Below the line everything is always about money. Also in our passion. Because what can we do with the money we have? From a business point of view, the approach is to invest with it and to earn money from it. Because classic prices have been on the rise for years. Look: if you can talk about your passion like that, then you have a top story for the people who think that the old stuff eats a lot of the budget.
There can be earned
But in the meantime there are quite a lot of people who see a business model in their classic. There are classic allegiance and funeral cars. There my people who rent their classic. But recently we met Serge Roca, an entrepreneur from Marseille. Serge was here to delve into the "Amphicar" phenomenon.
Potomac Classis from the village of Terborg is one of the two companies in the world that deal with the moderately moving and reasonably driving heritage and the life's work of car designer Hans Trippel (1908-2001), who was involved in old age making amphibious vehicles. The - very maintenance-intensive - Amphicar 770 is the only amphibious car made in series for private use. 1961 copies were made between 1968 and 3.878.
The end of a dream
A major investor died in 1967. In 1968, changes in US legislation finally dropped the project. The high price of the Amphicars was already a threat to continuity before that time. So the matter had been on edge for some time.
The start of another dream
Seen in Disneyland. On youtube, but still. In Disneyland America you can make tours / trips in Amhicars. There is a fleet of ten copies there. You get in, the Amphicar drives around, sails a short distance. And you can get out again. Any other news? Yes, the excursion lasts about twenty minutes and costs $ 100 or so… See, that's earning. Serge had searched the Internet, found some of Potomac's previous French customers and talked to them. Then he was ready to go to Terborg. 'Terborg Airport' is not there yet, but it came via Schiphol via a fine train connection to Station Dieren and was picked up there with a classic.
The man turned out to be a pure entrepreneur
He had no emotional click with the Amphicar. But he had done his market research and thought he would make boat trips with the Amphicar in the port of Marseille or thereabouts. There he would charge between € 100-150 for a one-hour trip. And that about eight times a day. But first he wanted to know all the ins and outs about the Amhpicar technique and its maintenance. Amphicars are being restored in Terborg and brought in new and better condition. The final price can thereby be higher than € 75.000. Serge's wish to first gather all the information at the base was therefore understandable.
Reflection time
He returned fully informed to the South of France to delve into the local port and permit rules for his business model. And last week he came back. Now with a car and a tandem asser. He will now have made his first test run / ride. And we promised him to post a message in AMK as his company runs, drives and sails.
Sailing with an Amphicar in the salt water of the port of Marseille? The beautiful green color will soon have rusty brown edges… A shame!
A friend of mine also has one and he has to lubricate the car again after each sail.
The Frenchman has been warned for and against everything and clearly instructed. . But apparently it can go well. A Potomac customer has one in the Caribbean. Already 8 years.
Hey, what a coincidence! I was there when the Amphicar was picked up and saw you taking pictures.
Tis a small world 🙂