Please show your panther

[Schwinndemonium]

I have a last generation middleweight 1969 Schwinn Panther in flamboyant red.
This bike is an exact replica of one my dad bought for me for Christmas of 1969.
After the 1970 model year, the Panther model was discontinued altogether, you were no longer able to buy a Schwinn bike with a tank.

This particular bike is 100% original, right down to the original Superior whitewall tires on the rims. I got this bike in October of 2009 at Memory Lane Classics' booth at the big fall Hershey AACA meet.

Jim.

 

[Papajon]

panther

My thanks to Kev, Wing and Schwinndem( for stepping up with pics). The're all good and can't we all enjoy seeing more of them?-Panthers Rule!-Who's next? Critics welcome!

 

[Ozark Flyer]

View attachment 40603

This is my Panther I pieced together. It's tucked away until the nice weather.

Now that one has personality!

 

[Pauliemon]

Our Panthers

My girlfriend's 51. I had to come up with fenders and a tank. The fenders are reworked originals. The rear is off a 48 excelsior. Oddly the tank has no horn botton hole.

This is my 1950 rider. It's been in many configurations.

Here's my other 1950. It's in the works right now. See my post "here we go again"

 

[Papajon]

custom panthers

I like your bikes Paul. Some people were not so hot on the wheels on my bike-Have you caught it from the purists too? IM NOT PARINOID BUT EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT ME!

 

[Pauliemon]

I kinda like those radially spoked wheels on your Panther Papajon. I mean it's not like you ruined it. You could always throw on a set of S2 rims with x4 spokes. Bam! Stock again.

Naw nobody talks about or to me. Probably wouldn't care anyway. I'm 60 and have that "old man" attitude. Lol!

I never hurt them (old bikes). I just paint them weird and maybe throw on some strange parts. They can always find their way back to stock. I just sold a 1951 Hiawatha to my buddy. It was sweet and pretty much original. It had a tank with airplanes on it and some nice patina. Right after he took possession he asked me if I could weld on some disc brake mounts. I thought, "oh crap I'm gonna have to steal it back". But the price of putting on disc brakes was to much so hopefully he'll leave it stock.

Panthers are definitely my favorite. But I'm not into restoring them. I would rather find a original and just leave it. I like em a little worn, like me. Sometimes the restore goes to far, like better than stock. You know I was around when many of these bikes were produced.

 

[BWbiker]

Panthers in Portland....

See the two Pathers under the events column from todays Portland ride. Brad

 

[Papajon]

panther history

I kinda like those radially spoked wheels on your Panther Papajon. I mean it's not like you ruined it. You could always throw on a set of S2 rims with x4 spokes. Bam! Stock again.

Naw nobody talks about or to me. Probably wouldn't care anyway. I'm 60 and have that "old man" attitude. Lol!

I never hurt them (old bikes). I just paint them weird and maybe throw on some strange parts. They can always find their way back to stock. I just sold a 1951 Hiawatha to my buddy. It was sweet and pretty much original. It had a tank with airplanes on it and some nice patina. Right after he took possession he asked me if I could weld on some disc brake mounts. I thought, "oh crap I'm gonna have to steal it back". But the price of putting on disc brakes was to much so hopefully he'll leave it stock.

Panthers are definitely my favorite. But I'm not into restoring them. I would rather find a original and just leave it. I like em a little worn, like me. Sometimes the restore goes to far, like better than stock. You know I was around when many of these bikes were produced.

Is it just me when I see a panther in the pics of a pre-war autocycle? When were panthers designed by Schwinn or Excelsior or whoever? To me the BA-107 in this thread (except for the chainguard) looks like an autocycle(flared rear fender like mine)-need clarification. I understand Schwinn bought Excelsior out in the thirtys-so what is the significance of this Schwinn-Excelsior relationship with bikes?-guess I'm learning basics here-Thanks p.s. Paul, I'm just 3 years behind you in age-appearently about 25 years younger in bike knowledge-want to learn more and build one! (girls early 50s panther)-It is nice not to care to much!

 

[Pauliemon]

Is it just me when I see a panther in the pics of a pre-war autocycle? When were panthers designed by Schwinn or Excelsior or whoever? To me the BA-107 in this thread (except for the chainguard) looks like an autocycle(flared rear fender like mine)-need clarification. I understand Schwinn bought Excelsior out in the thirtys-so what is the significance of this Schwinn-Excelsior relationship with bikes?-guess I'm learning basics here-Thanks p.s. Paul, I'm just 3 years behind you in age-appearently about 25 years younger in bike knowledge-want to learn more and build one! (girls early 50s panther)-It is nice not to care to much!

I've been in the bicycle business for almost 30 years. Most of it with newer mountain bikes and road bikes. I'm only about 3 years into the vintage thing. There are a lot of experts on the CABE with a lot of good info. I'm still learning too. But I've noticed a few instances when the experts were wrong. I bought a 1952 frame from one of the more well known experts. When I got it I found out it was a 1964. This guy was not a rip-off, just wrong. My point, I don't think we will ever know everything. Bikes change. You break or ware parts out. They get changed, sometimes with accessory parts. Kids take stuff off bikes like fenders, chainguards, TANKS (I hate that one). Schwinn had a paint option for custom paint. There's a lot of variables. Right now there's a Schwinn tank on Ebay that's listed as 40-41 pre-war. I have half a 40-41 hanging on my wall, it doesn't look anything like the one on Ebay. Which one's right? Hell I don't know. But it's fun to try and figure out what it was.

I think the Panther came out in 1950.

 

[Pauliemon]

See the two Pathers under the events column from todays Portland ride. Brad

I couldn't find them. Post the link pleez. Thanks.