Trafford Publishing: The Amphigeo Story

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The Amphigeo Story

by Mark Roehrig

130 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #02-0466; ISBN 1-55369-653-0; US$24.95, C$31.50, EUR20.50, £14.20

The Amphigeo Story is a trip into the imaginative, many fantasize, and truly few follow their heart's content. The Amphigeo is a milestone in the development and availability of an amphibious car for the masses. Have you ever dreamed of driving right into a lake, or ocean for that matter, and your car at that very moment became a boat?

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about the book about the author sample excerpts catalogue info

About the Book

Amphibious vehicles were some of the first self propelled vehicles ever created going all the way back to 1805. The only Factory produced amphibian was the Amphicar in the 60's. Just some of the facts about amphibians that are dispelled in "The Amphigeo Story." Today more than ever the world is ready for such a vehicle, one that you can drive around doing errands as well as tear down a boat ramp into the froth. The Amphigeo is for the masses, two thirds of the planet is covered in water, and 70% of the world's population lives on the water or very near. Why then should it be we have to own a boat and a car to take advantage of both mediums of transportation? Not anymore, Mark Roehrig has developed the simplest conversion ever conceived for putting a car into the water. His "Amphigeo" took just 5 months to build; his second would only take about 3 months, for now he knows all the secrets and shortcuts, which is exactly what prompted him to write "The Amphigeo Story." Now anyone can own an amphibious car, at the lowest price ever imagined, in fact the Amphigeo is just that, the world's best bargain in an amphibian. The Amphigeo makes use of many of the original parts, including engine, transmission, CV axles, steering, suspension, seats, dash, radiator, fans, fuel tank and more. This car has changed his life, everywhere he goes crowds gather, the press and TV has loved doing the story. But Mark will tell you none of that surpasses driving in the water, it is his ultimate reward, and after 2 years the Amphigeo's design has proved reliable. If you're ready for the experience of a lifetime, this books for you, you could build an Amphigeo or have one built, but owning one will definitely put an end to the everyday doldrums. Any car can drive into the water, only a good one can drive out again.

About the Author

Our author didn't start out in life to become an internationally respected franchiser, innovative inventor, inspiring keynote speaker and author. And he didn't intend to become president and founder of the world's first mobile power window repair service. In fact just as Roehrig [pronounced "Row-Rig"] will readily admit, as a kid growing up in Kentucky during the 60's and 70's, his eyes were much more focused on inventions.
"I had so many dreams that nobody could figure me out," Roehrig grins, "One thing for sure, I've never been earth bound."
His positive resources for caring, education, and inspiration, as well as developing many unorthodox advertising campaigns, that most would scoff at to try, propelled him to achieve excellence as dispelled here in his most amazing story of determination.
According to Mark, as he prefers to be called, what has evolved from a promotional tactic for a business, has been transformed into one of the most intriguing, sought after projects the world over. "The Amphigeo" is a combination of imagination, luck, skill, and most determinedly a dream of riding the waves as well as the curves, in an automobile converted to do both. He tells the tale of a man without much to go on but a small arsenal of second hand tools, lots of shade tree mechanic techniques, and a doggedness to win. Building an amphibious car in less time than it would take most to build a radio controlled airplane kit. His drive for success is exemplified in all his work.

Sample Excerpts

Objective
Let me give you a dramatization of the perfect amphibian, my fantasy conceptualized. Our perfect amphibious car would be constructed of Fiberglass or some other type of non-corrosive material to embark the project. The engine would have lots of horsepower, probably aluminum to cut down weight. Long open sea voyages would be possible, as our vessel would have minimum drag due to its retractable wheels and could plane a smooth surface as well as take on high seas and even roll over without sinking, designed to come upright in that catastrophic event. Our vessel returning to land could do highway speeds, in air-conditioned comfort. The best part, and here is where the fantasy comes in, this capable amphibian is available to the masses, parts are always available, and servicing takes place all over the world. Want a real fact? I'm not being pragmatic to have such a fantasy; we have ever bit of technology needed today to build such an item. And if the market were great enough, it would be in production today. The dispelled truth is the public at large is closed minded to such an idea, it's preconceived as a novelty, the stuff movies are made of, and not useful transportation.
Next Excerpt:
An although we may be many years away from the masses rocketing to the moon, flying mechanical birds, or piloting amphibious vehicles across oceans, we can dream can't we?
I did just that the first time I saw an Amphicar plunge down a boat ramp. "Amphicar" is the forever-famed only factory produced amphibious car, derived in the 60's. I eyed my first Amphicar during it's hat trick for the crowds at an annual antique boat show event held in Mount Dora, Florida in 2000, when I saw myself driving my own car, a Geo Metro, right into the drink after him!
The dream seed had taken root, all that was left was to get started, pondering and planning have never been my attributes. On arrival back home I immediately set about a project that would lead me on an epic journey I'd never dreamed of encountering, including writing this book. I scraped together all the hand tools I could find laying around, most were purchased over many years at garage sales, pawn shops and found in trunks of used cars, I was a dealer at one time but don't hold that against me. Then I invested in a mig welder and a small set of acetylene/oxygen torches. I had a 6 inch vise bolted down to an old table, and a huge Bosch hand held grinder, we affectionately have always called "big bertha" I'm not kidding it's a monster. I also had a floor jack, and a smaller hand grinder with a wire wheel mounted on it. This, and a Skill Saw, made up my complete complement of tools. The dubious task of disassembling the Geo and complete reconfiguring into an amphibious vehicle took just 5 months, between the annual Amphicar rallies held in Mount Dora in March and the national show held in Celina, Ohio in August, working full time.
The Amphigeo is simplistic in design, and with my mistakes dispelled here and short cuts added, you will surely be in the water with a lot more ease than I experienced. As with any project you must stay focused on the objective. Move toward your goal, just a little at a time will do, as long as you keep moving, then success will naturally follow.
Next Excerpt:
So why the Geo? Why not. It's really light, its floating posture is absolutely perfect, it takes up little room in the garage, has a bullet proof engine and transmission, even used in many experimental homebuilt aircraft. Once more, its original engine, transmission, suspension, brakes and steering, are all retained for ease and speed of the building process, with the added bonus of making it the least expensive amphibious vehicle on the planet! Not that there's a magnitude of choice in amphibious vehicles out there. And you can buy a four-door hatchback Geo in good shape at a steal of a price. If you elect to build a Geo, this book will give you lots of details, saving you countless hours of experimentation on your own. I've already accomplished it, and now so can you. Besides it looks soooooo good in the water. Don't you think so?
"IT IS DIFFICULT TO SAY WHAT IS IMPOSSIBLE, FOR THE DREAM OF YESTERDAY IS THE HOPE OF TODAY AND THE REALITY OF TOMMORROW."
--ROBERT H. GODDARD
Next Excerpt
Then it came to me, I'd seen a Amphicar in my classic car encyclopedia, heck I'd even seen one in person at a AAAA show (Antique Automobile Association of America.) Unfortunately it was asphalt locked at the show and I didn't get to see its greater attribute, but I'll never forget those twin props nestled underneath, it was the strangest site. I thought about my Geo, This little car had heart, and I knew the lightweight of the car and peppy aluminum engine was a good combination for an amphibious car. I wanted information on the subject of amphibious vehicles, so I went to my computer and punched up Amphicar on the web. I immediately found the club for this rare vehicle; I was excited to know one existed. Quickly I went to the menu item on their web-site upcoming events and found the annual event in Mount Dora Florida, only 3 hours from me and a month away. I decided right then and there I'd be attendance for the event.
Arriving in March on a sweltering hot day, I met lots of club members; one in particular was Dan Borgman, who had spent lots of energy redesigning his Amphicar, with hinged center glass in the windshield, transom deck for swimmers, and even a captain's chair for fishing! He spent time answering my questions, a not so small accomplishment around amphibious car buffs and spectators, because everyone's a buzz with excitement. But Dan saw my enthusiasm, I can push when I want something, and I came away with a lot more knowledge of the Amphicar and a huge bug to own one, except the price tag on this antique was way over budget. Try a starting price for one that looks decent at $20,000, and one was even sold for over $30,000 at an auction! Parts can be a bust too. A transmission I'm told can set you back some $3000 smackeroos! So it was time to get back to the Geo and now to the drawing board.
If James Bond could drive under water, then I surely could drive on top of it, couldn't I? (One day I'll drive under water, it's in the works) Besides, as long as I was promoting the car to my wife as a project, she wasn't all to apt to tell me to get rid of it, nope, it was now officially my project, to create the worlds first Geo Metro amphibian. The "Amphigeo" was born.
My goal in undertaking such a project was two fold.
One, I felt there were lots of land locked people out there like myself that would love an amphibious car, but none are affordable and not to available either. So I wanted to build a car that most anyone determined to do so could replicate at a substantial savings over what's already available.
Secondly, I wanted to design this vehicle with the "keep it simple principle" so that most of the parts that made up the original car could be integrated into the project. Original Engine, transmission, cooling system, fuel tank, CV (constant velocity) axle, brakes, shifter, suspension and steering are all used in the Amphigeo. This keeps cost down dramatically while subduing the design to the elementary. Hey, did I say design? Perfect timing, design is our next topic, and right now surely you're greatest interest, so let's get down to it.

Catalogue Information