What is it about the Germans and amphibious cars? Some kind of national neurosis obsession? Sure, the VW Schwimmwagen acquitted itself rather superbly in WW2, but being able to cross rivers in a war when the bridges are blown up is a most welcome ability, especially when you’re in a rapid retreat from the Russians.
Much of what was learned from the VW Schwimmwagen found its way into the Amphicar, an attempt to commercialize an amphibian car. Only 3,878 were built between 1960 and 1965. But that was not quite the end of it, as in the late ’70s the much more ambitious Conte Schwimmwagen appeared. And what a monstrosity it was, although it looked a bit less ungainly in the water.
There’s not a whole lot of info out there on the Conte, but it was based on a German Ford Granada, and used its 2.3 or 2.8 L V6 engine to power either the wheels or propellers.
I say “propellers” because the brochure refers to its “hydraulic twin screw system with power steering”.
That’s about all I have on it. There’s no indication any were ever built or sold beyond the prototype. That’s probably not very surprising.
An ungainly looking device if there ever was one it looks like a second story on a Ford Granada good view from the wheelhouse I guess.
Never heard of it before, must be one of the oddest 4-wheelers I ever saw.
How much of the Ford Granada was it built on? Since the Granada was a unibody, there had to be quite substantial structure remaining to mount the suspension and terrestrial drivetrain, and then the rest got plopped on top (kiwibryce alluded to that). Otherwise an all-new design would have been required. Or base it on a car that had body/frame construction. Maybe they could have resurrected the 1953 Studebaker. Again.
Ford probably took one look at the prototype and refused to sell them any components.
The Amphicar was more car than boat. This was more boat than car. Seems like it would have been useful for wildland maintenance and patrols.
I heard an Amphicar owner say that his car wasn’t very good as a car and it wasn’t very good as a boat. It was compromised in both applications. I suspect the same of this vehicle too.
The antithesis of chocolate and peanut butter. Boats and cars just don’t go together. Looks too much like this.
I’ve always been intrigued by amphibious vehicles living so close to the Mississippi River. I haven’t heard of the H Conte. A few years back I met a man at a car show with a Dutton Surf . If I recall correctly it was a conversion of a Suzuki Side Kick or Jimny by a British firm or sold as a kit. It looked neat with a lower profile, like a modern Amphicar where as the H Conte looks like a miniature DUKW which of course was boat on a 6×6 deuce and half truck.
I looked the Dutton over closely. Propulsion was from a jet pump that was driven via a pto that was installed with Kit components on the Suzuki transfer case.
I think this is the official brochure
https://www.veikl.com/d/Herzog-Conte-Scwimmwagen-Amphibian-Brochure-1979-DE-92963
It’s ugly of course, but nonetheless technically very advanced. And the Ford (Euro) Granada is possibly the best Ford ever made. I could compete with Mercedes W123. So even the basis for this vehicle is a good choice.
Not something I say often but…
“Nothing wrong with it that an LS V8 swap wouldn’t fix.”
This looks like the cleanest “I cut a truck w/a camper cap in half horizontally and inserted a boat between the layers” ever.
At least they improved on the prototype.
It looks a bit like an Amphiranger, perhaps it’s a precursor.
“What is it about the Germans and amphibious cars?”
Because they will have finally managed to cross the English Channel