Vehicle Description
Description
1969 Amphicar Custom
Code Name Amphistein
We have said it before "And now for something completely
different!", but never have we been more sincere. When it comes to
unique and daring this one may well have mixed the batter of the
proverbial cake that was taken. This highly modified 1969 Amphicar
has been purported to possibly, maybe, could have been the
inspiration for the Hotwheels Amphicar. There is absolutely no
shred of evidence linking the two, but Mattel had to start
somewhere. The modifications to this one off car are not limited to
what the eye beholds such as the shortened roof line with
removeable hardtop, the bumper located out front to assist with
Braile location of any dock in the vicinity, and the elaborate
engine cover with cooling system built in that defies any
engineering school protocol. Allegedly, this design was penned on a
bar napkin, with what one can only assume involved several shots of
liquid engineering. The original Triumph 1.5 liter 4 banger has
been replaced with a Buick V6 and the transmission is now a 3 speed
automatic with floor shifter. It does move about under it's own
power. You are asking "Does it float?" Well, we can't answer that,
but make sure the life jackets are handy if you decide to descend
the boat ramp. You may want to include an attached tow rope for an
emergent recover. The paint is a bit "amature-ish" and there is
some damage on the nose down low but you have to admit it, there
ain't another anywhere near your lake. If you have followed the
market on Amphicars you know they can sell well into the 6 digits.
Not that this one is anywhere near that kind of thin air, yet, but
hey you can still own one of the rarest and most unique automobiles
to swim off the British Isles for a whole lot less and dare to be
"completely different"!The experts at Sports Car Market magazine
thought it was a real value, check out October's issue