I have been dying to add a hack to my Panther for ages now. I have finally taken the plunge and purchased one, in not too great a condition and started the process of restoration and attachement. Being the non mechanical person i am, i have outsourced all the work The most i will actually do is most probably just attach the tub to the chassis once done. The tub is 1980 Velorex 542, which the guy doing the paint work will get it to look like a vintage model so that it does not look too out of place with the Panther. For those interested, the Panther was very well known for it sidecar pulling abilities, so i am looking forward to getting this project sorted. For now, here is a pic of the Panther. I will update with progress on the car shortly.
Sorry to say this: But fitting a 1980 Velorex to such a nice original restored Panther is a serious crime on sidecar history. However, good luck with your project. Winterbiker
I agree 100% with you Winterbiker! I have been looking for a suitable vintage car for almost a year now and i am still looking, no luck as yet. I got this one quite cheaply and it will fit on my BM too if i want, so i will be able to move it off when i get a "real" one. The sidecar is for fun so my wife can come for rides as well as she wants to partake. The brackets i am having built will allow for the car to be detached in 10 min and thefore the bike can continue to do the current vintage rallies and runs in original form.
I'd wait around for a nice vintage sidecar man, put the velorex on your Beemer, leave the Panther pristine and gorgeous......
Dusting Sidecars in Australia I had a very hard time trying to communicate with this guy- mayber he just doesn't like Americans? http://www.sidecars.com.au/product.php?photo=pic6
How about a replica Steib? The link is to a New Zealand online auction site, but the chair is in Australia, and contact details are there http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Classic-vintage/auction-228632345.htm
With all due respect; A Cozy on a Panther? Very well-made Steib models are still made, as are the Watsonian equivalent. Hard to find used ones, though- On the antique models, those strips were originally wood and held the body panels together. This got me wondering; when did that convert to aluminium?
When I would have the good fortune to own a M100, and didn’t want one of those gigantic older English cage models (that were often combined with the Panther) I would go for the next model from the twenties, since I think it would optically and historically match and is sold pretty close to me. This won’t help you however. It’s on the wrong side of the world and for the wrong side of the bike. Richard-NL
Nice car Richard NL I do feel a bit bad about putting on a non authentic hack, but that is all i have,... ... until yesterday The world certainly works in a weird way, i have been looking for a sidecar for well over a year, finally make the plunge and now this. I had my eye on a 1930's car for a while and the owner has been undesicive about the future of the car for so long. So i got a call from him yesterday saying the car is up for sale. Only prob is that i need to wait at least 5 more weeks before he is available for me to collect (retired and on holiday). I am really pissed about it as i have already spent money on the new car - fortunately not a lot but i am hoping that can either sell it once done or attach to the BM and have fun. In the interim, here is an update on the progress of the current car: Firstly, i left the camera on the bonnet of the car the other day, took a drive and promptly lost the camera with all the before pics That really sucks. - So the tub went in for some fibreglass repiars, new spray job and fix of the beading around the edge and a new coat on the inside. Originally the tub was a lovely shade of bright orange on top and black underneath. Plenty holes, damaged screen and generally in bad shape. Pity i do not have the before pics though. - Chassis went to the mechanic to be fitted to the bike and have new mountings made (only one was available on the bike). Thought of bringing them in as you can buy the kit, but the cost of importing stuff to SA is huge and not worth it :huh - seats are going in for upholstery at the end of the month - new toneau cover to be custom made by the same folk at the end of the month too. - still need to find a supplier to make a new screen. The current one is huge and i want a small rounded one fitted to suit the car more. I am collecting the tub this afternoon. I am really excited as i now have a new mmotive for getting the work complete. I see this as a win/ win situation. Instead of one hack i may have two and this report can double up. Got a new camera too so i can post some pics of the new work tonight.
Pictures Got the tub back today, i think the paint job looks great and the trim adds a bit of old looks The wheel hub has also been painted Here are the seats as i got them, still to be fixed up Bits and pieces for the screen The screen, with my template for the new size i want. The current one is just way too high I will update when i get some more progress on the car.
A 600cc Panther with a sidecar and pulling a trailer traveled across Africa from north to south in 1934. The two riders were women. One of the riders was Theresa Wallach. Her book about that trip is titled "The Rugged Road." If I remember correctly, one of their more interesting repairs was a broken needle valve. They could not figure out how it broke, but they needed to fix it. A replacement was whittled from stick.
What a fantastic looking Panther ! I've been trying to prize one of my mate (who as 6) but none as old as yours. You now there a fabulous solo, just most folk put sidecars on for there pulling power (HP not girls). You've got to put a classic sidecar on not a modern one, please. Keith
I have abook called The Panther Story and it does feature the Lady Adventurers. Epic adventure that! They travelled Uk to Cape Town here in Sunny South Africa. Hardest part for them was the Sahara, lugging that sidecar through the sand Kieth, as mentioned in my post earlier i am now playing the waiting game for the vintage car, but carring on with the "modern" one in the meantime as i will still need the mounting points, etc. As a solo outfit, this bike is awesome and i have covered many successful kilometers in rallies and other outings. My wife is very jealous of these trips and she feels left out, and that is the reason for the addition of the sidecar. I would like her to experience the rallies as well as they are good fun all round. Our first in the car will be the DJ run next year March. This is an annual rally from Durban to Johannesburg on pre 1937 bikes. Awesome event and some beautiful machines.
