Amphicar 770. Photo from the Hemmings archives.
When Downtown Disney’s newest eatery, The Boathouse, opened on April 13, the venue debuted more than upscale dining and waterfront views of Orlando, Florida’s, Lake Buena Vista. The restaurant boasts a collection of rare boats built from the 1930s through the 1950s, but it also plays host to the only commercial Amphicar tours in the world, according to developer Steven Schussler.
Schussler, who admits to having owned several Amphicars over the years, was looking for a way to distinguish The Boathouse from other Disney restaurants when he settled on the idea of offering Amphicar tours of the lake that surrounds his latest dining venture. Despite production of 3,878 Amphicars from 1961 until 1968, Schussler estimates that less than 400 remain today, with most of the car’s production falling victim to tinworm as a result of improper maintenance. Offering the Amphicar tours, then, is a way of preserving some of the cars remaining, as well as introducing the quirky German creation to a new generation of fans.
The Amphicar 770 was the brainchild of German engineer Hans Trippel, the man behind the iconic gullwing doors used on the Mercedes-Benz 300SL. Though the development was backed by the German government and assembly took place at a pair of German factories, the Amphicar was a true global vehicle, designed primarily for the U.S. market and initially powered by the same 1,147cc four-cylinder used in the Triumph Herald. Later versions would get engines up to 1,493cc in displacement.
Early advertising billed the Amphicar as “the sportscar that swims,” but with a mere 43 horsepower on tap that might have been stretching the truth a bit. Making matters worse, the 10-inches of ground clearance necessary to facilitate landings gave the Amphicar a high center of gravity, delivering handing that was anything but sporty. Still, the 770 in the car’s full name was a boast that the car could deliver a speed of 7 knots in the water and 70 mph on land, something that no true sports car of the day could claim.
In the water, propulsion came from a pair of propellers mounted behind the rear axle, which could be used in conjunction with the driven rear wheels to transition from water to land. Steering under way was also provided by the front wheels, which acted as dual rudders to point the car in (roughly) the direction intended. To keep the Amphicar water-tight, doors used a double seal and featured a secondary latch at the bottom, while the body was electronically welded. If all else failed, a high-capacity bilge pump ensured that the Amphicar would not end up as a submarine, and several daredevils tested the car’s capabilities with crossings of the English Channel, the Yukon River and the stretch of Pacific Ocean between San Diego, California and Santa Catalina Island.
With those credentials, the planned tours of Lake Buena Vista should pose little challenge to the fleet of restored Amphicars. The cost for the 20-minute voyage is $125, which includes a captain (no, you won’t get to drive an Amphicar on your own) and space for up to three guests. To ensure the full Amphicar experience, the tours will start and end on terra firma before transitioning into the calm waters of Downtown Disney’s lake.
For more information, visit DisneyParks.Disney.go.com.
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