This Restored 1964 Amphicar Is Equal Parts Road Car and Day Boat—and It’s Up for Grabs
Your hunt for the perfect summer ride might be over.
A 1964 Amphicar Model 770 convertible was just listed for sale on Bring a Trailer. It’s not just a timeless design that makes this open-top German two-door so worthy of attention; it’s also the fact that you can use it to “drive” on water.
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The Amphicar was designed by Hans Trippel and unveiled at the New York Auto Show in 1961. It was built in West Germany between 1960 and 1965, during which time 3,878 examples were built. Billed as a “sports car that swims,” it never managed to catch on with the public. The fact that it wasn’t a speed demon on the road or in the water may have had something to do with it. Still, the amphibious cruiser was at least able to deliver on the second part of that slogan.
This particular example is finished in a gorgeous coat of Fjord Green, has a yellow interior with white trim and rides on a pair of white-walled tires. Under the hood, you’ll find a 1,147 cc Triumph inline-four engine, which is mated to a two-part manual gearbox that offers four speeds on land and two gears (forward and reverse) in the water. Based on the photos included with the listing, everything looks to be in tip-top shape. There’s a good reason for this; the current owner acquired the vehicle in 2016 and had it fully restored two years later.
One word of warning, though. Every time you take the Amphicar out for a spin through water you’ll have to remember to grease it in 13 places—including one hard to reach spot that necessitated the temporary removal of the rear seat—afterwards to keep things running smoothly. Still, that sounds like a minor price to pay for a car you can take out on the lake.
Bring a Trailer
Speaking of the price to pay, bidding for the Amphicar is up to $47,000 as of press time. With five days left to go, we wouldn’t be surprised to see that number continue to tick upwards. Last month, another Amphicar sold for $88,000 and that one isn’t nearly as cute as this one.
Check out more photos of the Amphicar Model 770 below:
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