1970 Glastron V204

[Ronald harms]

I bought a V204 4 years ago and have pretty much restored it, I was just wondering if there are any other ones left. I've done a ton of "research" looking on the internet but not found 1 single hit. The only one ever mentioned is Lyndon B. Johnsons 1965 V204. that one is located in his presidential library. Just curious! BTW the boat runs GREAT I repowered with a 230HP and Alpha1 outdrive. Quite a job but well worth it.

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: 1970 Glastron V204

Ronald, Congrats & Welcome to iboats.

Got any pics of it ??.

 

[Ronald harms]

Re: 1970 Glastron V204

Thanks for the welcome! I do have pics of the boat BUT can't seem to find em. I will take some new ones tomorrow and post. When I got the boat ( and trailer 1969 Shoreline ) it was in pretty bad shape but all there. floor was badly rotted and windshield had been taken off but was laying in the boat. It originally had a 140 Mercruiser in it. I did get the 140 running but deccided to repower it as I had a newer mercruiser 5.0 Alpha 1 that only had 200 hours on it.The boat that came from had hit a wing dam in the upper Mississippi River and had been destroyed ( engine never got under water ). I bought the damaged boat from an insurance company.It too me about 6 months to make all the changes in the Glastron. I'm retired so I had all the time I wanted to work on it. 2 years ago I moved from Illinois down here to Texas and brought the Glastron with me.
As I said in my original post I've been looking for a couple years on he internet and at marinas and used boat places, NEVER have seen or found another V204. I did, this day, send a mail to Glastron Inc. to see if they can help me with any history of the boat and let me know if they are aware of any others still in existance. Really all I know about the boat is that it was manufactured in Austin Texas, the original manufactures tag is still in the boat.

 

[mr 88]

Re: 1970 Glastron V204

classicglastron.com will have the answers to your questions.

 

[Ronald harms]

Re: 1970 Glastron V204

Thanks for the info! I've already been to the site, very little info on the V204

 

[Ronald harms]

Re: 1970 Glastron V204

Found some Pic, there from when I first got the boat

 

[Ronald harms]

Re: 1970 Glastron V204

here are a few more!

 

[Ronald harms]

Re: 1970 Glastron V204

The original advertisement for 1970 V204 Gulfstream

 

[mr 88]

Re: 1970 Glastron V204

You said you got the 140 running,did you have it in the water ? That 5.0 is going to be a hellava difference.Nice job on the resto.I usually stay on fiberglassics,seems to be more people on there in our age group with glassic interest, but once in awhile hit up this site.

 

[Ronald harms]

Re: 1970 Glastron V204

Hi 88!
No, I never did put the 140 in the water. the boat was messed up inside so bad I just repaired the floor then took it out. I did run it for quite a while with muffs on it, actually it ran pretty nice even the outdrive worked fine.I still have the 140 and outdrive and controls and guages in storage in Illinois. The 5.0 Alpha1 runs perfectly makes the boat top out at around 55 mph. with 4 people full tank and gear. I sort of get a kick out of people when I take it to the water, biggest coment is "how the hell old is this boat" and "it is really quiet, is it running". I just had a new snap on travel cover made for it this last week. I was up on Beaver Lake Arkansas when the tornado hit Joplin Missouri. No damage to the boat but it was full of leaves and branches after the storm. ( fishing was horrible), cut the trip 4 days short and just came home. Took me a couple days to clean it and dry it out inside.

 

[Ronald harms]

Is This the last one left?

Is This the last one left?

This is a picture of my 1970 Glastron V204 Gulfstream.I've spent many hours over the last 3 years looking, on the internet, boat dealers,salvage yards,and have contacted Glastron INC. trying to find another one NO luck, not even 1 hit. Glastron INC. says their records don't go back that far, but did send me several ad photos. If any of you have or know anone that has a boat like this one, please let me know!!
The closest I've found is the 1965 V204 that was owned by Lyndon B. Johnson. That boat supposedly is at his Presidential Library. I haven't gone there yet but plan to in the near future. Thanks in advance for your help.
Ron

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: 1970 Glastron V204

I vaguely remember reading a review of this hull in one of the boating magazines. The reviewer took it out into the Santa Catalina chop and was impressed at how well it came down out of the air. But that was 40 years ago and the memory is, as I said, vague. Try searching some old boating magazines

 

[Ronald harms]

Re: 1970 Glastron V204

Yes Frank, the 204 handles chop pretty well! I repowered it with a 230 HP Mercruiser, for an old boat it runs like a scalded dog! I've been looking most everywhere I can think of, thanks for the reply and info!
Ron

 

[V153]

Re: 1970 Glastron V204

Like the stealth motor RH. Nice job on the resto. Very cool. Just to clarify LBJs '65 is currently owned by the Prez of ClassicGlastron. It was specially equipped with a 310hp 409. Make no mistake, LBJ liked to go fast.

Legend has it he took great pride in blowing off the SS guys in their wimpy 302 Donzis

 

[Ronald harms]

Re: 1970 Glastron V204

Thanks for the complimet V153. I had a good time doing the refurb on the V204. Lots of work but a nice end result. I thought I had read somewhere LBJ's boat was at his library but for sure I cold be mistaken, thanks for the heads up on it!
Have a great 4th BE SAFE!
Ron

 

[V153]

Re: 1970 Glastron V204

I thought I had read somewhere LBJ's boat was at his library

Nope. Or at least not anymore. Todd acquired it in 2005. Here's Glastron founder Bob Hammond pictured next to it at a show a few months afterward.

 

[V204]

Don't know if anyone still monitors this thread, but wanted to let Ronald know that there is at least one more V204 out there. I just got ahold of my grandpa's 1975 Gulfstream V204 that he bought new in FL. His brothers son had it and the trailer disconnected from his truck back in 2008 and ran into a concrete barrier. He didn't want to pay to get it repaired, so he offered it to me. I tore into it last week. Needs some hull repair outside and TLC, but beams and interior seem decent. It has a Mercruiser 188 (302). Looking forward to getting it fixed up and out on Lake Erie. I'll try to post some pics when I get a chance.

 

[Maclin]

Welcome! This is an older thread so you should try posting in the Manufacturers section, listed alphabetically towards the bottom of the main page.You could also start a new post in the DockSide or here in General Boating.

Have you found ClassicGlastron.com? or http://www.cgoamn.com/index.html ? lots of Glastron fans on those two, good places to hang out for Glastron owners or fans.

 

[V204]

Yes, I've been to Classic Glastron and I'll try the other as well. Thanks