Dutton


IMPORTANT INFO
We are no longer manufacturing Dutton amphibious cars.
For ALL Dutton servicing contact our chief engineer who has worked with us since 2008, indeed if your Surf or Reef was manufactured after 2008 Jack would have built it. He now operates his own fully equipped garage WJ Autos Ltd, Portsmouth email:- jackgorski@hotmail.com
---
We have one Dutton Surf for sale built by us in 2021 This fully loaded Surf has provenance having been built for Peter de Savary, low mileage, immaculate condition. Full weather equipment. Finished in blue. Registration number GX62 NLA. For full info, including photos, please email us factory@timdutton.com quoting stock # PdeS

Blue Dutton H20

SALE OF DUTTON ASSETS


1968 to date manufacturing motor cars




1989 to date manufacturing amphibious cars, thru relentless development and innovation we have seen off every other amphibious car manufacturer.

The first Dutton - the Mantis - built by Tim Dutton, registered November 1968 based on the 1725cc Sunbeam Alpine. Search - check MOT - for Government authentication.

This is an opportunity to purchase the oldest car company in the World still owned by its founder.

8000 cars, 200 amphibs and 55 years later we have decided to sell off the registered trade mark DUTTON, heritage, stock, factory equipment, moulds/jigs and history going back to 1968. The company name Dutton Cars Ltd is not available.

World renown for selling vast quantities of kit cars since 1968 it is clear that the market is changing so now 80% of our sales are for fully built cars.



ON OFFER (subject to contract):

Whole set 1999 GRP(FRP) moulds and production jigs for Surf

Whole set 2014 GRP(FRP) moulds and production jigs for Reef

All equipment in factory to produce the above inc removable mezzanine floor. Some of the machinery dating back to the late 60s has no value and is included at no cost.

1/ Web sites:- timdutton.com duttoncars.com amphijeep.biz

2/ Current web site still up and running is timdutton.com

3/ Registered trade mark Dutton

4/ 54 years of suppliers details

5/ Hand holding by Tim Dutton thru transfer who is happy to assist for a set time if required. This can include vehicle production and as importantly vehicle/marine legislation including Individual Vehicle Approval. Worthy of note that our amphibs invariably pass IVA on first application.

6/ Other amphibious car projects in the pipe line…..

7/ Use of the name Tim Dutton as a figurehead if required.

8/ Continued consultancy by Tim Dutton if required.

New Facelift Surf successfully launched at the recent Southampton Boat Show.

p-and-o english channel

Somewhere between England and France (twice)

 

Customer demographics:-

Virtually all A&B, we still hold most customer order forms/details from 1995


Sometimes even your boat is not quite long enough…..

Manufacturing amphibious cars has to be the ultimate in niche marketing. We have always had an uncanny knack of getting free World wide media exposure, recently we were paid to do the opening package on Britain's Got Talent with over 860,000+ views on YouTube and even an Ocado advert.

Only a few weeks ago we had a 2 page spread in the UK’s largest daily newspaper - The Sun - you can’t buy this sort of publicity. The Dutton amphibs are unique, as such apart from a handful of adverts in the specialist magazines we have never paid for publicity.

 

The factory/Foreign buyer:-

Half our sales are exported out of the UK so location of factory should not cause a problem. There is a very high chance that our Factory premises including slipway into the River Arun can be taken over at a peppercorn rent of £520/month. For any foreign manufacturer the factory could be kept on as a distribution point to service UK orders.

Servicing:-

We have an endless stream of amphibs requiring MOT’s, general servicing, updates and pre IVA checks etc.



We have sold to:-

Austria, Brazil, Belgium, Burma, Canada, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dubai, England, Estonia, France, French West Indies, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Malta, Monaco, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Scotland, Southern Ireland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UAE, USA, Wales

All outstanding orders for Surf and Reef have successfully been fulfilled by us. The last Dutton left the factory in June 2023. Enquiries we have received since then are kept on file to be passed onto new owners.

Once a deal is completed it is anticipated that the web site will be transferred immediately so the successful purchaser can start accepting new sales.

OFFERS CONSIDERED for all or part sale. We are more interested in someone keeping the brand going than a vast sum of money, offers in excess of £10K will be considered.

Dutton Cars
Dutton Wharf
Arun Shipyard
Rope Walk
Littlehampton
West Sussex
BN17 5DH

Email factory@timdutton.com

STOP PRESS:- updated June 2023

1/ All outstanding orders successfully been delivered, we have approx 30 enquiries requesting info on whether we are still manufacturing the Surf and Reef – these have not been replied to

2/ Virtually all stock has been SOLD, there are still a few windscreens and jet aluminium castings available value approx £2K

3/ We have not accepted any further orders despite potential customers repeatedly asking if we can “make just one more Dutton”

The following web pages are retained for reference only. These details take precedent over earlier versions. July 20 2023

 








55 years of Dutton Cars

Dutton 
   
Dutton 
See Ultimate Rides for 5 min US TV video on the Dutton 4WD Surf: click HERE to view the clip.
Dutton 
See Secrets of the Supercars on UKTV Play for 5 min Video on the Dutton 4WD Surf: click HERE to view a clip.
Dutton 
See a demonstration of rough terrain handling. Click HERE to view a clip.
YouTube of Britain's Got Talent with Simon Cowell and David Walliams in the Union Jack wrapped Dutton Surf arriving at the Thames TV studio, Media City, Salford UK
   
Over 860,000 views and still counting...!



EXHIBITIONS

We have always used exhibitions as our main form of paid advertising. Our first exhibition was 1970 when Peter Filby rented a field in (we think) Hindhead in Surrey. Of course the 1982 Motor Show at the NEC Birmingham was the most talked about as we had just won the court case bought by Ford Motor Co who spectacularly failed to stop us using the name Sierra. Our court costs were £20,000, the best £20K we could have spent on publicity, the story being reported all over the World. Even cartoons appeared in the national press (as below), we think no other car company has ever been the centre of such attraction in cartoons. It was particularly amusing that just by chance our exhibition stand was next to the Ford exhibit at the NEC Birmingham.

Dutton Dutton
Dutton


1982 cartoons salvaged from our 1992 factory fire

WHY 99.99% OF BOATS ARE RIGHT HAND DRIVE

A specialized oar called the steering oar was placed on vessels to provide the same functionality as modern-day rudders, and they were operated by sailors positioned at the stern. Because the vast majority of sailors were right-handed, these oars were always placed on the right side. Sailors began calling the right side the steering side, which soon became "starboard" by combining two Old English words: steor (meaning "steer") and bord (meaning "the side of a boat"). "Port" is named as boats could not moor up on the starboard side (as there was a "steering oar" in the way) so the other side was always call the "port" side. We can still manufacture the Surf in Left hand drive if specifically required

 
  • Dutton is the oldest car company in the world to still be wholly owned by its founder
  • To put this into context, Dutton was the first company ever to seriously 'productionise' kit car manufacture resulting in building 8000 cars between 1968 and 1989 with over 80 staff in 24,000 ft sq spread over 4 factories and a main road showroom in West Sussex
  • The first amphibious car Dutton made was in 1989. No other company comes anywhere near us for longevity. Even the most famous amphibious car ever - the Amphicar - was only built for 2 years then the company haemorrhaged for a further 2 years in a desperate attempt to sell off the remaining stock
  • Dutton is the Worlds only company in series production with amphibious cars (despite what you see on the internet)
  • After trading for years as Tim Dutton Amphibious Cars Ltd we thought it would be rather fun to re-use the 50 year old company name of "Dutton Cars Ltd" (same company just a name change)

Dutton Dutton


First prototype (1989) based on Dutton Sierra drophead, note the use of steel bumper / chassis (never again) alfresco exhaust and a bemused Tim Dutton

Setting up at the 2021 Southampton Boat Show.
Dutton
   
Very successful Southampton Boat Show 2019  
Dutton Dutton Dutton
  Tim Dutton - Woolley  
PICTURES OF THE MONTH
Picture of the Month
 

What are the chances? An amphibious caravan passing an amphibious car...

Picture of the Month
 

Diving into the River Arun in a Dutton

20 mph, 5ft drop and no slipway... (click HERE or on picture above for Video, opens in new window)

Picture of the Month
 

Most modern cars are designed to last 11 years. This Dutton Mariner is well over 20 years old and still going strong.


 



 
Picture of the Month
 

Brittany Northwestern most region of France. The annual Amphib meeting, Over 75 amphibs attended August 2019.

Make contact
To make contact with us please email    factory@timdutton.com

We buy dead 4WD Duttons
We are eager purchasers of all 4WD Duttons regardless of their condition including part built kits
Send us full details/photos and price
WHERE THEY GO


Austria, Brazil, Belgium, Burma, Canada, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dubai, England, Estonia, France, French West Indies, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Malta, Monaco, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Scotland, Southern Ireland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UAE, USA, Wales

And some Military stuff..

This is not the total of all our cars sold, customers have bought more than 1 Dutton, there are repeat orders and many are sold into the same location

We have been manufacturing amphibious cars longer than all the other companies in the World added together - including Amphicar - this unparalleled experience over 33 years and upto VIN 280 has allowed us to produce 4 entirely different models - the Mariner up to 2000 (Mk3 Fiesta donor), Commander up to 2006 (Suzuki Samurai donor) and the current Surf.

We take customer privacy seriously and will NEVER disclose customer names or addresses or cold-call them so please don't ask

50 year old advert from our Archives


As true today as it was in the early 1970's...Note £345 for an entire kit!


Dutton

Built to last


We recently received this from a customer who bought a Dutton in 1972; now over 70, he still uses the B type (if his son is not borrowing it...)


Dutton

Dutton

Note WWII Dutton shed at RAF Tangmere (1968) and the good old days when E Type Jaguars were simply thrown away when not needed...

Dutton

50 years old and still going strong

SURF & REEF delivery & production



Please contact factory direct for current Delivery times.

BUILDING NOW - SEE NEW/USED page
A new blue Reef will be available for delivery in 6 months time and a new UK registered Surf is available NOW for delivery

We are quite happy to accept a deposit and incomplete order form as a firm order so you can get a production "slot", final spec can be added closer to the delivery date

We attempt to keep some deck/hulls in stock:-

none

IMPORTANT:- if we quote a delivery time from a general enquiry it is only valid at the time we quote, delivery times can easily vary drastically depending on pressure of work, however once an order has been received then the delivery date is fixed
Stock cars
For the first time ever, we have managed to catch up with orders and now have some cars in stock.
See the "new - used" page for further details.
UK Slipways & launch sites

A comprehensive list of UK slipways and launch sites that you can use for your Dutton is now available from BOATLAUNCH.CO.UK. giving details of over 940 British coastal and inland slipways. Please click HERE to access their site.

Note that the site also gives tide predictions.

Duttons 1968 to 1989

With well over 8000 Duttons driving around the World and despite not making them for over 30 years we are still here to help owners. Got a TECHNICAL problem? then contact Tim for assistance. Please note we have NO documentation or spares on these early Duttons
Duttons in Norway, Canada, Sweden and Russia

Duttons have now been registered for road use in Norway, Canada, Sweden and Russia, this joins the ever increasing list of Countries where you can register the Dutton





Dutton

A day in the life..... cars being completed, customers and visitors cars and our two demo cars.



Dutton

Our "fleet" of two demo cars.

TV & VIDEO STUFF

Dutton

Female Comedienne JO BRAND has a new tv programme on DAVE TV where she does weird stuff to do with water. Jo spent a whole day at our factory filming in the Dutton Surf, this was shown recently and is viewable on here and shows Jo and Tim having fun before heading for France in a Surf.
To view the video click HERE






Three Men Pic 01


THREE MEN GO TO IRELAND (BBC TV)


Click HERE to view Video (5min)




The Dutton. It is neither the car that thinks it's a boat nor a boat that thinks it's a car. It has the invincible superiority of knowing that it is both
"Boris Johnson ex Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland"
THE FACT DUTTON IS THE WORLD'S ONLY SUCCESSFUL AMPHIBIOUS CAR MAKER SAYS A LOT. THE S2's RUGGED...............
"AutoExpress Magazine"
NEW WORLD RECORD 2 Duttons cross English Channel Nov 2006, see AMPHIBIOUS RECORDS link on "PRESS" link above
2006 Channel Crossing Video now available. Click HERE to view (4min).

No Beach Out Off Reach
Factory Factory
lathe-003 hull-to-deck-002
Part Completed jet bodies Hull and deck meet up
Dutton
2nd Dutton ever made, this Dutton P1 based on the Mk1 Sprite was built in 1969 and is still going strong today.
  NO PROBLEM
 
Specifications liable to change without notice.
DUTTON is a registered Trade Mark.