  Rb336 Member Username: Rb336 Post Number: 4387 Registered: 02-2007 |
http://www.theoaklandpress.com /stories/010808/bus_2008010812 4.shtml I want one | ||
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge Post Number: 4478 Registered: 10-2003 |
These things have been around for awhile. I remember seeing a few around in the 80's. Silliness. | ||
Izzadore Member Username: Izzadore Post Number: 98 Registered: 11-2006 |
quote: I second that. Every time I saw someone with one of these I thought to myself... "What a weirdo!" | ||
Kslice Member Username: Kslice Post Number: 259 Registered: 04-2007 |
The new ones are far superior to any amphibious car there was before. 110mph on land sounds pretty good to me, and 30 in the water ain't bad. Good to see they want to build their business around here. If Quicken doesn't pick up the Lafayette building the city should offer it to these guys for their HQ for $1. | ||
Rb336 Member Username: Rb336 Post Number: 4390 Registered: 02-2007 |
Gibbs currently has offices in troy, b'ham and plymouth, i think. they have so many cool things -- the humdinga - an amphibious SUV, an amphibious 4-wheeler/pwc | ||
Texorama Member Username: Texorama Post Number: 133 Registered: 12-2006 |
I like it--no need to drive all the way down to the free bridge to get to Grosse Ile. | ||
Ndavies Member Username: Ndavies Post Number: 2917 Registered: 10-2003 |
quote: Sorry that wouldn't work on GI. There isn't anywhere to get the vehicle in or out of the water on the north end of Grosse Ile. There aren't any public boat ramps on the island and most of the private ones are on the south end of the island. It would actually increase the amount of driving you'd have to do. Most Grosse Ile residents with trailerable boats take them off the island to launch them. Most use the Elizabeth park boat launch. | ||
Upinottawa Member Username: Upinottawa Post Number: 1048 Registered: 09-2005 |
Now only if they could manufacture an amphibious tractor-trailor then there would be no need for a second Windsor-Detroit bridge.... | ||
Gnome Member Username: Gnome Post Number: 537 Registered: 08-2007 |
video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =7F2-dGdP4eY&feature=related A good HQ would be on a nice inland lake or river. Oldsmobile's HQ on Olds Ave at Townsend St. Lansing comes to mind. The plant and HQ sit on the Grand River, it has a dedicated rail line and the entire complex has been mothballed. Seems like a perfect fit. | ||
Tk65 Member Username: Tk65 Post Number: 6 Registered: 12-2007 |
That Olds plant is a pile of rubble. Its not even a big pile either, most of it is gone. | ||
Rb336 Member Username: Rb336 Post Number: 4412 Registered: 02-2007 |
Anyone else see it when it was on orchard lake? | ||
Bigb23 Member Username: Bigb23 Post Number: 223 Registered: 11-2007 |
This is the place to build it. We have hungry screw heads that live and breathe anything on four or two wheels.(or keel). I used to build antique/custom/limo vehicles from scratch. Now I have a temp. job loading a CNC machine. What a waste of skills we have here in the Motor City! | ||
Sstashmoo Member Username: Sstashmoo Post Number: 877 Registered: 02-2007 |
Not a good car, not a good boat. | ||
Bigb23 Member Username: Bigb23 Post Number: 225 Registered: 11-2007 |
People with cash to burn will want to have one. Nobody EVER said they were practical. But I would love to swerve onto a empty boat ramp at 35 mph with an unknowing friend in the seat. | ||
Ragtoplover59 Member Username: Ragtoplover59 Post Number: 183 Registered: 09-2006 |
This Company was looking for U.S. Investors a few years back, I was only wishing I had the kind of money needed to put into this venture. and I was dreaming of big returns with just one product, The 4-wheeler/PWC (Quadski) ! I would think that one item would be a hit with lifeguard service's around the entire country. http://www.gibbstech.co.uk/mediacentre/quadski.php I guess the car would be "useless" to anybody that did not enjoy boating or riding around in a convertible.   Personally I think it's cute, wait, wrong car  I Love it ! | ||
Baltgar Member Username: Baltgar Post Number: 94 Registered: 06-2006 |
I think the use for this vehicle is quite limited cause the need for public access locations for inland water. Plus you would need public access on opposite side of the water body to really make it beneficial. Otherwise you are buying a gimmick. I think this product has more potential for realistically taking off. This could do well in congested and good weather locations. If only it was less than $10k. The nearly $12k price tag is a bit hefty. http://www.vectrix.com/Portal/ 1/Language/47/Page/1/Home_(US).aspx http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =kEk2J85PXNg | ||
Scooter2k7 Member Username: Scooter2k7 Post Number: 49 Registered: 10-2007 |
Whats the point of an aqua car in Michigan? If the southwest gets their way we soon will not have any water to drive it on. | ||
Gnome Member Username: Gnome Post Number: 540 Registered: 08-2007 |
tk65- Thanx, for the update, I didn't know they tore down the Lansing Oldsmobile plant. Next time I'm in Lansing, I'll drive by and spill a 40 for all the Connecting Rods I made in that plant. | ||
Rb336 Member Username: Rb336 Post Number: 4435 Registered: 02-2007 |
"Not a good car, not a good boat." on what do you base that? | ||
Tk65 Member Username: Tk65 Post Number: 7 Registered: 12-2007 |
I was up there last winter buying parts for my Olds and went over to the MLK overpass to see what was left. About 3/4 of it was gone. The main Administration building is next. Video of the demo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Vk-IntX6aQ (Message edited by TK-65 on January 10, 2008) | ||
Ragtoplover59 Member Username: Ragtoplover59 Post Number: 186 Registered: 09-2006 |
Here is a link to a page that has 2 pics of the Amphicar I pictured above, in action http://www.lanemotormuseum.org /microcardrive07.pdf And the site it came from, http://www.lanemotormuseum.org / | ||
Sstashmoo Member Username: Sstashmoo Post Number: 898 Registered: 02-2007 |
QUote: ""Not a good car, not a good boat." on what do you base that?"" Experience in design and development. It's virtually impossible to design a single device that replaces two and outperforms or even equals each. When a device has a specific dedicated purpose, all elements of the design are implemented for that result. Think of all the multi-purpose products that have came and gone. The true winners are those with a single purpose. Remember the ElCamino? Not a good car, not a good truck. How about all these multi-purpose kitchen aids? So many different tools in one package, none were practical to use. The analogy I normally use is the camping knife with fork and spoon. Not a good set of silver ware, nearly useless as a knife. These car/boats are gadgets and nothing more. In the water, it's packing around several components, like tires, drive axles, suspension etc, that do not benefit the task, are just added weight that cause degraded performance. A package of compromises. |
