Virgil Exner designed 426 wedge powered boat at Mecum

[XS22J8R]

This vintage boat is being auctioned at the Mecum Houston auction this week. Interesting item, I didn't know Exner also designed a boat.
1966 Buehler 24' Bar Harbour Boat at Houston 2024 as F167 - Mecum Auctions

 

[DeltaV]

 

[Budnicks]

24' looks like a 66' Buehler cabin cruiser, with a 1) 4bbl 426 wedge
or some I assume other industrial/marine low perf. 426
w/a jet drive, 1 of 7 "allegedly" designed by Virgil Exner

it is in nice shape

not my cup of tea

& our site here, won't let me load the photos
maybe the OP had the same issues

 

[khryslerkid]

I expected to see some fins!

 

[MarPar]

 

[j-c-c-62]

Cool.
Now who here knows what car that windshield was lifted from?

 

[khryslerkid]

Cool.
Now who here knows what car that windshield was lifted from?

Looks plexiglass to me.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Looks like a pint size version of the SS Minnow. A jet drive pushing something that big is really going to suck down the fuel.

 

[khryslerkid]

Interesting...

Buehler Boats
designed by Virgil Exner

In early 1960's, Virgil Exner got more and more interested in boats.
So, he wanted to design his own series of cabin cruisers.

It was something completely different, compared to designing cars,
so Exner searched for some help,
and found Bob Hobbs.

Exner, and his son formed with Hobbs the Exner-Hobbs Associates,
and started to design boats.

An article in the magazine "Popular Boating" helped to raise interest,
and so they got in contact with Buehler Turbocraft.

This 1962 design sketch was shown at the Exner-Event, in 2007,
showing a Stutz-like prototype in front of a "Centurion"-titled boat-design.

In 1962, several designs were suggested to Buehler, and were accepted for the 1966 production.

The largest model was the 24ft "Bar Harbour", only seven were built.

In June 2007, there was an Ebay auction for one of these rare boats (it is said to be the only one that survived!).

The owner, Bill Fellner, found it in a boat yard, and restored it completely.

Currently, the boat is still for sale.

Exner's boat design

 

[j-c-c-62]

Looks plexiglass to me.

It must be, there weren't that many 62 Dart rear windows built in the first place.

 

[khryslerkid]

It must be, there weren't that many 62 Dart rear windows built in the first place.

It does resemble a '62 rear glass.

 

[Krooser]

I worked at an ENCO station during high school.

My boss ordered an 18' Buehler Turbocraft with a 426 wedge... 1965.

The standard engine was a 283 Chevy...his dealer had to move mountains to get them to put that big horse into his little runabout.

One Saturday everyone he knew was invited to his lake house to help him shovel fresh sand onto his beach...about 18 yards worth.

After we ate lunch we went water skiing... that damn boat would go 55 mph pulling a skier.

 

[jimbosride]

 

[XS22J8R]

This vintage boat is being auctioned at the Mecum Houston auction this week. Interesting item, I didn't know Exner also designed a boat.
1966 Buehler 24' Bar Harbour Boat at Houston 2024 as F167 - Mecum Auctions

Shows sold for $16,500. I guess Exner’s boat design doesn’t bring very high money.