Rod Radford, 94, relives memories of driving an ‘Amphicar’ around Brisbane Water

Rod Radford, now 94, who shocked onlookers by commuting across Brisbane Water in his amphibious car back in the 1960s, was treated to a trip down memory lane. Watch the heart-warming video.

The novelty of driving a car into the water hasn't faded for 94-year-old Rod Radford.

The retired pharmacist, who once shocked onlookers in the 1960s by driving an amphibious car across Brisbane Waters, made a special return trip at Woy Woy journey last week, courtesy of the Umina Beach Rotary Club.

Rod Radford, 94, couldn’t wipe the smile off his face when he went for a spin in the restored Amphicar.

One of the first people in Australia to own an amphibious car, Mr Radford couldn’t hide his joy when he hit the water in the restored vehicle brought in from Cooma for the occasion.

Mr Radford bought the first of his two amphibious cars in 1965 to get home from work from Ettalong Beach to Wagstaffe and to make deliveries to customers around Brisbane Water.

He had moved to the Central Coast in 1945 as a young pharmacist, well before the Rip Bridge was built.

Before the opening of the bridge in 1974, getting home and doing deliveries involved a long drive around the shores of Brisbane Water on notoriously bad roads.

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“Our house was at Wagstaffe and the shop was across the water,” he said.

“When I was rowing back and forth across to Ettalong I realised I needed something a little more comfortable to make my deliveries in, especially in the inclement weather.”

Ready for take-off: Rod Radford prepares to hit the water in his Amphicar Model 770 at Woy Woy. Picture: MLB Photography.

Rod Radford, 94 of Umina Beach, takes a ride in the Amphicar Model 770 at Woy Woy. Picture: MLB Photography.

After seeing a newspaper advertisement for the amphicar, Mr Radford took a trip to Sydney to investigate.

He ordered one and a few years later was the proud owner of the unique vehicle which he used for both professional and personal reasons.

“I had two of them and used each for five years and that was a reasonable life in saltwater.”

Rod Radford in his Amphicar amphibious car in the 1960s. He used to commute across the entrance to Brisbane Water from his home in Wagstaffe to his business in Ettalong using the car as a boat.

An Amphicar demonstration in Sydney Harbour in front of a half finished Opera house in the 1960s.

Mr Radford said it often frightened people to see him drive the car into the water.

The car, which cost about the same as a high-end car, handled most weather conditions, including rough water.

Replacement of suspension and brake linings was required regularly due to saltwater corrosion.

The Amphicar was designed to be marketed and sold in the US. Compared with most boats or cars, its performance was modest, and only 4000 were produced by 1965.

Amphibious cars

● The Amphicar Model 770 is an amphibious car, the first such vehicle mass-produced for sale to the public starting in 1961

● The German vehicle was designed by Hanns Trippel and manufactured by the Quandt Group at Lübeck and at Berlin-Borsigwalde.