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LAKEPORT, Calif. – As seaplanes fly arrive in Lakeport this weekend for the 32nd annual Clear Lake Splash-In – which takes place Friday, Sept. 23, through Sunday, Sept. 25 – “amphicars,” which can travel on land an in water, also will be arriving for a splash in of their own off Library Park.
Tattoo artist Wild Bill Hill of Roseville was far from home looking for a Nash Metropolitan when he found his rare, amphibious vehicle.
It was 1964 Amphicar. His initial thought: “That's even uglier than a Nash.”
With no money in hand and a rather tight budget, he made a really low offer. The owner said, “I like your face; I think you'll give it a good home.”
The deal was done. It take several months of payments but Wild Bill was finally able to bring the “water car” home.
The Amphicar needed a complete restoration: stripping and repainting, upholstery, rebuilding the motor-transmission, new rubber seals.
It’s now completely sealed and water tight with no leaks anywhere. The car works great on land, in the lakes or rivers. It’s unquestionably Wild Bill’s favorite car and takes it out every chance he gets.
Wild Bill started collecting cars about 20 years ago with a Model T and now has a garage full of specialty cars, including a 1915 Ford Speedster (with a matching miniature go-cart), 1932 Ford Phaeton (with a matching go-cart), 1954 Porsche Spyder, 1959 Messerschmitt, 1959 Nash Metropolitan, 1966 shortened VW Bus, 1999 Chevy flat-bed car hauler, 2002 Panoz AIV Roadster, 2005 Panoz Esperante, 1966 H-D Shovelhead (with a matching miniature), a Bobber motorcycle and 3 mini-bikes.
His wife Nancy has a 2009 Lincoln MKX, 2007 Pontiac Solstice and a 1940 Stearman bi-plane.
This is number 137 out of just 3,000 Amphicars built in West Germany from 1961 to 1967. But just less than 200 are known to exist in this condition worldwide. It’s the only civilian amphibious passenger automobile ever to be mass produced.
The Amphicar is equipped with water tight doors that have double locks and seals to keep out the water, a rear mounted water cooled four-cylinder Triumph Spitfire engine producing 43 horsepower, and twin nylon propellers.
A special two-part land-and-water transmission allows the wheels and propellers to be operated either independently or simultaneously. In the water, the front wheels act as rudders. It runs 32 miles per gallon on the road and one and a half gallons per hour on the water.
It weighs 2,292 pounds with a top speed of seven miles per hour on water and 70 miles per hour on land. Hence, it was dubbed the “Model 770.”
Yes, it floats. Yes, Wild Bill takes it in the water all the time. Yes, it's great for fishing. Yes, you can still get parts. Yes, one sold at auction recently for $127,000. No, the wheels don't fold up. No, you can't water ski behind it. No, I would not take it in the ocean.
And, no, it's not for sale.
