Hollywood boat is a Glastron ?

66Poncho

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I do not know boats very well. I bought what I thought was a 1969 Hollywood fiberglass boat. It was in rough shape and stripped mostly just a bare hull. I got it very, very cheap plus a nice trailer. Boat has a title that says 15-5" fiberglass hull Hollywood boat and the stickers match on the hull match the title. The previous owner was using it for fishing within the last 3 years. Upon investigating it looks exactly like a 1960-1962 Glastron Fireflite/Surflite. There are no hull numbers or plates to verify it against the title. Is there any way possibe that this design was sold to Hollywood boat company and the title is correct ? I am just afraid I have a 1960'sish Glastron with the wrong title but very very close in dimensions listed. I cannot find anything out about Hollywood boats except a company used to be in Texas...as was Glastron originally in the same era.
 

Solittle

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Re: Hollywood boat is a Glastron ?

Google Glastron boats for the history.

As to the Hollywood/Glastron question- - - - - There were perhaps hundreds of knock offs made over the years. We used to call them Hialeah specials (from Hialeah Fl). A couple of guys would rent a small warehouse, buy (or steal) a boat they liked and use it to make a mold for the boats they produced - - - no design at all - just copy what someone else had done. Most were very cheap to buy and of poor quality. I remember one outfit that built a 24' I/O rig with trailer for $4,999.00 new. Sold a bunch -
 

Bondo

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Re: Hollywood boat is a Glastron ?

I do not know boats very well. I bought what I thought was a 1969 Hollywood fiberglass boat. It was in rough shape and stripped mostly just a bare hull. I got it very, very cheap plus a nice trailer. Boat has a title that says 15-5" fiberglass hull Hollywood boat and the stickers match on the hull match the title. The previous owner was using it for fishing within the last 3 years. Upon investigating it looks exactly like a 1960-1962 Glastron Fireflite/Surflite. There are no hull numbers or plates to verify it against the title. Is there any way possibe that this design was sold to Hollywood boat company and the title is correct ? I am just afraid I have a 1960'sish Glastron with the wrong title but very very close in dimensions listed. I cannot find anything out about Hollywood boats except a company used to be in Texas...as was Glastron originally in the same era.

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,.... Post some Pictures of it...
 

66Poncho

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Re: Hollywood boat is a Glastron ?

Google Glastron boats for the history.

As to the Hollywood/Glastron question- - - - - There were perhaps hundreds of knock offs made over the years. We used to call them Hialeah specials (from Hialeah Fl). A couple of guys would rent a small warehouse, buy (or steal) a boat they liked and use it to make a mold for the boats they produced - - - no design at all - just copy what someone else had done. Most were very cheap to buy and of poor quality. I remember one outfit that built a 24' I/O rig with trailer for $4,999.00 new. Sold a bunch -

Thanks for the responses. My gut feeling is that this is a 1960-62 Glastron and not a 69 Hollywood. The steering wheel looks like a Glaston, The controls look like Glastons. The tie downs have Glastron on them. The rear light is mounted in a different location than all the pictures I have seen and the front lights are unique and not what I seen on any Glastron. I will try all over to find a hull number and take and post some pictures of the boat. I am afraid I have a boat with the wrong title. I was really getting into working on it and fixing it up. Bummer. I am considering using like it is but don't know what can of worms I will be getting myself into. It's a 42-50 year old boat.
 

jbcurt00

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Re: Hollywood boat is a Glastron ?

Any luck w/ hull info or #? Passenger rear deck should have id tag under the glass.... I just got a 1960 FireFlite, but it has different side spears then most. So it may also be of questionable lineage......:eek:

Good luck & hope to see pictures of it revived & afloat!:cool:
 

V153

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Apr 16, 2011
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Re: Hollywood boat is a Glastron ?

If the title# matches the# on the boat? Do yourself a favor and leave well enough alone. Transfer title and go have some fun. If it actually is a Glastron that just sweetens the deal.

The '61 Fireflite & Surflite were in fact the same hull, with different seating/storage configurations. But later evolved into unique models. Not sure the Surflite moniker existed before '61.

pics please!


edit: You might find a glassed in tag fwd of the dash as well. Operative word is might. Back in those days even Glastron themselves weren't very consistent in regards to IDing boats.
 

oops!

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Re: Hollywood boat is a Glastron ?

big difference in design between 61 and 69.......even tho the mold might have been sold....or a skin pulled off a hull......most builders changed small details to make the product look newer
 

26aftcab454

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Re: Hollywood boat is a Glastron ?

op- do not worry about it-do not try to change regestration - just enjoy it!
 

66Poncho

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Re: Hollywood boat is a Glastron ?

I did some checking and found a Glastron tag in the rear of the boat. It is indeed a Fireflite. The tag says that but cannot make out anything other than Glastron and Fireflite. Probably about a 1961 or similar model. I contacted the seller and they have been using it registered as a 1969 Hollywood for many years. I guess I will do the same... I do not see any other numbers anywhere. I am currently have the boat and flipped and working on painting and perfecting minor damage to the hull. Everything is pretty good and solid. Just some stress and spider cracks but very solid hull and the whole structure.
 

V153

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Re: Hollywood boat is a Glastron ?

Fwiw if you were pumping out boats as fast as Glastron was in the early days it'd actually benefit you not to document each and every boat you built. Put a serial# on every third or fourth one ...

Legend has it a series of fires destroyed the early records. If I'm not mistaken there was a flood too. Not during one of the fires, naturally.
 
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