20 (((b))) magazine | s u m m e r 2 0 0 9

making waves

feat

ure

The Amphicar, as its name suggests,

is amphibious—at home on the road and

in the water. Sydenstricker says the

Amphicar was built to skim along at 7

knots or up to 70 miles/hour, depending

upon the “driving” surface. That’s also

how it came by the moniker, “the Model

770.”

Sydenstricker’s fascination with the

convertible car/boat began when he was

10 years old and spied one drive out of

the water and up onto Port Herman

Beach. That image made an indelible

mark on his young mind, and as an

adult he remained smitten with the

memory of the quirky vehicle. Seems

Sydenstricker was destined to eventually

own one himself, since several years ago

he and his wife spotted the ’67 model

while they were attending a car show in

Kahunaville.

“The owner wasn’t selling,” says

Sydenstricker, “but he gave me his

business card.” He called the owner

back a year later to inquire about the

Amphicar again and was told to name a

figure. One month later, after getting

the finances together, Sydenstricker

purchased it; he’s only the third owner

of the car, which still boasts its original

interior.

What does he like about his dream

come true? “It’s the coolest thing in the

world,” he says. “Guess I’m a show-off.

When I’m at the boat ramp putting it in

the water, 20 people are suddenly

clustered around me asking questions.”

It definitely has the fun factor in its

favor for some classic car enthusiasts,

but it’s not for everyone. “The

maintenance is high and you’d better be

a mechanic [he is] if you buy one that

you want to keep running,”

Sydenstricker says. Upon making his

purchase, he replaced all the rubber

seals, gaskets, and chrome and then had

it stripped down to remove all rust

before having it repainted.

The previous owner had kept it out of

the water, but Sydenstricker had other

AMPHICAR OOWNER GGREGG SSYDENSTRICKER EENJOYS AA LLITTLE SSPLASH

in hhis llife. SSo, iif hhe aasks yyou tto ggo ffor aa rride iin hhis vvehicle, yyou mmay wwant tto cchange iinto

your bbathing ssuit, ttoss iin aa llife ppreserver, aand ppack tthe DDramamine, ssince hhis bbright-

blue 11967 AAmphicar iis ddesigned tto nnot oonly ddodge ppotholes oon rroadways bbut aalso ssmall

whitecaps oon wwater eexcursions.

Right: The Amphicardrives into the water from

a regular boat ramp.

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s u m m e r 2 0 0 9 | (((b))) magazine 21

with his amphicarWRITTEN BY Kim KKlugh

fe

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))))am

phicar

bmag print layout 0509.qxp 4/9/2009 2:12 PM Page 21

plans. After its overhaul, he took it for a test

ride at Anchor Marina in Northeast, Md., and

found it to be seaworthy. Now he takes it on

the road five to six times a year to car shows

and says that he hauls it on a trailer for the

long trips.

He left St. Anthony, in the hills of Kaolin,

Pa., with a big trophy presented for People’s

Choice in June of 2007. Last summer he

made four trips to the Chesapeake Bay for

waterfront fun. He also gives rides at

retirement homes and participates in local

parades. “I usually attend one major event a

year, but I never put it in at the ocean—

freshwater only. And it’s never sunk,” he says.

Celina, Ohio, hosts annual swim-ins at the

Celina Lake Festival, and Sydenstricker has

taken his Amphicar to that event as well.

Imagine the stir 60-70 Amphicars make as

they wield their way down Celina’s streets,

like one long serpentine creature lured by the

lake, to take a collective plunge.

Sydenstricker was also one of 22 drivers

who converged in Taunton, Mass., during the

summer of 2008 for the swim-in at Lake

Sabbatia. News had spread of the upcoming

“splash down,” and Good Morning America

had its camera crew set up to film the flotilla

of cars for national coverage.

Sydenstricker is a member of Amphicar

International and says he’s one of 600-700

Across top: The Amphicar drives out of thewater.Left: Original identification plate fromSydenstricker’s 1967 Lagoon BlueAmphicar.Bottom left: Gregg Sydenstricker and familypose with the Amphicar.

fe

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) )))

amph

icar

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s u m m e r 2 0 0 9 | (((b))) magazine 23

owners whose car still functions in

water. During the years 1961-1968

there were only 3,878 Amphicars built,

all in Germany, after being designed by

Hanns Trippel, an engineer who worked

with amphibious landing craft during

WWII.

Three thousand of those vehicles

made their way to the United States,

where the intention was for them to be

marketed as “dual-purpose recreational

vehicles,” and sales brochures described

them as “cars that swim.” They were

offered in only four colors: Beach Sand

White, Regatta Red, Lagoon Blue, and

Fjord Green (aqua) and remain the only

civilian amphibious passenger

automobile ever to be mass produced.

According to information posted on

the International Amphicar Owner’s

Club website, the car is powered by an

1147cc English Triumph-Herald four-

cylinder rear engine; the hull or bottom

is completely sealed up. Prior to taking

off down the boat ramp, the driver locks

the two doors with a lever that ensures a

watertight seal. The drain plug for the

bilge and the rear engine compartment

must also be secured before entering the

water.

Once you’re in, a small stick shift on

the floor engages the dual propellers of

the water drive; the land transmission’s

stick shift is put into neutral. The front

wheels act as rudders, the steering wheel

is used in the same way as on the road,

fe

atu

re

))))am

phicar

Bottom left, from top: Originalinterior and life preserver; enginethat is in the side-opening rear;storage in front.Below: Rear view showingpropellers.

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24 (((b))) magazine | s u m m e r 2 0 0 9

Amphicars in all colors converge on LakeSabbatia in Taunton, Mass., during the summerof 2008 swim-in, where Sydenstricker was oneof 22 Amphicar drivers.

and the accelerator designates the speed. The

land brakes will not work in boat mode; the

propellers are thrown into reverse instead.

Sydenstricker says that since the car has

gained in value, a basic fixer-upper comes

with a price tag of $20,000-$22,000, while

$50,000 is the asking price for one that’s

ready to float or drive. As for Sydenstricker,

his Amphicar is priceless; he’s living his

dream—floating his boat and making waves

far and wide. ) )) )

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