Dobbertin DHC: Like a Fieroghini Hydroplane!

Blame it on the jigger of scotch you had with brefass if you wish, but the Dobbertin HydroCar (DHC) is as real as your drinking problem, and a hell of a lot more dangerous. A former pro-street constructor, Dobbertin is a man of mystery and talent, and hopefully I’ll be able to bring you more of his maniacal creations soon. But I’m currently transfixed by his vision for the HydroCar, a powerful amphibian able to reach a claimed (by him, not me) 125 mph on land and 50 mph on sea. Seeing what’s under the hood, I can almost believe it. Powered by a Chevy 572, modified into “hardcore” form by an outfit called World Products, is a rabid rhinoceros of a motor that somehow produces 750 HP and 705 ft-lbs of torque without pulling a Texas City. All that power is channeled through an automatic transmission that appears to me made out of unobtanium alloyed with velociraptor claws, called the Quadzilla, and then onto a 4WD transfer case. Oh yes, it’s 4WD. Flip a switch in the cockpit, and 8 airbags lift the body of the DHC over the foam-filled sponsons by a full 8”. This creates a catamaran-type configuration, with the addition of three hydrofoil wings underneath for added lift. So for the record, it’s a hydrofoil-catamaran-four-wheel-drive-amphibian. A PTO grabs power from the transfer case to power a prop which sticks out the back like a marine Cuisinart of death. Is the DHC simply some sort of demented pipe dream, always an infusion of hard currency and some seductive promises away from your driveway? I have no idea, but it might be worth the risk. Dobbertin DHC, Popular Mechanics