Harrell amphibian

The Harrell amphibian was a high-speed amphibious car project in California. Mechanical engineer James Harrell took it over and revived it after the death of its original inventor, and kept Hans Rosloot informed of progress in a series of emails in 2001 and 2002.

Design

The car's wheels retract when it is afloat, reducing drag so that it can travel faster in the water. Power comes from a Buick V6, and propulsion in the water is by a Berkeley jet unit engaged through a power take-off. The stated targets were up to 80 mph (about 130 km/h) on land and 35 mph (about 55 km/h) on the water.

Testing

In February 2002 Harrell launched the car for the first time. It drove up the ramp out of the water without trouble, and the jet manoeuvred it well with the wheels still down. Hydraulics to retract the wheels were then added, and in April 2002 a further test showed the mechanical and hydraulic systems working well. The car would not climb onto the plane, however: it reached about 8 mph (13 km/h) with a very large wake, the engine running at around 5,500 rpm in fourth gear. Harrell planned to add bow planes and transom trim tabs, something the original inventor had also been working on, and was seeking funding for the project and for a patent.