Amphicar
Source: Shutterstock
The Amphicar was hailed as one of the great engineering feats of the 1960’s. Finally, people no longer had to choose between a boat and a car! Sure that may not have been something you thought you needed, but there it is!
Taking after some excellent sports cars, the Amphicar was a rear engine rear wheel drive car. Boasting the 43 horsepower engine from a Triumph Herald, the Amphicar wasn’t exactly fleet of foot but it was enough for it to get around. Power in the water came in the form of dual propellers that came from the rear of the vehicle.
Source: Wikimedia Commons/Yoichi Okamoto
After you drove the Amphicar in water, you had to grease the vehicle. This was to make sure that all of the waterproof areas remained waterproof. It wasn’t an easy task. There were 13 separate areas that needed to be greased. This even meant that people had to take out the back seat after every aquatic trip.
Sadly the Amphicar was a bit of a novelty. It was only produced from 1961 to 1966 and under 3900 were made before it was finished. It does have a really interesting history though. President Johnson rode one to see what it was like. Apparently, he was amused at the novelty and enjoyed it. Not a lot of vehicles get test driven by Presidents. Especially not convertibles.
