Todays car is a 1965 Amphicar model 770. It is an amphibious automobile that is owned by Scott Brunner. The car was originally owned by Scott’s Mother’s Brother who bought it in 1966 in Mississippi. They brought the car to California in 1997. The car is finished in Regatta Red with a matching red and white vinyl interior,
This German made car was originally powered by the “state of the art” engine from the British Triumph Herald 1200. The 1147 cc straight-4 produced 43 hp. But, it is now powered by a 71 hp 1500 cc Triumph Spitfire. It transfers that power to the rear wheels through a all-synchromesh 4-speed manual transmission. For use in the water it drives a pair of reversible nylon propellers at the rear, with a second gear lever engaging forward or reverse drive. Once in the water, the 4-speed gear lever would remain in neutral. By engaging first gear as well as drive to the propellers when approaching a boat ramp, the Amphicar could drive itself out of the water. To slow this baby down when using the 4 wheels are waterproof hydraulic drum brakes all around. It the water you maneuvered between forward or reverse drive. The front and rear suspensions are Independent; coil springs and trailing links.
The Amphicar could achieve speeds of 7 Knots in the water and 70 mph on land. Some owners quotes are, “It’s not a good car and it’s not a good boat, but it does just fine” largely because of modest performance in and out of water and another added, “We like to think of it as the fastest car on the water and fastest boat on the road”. 3,878 Amphicars were manufactured in Germany from 1961 to 1968. During that time 3,046 were imported into the United States.
The Boathouse in Disney Springs, Orlando, FL officially opened its doors on April 13, 2015 and began offering public Amphicar rides to visitors, charging $125 per ride for groups of up to four. This is a great amphibious car for Orphan Car Shows, Cars and Coffee events, or just cruising around the Marina. Thanks for riding along. Frank
