In the category “things that make you go hmmm”, we have a 1971 Pontiac boat-car. This masterpiece of creativity is located in Hooven, Ohio (what’s in the water over there!), and the listing can be found on Facebook Marketplace. The price is $6000, and if you’re inclined to ask the seller any questions without showing up in his yard first, you can forget it. This guy must be a disciple of Thomas Fuller (1608-1661), a minister who coined the phrase “seeing is believing”. Given that the boat-car sports a 455 cu. in. big block, I kinda want to show up. Our tip came from JDC – I promised you this article! You obviously took me at my word a few articles ago… “the weirder, the better”.
Here’s that engine, paired to an automatic gearbox. The car is apparently titled as a ’71 Pontiac, so it’s not a Super Duty. Still, a ’71 455 V8 would likely ring in at 335 gross hp (one year later, measurements were net, but this big block still rated 300 hp), with torque coming in at a stump-pulling 480 lb-ft. The boat-car rides on new tires and “runs and drives good around town”. I’m not sure if that’s a reference to a requirement to take it easy on slow roads, or to the primal fear induced at highway speeds. Stacks and pipes decorate the car’s topsides and flanks – for some reason, the vibe feels very Addams Family.
This interior looks like a Pontiac Grand Ville to me, with the vent alongside the glovebox and the faux wood trim. Anyone else have an opinon? Not sure what car donated the windshield, but what I really want to know is: do the screwdriver and broomstick come with the deal? Personally, I’d clean out the Busch cans, but that’s just me. Other equipment includes power steering and power brakes.
Plenty of lights up front, arrayed around that serious schnoz. But illumination aside, the driver’s line of sight to the right across that ridgeline must be challenging to say the least. The body is said to be a fiberglass tri-hull boat.
If you squint, you can see Exner’s influence in the tail…. joking! You can’t. The roll bar is probably a very good idea. Meanwhile, the existence of this boat-car made me go look at others of its ilk, and there are plenty! This example is kind of elegant, or there’s this road-going Chris-Craft. What do you think of this tri-hulled, big block Pontiac?
I don’t think that is water, ( think Lisa Simpson at DuffWorld) It’s hideous, and I love it. Never underestimate a Buckeye, only to be out done by Minnesota. Someone had access to a fiberglass factory, it’s more than a boat. Someone did a LOT of work here, can’t deny that. The beer cans a nice touch, added clearly for effect. Final determination? My Peterbilt tips are turned for this abomination? Harrumph,, :)
Whatever floats your boat…at a lower price, you won’t be under water with the purchase…
Seller says “runs and drives good around town.” Personally, I wouldn’t want to be seen driving this around town, but maybe that’s just me, no offense to the designer/fabricator (and apparent Busch beer fan.)
The extra headlights indicate it was only driven late at night,,:)
How long has it been sitting with that For Sale sign on it?
Looks more like an acid trip than a car/boat thingy… Quite a bit of work to create… Dash kinda looks like a 70s Bonneville… Only on Barn Finds… Lol
I believe this was a Deathmobile reject from Animal House.
I think it’d be better as a boat anchor.
These are the things that happen when left alone without adult supervision!
….and alcohol.
This looks like the design submission for the Bat Mobile from the Pontiac Aztec team.
Wasn’t this made by the guy who designed the Cybertruck?
Is that possibly a Spitfire or MGB windshield? I bet you can get this for less than a million dollars!
Sorry I’m late on commenting Michelle. Your write up is great. This thing left me speechless, but you found justvthevright words to describe it. This thing goes beyond the result of a guy with a long weekend and too many beers. This is a labor of love from a guy who needs therapy. A look at some of the other junk he has for sale kind of confirms that. Thanks Michelle!
You’re very welcome, glad I was able to fish (ha ha, get it?) it out of the tips list.
I bet this thing gets sketchy above 200mph.
Wouldn’t it be measured in knots?
Is that the speed you get when you kick it out of an airplane?
This car looks like somebody took one of my car drawings as an 8 year old and brought it to life. :)
The Busch cans indicate the design process was pretty thorough….
Freiburger and Finnigan where are you ? This will make a great Road Kill episode ! Oh thats right Discovery in their infinite wisdumb canceled them .What a shame.
Some people will do anything for attention…………..anything!
Love the effort, if nothing else.
The boat shape is upside down on front end, and right side up on rear end. (but that is where the Busch Lights may have been a factor)
I would like to see Freiburger and Finnegan do donuts in this.
“Quick, Aqua Man, to the Boatmobile”
That thing has a hull of hood on it.
This is a car that if you were upside down with it, it would keep you from being underwater.
It wouldn’t be quite the mystery that the Z28 was, if this were found in that lake in Maine. Come to think of it, if not for the envionrmental damage it would cause, this thing should be on the bottom of a body of water somewhere.
There’s something for everyone.
I think the passenger floorboard tells the whole story. “Hold my beer and watch this…” 🙂
Mom’s car for a number of years was a ’71 Pontiac Grand Ville, and ironically that car was often referred to as a boat. ;)
Ha! Brings new meaning to the term “land yacht”?
The sunk cost of this will be high!
What the (blank), the person that coined the phrase……”just because you can, doesn’t mean you should” must have seen this. Three too many zeros in that price tag for me.
So you build a capsized boat on top of a car frame. —- UH — WHY? I guess that’s the question everyone is wondering about this – freak clown car. The only thing “Pontiac” about it is one small interior section and possibly the engine. As someone else said; The price has three zeroes too many in it.
Someone’s therapist said “rebuilt a car or a boat”.
Too bad the patient didn’t listen to well.