Suboataru

The Suboataru is a home-built amphibious car made from a 1991 Subaru Justy five-speed hatchback bought as a donor car for $325. The builder turned the maroon four-door into an open, doorless body, keeping the original three-cylinder engine, frame and drivetrain largely unchanged.

Development

The first plan was to push the car through the water with a 4 hp Briggs & Stratton engine and propeller, and the rear was shaped for this. It would not start when submerged because of propeller drag, and a smaller propeller did not help. The builder then fitted a 550 cc Kawasaki two-stroke jet-ski engine (about 40 hp) with its impeller jet. It moved on the first water trial, though slowly, and it soon became clear the jet was not drawing enough water until weight was moved to the rear. After adding ballast at the back and a belly pan, the car steered well and reached about 10-15 mph (16-24 km/h) on the water.

Videos in the archive show the car on Lake Ontario.