TOPIC: 1964-65 DORSETT BELMONT I/O RUNABOUT???

Friends,

Once more, I've found another boat/motor/trailer that's a mystery to me & which seems complete except for the seats & at a low price.
(The previous owner threw away the seats, when they became torn.)

In this case, I've never even seen one of these, much less operated one and a search of the Internet reveals little about the Belmont.

This one is a 15 foot open runabout, with a MERCRUISER 60hp I/O, on the original trailer. - It was reportedly running acceptably at the time of the PO's death in 2014.

Inasmuch as I have found NO similar boat in the FG Library, I wonder if any of our experts knows anything about:
1. The 1964-65 Belmont I/O runabout,
2. Knows about how many Belmont I/O were built,
3. The 60hp Mercruiser engine,
4. The Mercruiser "0" outdrive
OR
5. Has a factory brochure and/or photos of the interior arrangement?

THANKS for reading this.

yours, satx

I've never seen a Belmont with an I/O, only with the McCullough Scott outboard.

Sounds like a rare prize! Pics?

The 60hp engines were made by Renault and were called "68" engines, due to the model number "688-30". The base engine is the same as the R5 Renault, aka the LeCar. It is a 1189CC engine. The engine has a wet liner that can be replaced...it is NOT a bored block. The front crank hub is the charging unit. Mercury referred to these engines as the Model 60, and they used the Model 0 sterndrive. The Renault engines were used by Mercury from 1964/5 until 1968. I thought that the 0 sterndrive was only used from 1965 until 1966, but I could be wrong.

Renault, btw, also made this engine in 80hp and 90hp versions.

Here is the engine chapter manual link: Manual link: web.cemr.wvu.edu/~mathews/boat/pdf/manual/Chapter%20Nine.PDF

And here is the sterndrive chapter manual link: web.cemr.wvu.edu/~mathews/boat/pdf/manual/Chapter%20Fourteen.PDF

Here are pics of the Model 60 engine.

Frederic Lynes,

THANKS for the response & info!!!!

As best as I can figure out from talking to the son of the 1st owner, the little Dorsett Belmont was bought in the fall of 1964 & as far as he knows was first registered in AZ that year.

yours, satx
USA, Retired