The Amphicar 770 is an example of a classic that seemingly began rising in value overnight, and certainly the case of a car you could have bought cheaply – if you got in before the jump in prices. Now, examples like this 1966 model that aren’t terminally rusty consistently fetch a fair price, with bidding already over $16K and five days left in the auction. It hails from Arizona, which is about the last place I’d expect to find an Amphicar. Find it here on eBay and now living in Tennessee.
The Amphicar, despite the novelty of the concept, wasn’t a huge seller. Feedback at the time indicated it wasn’t particularly good at one of its two main tasks – motoring or boating – but it did make it possible to do both. The Amphicar could reach speeds of 70 m.p.h. on land, using the powerplant out of a Triumph Herald. Of course, if used in anything other than fresh water, expect these to rust out fairly quickly – and even in fresh water setting, long periods of damp on-land storage have rendered many of these Amphicars into scrap.
The interior remains quite nice on this example, and given Amphicar’s liberal use of pastels, keeping it clean can be a trick. There’s a passionate following for these amphibious cars, which is one of the more attractive reasons to owning one. The club support and water-based events with fellow enthusiasts looks like a very good time, and even President Lyndon Johnson was famous for piloting one of these around his Texas property (and of course, as the story goes, heading downhill towards a lake and screaming at his passengers that he had lost the brakes.)
These Amphicars were a German creation, which I sometimes forget given their finned styling. When I devise theories as to why the prices are rising, one guess is that no other manufacturer has put forth an honest-to-goodness solution for a combined road- and boat vehicle. Not that you need one, but Amphicar deserves the credit for taking this wild concept and building it to scale; sadly, the enthusiasm for the brand and concept arrived too late to make it a long-term success. Have any of you ever owned or ridden in an Amphicar?
That is a Connecticut boat registration on the side. And 96.5 TIC shown on the bumper sticker is a radio station in CT.
So I call BS on the AZ claim. Maybe it went from AZ to CT in the recent past.
Nice car either way.
– John
I’d rather have this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32kK7lQZSks
These prices started climbing to the stratosphere more than 10 years ago. Resorts that owned fleets of them sold them off for handsome profits.
These had their moment in the sun about 15 – 20 years ago when one allegedly sold for $125,000 at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction. And suddenly after that, there was sort of a small rush to buy, prices shot up, even on the junkers, and at the next Barrett-Jackson auction they had quite a few consigned but alas, no other Amphicar ever sold for nearly the figure that was claimed to have been achieved by Barrett-Jackson. Personally, I think the whole auction was a sham, a fake sale just for publicity purposes, just like the alleged $5 Million sale of Shelby’s SuperSnake CSX3015 and that the actual sale (if any actually happened) was at a much lower, and reasonable figure!
I always thought these were really cool,but
had always heard that they weren’t too good as
cars or boats,and I know rust is a real factor
when dealing with one of these.I love the concept,
and can’t believe that these weren’t way more popular..?
Still would be fun to drive into Lake Erie,
over to the islands for the weekend….
“if she be sea worthy” ….about 15 minutes in the water
should give an answer to that…!…..LOL
Very nice picture. I’ve never seen that one before.
This picture was on Google image search…
And was much larger…I had to shrink it to fit here..
I was amazed to see it..,I would love a large poster of it😀,
Looks like an odd invasion force…..🤔 LoL..
I was with ACB1, navy construction battalion, based on Coronado California. It was 1967 and while on watch duty one night another guard said a car was driving across the bay from San Diego. Everyone rushed to the boat ramp to watch this drunk couple drive up in one of these.
Considering how poorly these things were to manuver (steering the front wheels was your rudder) I’m betting there was some bumping going on setting up that picture.
I rode in one at 8 or 9 years old exactly like the feature car, same color. My folks were looking at lake property and that is what they took us around the lake to make a sale, everyone got a ride but mom, she is terrified of deep water.
Arizona? Lol
“one guess is that no other manufacturer has put forth an honest-to-goodness solution for a combined road- and boat vehicle.”
I wouldn’t say that. I’ve seen quite a few car/boat combos on youtube that really kick ass.
Most of us can’t afford them though
Any one remember seeing a dealership? Maybe BMW?
There was a Chysler-Plymouth dealer on Lankershim in North Hollywood, Ca that sold these – I saw quite a few there when I was a kid. I think the name was Phil Rauch Chrysler Plymouth or something similar.
Thanks Chinga-Trailer. I have only seen one in person and thinking about it, with all the small lakes around here in Wisconsin, I am surprised there are not a ton of them around. It would have been a blast lake hopping! If I ever get to Texas I WILL look up Dan.
Can’t forget the Volkswagen Schwimmwagen.
Disney Springs, at Disney World, has a fleet of the originals that you can ride in. A 30 minute tour was $125 a couple years ago, probably higher now, but it may be the only way to actually enjoy one.
Come to Arlington, TX, and I will give you a ride for free!
Back in the day, early ’60s, my father and I watched as one drove right down a boat ramp and into the water. Magic! Until that day we’d never even heard of an Amphicar.
Arizona has a huge lake, can’t remember the name. I was quite surprised to look in my motorhome’s mirror and a seeing a huge boat being towed. After a few miles we pulled over for lunch and watched a parade of boats go by on their way to the lake. Mike and Edd took one for spin and bit of yachting. Not enough freeboard to make me happy. Looked like a passing canoe’s wake just might swamp you.
Lake Havasu.
It was the darndest thing. Some decades ago I was driving through Arizona and there was a bridge being built in the middle of the desert. They said it was the London Bridge, which I guess I thought was the Tower Bridge, but apparently not. Anyways, there was no water to be found. Some years later I went back and Voila, there was lake Havasu surrounding the bridge. Someone had a BIG plan back then!
Jay, in the ’60s we were visiting a church in London. A stranger came up to us and told us that this church, along with the London Bridge, were going to be shipped to Arizona, brick by brick. Sounded pretty unlikely, but as you found out, sometimes strange things happen!
Cubans trying to make it to Florida used to come up with some ingenious versions of this
A car that makes a lousy boat and a boat that makes a lousy car
All true, but is also the funnest vehicle I have ever owned.
They are getting expensive. Local used car dealer here took one in a couple years ago and uses it in all his advertising.
A close look at it showed it was made to look pretty for the cameras but was a long way from restored.
He traded a guy straight for a three year old LWB Escalade that had just come off lease.
Lyndon Johnson, the former President for you youngun’s, owned one on his ranch in Texas. He took great delight in taking visiting politicals for a ride in the “Car” then suddenly drove right into the Perdenales River that ran thru his ranch and scared the hell out of all of them.
I was gonna mention the fleet at Disney Springs but 007 beat me to it. Interestingly, the ones there are launched and retrieved via a narrow ramp with a turntable at the top. It drives up the ramp from the lake, disgorges its cargo of tourists, takes on another load, spins around on its turntable and drives back into the lake.
There is also an annual event in the nearby town of Mount Dora that features classic wooden boats as well as Amphicars.
Here’s a lot nicer one, doesn’t look like it was ever used, (smart man?) and the guy wants almost $50,000 for it! That would buy a really nice car.
you can either sail it, or you can drive it… but not usually both really great.
bring back the flying car. by now, we were supposed to have one if we wanted. not a good record tho predicted if over the L.A. area, with flying cars bumping into each other and into commercial flights…
“…an honest-to-goodness solution for a combined road- and boat vehicle…Have any of you ever owned or ridden in an Amphicar?”
no but I spent enuff time around the water 2 C em back in the 60s.
Like 45 above – the plane/car is more my sorta thing…Lotta prototypes, then caput!
Yes, probably a hull of a lot of bumping!
Actually, Chad, there have been a number of flying cars/roadable planes over the years. Probably the most promising is the Terrafugia Transition. I get newsletters from them every few months, and it’s still a working project:
https://www.terrafugia.com/about-terrafugia/
President LBJ had one of these. He would give people heart attacks by driving off docks while still discussing politics.