Old marsh buggy at Assateague

[Chip]

Well, I know this is a canoeing forum, and this definitely has nothing to do with canoes. But I paddled at Assateague last week and came across this wrecked, some-sorta vehicle next to the ruins of the Bunting Lodge. If you know what it might have been, I'd like to know. It looks like it had a small engine in the rear that perhaps hydraulically provided power to the four wheels on the front section. I didn't see any water propulsion mechanisms, like a prop, that would have made it an amphibious vehicle, but I figure its been sitting there for 50 - 60 years, so who knows what may have been removed. There are no visible insignia. The "hull" is fiberglass and has outlasted several abandoned autos that are now rusted hulks.

Any clues?

 

[recped]

Early version of an ATV/Snowmobile?

Here is a picture of a similar thing that claims to be the first ATV

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Here are two videos that show the UCO (unidentified creepy object), which the first calls an ATV. A rusted old jeep is shown earlier in the first video. Both videos should start just before the UCO section.

 

[Alasgun]

Looks like an Argo predecessor to me!

https://silodrome.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Argo-Frontier-650.jpg

 

[recped]

Well, I know this is a canoeing forum, and this definitely has nothing to do with canoes. But I paddled at Assateague last week and came across this wrecked, some-sorta vehicle next to the ruins of the Bunting Lodge. If you know what it might have been, I'd like to know. It looks like it had a small engine in the rear that perhaps hydraulically provided power to the four wheels on the front section. I didn't see any water propulsion mechanisms, like a prop, that would have made it an amphibious vehicle, but I figure its been sitting there for 50 - 60 years, so who knows what may have been removed. There are no visible insignia. The "hull" is fiberglass and has outlasted several abandoned autos that are now rusted hulks.View attachment 144222

Any clues?

I think I may have found info on your buggy.....

AMF Sur-Trek 8x8 - SixMania

Le Sur-Trek était distribué par American Machine & Foundry, cet ATV 8x8 est composé de 2 barquettes en fibre de verre articulées.

www.sixmania.fr

Sur-Trek - Mudd-Ox Inc

Sur-Trek was built by AMF (American Machine & Foundry Company) in York, Pennsylvania. It can be described as one of the most unique amphibious ATV’s ever created. This 8×8’s popularity surged when featured on an episode of Stacey David’s Gearz. With an articulating, twin hull design, […]

www.muddox.net

 

[recped]

Also found this vintage promo movie put out by AMF, the first 20 minutes cover their snowmobile then there is 10 minutes of the Sur-Trek with some "great" late 60's music.

 

[alsg]

Those are Banana Buggies. At least that's what the Saturday morning kids tv show called them. They make multiple appearances in this video.

 

[Boreal Birch]

Dumbest post on this forum to date!

 

[Smokey]

Well, I know this is a canoeing forum, and this definitely has nothing to do with canoes. But I paddled at Assateague last week and came across this wrecked, some-sorta vehicle next to the ruins of the Bunting Lodge. If you know what it might have been, I'd like to know. It looks like it had a small engine in the rear that perhaps hydraulically provided power to the four wheels on the front section. I didn't see any water propulsion mechanisms, like a prop, that would have made it an amphibious vehicle, but I figure its been sitting there for 50 - 60 years, so who knows what may have been removed. There are no visible insignia. The "hull" is fiberglass and has outlasted several abandoned autos that are now rusted hulks.View attachment 144222

Any clues?

It looks like an AMF articulated ATV