Engine: 1.1-liter inline four (Triumph)
Horsepower: 43
0-60 mph: 18 seconds
Top speed: 75 miles per hour on land; 7-8 miles per hour on water
Price New: $2,800-$3,300
Value Now: $10,000 for sound runner; $25,000-$30,000 for fully restored; $60,000-$70,000 should buy the world's best
Unlike the Aerocar, which never made it past the prototype stage, 3,878 Amphicars were built in Germany, and the United States was far and away its biggest market. Basically a boat with a fully sealed underside, it had four wheels and a rear-engined body configuration. Conversion was simple: Drive into the water, shift the four-speed trans into neutral, engage the props via a separate floor lever and you're sailing, er, powerboat/car-ing. The front wheels act as the rudder and, unlike rear-ruddered boats, the Amphicar goes in the direction you turn the wheels. There is a bilge pump to keep the cabin dry, but, like any boat, an Amphicar will sink if it takes on enough seawater but proves quite seaworthy in calm conditions. U.S. safety and emissions legislation enacted in 1968 spelled its end.
Behind the Wheel:
Go to www.Amphicar.com: A 1963 model is currently listed there for $60,000 and a 1966 model for $55,000.
Photo courtesy of Barrett-Jackson Auction Company
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