1967 Other Makes 770

770 Convertible

4 - Cyl.

Manual

106522380

Gasoline

This is a 1967 Amphicar 770 that has had a complete rotisserie restoration that was not done years ago or by a previous owner but by me this year and just finished literally days ago. Hans Tripple’s dream come true, it was built in Berlin Germany it is number 2380 out of the 3878 that were imported into the USA from 1961-1967. This car seems to have been passed around from owner to owner who had intentions of restoring it but never did. Luckily it had never been used as a parts car and had all original parts (engine, transmission, doors, steel hood and deck lid) and had never been in any major collisions! This car has all of the things you would expect to find on a late model Amphi, raised lip rockers and quarters, chrome window frames, crinkle black finish on dashboard. Everything to restore this car was either purchased from Gordon Imports, Canadian Amphicar or Midwest Amphicar since January of this year! . When the pictures were taken the Bilge blower assy and the heater fan motor were not yet installed. Below are the details of the restoration: BODY: Everything was stripped off of the body, labeled and stored in boxes. Then the body was sent to the sandblaster and all old paint and rust was removed. Any rotted metal was then cut out back to solid metal and the new 16 and 18 gauge steel panels were mig welded in including new rear wheel housings, rear boot shelf, inner and outer full rear ¼ panels from Midwest Amphicar with correct lower edge detail lip as found on late model Amphicars. Also drain plugs were added the both lower inner rear 1/4 panels and to the front of the frame rails. This is important if you know you have taken on a lot of water, such as if the car was left out in the rain or you had a big wave splash into the car. Instead of letting the water sit there forever where it cant be seen you can remove the plugs and drain out any water. This is something that the factory should have done. After all welds were ground smooth, everything was double coated with Southern Urethanes gray epoxy primer. Any weld seams were then coated with “All metal” body filler before being finished with plastic body filler. Again, everything was coated with epoxy primer and all seams were sealer with urethane body sealer. The bottom of the hull and inside the wheel wells were then coated with Eastwood’s 2k black ceramic chassis coating and the rest of the body was coated with numerous coats of 2k gray primer filler being wet sanded between coats. To duplicate the original texture coating, a product called gator guard was sprayed inside the engine compartment before all inside areas were pained body color in the urethane formula. Next the outer body areas were painted with 2 stage (base coat, clear coat) using Dupont urethane with the closest match to the original shade of Beach sand white. The body was then wet sanded and buffed to a brilliant shine. Next the car was assembled with all new fuzzy window glass side strips and U glass guide channels and the following: CHROME: The bumpers on both the front and rear are new. Including the front bumper center bracket all chrome headed bolts and have been assembled with stainless lock washers, nuts and new seals where they are attached to body. Both LH and RH door handles are new, keyed alike and have new black seals. The “Amphicar” fender scripts and hood badge are new. All body trim pieces on top of the fins, taillight panels and headlights are the new chrome plated style from GI and it also has the chrome strips on the windshield posts which look great next to the chrome vent window assys, (see picture). The headlight trim rings are also new. It has all new splash rubbers for the side glass with new stainless moldings. The marine pole light is original with a perfect lens and top chrome ring. It has a new hood marine light. The wiper arms are original and look great and it has new repro wiper blades. All side and rear bumper aluminum pieces are original and have new black rubber underlay and black insert trim. It has a new steel horn shell with a real nice original chrome grill with center badge, a new rubber base and new electric horn. All door and hood seals are new. The chrome flip caps for securing the hood and engine lid are original and chrome is beautiful, the seals and securing hardware is new. The seals for the headlights, front signals, taillights and backup light are new. The front signal lenses and taillight lenses are original and in great condition. The backup lenses are new. INTERIOR: The steering wheel has been restored and is refinished in the original ivory color. The horn button is original, and the gold Lubeck Castle insignia looks great. The steering column housing has been stripped and refinished in gloss black as original. The chrome mast on the signal switch had some minor rust and it is now painted silver. The housing is refinished in ivory as original. The sunvisor mounts are original with new white visors. The rear view mirror on the windshield is new. All upholstery is new from Canadian Amphicar in the correct red/white combination found on Beach sand white cars with the correct door pockets, heat pressed verticle lines in the white areas and new ivory door opening trim. The handles and cranks are a combination of original and NOS and repro and all look great! The seat frames have been blasted, coated with epoxy primer and painted the right black color; the spring assemblies have also had the same treatment but were top coated with silver paint for the bare metal look. The front backrest springs have been replaced with an identical spring that is a little thicker giving the backrest a better feel than 43+ year old original springs. It also has the rare and desirable spring lower rear seat cushion. The seat cushion bottoms were assembled using new “horsehair” padding as it was originally done which gives the seats a firmer base than if you just used foam cushions as is typically done these days. All backrest adjusters are new and easily adjustable to suit your most comfortable driving position. It has all new black seat belts with chrome aircraft style buckles and the front belts attach to the floor eyelets as original and a new fiberglass base under the rear seat. The floor and rockers have the correct ribbed rubber matting and the front wheel wells are carpeted. The rear boot well has the gray liner as original and also has heat/sound insulation. The dash is coated in wrinkle black finish as original and is stunning with all new chrome rosettes, (which are the chrome trim pieces surrounding the switches), all new ivory knobs and various switches replaced including the headlight and ignition switches. It has an NOS speedometer with new cable, original clock and nice looking cluster gauge with warning lights replaced with proper colored LED’s, new accelerator, choke and water throttle cables, (the water throttle is the new style so it can be set by just pulling on the “t” handle instead of pushing on the gas pedal to set as on older Amphis). It has a vintage German Blaupunkt radio with AM FM SW that looks great in the dash but needs to have the wires soldered for the plug to the power amp. The problem is there are 6 wires and a schematic would be needed to do it correctly. It looks great in the dash anyway! Under the dash is an Alpine cassette deck and has the option for controlling a 6 or 12 cd jukebox. It has speakers hidden in the rockers and speaker wires run to the rear shelf if additional speakers are desired and a chrome fire extinguisher. The top frame was blasted, has had the front corners reinforced and was coated in semi-gloss as original. It also has all new rubber weather stripping and top side snaps and boot studs. The new black top was a blem but looks and smells like new and rear window is clear! It has a new red top boot. The windshield and all side glass is original, has no cracks but the windshield does have some minor wiper scratches. Both pieces of vent glass, their chrome frames and latches are new. One vent post assembly is new and the rest of the chrome window frames are original, look good but are not absolutely perfect. DRIVE TRAIN: Original 1147 triumph engine was bored .030, new pistons, rings and wrist pins installed, crankshaft was turned and all new bearings installed. Cylinder head was surfaced and had new (unleaded compatible) hardened exhaust seats installed along with all new intake/ exhaust valves and timing chain. All machine work was done by Crosby Machine in Portsmouth NH. Water and fuel pumps were replaced and a thermostat shim kit was installed so any thermostat can be used instead of the obsolete original thermostat. Engine was assembled with all new seals, gaskets and oil cooler hoses. It has a new trouble-free GM alternator and has been converted to Negative ground. The battery is in a black ABS box sitting in a metal frame to keep it in place, the cables are new and the ground is a mesh cable as original. The flywheel was faced off and clutch pressure plate was rebuilt, a new disc and thrower were installed. Intake/exhaust manifold and new exhaust pipes were blasted and coated with an exhaust hi-temp coating that appears to be holding up well! The muffler and tailpipe are also new along with the chrome tailpipe extension and body seal. The original Solex carburetor has been rebuilt, a heat shield made to help keep the carb cooler and it has the original air cleaner housing with "AC" stamped into it. It also has an adapter on the oil filter so readily available filters can be used. The original radiator, heater core and oil cooler were sent to the radiator shop to be boiled and checked and all found to be leak free! Both radiator hoses, clamps are new and all heater hoses have been replaced with Gates green line hose. The fan shroud is coated with 3M body shutz and painted black, has new rubber seals all around installed and assembled to radiator with stainless screws and bolts etc. The original fuel tank was in great shape with just some minor surface rust and has been coated with a red fuel tank coating. It has a new fuel valve and the ON/OFF/RESERVE selector works as it should. Also the electronic fuel shut off (magneto) valve is new. The transmission has been rebuilt with all new syncros, bearings and seals by Dave at Midwest Amphicar and shifts beautifully! The rear axles (also called driveshafts) are late model style with a grease fitting for the splines, have new spline boots and tight u-joints. All 4 rear wheel bearings, hub keys, axle nuts and seals are new. All front wheel bearings and seals are also new. Bearing buddies have been installed on the front hubs to keep water out and make greasing easy! The propellors are both original, in great condition and favored by many over new replacements. SUSPENSION: All tires are new Radials from Diamond back and spare in the trunk is original. All rims have been blasted, coated with epoxy and 2k primer, wet sanded and painted red urethane. In the rear are new adjustable Aldan gas shocks and in the front are Monroe. All suspension swing arm pinch bolts and nuts are new. It has new kingpin bushings on both sides and new joints on the caster control arms. Everything has been lubed using Amsoil marine grease. BRAKES: The brake backing plates have been coated as the bottom of the hull was and have all new shoes, rebuilt wheel cylinders that were installed with silicone grease between the pistons and boots to keep water out. All rubber brake hoses have been replaced and as a bonus all brake tubing has been replaced with stainless steel so they will NEVER rust! DOT 5 Silicone fluid that wont absorb water was used. All brake tube hold down clips are in place and it has a new master cylinder, NOS brake fluid bottle with correct hose connecting bottle to tubing and all emergency brake cables. MISCELLANEOUS: Original bilge pump was replaced with a superior Jabsco water puppy and is controlled by the original switch on dash. An additional automatic Rule bilge pump is located under rear seat and can be turned on manually by switch under dash. Original bilge blower is in place but the factory timing circuit has been bypassed so the blower is just controlled by the dash switch and the starting of the car does not rely on the bilge blowers 43+ year old relays and vacuum tubes. Inside the housing the original motor has been replaced with a new Rule 4” blower. In summation, this is an awesome running/ swimming Amphicar. I am confident that more has been to this car than any other you will find! It will bring a smile to you and everyone you see while driving it. This car is sold where is and as is. Get your wife’s or significant other’s permission before bidding. International bids are welcome but payment must be made through a reputable broker. I can refer you to one I have used in the past. 7/17/10 I put a short video of this Amphicar swimming in lake Winnipesaukee NH on you tube. Go to you tube, enter Amphicar alton bay and watch this car in action! Good Luck!