I thought this month I would share with you something very interesting in the car world that I ran across. In the mid-1960s, I had and have continued to have a strong interest in a vehicle called the Amphi-car. It was a very stylish little car with a convertible top and seating for four. It had a Triumph power plant and came in cool bright colors. But if that was all, the car would not be very remarkable. What is remarkable are the two propellers sticking out of the rear valence.

You could actually drive the car into the water and motor around. It was very innovative but the vehicle was hindered by technology of the day and was prone to leaks. It rusted quickly and would only go about 6 mph in the water. Still today, you can see incredible restored versions of them at car shows.

Dave March from Fountain Valley Bodyworks shared that same interest with me. Dave owns the very successful repair facility in Fountain Valley, Calif. He’d done several restorations on the originals and knew there had to be a better way. Having the resources of the state-of-the-art repair facility, Dave embarked on an almost 20-year journey to create the ultimate car/boat.

Hence, the Water-Car was born. It is the world’s fastest and most versatile land amphibious vehicle in production. It uses state-of–the-art materials and the latest technology. All this allows the operator to literally drive into the water at speed and motor off to water ski, tube or wake board for the day. The vehicle is capable of speeds in excess of 40 mph on the water and can be enjoyed all day out there. It recently completed a trip from the mainland to Catalina Island in the Pacific.

Dave’s fascination and drive to create this vehicle is an example of what makes our industry so interesting and exciting to work in — constant innovation and thought continues to push the aftermarket to new heights.