One again another deal and another sled added to the
collection.
This time it's a 77 Fan Cooled Pantera 5000 for $75.
77 was the first year for the new 500cc fan cooled
Suzuki Spirit engine to be offered as an optional engine in the Pantera
along with the 500cc Free Air engine from the previous year. As always,
the sleds need some work. It has a bad piston on the PTO side and
it needs a few other things done to it.
What a difference in just 2 years. In 75, the first Pantera's were basically a 75 Panther with a center mounted gas tank. In 76 they were totally redesigned with the switch to Suzuki Spirit engines. 76 Pantera's had the same body styling as my 77 but with different graphics. The hood on this one has been replaced with a 78 hood so I'll be Looking for either NOS 77 decals or a good hood with the correct decals on it.
The seat and tool box also need replacing and it was hit in the front left so the belly pan has been damaged and had a cheap repair done to it.
Hard to see but the piston was damaged on the edge (area in red) and it also pitted the head which hopefully I can eliminate. Previous owner also installed a 36mm Mikuni Carb in place of the stock 34mm carb and cut a bigger hole in the air box to fit over it.
Along with everything else, a previous owner drilled a hole in the dash and installed a switch to turn the headlight on and off (hole to the left of the choke opening) and installed a Comet 102C clutch in place of the stock Arctic Cat Hex Clutch.
