Friday 26th August 2011

Rinky-Dink Panthermobile Up For Grabs

Only groovy cats, scholars and acrobats need apply...

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Erm... whoever buys this, can we borrow it for a night out on the tiles? Purrrr-lease???

Yep, it's the one and only, truly original Panthermobile, and it's up for sale via an online auction to coincide with its appearance at Chelsea Auto Legends on September 4th.

The Pink Panther Show was aired in the United States on NBC from 1969 until 1976, and the car was created by Jay Ohrberg, also known for having produced movie and television vehicles including the Knight Rider K.I.T.T., the Back To The Future DeLorean, the 1966 Batman Batmobile, the 1989 Batman Batmobile, the Dukes of Hazzard General Lee, the Starsky & Hutch Ford Gran Torino and even the Flintstones cars. But we like this one the most.

The Pink Panther car was actually owned by Ohrberg, we're told, right up until it was auctioned in June 2007 by Coys - so he must have had a soft spot for it, too. It was then bought for a measly £88,000 by the current owner.

The vehicle is in totally original condition and would benefit from some sympathetic restoration as it's now 42 years old, says the auctioneer Robson Kay. The engine is not running, but it was believed to be working when the vehicle was sold in 2007. Oh, and it's not street-legal, so it doesn't come with a Swansea V5. But really, who cares...

[Fetchez la vache]

I remember as a kid loving it, thinking it would be so cool to have one of those.
Now I'm not quite so convinced..

[gforceg]

Where IS the engine, exactly?

At least with The Monkees GTO you can see it.

[garethj]

gforceg said:

Where IS the engine, exactly?

At least with The Monkees GTO you can see it.

It's just behind the driver.

The whole thing is based on an Oldsmobile if I remember rightly.

I sooooo wanted to be the kid who drove it when I saw the programme titles!

[gforceg]

garethj said:

It's just behind the driver.

The whole thing is based on an Oldsmobile if I remember rightly.

I sooooo wanted to be the kid who drove it when I saw the programme titles!

hahahha a forward control Olds! Why didn't that catch on?!

[k-ink]

I have fond memories of this coming onto the 14" (colour!) tv screen

[Northern Munkee]

Even from memory, in the the shows opening titles, it clearly didn't handle well.

Not street legal? I wonder why? Lights? Windscreen? Errr... Wipers. It certainly wouldn't score high on euroncap.

[garethj]

Northern Munkee said:

Not street legal? I wonder why? Lights? Windscreen? Errr... Wipers. It certainly wouldn't score high on euroncap.

Which certainly shows there's more to life than NCAP stars

I'm pretty sure it's a front wheel drive Olds Tornado running gear, probably for the best because when you're that far ahead of the front axle, drifting isn't really on the cards.

[Frimley111R]

Awwwweessooooommmmeeeeeee!

(Fck knows why they need 'Pink Panther' on the side!)

[J4CKO]

Pity Cars of the Stars in Keswick has gone.

I am sure its a bit rubbish as a car but as an icon of the seventies, its massive, not like the General Lee this is the "One and only truly original", making a replica doesnt just involve painting a Dodge Charger orange.

Seeing it just cuts throught the last 30 odd years to the amazement at it and the jealousy of that kid who was parking it up whilst the Pink Panther and Inspector Clouseau got out outside Manns Chinese theatre, how many times by how many people has that been seen ?

I suspect seeing it in the flesh would be dissapointing as it usually is with film cars, in the film you dont see cracking fibreglass, rough edges, bodges, plywood and the reality of it, and old, one off and probably lashed together heap, I like to keep that wide eyed wonder of a six year old me seeing the coolest car in the world, would love to see it, but at a distance with my rose tinted spectacles on.

[thinfourth2]

if it hadn't been on the telly it would of got at least 5 by now

personnally i love it

[Lordbenny]

gforceg said:

Where IS the engine, exactly?

At least with The Monkees GTO you can see it.

I only watched the Pink Panther for the opening credits when that car pulls up out side the Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard.

However....

Now ya talkin'

[Zod]

I always wodnered how any human would get in the back. It looks as if it would be like being in a side-entry coffin!

[thegoose]

Here's the link to the opening credits that the auctioneers included with their mailshot about this car and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which is also for auction.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bii-PIGprv8

www.chittychittybangbangcar.com

www.pinkpanthercar.com

[Lordbenny]

Loved this too!

[Lordbenny]

thegoose said:

Here's the link to the opening credits that the auctioneers included with their mailshot about this car and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which is also for auction.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bii-PIGprv8

Hang on a minute....what happened to the steering wheel?

[rob.e]

I still love that car.

[The Hypno-Toad]

garethj said:

I sooooo wanted to be the kid who drove it when I saw the programme titles!

So did I...... so did I.

[gforceg]

Lordbenny said:

Hang on a minute....what happened to the steering wheel?

In the open road clips it's almost as if he's steering it with rudder pedals. Didn't notice that when I was 7!

The Munster's car is fab and "da goils" ain't bad either.

[odyssey2200]

WANT!!!!!

[Gorbyrev]

odyssey2200 said:

WANT!!!!!

Dream car as a kid. I had a Dinky one with a big centre flywheel and a rip cord. Fast, but spoiled the lines. Who wasn't jealous of the kid in a full face helmet (no stone chip lip action here silversixx!) who got to drive it to the red carpet (at least I think it was red as I started watching this in black and white! Another lucky white haired kid. Between him and the Milky Bar kid I thought they had it taped!