Parisienne Amphicar

[Guest]

I just returned from a vacation in Paris. I took this picture of a boat tied up along the Seine River. I thought someone might appreciate seeing it. My only question is, how do you launch it?[ATTACH=CONFIG]248539[/ATTACH]

[R Walling]

There seems to be a lot of steel supports that may lower and enable them to back it off onto a dock.

[MikeC5]

Nothing that looks beefy enough to lift that. My guess would be ramps that extend to a dock with the boat backed in. Or maybe it's just for show...

[Peter J.Heizmann]

Ron Green told me about this years ago.

He said it is a "true car guy's" life boat. He went on to explain that when Biff sees his yacht sinking he yells to Buffy to get into the Amphicar. As the boat sinks below water level they drive off and are at the country club in no time.

Now I must admit Ron and I were in the Hospitality Room at an AACA Annual Meeting when he told me this.

[capngrog]

Peter,

I think you're right about the life boat theory ... it's the only one that misfits:confused:. I've heard that the AACA Annual Meeting Hospitality room is widely-acclaimed as a low-level tier Think Tank that has launched many such theories.:cool:

Just theorizin',

Grog

[Ron Green]

Ron Green told me about this years ago.

He said it is a "true car guy's" life boat. He went on to explain that when Biff sees his yacht sinking he yells to Buffy to get into the Amphicar. As the boat sinks below water level they drive off and are at the country club in no time.

Now I must admit Ron and I were in the Hospitality Room at an AACA Annual Meeting when he told me this.

Peter,

There are many interesting conversations that take place in the hospitality room ask Wayne . Though this picture has been around for a long time that certainly is an interesting take on the amphi’s use regardless of who dreamed it up.

[Amphicar BUYER]

That Amphicar has been on that converted barge for many years. Certainly not a new thing. I get a photo emailed to me a couple times a year of it. It is absolutely NOT for show, he uses it. He does have davits installed to offload it.

[West Peterson]

I like Peter's story better.

[Guest]

John...Thanks for your comments. I immediately thought of you when I saw the car. Nice to know it is usable and is used.

[JACK M]

Simply put it in reverse and launch at speed.

[Guest bkazmer]

"Ecrasez le champignon" is I think it's put

[Marty Roth]

Unless the barge's acceleration is far better than we would anticipate,

then nosing into the dock at about 25 - 30 knots should just about do it -- smashing success !!

[Amphicar BUYER]

Looks like a few have thought about ways for "launching" the Amphi! In 1967 Pepsi did a commercial for the Pepsi Generation campaign showing an Amphicar driving into the water at 50 MPH. It almost was a disaster as the car came very close to crashing. I've launched at 35 MPH and skipped my car like a stone a couple times. I don't recommend it!

[JACK M]

I never had the balls to launch mine at speed, I would think that the propellers would offer a lot of resistance and stuff the front end under water on our steep ramp.

I curse that day when I was hungry and some guy had enough cash to talk me out of that car.

[Amphicar BUYER]

I never had the balls to launch mine at speed, I would think that the propellers would offer a lot of resistance and stuff the front end under water on our steep ramp.

You have to be on a somewhat shallow ramp or you could stuff the front end under water. I sometimes do that nosing into a wake to soak all the passengers. YEE HAW!