IMPORTANT INFO We have sold all our manufacturing rights for the Reef and Surf to Kama EKO Group - a sea plane manufacturing company
in Poland - who have been successfully importing our amphibs for well over 10 years - all moulds and tooling for the Reef and Surf are in Poland and now in production.
Our UK factory is open for business on selected weekdays and our staff look foward to offering you free assistance with any questions you may have regarding servicing
or purchasing any Dutton from 1968 onwards. Always book by email prior to a visit.
The last trailer/truck load of moulds/jigs to Poland
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For all info on a new Reef and Surf please contact Kama EKO Group direct:-
Adam Kloska
email:- kamaekogroup@gmail.com
Interested in joining a professionally run Dutton owners club that is for all Dutton kit AND amphibious owners? The ONLY 3 clubs we recommend are Dutton Owners Kit Cars
(over 1500 members), Dutton Owners Club International (over 1000 members) and for all makes of amphibs the very interesting Mike Ryan Amphibious Vehicles and Cars (over 300 members)
all 3 are on facebook and have access to Tim Dutton and Dutton Cars Ltd. We have no interest or involvement whatsoever in the diminutive Dutton Amphibious Car Club (under
100 members) which is run by someone who uses two different surnames and is unfortunately a time waster.
For all Dutton amphib servicing in the UK 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, email:- jackgorski@hotmail.com ---
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PIGS & LIPSTICK
Before buying any make of amphib a few important points:-
1/ PIGS AND LIPSTICKS. Don't be taken in by a nice new shiny paint job. The real value in an amphib is its mechanical components, engine, gearbox, axles, drive chain, brakes, jet etc and how
tidy/safe are the wiring and fuel lines?
In particular pay close attention under the bonnet - is it up to the same standard and care as the body? or does it just look like a very old tatty second-hand car that has
been neglected over it's life time?
As they say "you can put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig"
2/ CHECK VIN. Prior to buying from anyone and parting with your money always ask us for free history of the Dutton by giving us the VIN
3/ SPEED IN WATER. We see our pet internet troll on Facebook (lots more on here about him in a few weeks time when we name his 2 names, facebook screenshots etc)
is again deliberately spreading misinformation by stating his Dutton does "9 knots".
In the Universe where most of us live this is physically impossible, 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. So water speed is actually our quoted 5 knots
rather than his laughable claim of 9. It is noted that his Mariner is (again) up for sale, this time for a fanciful £32,500 (reduced from his even more fanciful £50,000
last year) it's probably worth between £4,000 and £10,000 (on a good day)
4/ CHECK MOT. Check Government web site for MOT status - even if MOT is current look at MOT history "advisories" to see what you will almost certainly need to pay/rectify for the next MOT
5/ CHECK FOR BSS. For the safety of your family and friends never buy an amphib unless it has a current UK Boat Safety Certificate (BSC)
https://www.boatsafetyscheme.org
this extensive examination by a Government appointed certified marine engineer (around £ 300) covers many safety items including battery master switch, fuel master tap, safety signage,
correct number and spec of fire extinguishers, working bilge pumps, correct marine grade fuel lines (Lloyds registered) and a lot more. Remember the golden amphib rule NEVER buy any
make of amphib without a current BSC.
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SELLING PRICE GUIDE assumes Dutton is fully road legal with Boat Safety Certificate and long MOT (if required) everything in working order and ready for immediate road and water use:-
2 WHEEL DRIVE Mariner/early Commander (1995 to 2000) £4,000 to £10,000
4 WHEEL DRIVE Amphijeep/Commander/Surf (1999 to 2023) £15,000 to £40,000 (huge span of values due to spec/year/condition/history etc)
Reef (2015 to 2023) £20,000 to £30,000
REEF (stock # White demo) This is the VERY LAST "ready to drive" amphib we will have for sale.
First production Reef, built 2015 and exhibited at January 2016 London Boat Show, Excel, photos showing stand being set up.
This Reef has been our Press/Show car since 2015 and has featured in all TV programs and write-ups. This craft is still being used in PR, the below picture
is taken from December 2023 Complete Kit Car magazine.
Been stored in factory for a couple of years and now undergoing comprehensive factory restoration. Registered 2018 number HD11 PWJ Now fitted with
original silver Zetec S "snowflake" wheels.
Supplied with new panoramic side screens and battery. Will be available August/Sept 2024. Will be supplied with full MOT and full 4 years Boat Safety Certificate, £22,500 we must now clear this as we need all the factory space we can find for
production of the all new MX5 Mazda based DUTTON PHÆTON S5 so open to offers to clear
registration # AH04 DUT is available for this Dutton
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New/Used Parts
Please note if an item was listed on here and not shown now it's been sold!!!
Collect only
New/Used Parts for Surf/Commander/Amphijeep
new black front hood with poppers only 1 left £356 REDUCED TO CLEAR £250
new black rear hood with hood irons and poppers only 1 left £616 REDUCED TO CLEAR £500
FAULTY PRODUCT FROM VAMPED TRIMMING:-
New sub-standard Surf rear hood made by VAMPED TRIMMING, Edenbridge, TN8 6ED, 01732 759600 very shoddy workmanship. NOTE rear screen in completely the wrong position and
considerably tilted. When we wanted to return it to VAMPED TRIMMING for them to rectify their appalling workmanship they refused stating in a one line email "Sorry not to be more helpful" needless to say we will
never use that company again, this hood is also advertised on eBay. Be aware of this shoddy workmanship before you consider letting them loose on your pride
and joy £250 to clear.
4 Original Suzuki Jimny wheels and tyres for 4wd Commander and Surf. Also fits Samurai, SJ419 and SJ413. Approx tyre depth in mm 8/7/7/5 £250
used Jimny wheel (tyre u/s) 10 spoke silver £50
New/Used Parts for Reef
Used Zetec S "snowflake" road wheels, various colours black/white/silver with tyres, 205/40 ZR 17 from £20 each to clear
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----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ALL FOLLOWING INFO IS FOR HISTORIC REFERENCE ONLY
55 years of Dutton Cars
See Ultimate Rides for 5 min US TV video on the Dutton 4WD Surf: click HERE to view the clip.
See Secrets of the Supercars on UKTV Play for 5 min Video on the Dutton 4WD Surf: click HERE to view a clip.
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.
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)
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.
Very successful Southampton Boat Show 2019
Tim Dutton - Woolley
PICTURES OF THE MONTH
What are the chances? An amphibious caravan passing an amphibious car...
20 mph, 5ft drop and no slipway... (click HERE or on
picture above for Video, opens in new window)
Most modern cars are designed to last 11 years. This Dutton Mariner is well over 20 years old and still going
strong.
Brittany Northwestern most region of France. The annual Amphib meeting, Over 75 amphibs attended August
2019.
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!
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...)
Note WWII Dutton shed at RAF Tangmere (1968) and the good old days when E Type Jaguars were simply thrown away
when not needed...
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
A day in the life..... cars being completed, customers and visitors cars and our two demo cars.
Our "fleet" of two demo cars.
TV & VIDEO
STUFF
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
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).
Part Completed jet bodies
Hull and deck meet up
2nd Dutton ever made, this Dutton
P1 based on the Mk1 Sprite was built in 1969 and is still going strong today.
Specifications liable to change without notice.
DUTTON is a registered Trade Mark.
