Author Topic: What Glastron was it?  (Read 2251 times)

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Offline ed graves

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What Glastron was it?
« on: May 23, 2021, 02:18:03 AM »
I cannot believe I googled, and it brought me here. I have been looking for over 35 years for a boat I had encountered when in High School. It was such a blast and have never had such a ride or drive like it since. I was looking to find one to purchase. I could not find it or figure out what it was.  It was the Summer of 74 at Coyote Lake in California. My high school friends and I went to the lake and one of the adults had brought their 16ft (if I remember) outboard tunnel hull Glastron (definitely remember). It had a Merc 1150?, Thunderbolt was powering it. I see now because of this forum that it was a probably a Molena 2 + 2. I do not see anything like it in production or none are for sale, so the question is does anyone know of the full specifications for the boat? Does anyone still have the molds for it? Would it be called by another name/make? I may be a fun project for an old man to build. Hehe.
Thanks,  ed jr

Offline Carlson_from_Germany

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Re: What Glastron was it?
« Reply #1 on: May 23, 2021, 02:53:57 AM »
I cannot believe I googled, and it brought me here. I have been looking for over 35 years for a boat I had encountered when in High School. It was such a blast and have never had such a ride or drive like it since. I was looking to find one to purchase. I could not find it or figure out what it was.  It was the Summer of 74 at Coyote Lake in California. My high school friends and I went to the lake and one of the adults had brought their 16ft (if I remember) outboard tunnel hull Glastron (definitely remember). It had a Merc 1150?, Thunderbolt was powering it. I see now because of this forum that it was a probably a Molena 2 + 2. I do not see anything like it in production or none are for sale, so the question is does anyone know of the full specifications for the boat? Does anyone still have the molds for it? Would it be called by another name/make? I may be a fun project for an old man to build. Hehe.
Thanks,  ed jr


Hi Ed, welcome to the group.
If you’ve seen the Molinari 2+2 you should go out and hunt for unicorns or play the lottery. So far no one has ever seen that boat in person or another picture besides the one pictured in the catalogue.

Are you sure it wasn’t a Challenger or a Contender?

Offline Hyperacme

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Re: What Glastron was it?
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2021, 01:11:30 PM »
Welcome to the forum Ed !

Some history about Glastron / Carlson / Molinari ..

http://www.classicglastron.com/gl-reflt-p10.htm
http://www.classicglastron.com/gl-reflt-p11.htm
http://www.classicglastron.com/gl-reflt-p12.htm
http://www.classicglastron.com/gl-reflt-p13.htm
http://www.classicglastron.com/gl-reflt-p20.htm

Carlson brochures ..
http://www.classicglastron.com/gl-preglastron-carlson-index.html

Glastron / Carlson brochures ..
http://www.classicglastron.com/gl-carlson-index-web.html

Glastron brochures and P.I.G.'s ..
https://www.glastron.com/us/catalogs-and-product-information

If you look at first two pictures of the Challenger (Contender was same design) you can see tunnel at bow and flat at stern.
Challenger's were made from 1963 to 1971.
Contender were made from 1965 to 1970.
Would be easy to find, think there are at least three for sale now on CL & Marketplace.

Next few pictures are the CT15, full tunnel and ( I think ) only sold to racers.
You can see the cover is riveted to deck and could be removed.
Last three pictures are a CT15 with cover removed.
Would be very hard to find a CT15 in any condition.
« Last Edit: May 23, 2021, 01:50:30 PM by Hyperacme »

Offline Hyperacme

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Re: What Glastron was it?
« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2021, 01:29:10 PM »
There was also the full tunnel CT165 and the Twister II ..

From John Carlson at the Carlson-Malise Boat Facebook Site:

https://www.facebook.com/carlsonboats/posts/a-little-carlson-boats-historymy-wife-mary-came-across-this-picture-last-night-i/1755750154670179/
 
"A little Carlson Boats History:
 My wife Mary came across this picture last night. It was probably 1974 -1975. I was about 15 or 16yrs old. I'm the guy in the white T shirt. The boat was a Carlson CT165. It was the offspring of a CT15, The classic 15' Carlson Tunnel Hull. 2 CT15s are in the background. The gold and red #161, I believe was Ed Lane. He was an excellent Boat racer and outboard engine builder, and drove that Carlson for years. The other one is barely seen in the top right corner. It may have been Roger Johnson, Also a long time friend and Carlson racer.
 #148 was Dick Shearer. The CT165 was 1 1/2' longer and about 1 foot wider. The delta wing was set up by my dad, Art Carlson. The boat was amazingly fast! Dick was a great driver, and had been racing Carlson's for years. This set-up however was a little too much like an airplane for Dick. He played with the wing adjustment and could maneuver though the pack after lapping them." This race at Big Bend on the Colorado river, was the only time he used the wing.

Offline Hyperacme

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Re: What Glastron was it?
« Reply #4 on: May 23, 2021, 01:38:43 PM »
The racer version deck of the Glastron / Carlson / Molinari are one piece.

Offline Hyperacme

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Re: What Glastron was it?
« Reply #5 on: May 23, 2021, 01:42:23 PM »
Glastron / Carlson / Molinari driver compartment.

Offline Hyperacme

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Re: What Glastron was it?
« Reply #6 on: May 23, 2021, 01:57:50 PM »
Aaron ( Carlson_from_Germany ) and I have been searching for G/C's for more then 20 years and have never seen a 2+2 ..
It has to be the rarest G/C/M every made !
Only one ever seen is the one in the picture.