them. Parts were scarce, and, without the internet, KD had to use parts from other Amphicars
to keep a few going. This led KD to search for replacement parts, which led to his creation of a parts interchange list.
Later, he gave his parts list to the IAOC, and it is now on the club’s web site.
One day, KD received a call from a Jim Nichols from Mississippi; Jim had started an Amphicar club and was
looking for new members. Jim’s club had the motto “United We Float; Divided We Sink.” KD joined the club, which
had very informative newsletters, and he met a few other people, including a guy named Hugh Gordon, who sent KD
his two-page parts list. Suddenly, in the early 1980s, KD stopped getting the club newsletters. He called Jim, and his
wife told him that Jim drowned when he fell out of his Amphicar. Without Jim, there was no club. Years later, Jeff
Sweet decided to get the club going again. There was now an internet, and more Amphicar owners could be found; a
great club was formed.
Many years ago, KD had the great idea of getting some sponsors to provide an extra car and parts for an incredible voyage that KD wanted to take. He was going to enter the Mississippi River at Lake Itasca (the starting point
of the river) in Minnesota and float to New Orleans, Louisiana. After a couple of test swims in the river, KD concluded it was a bad idea, so the plan was abandoned.
KD has had dozens of old cars over the years, but he’s now down to two: a white 1967 Amphicar and a 1969
Jaguar XKE convertible. KD resides in Oakdale, Minnesota, where he’s never too far from a lake to enjoy his Amphicar!
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Amphicars, Parts, Services, Accessories, & Apparel
LOTS of PARTS!: Over 800 NOS and reproductions. Call for prices. What do you need? Interior kits my specialty with over 100 kits sold.
Almost all body parts are now available in fiberglass, including the floor from front to the back seam under transmission. Full in-house total
restorations are done by me alone, so only one a year. Call to get on my waiting list. Advice to people restoring their car is still free! Gord
Souter, 3860 Carlyon Line, R.R. #4 Orillia, Ontario, Canada, L3V 6H4, 705-327-2820, www.amphicar.ca
Amphicar - Gordon Imports, Inc.: 14330 Iseli Road, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670. Your exclusive importer of original Amphicar parts.
Same day shipping of 97% of all parts ordered. 562-802-1608, (FAX) 562-404-1904, sales@gordonimports.com.
Amphicar Repair and Restoration: Various parts. “Do it once, do it right.” East Coast Amphicar, 2213 Route 50, Mays Landing, New Jersey, 08330. Billy Syx, 609-625-1015.
Amphicar Restoration: ROCKY MOUNTAIN AMPHICAR, 50 miles north of Denver, Colorado. “I’ll take care of your Amphicar as if it
were one of my very own.” CD’s of Parts & Main. Manuals & more. John Bevins, 970-532-4104 , RMA@amphicar.com
Midwest Amphicar, Celebrating 10 Years in Business!: Celebrating ten years of full-time, Amphicar-only service. Specializing in metal
restoration and the manufacturing of panels. Specializing in transmission repairs and the manufacturing of parts. Specializing in customer
service. These are the reasons why people travel long distances to come to Midwest Amphicar: Quality. Integrity. Value. Honesty. Contact
Dave “The Wave” Derer at dmd1@yahoo.com or 815-849-5498; www.midwestamphicar.com
All Things Amphicar and Trailer: Cars for sale, Engines & Transmissions, New & Used Parts, Accessories, Amphicar Trailers, and Trailers for all other collector Cars, Trucks, Tractors and Motorcycles. Any size, both Open and Enclosed, Steel or Aluminum! Complete Amphicar restoration, repair and maintenance service. Selling and Finding services also available; see our long list of satisfied customers. Robert
Vondracek, 219-405-1241, robert@allthingsamphicar.com
Interior Kits: A complete Amphi interior kit for $1,300 (flotation seat models slightly extra). Dave “Stitcher” Bennet, stitchen1@yahoo.com.
T-shirts: $9.95 each. Hanes Heavyweight (90% pre-shrunk cotton, 10% polyester) with beautiful “ADIRONDACK AMPHICAR” 3 color
logo silk screened on front, Blue Amphi only. Sizes: Youth M (10-12) & Adults Small - Grey shirts only Adults-M-L-XL - Grey or Sage
Green shirts. Shipping in US is $4.95 for first shirt and $1.00 more for each additional shirt ordered. Please specify quantity, sizes and colors.
Payment to: Edward David, 2658 Griffith Park Blvd., #265, Los Angeles, CA 90039 or PayPal account: edededdie@aol.com
Amphicar Patches: Fully embroidered/completely stitched. Top quality fabrics, custom dyed for uniformity & routinely tested for durability
and color-fastness. Laminated backing, washable-dry cleanable. Heat seal backing so they can be sewed or ironed on any shirt, jacket, hat,
etc; just $6 each, plus $1 ship. John Lambert at jlambertspc@aol.com. Include the number of patches requested, your complete mailing address and your check. John Lambert, 19090 Hickory Ridge Road, Fenton, Michigan 48430, 810-750-4967
For Sale: Dutton Mariner: Fully legal in the U.S. as car and boat. Turbo diesel. Air conditioning, AM/FM/cassette radio, depth finder, hard
and soft tops. Twin jets. $39,950. Can see pictures at http://h2ofun.net/indexboats.htm. Dave Campbell, Auburn, Calif. 530-268-0331
Amphicar Apparel: T-shirts, sweatshirts, tote bags, mouse pads & reproductions of famous Amphicar advertisements. Russ Cihlar,
russcihlar@itol.com
Car Covers: Custom-fit car covers made for your Amphicar or any other vehicle. 13 different fabrics available. Steve Behnke at Murphy’s
Motoring Accessories. (920)759-2157.
Driveshaft Tunnel Replacement Ends: Critical for water safety, rugged replacement pairs for $250. Chris Lariviere, 860-977-0808,
Chris.Lariviere@wfsb.com, www.amphicarsbychris.com
High Performance Clutch System: Drop in replacement. $550 + ship for the whole system. Also improved late style drain plugs $29.50 +
ship. John Friese. 242 E. Alamar Avenue, Santa Barbara, CA 93105. 805-570-4778 friese@mindspring.com
Body-at-Door Seals: (Part #11-34-33R) Self-adhesive, easy to mount and cut, $20 for a precut pair to seal both doorways. Includes instruction sheet. Bill Connelly, 8389 Luce Court, Springfield, Virginia, 22153, bilgemeister@amphicar.net.
Engine Oil Change Kit: Includes a taper tube that goes through hull drain, magnetic drain plug & wobble Allen wrench to reach plug.
$12.95+ ship. Mike Ferland, 54 Grand Moulin, Deux Montagnes, Quebec, Canada J7R 3C5 450-473-3971) capitaineamphicar@yahoo.ca
Trim: New & Remanufactured bright-dip anodized aluminum trim strips for headlamps, rear lamps, fins, and hoods. Also have air filters, inside
mirrors, carbon clutch release bearings, accelerator cables, mirrored sun-visors, front bumpers, and more. Allan Woodcock, 442 Vista Dorado Lane,
Oak Park, CA, 91377, 310-466-6288, ampicarparts@earthlink.net, www.amphicarparts.com
1967 Amphicar: White, one owner. In Canada. $25,000 CDN. Visit www.amphicar.com for pictures. Contact jhgroom@mnsi.net.
Fine Print Disclaimer: The IAOC is not responsible for ads, products, claims, or purchases. Advertisements will run on the IAOC web page and newsletter
for three months or two Wheels –n– Waves newsletter issues, whichever comes first. Note: The editor reserves the right to trim ads in an effort to provide as
many listings as possible. Classifieds are FREE to IAOC Members. Amphicar-related classifieds for non-members are $10. Newsletter ad submission deadline is the 15th of the month prior to each newsletter release.
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INTERNATIONAL AMPHICAR OWNERS CLUB
E2315 COUNTY ROAD B
SCANDINAVIA, WI 54977
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA