Amphicar
Amphicar as a museum exhibit
The Amphicar is a buoyant cars and amphibious vehicle as a four- seater convertible.
History
The designer Hans Trippel had developed the vehicle and had it from 1960 to 1963 mainly in Berlin- Wittenau at Deutsche Waggon-und Maschinenfabrik (DWM ) (formerly German weapons and munitions factories AG) build. The body shells, which initially made the industrial Karlsruhe AG, IWK in a former arms factory of DWM in Lübeck- Schlutup. In Germany the vehicle was in 1962 at a price of DM 10,500 available ( according to today's purchasing power and inflation-adjusted 22,075 euros ).
A total of 3878 vehicles were completed, 3046 were exported to the United States. Because of the high price, which at that time corresponded approximately to the value of two VW beetles, vehicles were sold is not enough. The paragraph was so slow that even new cars were to buy three years after the end of production, which were stockpiled and were offered with built in data in 1964 and 1965 at the reduced price of 8385 DM. Because the few lovers at that time were priced stock up on spare parts, the maintenance was favorable. The American entrepreneur Hugh Gordon of Santa Fe Springs, California, took over large parts of the spare parts and machine tools.
Technology
Body and chassis
The car has a reinforced through a tubular frame and side rail self-supporting all -steel body, the bottom of which is formed as a closed basin made of 1.5 mm thick sheet. All parts are firmly welded together. The doors are also locked for the ride in the water from the inside with a second handle and thus more strongly pressed against the door seals to prevent water ingress. In the engine compartment, the vehicle has as standard a bilge pump to pump out water that can occur, for example at the axle shafts. Furthermore, it is ( green red / ) equipped with a position light and a horn on the front cover. When driving in waters had to be mounted on a short mast on the boot lid still a white position light. In the bow under the front of the boot is the spare tire on the front of the fuel tank.
Front and rear wheels are suspended on solid longitudinal swing with spring struts and hydraulic shock absorbers and have hydraulically operated drum brakes (handbrake mechanical).
Steering is both on the road and in the water with the front wheels.
Engine and transmission
The engine is a four-cylinder four-stroke in-line engine of the English Triumph Herald 1200 with just under 1.2 liters and an output of 38 hp ( 28 kW). The power is transmitted via a single dry to the placed in front of the motor gear. It is a fully synchronized four-speed gearbox special Hermes in Wuppertal with an additional 3 1 stocky gearbox with only one forward and reverse gear ( and idle ) for the drive of two plastic propellers. In the water, the driver turns on the road gear in neutral and activated with a second gear lever, the propeller or propellers.
The maintenance effort for the Amphicar was great; because after every water ride were to be supplied with grease lubrication nipple 13. This required the vehicle jacked up and the rear seats are removed.
On the road, the Amphicar reached a top speed of 120 km / h in the water up to 6.5 knots or 12 km / h
Specifications
Technical data according to Oldtimer Markt 10/2010 and www.deutsche -automobile.de
Driving license
The operation of the Amphicar on the water in Germany requires a boating license inland.
Trivia
On September 16, 1962 four Englishmen succeeded in two vehicles, one of which had to be towed later from the other, the crossing of the English Channel from Dover to Calais in 7 hours and 20 minutes.
In the 1980s, was for the shipment Understand fun? a film with a hidden camera produced in the Reinhard Mey was picked up to a gig " for the wonderful weather " in an Amphicar. The car drove suddenly without warning into a river. Reinhard Mey but not frightened, but only laughed - he knew the vehicle.
Perfectly restored vehicles are traded up to $ 80,000 U.S., but a new transmission costs $ 15,000.
Gallery
Propeller of the Amphicars
Amphicar closed with hood
Amphicar on a houseboat on the Seine