Saturday

MAKING WAVES

AMPHICAR

Right from the beginning of the auto industry people were designing cars that could double as a boat. Of course the military had them, but they weren't meant for the general public. Early on it didn't work to good, but in the 60's the only mass produced ampihibian was the Amphicar. Powered by a Triumph Herald engine it made a better car than a boat. Top speed on the water was 7 miles per hour. One in mint condition sold late last year for $115,000.
GIJAM'S HYDRA SPYDER IN FLORIDA

In the 90's a man by the name of Giljam out of Florida tried his hand at building some and they were called the Hydra Spyder. Much better and he even had some orders, but no real plans for mass producton.
AQUADA ON THE WATER AT ORCHARD LAKE, MICHIGAN

Now comes a guy named Gibb of Gibb Engineering and he has been working on one since the 90's too. He has money to back him and is looking for a place to produce the car/boat. He lives in Detroit and would like to set-up there because he thinks the area knows cars and knows boats. That is true, the area built cars and boats for all of the 20th Century. The only thing I could see that would hurt him in that area is the United Automobile Workers...a powerful labor union.

The boat side of this invention can do 35 miles per hour on water. Enough for any water skier. The automobile side which is a nice clean looking car that will do 110 miles per hour. Not bad! It will be interesting to see how he does.
AQUADA ON THE ROAD IN DETROIT