Amphibian again
Having had my youthful sanity warped by an early exposure to Mecanics Illustrated and similar publications, I grew up with a desire to build somethihng silly.
In 1975 I decided that this was that something.
It is based on the engine, transmission, wheels and brakes of a FIAT 850.
The rest is my own design.
It is powered in water by a berkely jet,
The wheels retract
These pictures were taken in 2001
It works, now what?
Or better;
It works, SO What?
posted by Lane Savant at 10:21 AM
2 Comments:
wow. Would like to see more pics of that. What do you call it?
Ah yes, GOKWIIS, the Puget Sound Nessy that only is seen on foggy mornings by folks on the ferry, as it clears Elliott Bay, swimming hard out from Vashon; from a hidden grotto or bay. It is silver, this sea serpent, and its eyes shine like white fire. It makes a churning sound, punctuated by a whoosing sound like a lame Seadoo; like a constipated jet. I know that Gokwiss is man-made. I remember when its chassis was first bent in the basement garage of your Queen Anne house; after we spent a whole week end with sledge hammers knocking a 5'X 4' hole in the basement retaining wall, and the garage wall, so that you could tred the damp dirt floor from your home-made forge, figuring out ways to fasten your "special" parts to it. For decades you worked on it like a man possessed, rubbing it with resin and buffing its stainless steel shell, adapting sports car dash controls and steering wheels and bucket seats; figuring out how you would take a standard drive shaft, and hook up a prop to it, with the jet assist; designing the water flaps, and waterproofing the waterproofing. Yes, Gokwiis is an old friend, and I am looking forward to renewing our acquaintance soon.
........Glenn
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