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#1 (permalink) |
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6.2 Liter LS9 Supercharged V8
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Dimondale, MI
Drives: '89 Buick Reatta
Posts: 6,225
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Hardcore offroader: '70 Amphicat 6x6 AATV
I actually picked this up like 4 years ago in Wisconsin. The owner had it apart but everything seemed ok, so I put it back together. I couldn't get the original Sachs 277 cc two stroke motor to run consistently so I picked up a Honda GX390, 13 hp 4 stroke slightly used on ebay and a new Comet clutch. Its been like 4 years in the making but I've finally got it pretty well figured out with a few new chains and sprockets (there's a lot of them)
This thing's around a 1970...it's an amphibious ATV though I also think of it as being an American ATV...back then the Japanese were the ones that brought us good dirt bikes, 3, and 4 wheelers...we had boats with wheels . It's made of Borg Warner "Cycolac", aka ABS. The drivetrain and axles are on a steel frame inside the tub so the plastic isn't really exposed to forces. You've got two sticks and a throttle, with the sticks controlling a small transmission with brakes and clutches inside and a centrifugal clutch on the motor (CVT, like a snowmobile, go kart, etc) The Firestone tires have a max rating of 2 PSI...you can push them in pretty far with your foot. And it will go anywhere. I'm working on the video footage but I've driven over fallen logs, steep ditches...its pretty sweet obviously with 6 wheel drive, crazy approach and departure angles, and a really low center of gravity. It's really slow in the water just using wheel power (like 2 mph at full blast). I need to work on it some more but I've added an outboard motor mount so I can at least use a trolling motor. It isn't too heavy...I can pick up one side of it so its not bad to trailer with my Forester. It's pretty sweet having traction and torque...I was able to pull in the fishing boat in a great show of power lol. It's fast enough though...I can pull the leaf and clippings sweeper around the yard a lot faster than the mowing tractor can. It's crazy fun.It's like unstoppable as long as your have the courage to shove the sticks forward. A lot of these old 6x6's didn't have reverse but this one does so you can get out of nasty spots. The Amphicat was one of the better ones and they're somewhat common as far as these go. A lot of these things were cheaply engineered (and thus they're not around anymore). All the chains and sprockets eventually do wear out and are tedious to replace. The ABS isn't that think and can be broken if you hit something. They often had hollow axles which are a common thing to have to fix on old 6x6's but the Amphicat's got forged axles. I have brand new seals for it which I'm going to put in soon to stop the slow seeping. It's said that they're "impossible" to sink due to the air in the tires, but nevertheless I wear a life jacket when crossing the lake (30-some acres) Argo and Recreatives Industries still make 6x6's (and 8x8's). Haven't tried them but I've also got an original set of snow tracks for it. The pix and upcoming footage are from our cottage on Eagle Lake in Mancelona, MI, shot by my bro, with his Canon D30 (I think) ![]() ![]() I didn't hit the water very fast...it'll make a lovely splash at full blast but won't really get you wet ![]() ![]() ![]()
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Owner of vehicles powered by a Buick even-fire V6, Chevy 60 degree OHV V6, a big block Buick V8, and a quadrozontal Triple-X08:take your hybrids and shove em up yer ass, i'll take my fuel injection and carburetors, and still make 30+ mpg. and i wont look like a douchebag driving it. |
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#2 (permalink) |
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6.2 Liter LS9 Supercharged V8
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Dimondale, MI
Drives: '89 Buick Reatta
Posts: 6,225
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Re: Hardcore offroader: '70 Amphicat 6x6 AATV
man I was thinking everyone would comment on this
__________________
Owner of vehicles powered by a Buick even-fire V6, Chevy 60 degree OHV V6, a big block Buick V8, and a quadrozontal Triple-X08:take your hybrids and shove em up yer ass, i'll take my fuel injection and carburetors, and still make 30+ mpg. and i wont look like a douchebag driving it. |
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#3 (permalink) | ||||||
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GMI Australia Correspondent
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Pacific Paradise, Australia
Drives: VZ Wagon and JSII sedan
Posts: 11,592
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Re: Hardcore offroader: '70 Amphicat 6x6 AATV
It may have had more to do with everyone that saw your thread is now on the floor convulsing in previously repressed acid flashbacks
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This should send them back again
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#4 (permalink) |
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GMI Australia Correspondent
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Pacific Paradise, Australia
Drives: VZ Wagon and JSII sedan
Posts: 11,592
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Re: Hardcore offroader: '70 Amphicat 6x6 AATV
Oh and nice effort too. You seem to have a pretty handy talent when it comes to just about anything mechanical.
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READ GM International Operations 100 Day Scorecard!!It's official: I'm a twit. Follow me on Twitter!! |
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#5 (permalink) | |
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News Contributor
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Kirkland, WA
Drives: 2004 Cadillac CTS
1991 Chevrolet S-10 Baja Editio
Posts: 4,561
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Re: Hardcore offroader: '70 Amphicat 6x6 AATV
Holy crap that thing is killer. Is it really 6x6, or does it simply look it.
I forgot about the banana splits, holy flash back
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http://www.northwestautosalon.com/ My Rides (2004 Cadillac CTS Lux/sprt, 1991 Chevrolet S-10 Baja): http://flickr.com/photos/45118511@N00/ http://www.youtube.com/user/bajabusta Quote:
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#6 (permalink) | |
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News Contributor
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Kirkland, WA
Drives: 2004 Cadillac CTS
1991 Chevrolet S-10 Baja Editio
Posts: 4,561
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Re: Hardcore offroader: '70 Amphicat 6x6 AATV
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http://www.northwestautosalon.com/ My Rides (2004 Cadillac CTS Lux/sprt, 1991 Chevrolet S-10 Baja): http://flickr.com/photos/45118511@N00/ http://www.youtube.com/user/bajabusta Quote:
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#7 (permalink) |
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4.6 Liter Northstar V8
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Douglas County, NV & UC Davis, CA
Drives: 98 Chevy C1500 4.3 V6
Posts: 1,937
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Re: Hardcore offroader: '70 Amphicat 6x6 AATV
Snorky, Fleagle, Bingo, Drooper....
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http://www.xkcd.com/386/ |
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#8 (permalink) |
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GMI Australia Correspondent
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Pacific Paradise, Australia
Drives: VZ Wagon and JSII sedan
Posts: 11,592
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Re: Hardcore offroader: '70 Amphicat 6x6 AATV
If you haven't played the theme song yet, don't. 2 days I've been going tra la la lalala la, tra la la lala la.
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READ GM International Operations 100 Day Scorecard!!It's official: I'm a twit. Follow me on Twitter!! |
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#9 (permalink) |
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GMI Europe Correspondent
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Posts: 13,830
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Re: Hardcore offroader: '70 Amphicat 6x6 AATV
I happen to have been given, as a little kid, a 1970/1971 Auto Katalog (Germany's publication covering everything made in a given year that remotely resembles a car by my grandmother. I was thorughly fascinated by the then-in-vogue beach buggies, but the Amphicat was my no. 1 thingy to dream about having. Gosh, they have to be so much fun!
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#10 (permalink) |
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6.0 Liter L76 V8
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: St. Paul
Drives: 5spd '99 S10
Posts: 2,282
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Re: Hardcore offroader: '70 Amphicat 6x6 AATV
I saw one of those amphicars here in mn a few years ago.
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"If you wanna know something and he won't tell you, cut off one of his fingers. The little one. Then tell him his thumb's next. After that, he'll tell you if he wears ladies' underwear. I'm hungry. Let's get a taco." |
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#11 (permalink) |
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6.2 Liter LS9 Supercharged V8
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Dimondale, MI
Drives: '89 Buick Reatta
Posts: 6,225
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Re: Hardcore offroader: '70 Amphicat 6x6 AATV
haha I've read about the banana splits having those but never saw any footage except for the intro...a bit before my generation
. Check out the two stroke smoke lol
__________________
Owner of vehicles powered by a Buick even-fire V6, Chevy 60 degree OHV V6, a big block Buick V8, and a quadrozontal Triple-X08:take your hybrids and shove em up yer ass, i'll take my fuel injection and carburetors, and still make 30+ mpg. and i wont look like a douchebag driving it. |
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#12 (permalink) |
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6.2 Liter LS9 Supercharged V8
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Midwest
Drives: 07' Monte Carlo SS
Posts: 5,061
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Re: Hardcore offroader: '70 Amphicat 6x6 AATV
Those things are too cool. I always wanted to try one out but never got the opportunity. How do they turn because it looks like the wheels always stay straight. I guess the motor slows down the wheels on one side? I bet that does some wicked damage to the front lawn
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#13 (permalink) |
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6.2 Liter LS9 Supercharged V8
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Dimondale, MI
Drives: '89 Buick Reatta
Posts: 6,225
|
Re: Hardcore offroader: '70 Amphicat 6x6 AATV
It turns like a skid steer loader/Bobcat, with power going to one side and you applying the brake to the other side...two handles, with a brake and clutch on each side. I try not to steer hard on the grass but its pretty light and doesn't do any real damage
__________________
Owner of vehicles powered by a Buick even-fire V6, Chevy 60 degree OHV V6, a big block Buick V8, and a quadrozontal Triple-X08:take your hybrids and shove em up yer ass, i'll take my fuel injection and carburetors, and still make 30+ mpg. and i wont look like a douchebag driving it. |
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#14 (permalink) | |
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Walking
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: in the garage
Drives: pick one.LOL
Posts: 1
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Quote:
try 12 tires,,,,,, and i have 2 sets of tracks too...Last edited by Amphiman1 : 08-21-2009 at 10:52 AM. |
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#15 (permalink) |
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7.0 Liter LS7 V8
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: CT
Drives: 2005 chevy silverado 1500 5.3 EC LB Z-71
Posts: 4,154
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Re: Hardcore offroader: '70 Amphicat 6x6 AATV
that things a pretty cool little toy.
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My Ride: 2005 Chevy Silverado Z71 3" PA Body lift 34" Nitto Terra Grapplers 17x9Pro Comp Wheels Halo HID Projector headlights w LED halo projector fog lights Pace Edward toneau cover Fire&Ice LED bar Patriot window decal black LED bumper lights black&red grille emblem iPOD jack My Toy: 2009 Arctic Cat 700 Mud Pro Snorkel 28" Outlaw MSTs 14" ground clearance 10" travel locked rear selectable 4x4 & front locker winch hitch IFS/IRS
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