1964 Amphicar 770 Convertible

Necessarily of unitary construction, the cabriolet-style Amphicar was powered by a 70cu in (1,147cc) four-cylinder Triumph Herald engine mounted in the rear and driving the rear wheels. A special transmission drove the two propellers that afforded a maximum cruising speed on water of around 6 knots (7mph), the top speed on land being around 70mph. No special steering gear was required for use on water, the car being steered in the normal way.

The design certainly worked, as demonstrated by a well-publicised stunt that saw an Amphicar successfully cross the English Channel from France to England in 1962. Nevertheless, and despite the attractions of its dual capability, the Amphicar was not a commercial success. In what should have been its biggest market - the USA - the Amphicar was handicapped by the many difficulties involved in trying to comply with smog and safety regulations.

Demand for what was essentially a novelty vehicle never remotely approached the 20,000 units projected annually, only 3,000-or-so being constructed before production ceased in 1968. Supplied new in the USA, this left-hand drive Amphicar was restored by Roger Sullee in 2003/2004 and acquired by the vendor in the summer of 2006. The vehicle has covered 250 miles only since completion and is offered with tool kit and owner’s handbook.