Posted on 05/26/2012 5:07:39 AM PDT by the scotsman
'A team of British engineers have fulfilled the last wish of motoring icon Peter Wheeler by building a £200,000 vehicle which drives on road, off road - and in the sea.
The Scamander was the most ambitious project for the legendary former head of TVR. He wanted to build a vehicle which he could use for his three favourite pastimes - shooting, sailing and driving on track.
So after selling TVR in 2005 he set about working on an amphibious vehicle which would be equally at home on the road as well as on rugged terrain and in water. But the Blackpool-based pioneer was unable to see the car completed as he passed away in June 2009 at the age of just 65 after a lengthy battle with cancer.
His widow, Vicky, was keen the Scamander project was not shelved and in tribute to her husband employed a number of engineers to keep it going.
Now, after three years of hard work, the Scamander prototype has been completed. The chunky-shaped vehicle, which takes its name from the Greek river god, wouldn’t look out of place as the latest Nasa moonbuggy.
It is powered by a 3-litre V6 Ford engine which develops 275bhp and 250lb/ft of torque. Power is channeled to the car's 22in rear wheels through a four-speed automatic gearbox.
This gives the 1.6-ton Scamander a 0-60mph time of around eight seconds and a top speed of 120mph. For amphibious use, the engineers fitted an impeller from a jet ski which gives the Scamander a speed of around six knots.
On water, the driver - or captain - steers the vessel with a lever next to their left knee and goes faster by pushing on the normal accelerator pedal.'
(Excerpt) Read more at uk.cars.yahoo.com ...
Saw one of these in 1967 when 12 - was at lake in upstate
NY
owner drove up to boat launch then right into water
Freaked everyone out
Old concept
I was lucky enough to have TVR Grantura Mk2 #300.
My personal favorite: http://www.dastank.com/Schwimmwagen-VW
We have them doing tours in Philadelphia and other coastal cities.
One would think the intake would be at the end of a vertical pipe higher than the vehicle itself and would have splash guards.
My second grade teacher, Miss Mable Hickson, drove and was a dealer for the Amphicar. I visited her some years after I was out of school and she took me for a ride in one of them on Lake Loveland in CO. A truly amazing vehicle and an amazing teacher. God keep you Miss Hickson.
Looks like it might provide a little fun for the Top Gear guys.
Only one problem with the Amphicar...they leaked!
Minor issue
Back in 66 an owner of a business here in Alice, TX took his out for a spin and drowned.
Moral of the story: You don’t launch in the surf!
The problem is that inventions like this don’t capture the public eye. An off-road, land and water vehicle will only be a novelty because it is never seen to be doing anything important or captivating. No one is there to watch a vehicle designed to take you places that no one is otherwise able to go.
If you want to sell something like this, you need to seek the grand gestures. Like Parsons “Turbinia,” for example.
Pointless unless their is a military need of it. Otherwise it is just a neat toy for hundred or two people to play with until they tire of it. Now as a military vehicle, who knows?
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