Omnidirectional Transport

[freebeard]

The title is of course, a reference to R. Buckminster Fuller's 1930s prototypes. While the 'stilt-jet' VTOL capability got all the press, omni-directional meant land/sea/air.

I've always thought an amphibious car would be more practical than a car, boat and trailer. The pinnacle for me has always been the Schwimmwagen. Here is an Oztralian who took the Jeep equivalent, the GPA 'Seep' around the world:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6Vlow2QBw4

Ten years of misery, bobbing up and down, to return to a fickle and uncaring public.

So... anyways. How would you do an amphibious car?

Give the GPA a finer bow and air-bags or hydraulics to retract the axles?

A Schwimmwagen with increased fineness ratio and a U-boat conning tower?

Something else entirely? An FUV with a float conversion?

At the very least, the guy in the video could have built a cabin over the engine bay and doubled the interior space.

[jakobnev]

How would you do an amphibious car?

How about a light weight one that you flip upside down before you put it in the water?

(You could use your boat-tail as an actual boat-tail)

[some_other_dave]

I wouldn't. Too many compromises; you will either have a so-so car that is an atrocious boat, a so-so boat that is an awful car, or something that is bad at being both a car and a boat.

-soD

[freebeard]

Agreed that is the historical norm. Those are two curves that cross at some sweet spot.

How about a light weight one that you flip upside down before you put it in the water?

You'd either have a top-heavy boat or top-heavy car.

What I've been thinking about since I started the thread is an Arcimoto FUV crossed with a floatplane. It would have three pontoons surrounding the wheels, with hydro-jets in the aft of the front two. They could have individual electric motors or be driven off the road wheels like a bicycle headlight generator.

First problem obviously would be unsprung weight. Maybe it should be a convertible.

[Piotrsko]

How about insttead of the hydro jets you just use knobby tires? When we went swimming in the '59 baja, it mostly worked, but was inefficient. The WTF looks were priceless however.

[freebeard]

The Baja lacks a hydrodynamic underbody. In the 50s-60s some designer showed a car with retractable paddle-wheel 'hubcaps' but I can't find a reference. Did find this though:


maxim.com/rides/charles-bombardier-liebelule-amphibious-concept-vehicle-2016-08

A paddle-wheel [wet] submarine.

[Piotrsko]

That is seriously photochopped.

The baja swimming thing happened one big rain puddle, but worked well enough that we decided to mess with people thereafter. It was never intended to be efficient because bugs aren't fully waterproof boats as they gain water from unexpected places rather fast.

[freebeard]

That is seriously photochopped.

It was a consolation prize when I couldn't find the one I was looking for.

...they gain water from unexpected places rather fast.

I'd expect bad door seals and missing grommets for gas and electrical in the firewall.

[Piotrsko]

Think more tunnel and heater boxes. Door seals were obvious and so got replaced but the heater system has many places that leak because it's pressurized. The bellowed motor to chassis hoses have holes in them. The gas and clutch pedal don't have watertight seals for the engine side so you get a fountain on the drivers feet.

[jakobnev]

How not to do it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohxGA7fpfu0