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Petrol Jimny 2005 onwards (with electronic transfer box) |
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SURF FACELIFT NOW ONLY AVAILABLE FULLY BUILT |
New Features
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Much increased engine bay heat insulation fitted |
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Larger bonnet side vents for extra cooling |
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Steering box / brackets fitted |
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Entire door lock assemblies are factory fitted (feedback from customers tells us this gives
problems to accurately line up all the components/rods/cables for correct operation) |
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Exhaust manifold heat shield wrapped and sprayed in heat resistant paint |
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Both bilge/pumps fitted |
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Weather equipment fitted (if ordered) |
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Entry grab handles fitted to A post |
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Entire marine side fitted, tested and water proofed. |
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THE MARINE SIDE |
Speed in water
According to the official press release in the 1960's the maximum speed in water for the Amphicar was quoted as
"Wasserfahrt: -Hoechstgeschwindigkeit 10km/h" (6.2mph/5.4knots). No manufacturer would deliberately undersell his
product therefore it is fairly safe to assume that 6.2 mph is in fact the max speed you will ever get out of an Amphicar. You
would have thought that with over 50 years more development that someone could better this - well you can't. Water speed
for a displacement hull is a function of the square root of the water line in metres multiplied by 2.8 for mph, 2.4 for knots
or 4.5 for kph. The 4 Wheel Drive Surf with its 8" diameter impeller (upgraded from 6" on the earlier 2wd) has a
speed of approx 5-6mph, which ties in very neatly with the above formula and is impressive considering the extra carrying
capacity, size and specification compared with the much smaller 2wd Amphicar.
Click on the pictures below for a larger version.
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Early amphibious cars had no problems with low powered, cool lamps but today's modern lamps run hot and it is not
possible to drive into water with them switched on without cracking the glass, for this reason every front and rear lamp on the
Surf is protected with high impact 5/16" (8mm) clear acrylic plastic so none of the lamps can ever contact the water.
Special attention has been paid to the sealing of the prop shafts (the only components going thru the hull).
To eliminate the need for a mild steel chassis the hull and deck are manufactured as one piece mouldings which are then
bonded together to form a single homogeneous monocoque self coloured structure, all the load bearing areas - engine, gearbox,
transfer box, steering, f/r axles, dampers, springs etc - have marine grade stainless steel spreader plates imbedded into the
laminate. The advantage of a self coloured modern plastic composite is that it can be repaired and scratches easily rubbed out.
An anti-slip pattern is moulded into various areas of the deck as an aid to safety. Being plastic composite there is never any
need to wash the car regardless of whether it has been in fresh or salt water.
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For UK customers who are VAT registered you may be able to claim back the 20% tax if you use it in your business
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ATTENTION TO DETAIL
Some funny things happen when you put a car in water, here are a few and our solutions to them:-
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Axle suck
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- It is a fact that all ferrous metals, if unprotected, will corrode by the natural process in which iron is converted back
to it's naturally occurring form of iron oxide under the influence of water and oxygen. Therefore corrosion would not
occur if the steel could be coated with a film which is completely impervious to water or to oxygen since both are required
for corrosion reactions. The front and rear axles (the only Suzuki parts on the "wet" side) are completely stripped
and painted with 3 coats of marine phosphate primer, marine under coat and marine topcoat. All components we fit (including
nuts & bolts) on the "wet" side of the car are all manufactured from marine quality AISI 316 stainless steel.
With stainless steel the anodic reaction leads to the formation of an oxide film, this so called "passive oxide
film" is insoluble in water and hence the metal is well protected and can be left in it's natural state.
Why plastic?
- It's really hard to believe that only 60 years ago (when plastic had already been invented) that someone would
actually be paid to sit down and deliberately design and build an amphibious car out of highly corrosive mild steel but that
is exactly what they did in the 1960's with the Amphicar and the results are all to obvious today - at one extreme rusty
cars that leak and at other end of the extreme - immaculate cars that the owners won't take into water in case they start
to rust and leak again. Have you any idea how annoying and time consuming it is to have to thoroughly wash down a mild steel
hulled car with a high-pressure fresh water hose every time it comes out of the water? - And that's assuming that there
is a standpipe near the slip in the first place. With a plastic car you NEVER have to wash it down.
Back-up flushing
- Although not very likely with a jet it is always possible that seaweed or underwater debris can get wrapped around the
impeller. To solve this simply put the gearbox in reverse, this ejects the debris back out thru the intake duct.
Radiator
- On some amphibious cars the radiator is stuck out right at the front so if you ever nudge anything the first item to get
smashed is the radiator. In the Surf the oil and water radiators are both concealed inside the safety of the engine bay.
SERVICING
None of the Suzuki components (other than the transfer box) are modified which means that if any servicing /repair work is
required any competent garage can undertake it, also spares will be available anywhere in the World where the Suzuki is sold.
We recommend that once a year (normally at the end of the season) The underside of the car is examined, in particular the steel
axle/suspension components and if they have been scratched and the paint removed they are cleaned up and high quality marine
paint re-applied.
As part of our continual commitment to customer service we now offer check ups on all our amphibs, including an extended water
test. After the testing we will advise if any work/servicing needs doing. You can at any time remove your car or in the
alternate you can authorize us to do all or some of the work. Winter in the UK is now approaching and it's time to do the
compulsory checking of the front and rear brake systems etc, putting it off until next Spring and not winterizing your Dutton
now may end up being an expensive option, this is our standard servicing procedure:-
SERVICE for all 4WD DUTTON (Commander & Surf)
Check oil in gearbox/f axle/r axle
Remove wheels
Check fan belts
Replace oil/air filters
Replace engine oil
Paint all steel components under hull, f/r axles/suspension/steering/ both prop shafts etc
Check all rubber gaiters/ball joints
Check condition of front calipers/pads/discs
Dismantle and check condition of rear brake shoes, dismantle handbrake adjusters and pack with grease, re-adjust handbrake
system. Clean up rear drums
Check all underside nuts/bolts
Remove poupe deck/sun deck check all fuel lines, jet belt tension
Check and grease 2 challis/jet pillow block/dog clutch and spline
TOTAL 10 hours
If you want any additional work or have specific requirements please advise. If you are interested in our servicing then please
email/call us, we can collect cars if required or arrange for them to be collected from anywhere in the world.
There are 2016 model year improvements that can be retro fitted to your Commander and Surf, see "owners page". In
particular stainless steel exhaust system and converting the electronic transfer box to manual.
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SPECIFICATIONS (typical) |
Proper doors (fitted) (can you imagine getting into
an amphib with the weather equipment on with no doors? - or even more importantly trying to get out quickly in an emergency). The
Surf doors open ABOVE the water line so can be opened safely when the car is in the water.
FULL 4 seater 2 door
proper lockable easy access doors
Left or Right hand drive.
5 speed gearbox, selectable 2wd high, 4wd high, 4wd low and PTO.
Clock.
Fully reclining front seats with head rests.
Tilting rear seats.
Vanity mirror on sun visor with operating instructions.
9 gallon/42L fuel tank.
Diagonally split dual brake system, servo, disc front, drum rear.
Central locking.
Radio/CD player.
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15" Aluminium spoke wheels with 205/70 tyres.
1 internal, 2 external electric mirrors.
Halogen headlamps, hazard warning, rear fog, reversing and side repeaters.
2 speed wipers and delay.
Speedo, rev counter, fuel gauge, water temp,
Full set of Surf decals (fitted).
Pair entry foot steps (fitted).
3 speed heater fan
s/h electric engine fan
2 bilge pumps with auto float switches (fitted).
25 row oil cooler.
Red/green/white navigation lamp.
Front stainless steel tow eye
Rear boarding platform.
4 grab handles (fitted)
Stainless steel heat exchanger for engine water (fitted).
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WEATHER EQUIPMENT |
The car is fitted with an over bar above the drivers head, manufacturer from 45mm dia x 3mm thick steel tube.
PAIR FRONT DOOR PANORAMIC SIDE WINDOWS.
Manufactured in cast one piece acrylic, attached by 3 screws and is easily removable.
SOFT TOP FRONT. (fitted in front of over bar)
Soft canvas, easily removable.
SOFT TOP REAR. (fitted behind over bar)
Canvas, aluminium hood irons, clear plastic side windows and rear window. Rear window has side zips for easy rear access.
HARDTOP rear. (fitted behind over bar)
Solid GRP, attached to body with bolts. Rear glass is hinged for easy access and is lockable.
HARDTOP Targa front. (fitted in front of over bar)
Solid GRP, attached to body with cam locks (key supplied).
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DRIVING TECHNIQUES |
On land the car drives just like a Suzuki. The jet steering is permanently coupled to the "road" steering so to drive
into water simply follow the instructions printed on the sun visor:-
- Turn both bilge switches to "auto" (normally always kept in "auto").
- Put foot on clutch (car can still be rolling forward i.e. down a slip way).
- Engage jet clutch lever (marked red).
- Take foot off clutch and drive or roll down to water.
- When in water put foot on clutch put transfer box lever (marked black) into neutral and gearbox into 3rd and off you
go.
- Water speed is controlled by the car accelerator pedal.
- To reverse put gear lever in reverse and transfer box in 4H.
To leave water
- Put foot on clutch and engage transfer box lever (marked black) into 4wd and gearbox lever into 1st.
- When wheels touch land take foot of clutch and drive out of water.
- Put jet clutch lever (marked red) into neutral.
- Whilst driving, dis-engage foot clutch and move transfer box lever from 4 low to 2 high and off you go, it is recommended
that you drive with the brakes lightly on for a few 100 yds (100M) to warm them up (this will stop them sticking if you park
and leave the handbrake on)
For anyone who is not used to boating we will be more than happy to spend a couple of hours with you when you collect your
Surf showing you how it works on water and giving advise on which side of the river to drive, collision avoidance etc.
To date we have not found any Country that requires you to have either insurance or a licence to drive a Surf on water.
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IVA package
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ALL low volume cars in the UK have to pass IVA.
Whatever car you buy you must ask to see a copy of an IVA pass certificate proving that the car can pass. If you cant be shown a
pass certificate alarm bells should start to ring. No IVA = cannot be use on the road (and it will make it virtually impossible
to sell the car on). For exports it is usually easier get us to IVA test and register the car in the UK before submitting to
register in your country.

The IVA package includes the following:- |
IVA fee. |
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1st registration fee. |
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UK road tax. |
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Pair number plates. |
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42L fuel. |
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Attend IVA station 8 hours (say) |
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WHAT YOU GET IN THE SURF
KIT |
PARTS SUPPLIED WITH
KIT |
- Hull/deck joined together.
- s/h headlamps/side lamps.
- Rear lamps.
- Front indicators.
- Windscreen bonded in.
- Floor fitted, pre drilled to accept Suzuki seats.
- Bonnet hinged and fitted.
- Doors hinged and fitted with your locks.
- Interior trim.
- Rear boarding platform fitted.
- Your transfer box modified and fitted.
- s/h electric engine fan
- Navigation lamp/switch.
- Free modification of all components.
- Door inner carpet trim.
- 2 bilge / floats fitted.
- Entire jet unit fitted and lined up with transfer box.
- Rudder and Morse cable fitted.
- Headlamp perspex covers fitted.
- Steel tube over bar with all seat belt mounts fitted.
- Logos fitted.
- Complete body compounded and waxed.
- Rub strip fitted.
- 4 stainless steel grab handles fitted.
- Comprehensive assembly manual.
- Complete exhaust system.
- Rear perspex lamp cover fitted.
- Stainless steel flexi brake pipes, nuts and bolts, additional wiring, solid brake pipes, fuel lines and
hose/clip packages.
- Mastic.
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DONOR
CAR |
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SUITABLE JIMNY DONOR CAR, soft or hard top
From approx 2005 to 2013:- Must be with push button transfer box and ABS must be 3 port i.e. 3 brake pipes to wheels
(only one pipe going to back axle) NOT 4 port
DONOR CAR PRICES PLUMMET
If you are buying a fully built Dutton there are 2 main sources of donor car:-
1/ Since UK insurance companies have decided that fully comprehensive insurance cover is cheaper than basic Fire &
Theft the market has been flooded with cheap slightly damaged cars, most have more than halved in their value in the
last few years. Typically a 2 - 4 year old Jimny would have cost around £4000 now these are available for
around £1500
We are registered with www.copart.co.uk that auctions 1000 (that's not a typo) damaged cars every day. If you
have ordered a complete Surf you can search Copart for the donor car you want us to use. Bear in mind that these are bought
by virtual auction so are sold "as is" we can only rely on the description and photos shown. Give us the bid # and
maximum price you want to pay and we will bid for it on your behalf. If we win the bid you MUST pay within 2 days.
See the image below as an example of the fees involved.
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Typical Jimny donor |
We can collect the donor car from any Copart - contact factory for quote (or you can collect it and deliver to
us)
Look for a donor with lots of light body damage category C,D,S,N, unrecorded or stolen recovered, NOT cat A or B.
Jimny can be any year after mid 2005 identify by checking it has the electronic transfer box, not the earlier manual
transfer box
2/ You can supply us with the donor car
DONOR CARS FOR KIT BUILDS
You can join Copart for £50 and bid on a suitable donor for your kit
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THE
BUILD-UP |
We have already built well over 280 amphibious cars as
complete cars - most have been thru SVA/IVA. So when you build up your Surf you know that it will pass IVA and that any
assembly problems would have been ironed out during our 28 years of amphibious car production. As a free extra customer
service - if you deliver your completed Surf to us we will check over the major components. This service is completely
free and includes a full water test. |
ASSEMBLY
MANUAL |
The 115 page full colour Dutton SURF Assembly Manual is available as a PDF file from us. We recommend not
printing off the manual until you have the kit in front of you as we are constantly improving it. Click HERE to go to the Downloads page.
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OPTIONAL
EXTRAS |
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Front soft-top, main hardtop, side windows. |

Panoramic Sidescreen |

Fishing rod compartment. |

Soft Top and Panoramic Sidescreen |

Lifting Strap |

Lifting Strap |

Outboard bracket (removable bracket not shown) |

Poupe Deck |

Poupe Deck |

Poupe Deck |
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Specifications liable to change without
notice.
DUTTON is a registered Trade Mark. |
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Click for Order Forms and Prices
below:
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For ordering the KIT only, click HERE |
For ordering a Fully Built Vehicle, click
HERE |
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