Benjamin writes:
Dear Sajeev,
I have spent many hours devouring information on Panther Love of all kinds from your columns and former colleagues, so I wanted to write for two reasons:
Sajeev answers:
Hi Benjamin, I thank you for your recognition of my dogged efforts promoting the Panther chassis, and for your personal dedication to the cause at a young age. I mean, we rarely hear about people like you! So let’s marinate on this, while we take a pause for the cause.
Read the full article on Hagerty.com:
I like the Panther Chassis. I think they are a very overlooked platform that is capable of performance AND comfort. Wave your freak flag high and enjoy it. I think they are a great car.
Sajeev, this is the first time I've read about Panther love probably in 7-8 years, since you were preaching it on ttac. Now, Panther love isn't my thing, although I certainly can understand it--I happily drive a Civic with a stick, a car which makes errands a joy for me because I get to drive it! Benjamin should read my article about Irv Gordon and his 3 million mile Volvo P1800 for inspiration, edited--lightly!--by Hagerty's own Jack Baruth, back in the days when he worked for some other outlet, and I wish Benjamin similar longevity for his Panther. Among other things, it gives me pleasure to think that people might actually still be driving in the 2070s.
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2014/02/the-man-for-whom-they-made-the-three-million-mile-badge/
David, while I have a bad (good?) case of Panther Love, I also share the joy of a manual transmission (usually on diesel trucks). As it turns out, since I wrote Sajeev for this column, which he so kindly shared, I need a new set of brakes. So buy a nice set and only buy once for the remainder of the lifetime of the car. Brembo does it with the Corvette ... and I'm thinking Raybestos Police may do it for the CVPI. Ah the joys of pad/rotor shopping. Ceramic or semi-metallic? Plain, fluted, drilled, or fluted and drilled rotors?
I will gladly read the article about the Volvo!
As a note, I've been considering the LED lighting upgrade myself, using turn signals with built-in resistors. No splicing, and no mucking about with the LCM. Eventually, every light. The rest of those upgrades are ... long term plans. I drool over the parts at ADTR.net .
Get turn signals from a major lighting manufacturer, though. Without a quality design people can't tell between the low glow of your parking/marker light and the flash of the brighter light. Especially from 10+ feet away as a funny angle in bad weather...when you need people to know your intentions before it's too late. You get what you pay for here.
Sajeev, I've been eyeing GTR lighting. 1200 lumens per switchback bulb! Also $70 per bulb. 😬
I remember something else. I seem to hear lots of Panther owners complaining about constantly broken parts or faulty sensors. And yet ... these same people either drive Panthers that were beaten to death, or they beat their own Panthers to death, in pursuit of the almighty modded status. The ones that seem to do best are, quite naturally, driven conservatively, kept relatively stock, and well-maintained. Do you think good-quality Panthers might appreciate some day?
I think they will, it's already hard to find clean ones and they aren't going for dirt cheap any more at government auctions. They aren't gonna appreciate like a 90s Toyota Supra Turbo, but the trend is starting.
And yes the ones that complain like that likely bought an abused one, have no idea how to diagnose an engine code fault (and are throwing parts at a problem), or they are getting screwed by a mechanic.
Long live Panther Love indeed. I am glad to hear you love all the great things that make a Panther a Panther, too!