James Bond "Thunderball" movie Amphicar test footage 1964

I was told this small clip of Amphicar cruising footage was created by Eon Productions as a proof-of-concept movie studio scouting test drive for the James Bond film “Thunderball” in 1964. Both the driver and passenger are well dressed in a shirt & tie with someone captured in the back seat. It is thought this test drive was in hopes of selling the car for the film production or offering it for promotional purposes to spur sagging sales.

One of the producers’ wives is on shore filming the 8mm footage, and the two young boys on the ramp seem genuinely shaken by a car driving down the ramp. The lake is probably on the east coast as there are green mountains visible in some background shots. If anyone recognizes any of the people in the car, let me know!

The film was converted to digital by Dan Gibson from Kate’s Track Shack where there was considerable editing and restoration done before adding the appropriate theme music.

See the clip at

You Tube Channel is @BearCat1967 for other videos.

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mschlem

Amphicar Expert & Former IAOC President
No bilge blower. Maybe in Canada?

Thanks for all you work on this and the other posts you share. Very interesting.

Marc.
 

DavidC

Amphicar Expert
I was always told there was some filming done in Nassau with an Amphicar during the production of Thunderball but it was lost in the edit as the film was too long. Amphicar produced some promotional material that talked about the Amphicar in Thunderball but the deleted scenes (which I'm told were recorded) appear lost, they were never on any of the DVD extra compilations. Everything stacks up with that clip! That is UK, I sort of recognise the location but can't place exactly where. The car is an export spec Left Hand Drive (but not US spec - no bilge blower). Interestingly, and further confirmation, it has a Nassau Bahamas registration plate!
 
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