Upon seeing this ad on ebay.de, I could only think of one thing. Deartháir stomping up and down, gnashing his teeth and screaming, “But daddy, I want it, NOW!”
This little gem is one of about 15,000 Schwimmwagen Type 166’s that were made in Germany during the 1940’s. While the ad is completely in German, I was able to finagle a vague translation by paying off grandmamma in Spaten and bratwurst using Google Translator to find out the following information.
This is an obviously rare Schwimmwagen built in either 1942 or 1943. She is all wheel drive and housed in her bulbous behind is a tiny 1200cc engine. Restoration took place about 10 years ago by VW in Munich. Road tested? Yes. Buoyant? That’s for the buyer to find out. The seller also claims she looks a lot better than the Schwimmwagen at the VW Museum in Wolfsburg, Germany. We all know that statement is relative, but I must admit, she’s definitely a shoe-in for “Miss Schwimmwagen 2010” in my book.
Want to add this to your fleet of aquatic vehicles? You better win the lottery my friends. Sadly bidding ended without reserve met at 89,550 euro, but it’s still currently for sale on The Samba for a cool 139,500 euro.
Source info:
http://www.thesamba.com
http://www.vw166.com
Kamil Kaluski
Wow, a real Schwimmwagen. Very cool. I don't live anywhere near a body of water large enough to drown a kitten, but I'd still love one.
The U.S. counterpart was the Willys GPA, a floating Jeep that wasn't as neato as this. However, the GMC DUKW Duck was probably the most successful amphibian ever, and is six wheel drive to boot. Ever since I was a kid I've wanted to convert one into a party barge.
(No, I don't indulge in kitten drowning. My cat is right here and is perfectly dry)
Too freakin cool!!
Siehe Deter, ich sagte Ihnen, es wäre Schwimmer!
http://www.airforums.com/attachments/gallery/file…
Or get an East German/Soviet copy for 1/10th the price: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/LUAZ-967-M-amphibi…
I love it. This definitely ranks in my Hooniverse top 10.
<img src="http://editorial.sidereel.com/Images/Posts/ross.jpg">
Awesome!
Can somebody explain the rolled up conveyor belt thingy on the rear deck?
If you mean the piece on the very back that's cinched up with a leather strap? That's the propeller. Here's a better photo:
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3045/2528877602_49d9357499.jpg?v=0">
I appreciate the view of the prop but I was referring to the part that looks like a roll of tar paper.
That's the armrest for the rear passengers 😉
I love translating German in my brain.
Schwimmwagen ~ Swim wagon
I usually do it in the voice of the Bavarian Alien from Aqua Teen Hunger Force.
SCHVIM VOGEN!
Oooh this tingles my nethers, but the price is such a buzzkill.
I'm thinking it'd be much cheaper and even more awesome to slap an Amphicar on a CJ-chassis. FTW! Eh? Eh? Who's with me?!
This is cool, but I can't get a mental image of a miniature Dearthair wearing a moose tuque and cow slippers and Knight Rider pajamas jumping up and down saying, "But daddy, you said if I ate all my poutine I could have one!"
Mmmmm. Poutine.
That's the exhaust.
Perfect for people with hellish commutes that traverse at least one body of water. You'll be able to chug past people stuck creeping across a bridge at 1 mph and give 'em your best Clarksonian "Lu-zerrrrr!!!"
That's incredible. But I can't get over the fact that at one time, Nazis drove it. And if it was actually used in the war . . . on the Eastern Front . . . gives me the gibblies.
Ironic giving an amphibious vehicle desert camoflauge… Were the Germans planning to ford the Nile? Or did they want to cross the Red Sea and figured that… uh… bad karma would preclude them from being able to convince it to part for THEM like it did for Moses…?
They were probably planning on parting the Red Sea until that meddling Indiana Jones came along.
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