Ride anything!
I’ve known that cars that could double as boats were a thing since I first began doodling in my kindergarten notebook. Who amongst us hasn’t dreamed of our automobiles doing more than just boring old driving? And so, a few years later, when my father showed me a picture of an Amphibicar 770 I wanted one deeply.
The Amphibicar 770 was produced in West Germany from 1961 – 1965 and was a thing of beauty. I craved mine candy-apple red and imagined racing around the streets then splashing into the ocean at top speed, flying down the coast at tremendous speed too. Then my father told me they didn’t drive well and also didn’t boat well.
Dreams die hard and I still wanted one, as I got older, for surf exploration but then I had exclusively of old cars, a 1960 Ford Falcon, a 1965 Ford Ranchero, a 1972 MG Midget etc. and knew that my vintage Amphibicar, while looking cool, would only ever sit in the garage.
Well, yesterday I learned that the world’s oldest car company wholly owned by its founder is one that manufactures amphibious cars and let’s head straight in to a thorough description.
Is it a boat? Is it a car? Actually, it’s the best of both – an amphibious vehicle. It’s the ideal solution for anyone who fancies driving to the coast and then… well, motoring out to sea. For the past 50 years, Tim Dutton has been at the helm of his eponymous firm. He started out in 1969 and is justly proud of the fact Dutton is the oldest car company in the world still wholly owned by its founder. He is based in a workshop in the pretty village of Littlehampton where he has his own slipway into the River Arun. Visitors can take a Surf out for a test drive/cruise. You won’t be surprised to hear that owning a dinky Dutton is a niche interest – Tim sells about a dozen a year. Most drivers/captains just want to have fun – who wouldn’t in a vehicle that looks like a cross between a sports car and a rubber duck? – but there are more serious applications, too.
Yeah. I know what those serious applications are. Driving them into line-ups infested with SUP foils, like Santa Cruz’s Cowell’s Beach which saw last week’s VAL/SUP foil/surfing dog mix-up. It’s the apocalypse out there, a Dutton is no larger nor more dangerous than a SUP foil and, I would imagine, handles similarly.
My dream is back and, soon, it will be the World Surf League’s President of Content, Media and Studios dream too only he’ll stand on the back of his Dutton swinging a paddle.
To each his own, I suppose, as that is the motto of the apocalypse.
Ride anything!
Also, though, while we’re here… what is the greatest car you’ve ever owned?
My ‘96 75 series is awesome but the poor girl has seen too much, and has cancer of the b pillars and all the sills…. tis a sad sad thing.
https://www.youtube.com/wat… should of bought a vw chas
They identify as many colours and expect you to address them as such. Despite appearing black top the naked eye
They bog rail really easiy, not a fan.
Drove a ’63 XL Ford Falcon station wagon around Australia. Solid old beast, cruised like a dream.
Easy to work on. Everything simple, could change/adjust brake pads, change plugs, air and oil filters kerbside and would keep running forever.
Great for surf trips down south and up north in WA whilst living in Perth, just throw the boards in the back and go.
Would go just about anywhere a 4 wheel drive would, crossed the Nullarbor, drove on the red dirt roads into Wittenoom Gorge, out to the East Alligator in Arnhem Land, NT and up the beach at Cape Tribulation in far north Queensland.
An explorer, camper and love nest, was home for over a year. Only downside was the vacuum wipers, next to useless in a decent rain shower.
I didn’t read the article but I skipped ahead to the comments so I could say I feel you, My bro, Mr Chas And, that I always wanted a coot.
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
As a kid in 70’s San Diego I remember a guy who had an amphibicar and would cruise around Mission Bay in it.
1969 HR Holden wagon. Inherited from grandfather.
1988 Mitsubishi L300 Van. Lived in it for 2 years, paid it off, while also doing annual trips to Indo and working. Would turn up for work dripping on the odd occasion.
WFL World Foil League
12 Events (Fiji returns)
Round 1 Kai Lenny x Caio Ibelli (12 Heats)
Round 2 Caio Ibelli x Kay Lenny (12 Heats)
Round 3 Kai Lenny x Caio Ibelli (12 Heats)
Round 4 Caio Ibelli x Kai Lenny (4 Heats)
QF Kai Lenny x Caio Ibelli (4 Heats)
SF Caio Ibelli x Kai Lenny (2 Heats)
Final Kai Lenny x Caio Ibelli (1 Heat) – one hour and half (90 minutes)
In all events – Heritage series
Laird Hamilton (foil)
x
…
…
Lair Hamilton (stand up… foil)
over lapping heats?
Hahaha
Moto Perpetuo!!!
I didn’t think a world champ had to be decided by multiple events
I would agree… but only if in this single event, both could not leave the water, and WFL would run all the heats without intervals!
Korn is old?
They come in black, black or black
Those three up front are definitely missing some critical genomic sequences.
On one visit back to Oahu I briefly had a rust-bucket Toyota corolla that I could leave unlocked with my house key and $20 in the ashtray, on the north shore.
Even the roaming tweakers left it alone.
Hey CB turns out that rusty beater of yours was contagious and now my truck’s infected ya dick
You’re welcome!
It’s the cycle of life. Metallurgic renewal unto oxidization.
Besides, that was back in… uh… 2000? I doubt your truck is that old.
And doubly besides: serves you right for living in ‘paradise’, ya jammy bastard. (‘lucky son-of-a-gun’ )
haha well I told you not to park so close. And brah she’s a classic 1993 Tacoma V6 4×4, 3.0, 5 speed. My favorite ride and 26 years we been together. Kaena pt special. No lift, no fatties, all stock, all factory spec racked to the gills w/ all my water toys ….
Good on you for keeping it simple.
I once did a repo on an expro surfers car. However he came up with the cash superlast minute, he really fucked me around for little reward
Surfers are scum.
“You’ll find one in every car”
Repoing houses was the best,
They always left heaps of stuff behind, especially boards, cds and dvds, bikes.
Used to fight with the locksmith for all the goodies.
Chas I got a easy comp promotional idea for you….here it is! Call the car/boat
company tell them to comp you 2 cars and tell them sales will be going through the roof… just get the other one to JOB….just don’t bring yours to the Seaside parking lot Rob Machado might wax the windows!
The best! Seriously, though, between the two I’ll take measles all day everyday. Ain’t it just a sore throat and headache instead of surfing like Clay Marzo?
Honda City brought off my mother… $15 dollar weekend surf trips in gas money.
Gorgeously function over fashion. What do you drive now?
1988 Mitsubishi L300.
Surf/sleep van on South Island NZ 2005.
Forgot to put the oil cap back on. Two days later, bone dry and the engine ceased.
R.I.P.
I once read a story about a woman who bought a VW bug and didn’t know she was supposed to change the oil. 10 years later she went for a service, the oil had fused to the metal pieces acting like some fossilized lubricant and the technicians told her to keep cruising. You should have kept cruising!
woulda if coulda
got another van with a better bed setup
I’d like to read part II of that woman’s story
actually, I’d like to know everything I can about someone who doesn’t take a car in for 10 years
I saw a goat boater in the water this past weekend. First one I’ve seen in 10+ years… thought we’d exterminated the cunts.
Lke Nu-Metal I always feared the return.
With apocalypse approaching, where does the hierarchy go at the bottom end? Goatboat< SUP or better, cause they were always the worst.
Somewhere between Angry Kneeboarder and complete novice bodyboarder who ran me over 3 times on 3 consecutive waves last year ?
I forgot about angry Kneelo’s, tough but rare breed. Lucky it was sponge and not a samurai hydrofoil!!
Yes would hate to end up singing ;
If you knew Sushi
Like I know Sushi …. from personal aquatic experience .
Have you seen Madonna’s latest movie? It’s a visual lament for a long lost finny friend called; ‘Desperately Seeking Sushi’.
No jokes, bodyboarders rule my neighbourhood. Also, someone recently opened up DVD rental store slash internet cafe, in town. I’m telling the truth, I promise!
Goddam, what’s the business model there? Dial up optional to be sure!
Business model is “where did the 90s go?”
Free WiFi?
They are like bacteria ! Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water ? Could be worse ….https://http://www.google.de/search?q=just...
Measles is back too.
They’re actually sort of cute/quaint nowadays.
Like heroin users compared to meth/ice junkies
Heroin users are drug culture’s hipsters.
Got a SEAT Ibiza stuck in the sand chasing waves in Portugal on my honeymoon. Took 12 hours to get out. Still married!
https://www.youtube.com/wat…
I often dream of bypassing that cunty bridge route to Hossegor via Capbreton where I stay with such a vehicle.