Has anyone seen the Pink Panther? ?

[The Slab Bacon]

Since many of us share different hobbies as well as ham radio. I figgered this is as good a place as any to put some feelers out. Since the need for speed still weighs heavy in my heart, I figgered I'd toss it out to youse guys.

A very dear friend of mine is trying to find this car. His father was the mechanic for this car 39 years ago. It still carries many fond memories for many of us Mopar guys down this way. the father is not doing well in the health department, and the son wants to find this car to restore it and present it to his father as a gift. It would be fairly easy to build a clone / reproduction, but that's not the deal here. the original Panther had a handful of subtle nuances that were different from the production version. We have traced some of the history of it and it goes dead end from around 30 years back. If any of youse guys have even a slight clue, or one of those "yea, I saw it 20 years ago" stories, please contact us as soon as possible.

Either contact me, or Tommy --grncpe@comcast.net-- (delete spamming dashes)

{a note to the moderators, please don't move this to the "wanted" section, It should get a lot more exposure here}

                                                                     The Slab Bacon

[Bill, KD0HG]

If you have the VIN, Carfax.com will locate it for you.

[WA1QHQ]

You may want to place an add in National Dragster the NHRA mouth piece. If you want a Direct Connection to the Mopar community post in www.moparts.com this is the largest on line site for Chrysler enthusiasts and there is a very active racer forum. I am not familar with the Pink Panther but if you could give a little more info such as whether it was a factory super stock car, engine (Hemi I hope) and where it raced, NHRA region, you might be able to track it down. Old factory mopar super stock and AFX cars are going for a fortune these days even as basket cases. I will be at Chryslers at Carlisle next weekend and will keep an eye out for you.

Mark  WA1QHQ

[The Slab Bacon]

If you have the VIN, Carfax.com will locate it for you.

Bill,
     I dont think Carfax will ever find that one. It never had a title or was registered, it was a factory race car and sold on a bill of sale only!!


 

You may want to place an add in National Dragster the NHRA mouth piece. If you want a Direct Connection to the Mopar community post in www.moparts.com this is the largest on line site for Chrysler enthusiasts and there is a very active racer forum. I am not familar with the Pink Panther but if you could give a little more info such as whether it was a factory super stock car, engine (Hemi I hope) and where it raced, NHRA region, you might be able to track it down. Old factory mopar super stock and AFX cars are going for a fortune these days even as basket cases. I will be at Chryslers at Carlisle next weekend and will keep an eye out for you.

Mark  WA1QHQ

Thanks, Mark,
                   It was an original factory super stock car! 426 Max wedge under the hood, and aluminum fenders, hood *and doors*!! One of the things making it difficult is that the son (Tommy Jr.) is trying to dig that car up without his father (Tommy Sr.) finding out about it, since he wants to give it to his father as a gift.

He (Jr) is going to carlisle this coming weekend, he has asked me to go, but I just dont know if I can do that much walking, (and drooling) in one day. We all come from a long line of Mopaholics!!

                                                                     The Slab Bacon

[W3SLK]

Heh Heh! I remember seeing that car run at York many, many moons ago. I can still hear my dad talking about it. Incidently, the one picture was taken up at ATCO in NJ. That was always a nice venue but I miss York 

[WA3VJB]

I recommend also floating an ad in Hemmings.

If you hit pay dirt, I bet they would do a story on the car since you've got some first-hand storytelling for them in an article, with photos.

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/

[The Slab Bacon]

Heh Heh! I remember seeing that car run at York many, many moons ago. I can still hear my dad talking about it. Incidently, the one picture was taken up at ATCO in NJ. That was always a nice venue but I miss York 

Mike,
       I also have fond memories from York!! That was the cleanest track around. I took many a "before eliminations" catnap in the grass there! I used to love when they would stop the races for a minute or 2 for a plane to land, and the trackside announcer would announce the plane and give it's particulars as if it was one of the racecars. I always thought that was cute!! I was heartbroken when they stopped the racing there  

The summernationals at ATCO was like the "pilgrimage to mecca" for us east coast racers!!
Life was good back then!!  

[k4kyv]

If no trace of a car has been seen for 30 years, it is likely in a field somewhere with trees growing through the rusted out body if it hasn't been reduced to a small cube of steel and melted down.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

If no trace of a car has been seen for 30 years, it is likely in a field somewhere with trees growing through the rusted out body if it hasn't been reduced to a small cube of steel and melted down.

Maybe it's with Christine.

[The Slab Bacon]

If no trace of a car has been seen for 30 years, it is likely in a field somewhere with trees growing through the rusted out body if it hasn't been reduced to a small cube of steel and melted down.

If that was it's unfitting end, it would be a shame for a rare factory-built race car. But at least we would know. The problem is that you cant trace it by the VIN number, since it has never been titled or registered, the only one that MAY have any any information pertaining to the vin# is the factory, and that was tooooo many years ago. (1964)

Cars like that tend to get bought and sold many times throughout their lifetime. I did know the first set of owners after Sonny Freeman sold it. But no trace after that. But I have been out of racing for many years and am definately way "out of the loop". That car was too rare and special to have ended up in a scrapyard unless it was wrecked way beyond any possible repair. The Engine alone is worth a king's ransom since Stage III Max Wedges are rared than 426 Hemis, and cast in unobtanium.......................

[KF1Z]

www.pantherpink.com

www.thepinkcar.com

www.forabodiesonly.com

www.hotrodders.com

www.cars-on-line.com

[The Slab Bacon]

If anyone was following this story, the car has been found. rusty and neglected but except for the motor and transmission still intact. The very rare aluminum body parts are still all there. It was sold to a new owner just 2 months ago (for an astronomical price) and is at a resto shop awaiting a total restoration and on to become part of a private collection as an original max wedge superstock car.
(but not as the Pink Panther)    

Many thanks to all of those who helped in the search!!

                                                                           The Slab Bacon

[KA0HCP]

Nice to hear it has been found and will be restored, even in different colors.  Maybe we will see it make a few runs on the Speed Channel some day!

b.

[KC2YOI]

Da' Yin and da' Yang of it all.....
While it's a bummer it has lost it's original identity, it's nothing short of a miracle it wasn't parted out. ( Aluminum body survivor = hens teeth! )  
Cool story and follow up.

I stumbled across a 4spd Malibu I built from the ground up 15 years before and sold before moving West.

It was as if I felt the damn car before I saw it at a show on Long Island.
The middle owner had taken credit for the build. I straightend that right out.  

                                                    D
Can you hear me Kowalski ? KOWALSKI !?!
Among my all time favorite early 70's cult movies  

* Bonus , early AM radio station & board shots in this flick also, station "KOW"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA4ymmXa8rs

[WBear2GCR]

Slabonium,

         where is the story on the find?

                         _-_-

[The Slab Bacon]

Slabonium,

         where is the story on the find?

                         _-_-

Bear,
       you heard it here first!! It was actually found for sale in Hemmings Motor news. My buddy misread it when he saw it in there and passed it by. (He asked me to kick him in the arse at least 6 times for missing it) The resto shop posted the VIN on the super stock registry looking for info on it, and Tommy called them to talk about it. that conversation confirmed that it was the real deal. the fellow that listed it in Hemmings knew what he had, cause he was asking REALLY BIG money for it. (and got it). The price for the "hulk" was near what Tommy figgered he'd have in it when done!!

But it's now in the hands of someone who knows what it is and appreciates it! Which is by far better than a recycling yard!

                                                        The Slab Bacon