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Dobbertin Surface Orbiter
What does this have to do with geeks? Well, Dobbertin switched gears in the early 90s, and sold off most of his hot rods to build the Dobbertin Surface Orbiter. He started with a milk tanker trailer and turned it into the thing that your pansy little Hummer has nightmares about.
Not one to sit around and ponder his geekiness, Dobbertin then drove the Surface Orbiter halfway around the world. In 1995, he took it to South America, logging over 30,000 miles on land and 3,000 miles on sea in waves up to 18 feet high (unlike the Terrawind, this baby can hit the water with no prep time — just drive until the road ends and keep going). He even took it through the Panama Canal. Apparently he was going to try to go all the way around the globe, but ran out of money halfway through. Too bad.
Still, the Surface Orbitor stands as an awesome monument to the geek in all of us.
(A sad postscript to the story is that the adventure took a toll on the Dobbertin marriage and the Orbiter went on the auction block for $200,000 to settle the divorce. This was 1999 — I’ve lost track of it since. Anyone know what happened to it?)
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Comments
Deane, my husband I saw it in Alexandria bay in the 1000 Islands Region for sale a couple years ago. He was intrigued by the workmanship so I researched it on the net. I don't know if it sold or not but January 04 Popular mechanics has a feature story that tell what Rick Dobbertin is designing now. WOW - A very sleek hydrocar-that can go twice as fast on land and 5o mph in the water. Check it out! I want one!
I checked the Popular Mechanics article, and they point you to Dobbertin's website, www.hydrocar.us. He showcases his Orbiter and his new Hydrocar, as well as his other major projects. Lots of nice pictures. One of the most impressive projects is his "Mild to Wild in 55 Hours", where he & his team turned a bone-stock pickup into a pro-street machine in 55 hours!
I am going with the gentlemen who purchased the Orbiter in the first week in May to bring to the Chicago area.
Rick Dobbertin is the man and his wife is the most beautiful woman I know!
I new rick back in the 80's. I watched him build the nova. He is a very nice and down to earth person. I hope this new project works out for him.
Hello, The dobbetin surface orbiter is in Great Britain now, it was featured on tv by a university that bought it.
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