Whatever happened to the Panther Six?
Discussion
I can only say it was a very silly car back then and it's a very silly car now. LOL.
I always wanted a Panther Lima in black with the red side panels. That car later went on to become the Kallista when I think it fell into foreign ownership. The Rio was abysmal and was a sort of Dolomite Sprint Vanden Plas but like Althea and Donna, had no pomp and no style.
I always wanted a Panther Lima in black with the red side panels. That car later went on to become the Kallista when I think it fell into foreign ownership. The Rio was abysmal and was a sort of Dolomite Sprint Vanden Plas but like Althea and Donna, had no pomp and no style.
targaman said:
So it sounds like it may be holed up in a shed somewhere in the southeast. I like the sound of this. Off to dig out my deerstalker and a magnifying glass, I'll let you know if I find it. While were talking about cars from the seventies, I remeber seeing 'The Beast' on the A1 many years ago and a while ago heard a rumour that it was being restored. Anyone heard anything about this one?
The Beast is back on the road, but now lives in Spain. The Rolls Royce grill has gone though!
Some years ago I was lucky enough to get in contact with one of the past engineers at Panther. He emailed me back with lots of details of this old machine if anyones interested.
There was only one true Panther Six actually 'Made', it is powered by a 8.2 Cadillac engine with two turbos, one for each side of the V8, no fancy high and low powered ones here, just two big ones, it was also fitted out with a telephone, TV, digital display and ran on hand cut Pirelli P Zero 345 rear tyres.
He advised me that it an Arab purchased it intialially, but a Greek millionare has present ownership of it. He is or was residing at the Greek goverments pleasure and his unusual car is just stuck in a container slowly rotting away, there in Greece - a shame, as I want it!
The second car which has being doing the rounds at a few car shows in the UK. Was made from spares left over at the factory, just given to an employee as far as I know. There was enough parts there for him to assemble this 'second' machine. Though it looks similar, it has no turbos and is much more basic inside, due to its origins as just a pile of spare bits.
It has done the rounds in the US also and has been refurbished there too, it is now white and has lost most of its chrome front and rear.
It was the worlds fastest car, though I do not think anyone floored it for for long enough to prove it, it just was thought it should to be!
If anyone else can bring anymore info or correct this then please do!
Thanks.
There was only one true Panther Six actually 'Made', it is powered by a 8.2 Cadillac engine with two turbos, one for each side of the V8, no fancy high and low powered ones here, just two big ones, it was also fitted out with a telephone, TV, digital display and ran on hand cut Pirelli P Zero 345 rear tyres.
He advised me that it an Arab purchased it intialially, but a Greek millionare has present ownership of it. He is or was residing at the Greek goverments pleasure and his unusual car is just stuck in a container slowly rotting away, there in Greece - a shame, as I want it!
The second car which has being doing the rounds at a few car shows in the UK. Was made from spares left over at the factory, just given to an employee as far as I know. There was enough parts there for him to assemble this 'second' machine. Though it looks similar, it has no turbos and is much more basic inside, due to its origins as just a pile of spare bits.
It has done the rounds in the US also and has been refurbished there too, it is now white and has lost most of its chrome front and rear.
It was the worlds fastest car, though I do not think anyone floored it for for long enough to prove it, it just was thought it should to be!
If anyone else can bring anymore info or correct this then please do!
Thanks.
targaman said:
Whatever happened to the Panther Six? If I remember rightly there were three of these monsters built and I've long been expecting one to turn up at auction or being driven by one of the classic magazines, but nothing. Since shortly after their launch there has been complete radio silence. Does anyone know what happened to them. While I'm at it, I remeber being taken round Silverstone in a six wheel XJS pick-up owned by 100+ wheels. I remember it was fitted with an 8.9 ltr Chevy and drove through all four rear wheels. Anyone seen that one recently?
The 6 wheeled XJ-S was called the Interstate six and was actually built at 100+'s wheel factory in Warley,West Bromwich by Graham Swan. I remember watching it being built on visits to the place to fetch wheels for my boss (think it was about 1978).
It was built on a modified pre-production XJ-S shell, and was fitted with a 454 Chevrolet V8 engine. Graham Swan did all the work on it himself (including the paint)He was a very tallented fellow!
Re: Panther J72's, you do occasionally see one popping up for sale in the likes of Classic & Sportscar and Octane mags. Unfortunately, all the ones I've seen advertised have the 6-cylinder XK engine.
I know that Motor magazine in (1975????) tested a J72 with the 5.3 V-12. God's teeth! A SS100 replica with a V-12?!?!? Only in Britain!
Brunel would have been proud.
I know that Motor magazine in (1975????) tested a J72 with the 5.3 V-12. God's teeth! A SS100 replica with a V-12?!?!? Only in Britain!
Brunel would have been proud.
The Carmichael 6 wheeled Rangie was a blast. In how weather, and fully laden, it’d return 7 mpg, and the tyres would last 500 miles or so,
The (first?) Panther 6 had the vrn ROB 10 as is recall. My meeja pack from 1977 has some gems. It refers to ‘spare wheel stowage which doesn’t necessitate the girlfriend hugging a punctured tyre to her bosum’ ('.. oh, do hurry up out there Amanda, we have to be in Paris by lunchtime'). It also puts you in the mindset of a small company like Panther.
The first car was built in Bob Jankel’s garage during the Xmas holiday of 1976, but it wasn’t until August ’77 that the craftsmen at Panther realised the thing was to have 6 wheels ('.. err Bob, are you sure you’ve told us everything? Its all ready to be driven to the launch, but we’ve got two wheels left over'). 600 ft/lbs of torque is, with a penchant for contrived understatement, ‘most satisfactory’ although the air conditioner was pulled from an American Transcontinental rig and the aircraft derived fire extinguisher system had a manual override. I hope they placed that switch carefully.
As I recall, it also featured in TV ads of the time. The average Panther 6 owner, by all accounts, wore a Timex wristwatch. Which could have explained for the lack of take up by those expected to fork out £40,000 for their car. They probably just hated to be thought of as Timex wearers.
The (first?) Panther 6 had the vrn ROB 10 as is recall. My meeja pack from 1977 has some gems. It refers to ‘spare wheel stowage which doesn’t necessitate the girlfriend hugging a punctured tyre to her bosum’ ('.. oh, do hurry up out there Amanda, we have to be in Paris by lunchtime'). It also puts you in the mindset of a small company like Panther.
The first car was built in Bob Jankel’s garage during the Xmas holiday of 1976, but it wasn’t until August ’77 that the craftsmen at Panther realised the thing was to have 6 wheels ('.. err Bob, are you sure you’ve told us everything? Its all ready to be driven to the launch, but we’ve got two wheels left over'). 600 ft/lbs of torque is, with a penchant for contrived understatement, ‘most satisfactory’ although the air conditioner was pulled from an American Transcontinental rig and the aircraft derived fire extinguisher system had a manual override. I hope they placed that switch carefully.
As I recall, it also featured in TV ads of the time. The average Panther 6 owner, by all accounts, wore a Timex wristwatch. Which could have explained for the lack of take up by those expected to fork out £40,000 for their car. They probably just hated to be thought of as Timex wearers.
Panther cars was bought by SsangYong in korea.
There was until recently refeance to the Solo and kalista on the Korean Web site
www.smotor.com/en/overview/kallista.jsp
www.smotor.com/en/overview/solo3.jsp
There was also a Solo on display in the Factory reception in Pyungtaek.
it was roumered than SsangYong sold the rights back to the original owner.
There was until recently refeance to the Solo and kalista on the Korean Web site
www.smotor.com/en/overview/kallista.jsp
www.smotor.com/en/overview/solo3.jsp
There was also a Solo on display in the Factory reception in Pyungtaek.
it was roumered than SsangYong sold the rights back to the original owner.
I've seen both Panther six cars - the black one was the original press car and used to drive around Byfleet with the number plate ROB 10 around 1977/78. I'd love to know where the black RHD model is now as it was an amazing machine! I then saw the other one up for sale in Straight 8 Sports Car Showroom on the Goldhawk Road in Shepherds Bush around 1982/83 - it was up for an awful lot of money then - I seem to recall around £80-90,000 and it was painted an amazing pearl white colour but was looking a bit tired. Straight 8 is/was owned by Danny Donovan so he may know where that car went! That may have been the car that was/is registered XPE 384S.
A check against this reg numbers shows: -
Colour: Other
Fuel: Petrol
Engine Size (cc): 8200
Model Year (YYYY): 1977
Manufacturer: Other
Type: Sports/Convertible
Date of 1st Registration (DD/MM/YYYY): 05/10/1977
Number of Previous Owners: 5
I wonder who the 6 owners have been???
A check against this reg numbers shows: -
Colour: Other
Fuel: Petrol
Engine Size (cc): 8200
Model Year (YYYY): 1977
Manufacturer: Other
Type: Sports/Convertible
Date of 1st Registration (DD/MM/YYYY): 05/10/1977
Number of Previous Owners: 5
I wonder who the 6 owners have been???
Greg,
I remember reading some of that info.
Am I correct in that the 6 was once on display in one of the Park Lane showrooms way back when? Would the Playboy's bunnies of still been performing further down the road or have I got my years in a twist?
Surely the four front wheel design was influenced by the Tyrell?
I'd love to see a modern rendition of the 6 with an all ali twin turbo V8, G50 box and handling by Noble.
Phil
79 de Tomaso Longchamp GTS
I remember reading some of that info.
Am I correct in that the 6 was once on display in one of the Park Lane showrooms way back when? Would the Playboy's bunnies of still been performing further down the road or have I got my years in a twist?
Surely the four front wheel design was influenced by the Tyrell?
I'd love to see a modern rendition of the 6 with an all ali twin turbo V8, G50 box and handling by Noble.
Phil
79 de Tomaso Longchamp GTS
commodore said:
It was the worlds fastest car, though I do not think anyone floored it for for long enough to prove it, it just was thought it should to be!
Fascinating post, thanks.
I have to say that, at the time, I never believed it would be as fast as they said. It must have been a pig to drive.
For those of you who are interested the Panther P6 is alive and kicking, it was, like its previous owner, incarcerated in Turkey but unlike him has been liberated and brought back to the UK. I am at the moment restoring the trim for the current owner and it is intended, if I get my act together, to put the car on show at the NEC in November for those of you who would like to see it. The car was extensively messed about with in Canada some years ago, being converted from right to left hand drive and the re trim changing the seats from 60/40 bench seats to straight forward bucket seats, which really don't look right and all of it in bright red. I am therefore trying to locate seats close to the originals, which I believe came out of a Cadillac Eldorado (like a lot of the rest of the car) but which particular one I have not been able to find out. Anyone any ideas? something that would do as a close alternative is an option but I would like to get it as close to original as possible. Unfortunately the clock is ticking so any help would be gratefully received.
amraam said:
Re: Panther J72's, you do occasionally see one popping up for sale in the likes of Classic & Sportscar and Octane mags. Unfortunately, all the ones I've seen advertised have the 6-cylinder XK engine.
I know that Motor magazine in (1975????) tested a J72 with the 5.3 V-12. God's teeth! A SS100 replica with a V-12?!?!? Only in Britain!
Brunel would have been proud.
The opening gambit from the Motor road test of the V12 J72 was:I know that Motor magazine in (1975????) tested a J72 with the 5.3 V-12. God's teeth! A SS100 replica with a V-12?!?!? Only in Britain!
Brunel would have been proud.
'Samuel Johnson once said, "Claret is the liquor for boys, port for men. But he who aspires to be a hero must drink brandy.".
I've always liked the analogy. To be considered a "hero", one must drive a car designed in the 1920's but has a V12 engine.
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