TOPIC: 1960 LONE STAR CRUISELINER w/120 MERCRUISER??

Friends,

Just this morning I found this '60 I/O LONE STAR CRUISELINER on a nice tandem trailer & wonder IF anyone has either a factory brochure and/or GOOD quality photos of what the 23 FOOT "tin" cabin-cruiser looked like when new.
(I would like to restore the boat to "factory".)

Everything seems to be there but it is quite "rundown looking".

In the event that any of our members have a brochure, spec sheet and/or good photos, PLEASE respond soon. I would like to do a large portion of this "moderately large" restoration project while I am on "furlough" from my regular job.

Also, do any of our great members have an idea of how many CRUISELINERS were built by LONE STAR??
(Personally, I have NOT even seen a CRUISELINER on/off the water in at least 25 years, so there must be FEW left of whatever the total built was.)

THANKS, Tex
San Antonio, TX

Did you look in the Glassic Library? www.fiberglassics.com/library/index.php?title=Lone_Star#1960

Doug,

YES, I did. That was the FIRST place that I tried. = ALL that I found in the LONE STAR area of the Library were OUTBOARD boats.
NOT an Inboard/Outboard in sight.
Nonetheless, THANKS for the response.

yours, tex

The 1st MerCruisers came out in 1962 as 1963 models. And it was a 110hp, they didn't introduce the 120 until 1964 model year.
Bottom line, you'll be looking a long time for an I/O brochure.

When I was in New Braunfels, I had looked up the Lone Star Boat collectors group - Austin based I think, and it might have been a website and a FB group - they might be able to help. I previously had a 16' Skipper bought near Canyon Lake.
Do you have any photos of said boat?

Interesting...When I was a kid, we had a Lone Star I/O, up here in Ohio. Only one I've ever seen. As I recall it had a v-berth, a dinette and a head. Dad got a crazy idea to build a fiberglass flybridge on the roof, back in the 70's. He never finished it and she sat in the back yard and rotted away, then sold it. Saw it again in the 80's, the fella that bought it restored it (without the ridiculous flybridge), but haven't seen it since '86 or so.

Spoke with Dad today over the phone, about boats of course. He is 91 years old now and his memory is not as sharp as it was, but he did recall a few things about his Lone Star. As he recalled she was over 20 feet, thinking around 23'. When I asked about what engine she had, all he could remember it was something "odd", possibly a Nash. I know that GrayMarine offered marine conversions of AMC engines, but all the ones I have seen were of the 327 Rambler V8 engine of late 50's early 60's, but he made note that he didn't think it had GrayMarine identification on it (they were usually painted red). I mentioned if it could have possibly been the aluminum 215 cubic inch Buick V8, which were common in early 60's Marinette's, but he couldn't say for sure. Just a bit more info to add to an interesting history. Anyone else have anything to add?

Could it have a Chrysler marine engine? Didn’t Chrysler have affiliation or even buy lone star? I know there are lone star experts on here. I am not one, but had read some good stuff about them. Good luck in the hunt for information.