1963 Panther Sports Car

3/11/2019
Tad Burness
The Panther was available only in 1962 and 1963. Although there were two series (Standard and super-modified "M"), it is unknown just how many were sold during those two seasons.
 
The Panther had a Corvette-like profile, but with a much flatter body and hood, riding high off the ground and using a small, imported Daimler V8 engine rather than one from a larger domestic mill.
 
Its dry weight (minus gas, oil and water) was only 1,200 pounds, which contributed to good performance. The Panther had wire wheels of two different types: The Standard had 48-spoke wheels, while the higher-performance "M" wheels featured 60 spokes. An oil-temperature gauge was included (something not found on many other cars). Also, a detachable hardtop was available, for all-weather use.
 
 
Interestingly, an unrelated Panther Rio automobile was manufactured in England in the mid-1970s. The 1976-1977 model was sold exclusively through H.R. Owen dealerships in and around London. This was a compact-size four-door sedan with luxurious touches such as walnut interior trim, Connolly leather upholstery and hand-built coachwork (though it had the profile of many a common British compact car of that era and was no doubt reworked from something more mundane). It was advertised in the Illustrated London News, and probably elsewhere.
 
Both the Panther and the Panther Rio are scarce items.
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