Amphicar 770, 1966, red with white interior, collector piece, rare "boat-car"

1966 Other Makes AMPHICAR 770 Description

• I did buy this Amphicar a couple years ago as Investment. It had a full restoration (I have pictures) in 2004 and does show very well.
• The water transmission had been replaced in 2006 with a new after the restoration (invoice amount 11,900 USD)
  
• The car is driven regular (but not often) and one or twice per year it gets a swim (fresh water of course).
• Why do I sell: Potentially needing the funds for another project.
• Is it perfect? It can win prices on local shows but it is not one of these Amphicars which sells on an auction for 80,000 USD. It's still a 2- and shows very nice with and very solid in the typical rust areas. - This is NOT a rust-bucket.
• What are typical imperfections: The rear rubber pumper never got reattached (I guess they did not want to drill holes), the two side mirrors are not re-chromed (original) and showing a little old.
• This is a car for specialty lovers, not your daily driver (too slow, too expensive)
• Mileage: 818 after restoration (I assume), total mileage unknown.
  

General information about Amphicar:

The Amphicar was manufactured in West Germany and first made an appearance in America at the 1961 New York Auto Show. Originally designed by Hans Trippel, these amphibious cars hit the US market from 1961 to 1967. Most notable for their ability to cruise on land and operate in the water, these cars were a fun new invention in the car world for that time.

The Amphicar 770 (770 represents 7 miles on water, 70 miles an hour on land) first surfaced at the 1959 German Auto Show and a couple years later entered America in 1961. The convertible is a four-seater and was powered by a rear-mounted, four cylinder Triumph Herald engine of 1,147 cc, which generated 43 hp. In order to work on land and in water, the engine drove the rear wheels on land and two propellers when the car was in the water. The front wheels steered both on land and in the water, and the car/boat had four speeds and reverse. The doors locked shut for water travel. On land the Amphicars listed top speed was 90 mph, but road testers could only get it to about 65 mph. It was deemed better in the water, reaching a speed of 10 mph. Although the car looks small, it weighed in around 2,300 pounds. The cars were so heavy because they had to be rigid and waterproof in order to take on land and water.

The Amphicar 770 will forever be a memorable car as it can take on both the open road and the open water. These models were the only mass-produced consumer amphibious cars in history, which makes them especially unique. The US Coast Guard even recognized them as legitimate boats. These dual-purpose cars made it easy to enjoy a nice car ride or a boat road.

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