Picture: Ultimate in boys' cool

Kerry McMillan and the jeep that thinks it's a boat. Picture / Paul Estcourt

Kerry McMillan can drive from Maraetai Beach to Waiheke Island in 50 minutes without leaving his vehicle.

His Amphijeep - a Suzuki jeep fitted with a kitset that turns it into a boat - is the ultimate big boys toy project, he says.

The Amphijeep will be on show at this weekend's BP Ultimate Big Boys Toys, which starts at Auckland Showgrounds this morning.

Mr McMillan found the kitset for his jeep on the internet in March and imported it.

He says it took him, a do-it-yourself mechanic, about two months to put it together.

He spent yesterday cruising around the Viaduct Harbour.

"When I drive down the road I get the thumbs-up and the shouts. When you get into the water you just pull a lever. It took me 50 minutes to get from Maraetai to Waiheke. It's the ultimate in cool."

Big Boys Toys will run until Sunday.