Save or Scrap? Salty 1967 Amphicar
The Amphicar (short for Amphibious Car, meaning it can travel on land and water) is probably one of the most unique civilian production cars ever made. The official model is called the 770, denoting the ability to travel 7mph on water and 70mph on land. Fewer than 4,000 were made, so this is not a car that comes up for sale very often. Unfortunately, this one from 1967 will need quite a bit of work to be roadworthy (and seaworthy) again, but if quirky cars are your thing, it may be worth a look. You can find it listed for sale here on craigslist in Watertown, Wisconsin, which is an appropriately-named town for it to be located in if you ask me. The asking price is $20,000 which seems steep given the condition, but is actually not far out of line with what other Amphicars have sold for in similar shape.
Produced in Germany from 1960-1968, approximately 3,878 Amphicars were made. The company exported about 90% of them to the United States, so when regulations prevented them from being sold here for the 1968 model year, the company couldn’t make enough money to stay afloat (pun intended!). They were quite the novelty, and something many people didn’t know existed. One famous story involved US President Lynden Johnson “accidentally” driving his Amphicar into a lake to surprise his guests.
This example from 1967 is in really rough shape, and will need a complete restoration. Unfortunately, the bodies on these were made with steel, and rust has taken quite a toll. There was also a lengthy process the driver was supposed to undergo each time after taking the car into water, including greasing 13 different points on the body and frame, one of which could only be accessed by removing the rear seat. Many owners simply wouldn’t go through the effort each time, inevitably leading to the type of rot and rust you see here. Fiberglass bodies would obviously have been a better choice, but it is what it is. I can’t imagine there is a huge aftermarket for these, so it’ll take some custom fabrication to fix the body.
The interior is in sad shape as well. I suppose it’s good to have the frame for the top, but the fabric itself is long gone. In addition, the door panels, seat covers, and carpet will all need to be replaced. Some of the dash has rusted away as well, and the gauges are likely not working either.
This Amphicar is not running or driving, but it would have come with a 1147 cc straight-four engine produced by Triumph, paired to a 4-speed transmission that drove the wheels and a different set of gears that powered the 2 rear propellers. So, what do you think – is this Amphicar worth saving, or is it something that needs to be set out to sea?
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Comments
That’s a perfect name to be selling this from – Watertown.
Or Salt Watertown
$20k for a car that needs an $80k professional restoration, with no aftermarket support? $5k would be more in line.
My thought was that it should be renamed as an “Amphisub” since me thinks that it will float like a brick!
Nice write up Nick. I live a little more than an hour from Watertown, cool little spot, and as small as it is I believe it is in 2 counties. These are cool and living on a small river I could leave the saloon in the Village and cruise home. 20K for a non runner or floater seems like a lot of cabbage. To much for me to tackle but would be a great time when redone.
I’d use the money to buy a new Chris-Craft.
Watertown, by gar, my old stompin’ grounds. 1st, there is no salt water near Watertown, it’s on the Rock River, 2nd, since it would never be driven in the winter, and with this amount of deterioration, it had to be from being used in the salt water, then left outside. Amphicars were not something one saw in the Badger, and I bet this, um, vehicles roots stem from far away. Obviously, it’s too far gone for any logical restoration, and this person feels it’s worth it in parts alone. That gauge cluster probably 4 figures alone. Probably found on an abandoned property in Florida, they shlepped it home, and every one of us would probably do the same. But to ask $20g’s? Boy howdy, that takes some guts. Apparently, even the humble town of Watertown Wis. isn’t immune to these shenanigans.
It´s called chutzpe. To offer this for sale is insulting, but then, maybe there is an ass for even THIS seat.
I grew up in Kenosha, WI on lake Michigan and as a teen in the 60s, we would spot an amphicar now and then. I don’t know if it was the same one all the time or if there were multiples in town, but they were in the Badger state!
If it doesn’t float it’s not worth anything, and I’ll bet it doesn’t float.
And I don’t see how you could ever make it float, no matter how much money you sank into it. The crazy prices these things go for now make me question our collective sanity. As for the list price on this one: it is to laugh!
I bet if it hit the water it would become a submarine.Best be wearing your scuba gear:-)
Not restorable but the parts value would certainly dictate not just dumping it off at the crusher. There must be an owner/collector organization to contact.
Someone who thinks they could bring this back doesnt think the laws of Physics apply to him. Sure, they built this once and could rebuild, but not only does it have to look good when its done, it has to be tighter than a frogs @$$ at high tide, and thats waterproof. I believe they had leakage problems when they were new. Like the guys were saying the selller probably picked this up off abandoned property or a junkyard and wants to cash in. Parts and scrap. Anyhoo, good luck and happy motoring.
Cheers
GPC
Sorry. That is a pricey boat anchor. I
There must be an owner/collector club or association for these who would welcome the opportunity to salvage some of the parts. It would seem that some of the remaining parts should be saved, rather than just dragging the car to the crusher. Perhaps contact the International Amphicars Owners Club in Ohio, for instance.
I wouldn’t restore it, to far gone imo, maybe use it for yard art , my wife likes flowers, but 20k is to rich for that here
Ahoi
Scrap this car? No! I don`t know if somebody will restore it now, but, if not, store it and wait what will happen on the collector car market. If somebody want to guess what I mean, he should look for the prices for a Volkswagen Typ 166. Of course a Amphicar is not this military car or boat or whatever. But it`s a rare civilian SCHWIMMWAGEN and it was constructed by Hanns Trippel. He was the most important person for amphibious cars in Germany in 2. WW. He constructed a lot of such carboats. One pure civilian was the Alligator and with this car he got contact with the Quandt Gruppe. So the Amphicar 770 became real. They were produced in Lübeck-Schlutup and later in West-Berlin. Nearly 4000 cars were made and most of them were sold to the USA. There is a lot of more strange history whith this car, like why does this car have no VW-Motor and even the German Police had one in the port of Hamburg. They didn`t sink sooo often, but there were problems with big waves from big ships. Most of the small parts comes from other cars and if you restore something, you must get in contact with other owners to get known where the parts comes from and so on and so on. Most of them are in USA, but also in Europe are clubs and connections. And – oh wonder – a lot of the owners likes old ships and old cars. Well, in my opinion, it`s a realy strange car and boat and it`s worth to save it.
Best regards from Germany
Till J.
just think what a hayabusa swap would do here boy howdy! 1st gear be going so fast you would skip across that river like a stone!
Buy a M715 and a wooden Chris-Craft on trailer. This will become much more cheaper, than the restoration from this car.
“Complete car in need of total restoration. Does not run or drive. Price is firm, offers above listed price are welcome.”
Stick a fork, er, cork in it; it’s done.
$20,000? AHAHAHAHA!
Nick, you misspelled 36’s first name.
A man here in Brattleboro, VT, who just passed away, had one. Here’s a video of it on the West River:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K64NxGT0xxA
The photo on the title page is my father at the wheel of a friend’s Amphicar.
I saw in his obit that he loved to give rides. I’ve heard they’re a lousy car and a lousy boat, but I would have enjoyed a ride in one.
Go to Disney Springs in Orlando, FL. There’s a place nestled among all the restaurants that has several restored Amphicars and sell rides in them. I took a ride in one a few years ago, and it’s worth the fee for a car nut like me.
Here are some pics I took a few years back at Disney.
Pic 2
Pic 3
Looks as if he has only ONE propellor working, I could be wrong though.
By what verified sales does the author base his opinion on?
Not quite a good car, not quite a good boat, at long last this one could have a decent use! As a boat anchor!
I would like to own an Amphicar, as I live across the street from Lake Norman, NC. However, $20K is someone trying to hit a homer, not only out of the park, but out of the atmosphere! I will be shocked if this sells at $20K!
If you want a test ride in one of these go to Disney Springs at Disney World in Florida. We did and it was a lot of fun.
“Some of the dash has rusted away as well”
Are you kidding? The steering wheel is resting on the front seat!
I like these cute cars, but this one in my opinion is way too far gone. Use it as a parts car for other Amphicars, although, I don’t see very many remaining parts to use.
IIRC they sold for around $6K new, which then could get you an upper level Cadillac. For the dough, you could get a nice Chevy or Ford, and a decent fiberglass outboard and trailer. Restored ones go for about $60K. For the condition, if you want a driver I would consider a restomod.
Or scrap? Just drop the s.
A car collector friend had one. Parts are available but ridiculously expensive. Obvious metal work aside, this is not a car for an amateur. Run away.
If there is a buyer, I also have a wooden row boat, no bottom left, but will sell cheap, comes with a complete diving suit. Oh my ……no.
Ahoi
Yes, this car is not similar to a Chris Craft, a Riva or whatever. It`s a civilian car what can swim and looks like a car. It´s also not a Mustang, Cougar or something like that. If you don`t belive, take your collector car, drive to the next big lake and jump in. Than have a look what happened. By the way, the guys who only got wet and have a freezing view to their car, didn`t made everything wrong.
The coach from that car is bad, but everything under water is quite simpel constructed. You can get a lot of parts from other cars and this parts are mostly cheap. Have a look for a good Herald engine in Great Britain. You will find one. Of course it`s a lot of work. Nothing for me, no thanks. But also nothing for somebody else? I am not so sure!
Just had a look for Amphicar 770 for sale. Found two very good ones in Germany – each around 85000 Dollars. One quite good for 73500 Dollars and one restaurationobjekt in the Neatherlands for 21500 Dollars. The last one looks a little better than this one. Yes, could realy be, that 20000 Dollar are to much. Yes, to expensive. But scrap such a rare unusual car? Could be the wrong decision – we will see in some years, if we will have a look what Amphicars worth.
Best regards,
Till J.
PS.: Sorry for my rusty english …
I have 3 of these. Number 1 was purchased in July 1967 when my oldest daughter was born. I am giving it to her in October after my 83rd birthday. It’s a beauty. Chrome is still shiny. A little over 39000 miles on her.
Number 2 engine runs great and only has a little over 13000 miles. In MI if you don’t keep the xmission warm in winter it will freeze and crack it. # 2 drives but it won’t hold oil in the xmission. I took it to my AL home 2 years ago. 23 yr. old grandson was going to help get it a paint job. He didn’t last 10 days. Brought it back to MI in June. I have had a new top for it for over 30 years. Number 3 has been in my possession since 1977. The titled owner has not been in contact since 1980. It needs a top (I also have a new white one for 30 years) and it needs a paint job. It might also need the xmission welded.
A couple of days ago on the Motor Trend? TV channel on a show Fantom Works? This is about a shop in Virginia? That restores cars to better than new. There was a story about restoring an AMPICAR. It was a total disaster. They had to fabricate lots of sheet metal and who knows what else. No price given but I suspect the owner of the car had to have had some EXTREMLY DEEP POCKETS.
On the Dish and the Directv channel they, “Counting Cars” recently restored a rough one to like new. I did not watch it but have heard about it.
Till, no need to apologize for “rusty english”. Kids graduating here in the U.S.of A. aren’t half as skilled as you. In addition to being unable to either write or read cursive. Or care to, truth be told. As for the car/boat, I personally fail to see the attraction but obviously some folks do, and some of them have the money to spend to own one. I would bet there will be a buyer for this, and not for a whole lot less than the asking.
Legend has it that back in the 60s the local Chrysler Plymouth Dodge dealer was drunk and drove one of these into the Tar River and sunk it. He dove back down to retrieve a pint of whiskey from the glove compartment. Never mind the car…
Buddy,
Driver probably returned to fetch the [mostly empty?] whiskey bottle, so when the car was retrieved out of the river, there would be no evidence of the real reason the car ended up in the river!
It was 10 – 15 years ago that a Barrett-Jackson auction announced one sold at $125,000. Overnight, everyone who had one tried to sell theirs for a similar sum, and for the next year or two, every BJ Auction offered several. All at no reserve.
None, not a single Amphicar since has ever sold for anywhere near this number at public auction.
Makes one wonder if the BJ sale was real, or simply “staged” as a marketing ploy. If so, it worked as they sold quite a few more, all at no reserve.
I have suspected that more than one such ballyhood BJ auction was just fiction, faked results for the publicity value, that mis-led poorly informed but hopeful sellers, maybe buyers too.
Their first sale of Super Snake Cobra CSX2015 and a particular Bugatti Veyron at Los Vegas that Craig Jackson “bought” in a face saving move come to mind.
There is always the guy out there who would want to buy anything to hell with the price. That one that sold at the BJ auction was a completely restored Green one. To get to the price that it brought took more than one bidder. I have 3, cream with a black top. Owner since July 1967.
Cheaper to just build one.
I m thinking the owner remembers Barrett Jackson in say 2006, when one of these sold for $140,000. Not this one. Looks like it say near the Titantic. Even a skilled body man would scrap this.
This guy is higher than ten hippies!!
Re: Michael – no, it’s the guy who actually BUYS the car at that price!
Just read all the comments, yes it’s a lot of work for 20k. But there’s not another car on earth that you will have so fun with. You won’t want to pay someone to restore it for you. But will need to be comfortable with fabrication and welding . All parts you will need are available. A restored one just sold on Bring a trailer for $140.k Do the math