Margay Panther?? What Year

Post all your vintage karting messages here in the General Discussion Forum

Moderator: Rob Voska

Post Reply
Sterling Brundick
Posts: 45
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 5:07 pm
Vintage Karting items owned: 1961 Mantis
1982 - 83 Margay Bandito
Margay Panther
User Agreement: Yes
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina

Margay Panther?? What Year

Post by Sterling Brundick » Wed Apr 18, 2012 9:40 pm

This kart came as a part of the "package" with the Margay Bandito. I know the Panther line was manufactured from 1975 - 1980. I was wondering if someone could pin down the year. I will post a few pic's.
Attachments
DSCN0315.JPG
(171.14 KiB) Downloaded 415 times

Sterling Brundick
Posts: 45
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 5:07 pm
Vintage Karting items owned: 1961 Mantis
1982 - 83 Margay Bandito
Margay Panther
User Agreement: Yes
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina

Re: Margay Panther?? What Year

Post by Sterling Brundick » Wed Apr 18, 2012 9:43 pm

Side view
Attachments
DSCN0321.JPG
(161.4 KiB) Downloaded 414 times

Sterling Brundick
Posts: 45
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 5:07 pm
Vintage Karting items owned: 1961 Mantis
1982 - 83 Margay Bandito
Margay Panther
User Agreement: Yes
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina

Re: Margay Panther?? What Year

Post by Sterling Brundick » Wed Apr 18, 2012 9:52 pm

Partial rear
Attachments
DSCN0319.JPG
(176.53 KiB) Downloaded 411 times

Rob Voska
Posts: 1650
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:04 am

Re: Margay Panther?? What Year

Post by Rob Voska » Wed Apr 18, 2012 11:39 pm

That's a Panther not a Panther X. It has the wrong seat in it. It shoud have a concept style seat with braces coming up from the seat tube not back to the rear bumper as shown. I think that makes it a 1975 & that style was only 1 year if I remember right. The Panther X has a rear hat style seat hoop with the seat support "U"..

Sterling Brundick
Posts: 45
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 5:07 pm
Vintage Karting items owned: 1961 Mantis
1982 - 83 Margay Bandito
Margay Panther
User Agreement: Yes
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina

Re: Margay Panther?? What Year

Post by Sterling Brundick » Thu Apr 19, 2012 6:50 am

Thanks Rob. BTW, I owe you a debt of thanks for all your help over the last 6 to 8 months. I still have a lot to learn but I have come a long way since last August. Thank you.

Are you saying that the seat business has been reconfigured or that's the way it was done for that particular model at that time?

Sterling

Rob Voska
Posts: 1650
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:04 am

Re: Margay Panther?? What Year

Post by Rob Voska » Thu Apr 19, 2012 7:24 am

Seat's not right. Wrong fiberglass & I don't remember how it was mounted. I think the seat struts were welded to the cross tube. Would have to dig out old mags to be 100% sure. Did you look on the Margay web site for any info?

Butch Kavanagh
Posts: 66
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2008 1:11 pm
Location: pt charlotte fl

Re: Margay Panther?? What Year

Post by Butch Kavanagh » Thu Apr 19, 2012 8:20 am

just rebuilt one some years ago. note the front end steering, the frame is offset. agree with rob on seat arrangement. i'm not computer smart to 'share-transfer' but i've got 29 pics of the panther on my-myspace acct which is public and does show the rear struts. didn't notice any pics on the margay site. too early of production year for margay to id or serial number the frame. some did change that seat arrangement, struts, had a tendancy to break. be nice to the rear bumper as they are very hard to find

Terry Bentley
Posts: 126
Joined: Wed Nov 10, 2010 3:21 am
Vintage Karting items owned: Kavalla Rupp Hornet Bug Margay Cates, Ala Kart
User Agreement: Yes
Location: East of DFW

Re: Margay Panther?? What Year

Post by Terry Bentley » Thu Apr 19, 2012 8:24 am

I dont remember there ever being a cross member directly behind seat on the Panther frames. Seat should be attached to the wishbone crossmember missing that would be welded at very back of frame rails with aluminum hoop attached directly to seat. Something is also seriously wrong with rear half of left side frame rail. The offset angles should match right side. If that was a Margay originally, someone may have altered it to make an offset chassis for dirt.

Also notice the left rear frame rail is not square to anything.

You may also notice the bracket extension on left welded for standard nerf bar to attach out where frame rail originally was.
Last edited by Terry Bentley on Thu Apr 19, 2012 8:31 am, edited 1 time in total.

Rob Voska
Posts: 1650
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:04 am

Re: Margay Panther?? What Year

Post by Rob Voska » Thu Apr 19, 2012 8:29 am

Terry that was the diff between a Panther & a Panther X. Remember the cool stickers with the Panther on them....

Post Reply