RRBBO13 ☆El Green Go☆1968 Schwinn Panther☆

[Missing Link]

I figure I'll throw my hat in the ring, again this year, not building to win just building to ride.
Here's what I'm starting with

I just recieved this from member@Decathlete today. I was told it's from 1968 which should make it a Panther as that was the only 26" canti that year to come in green. So far I'm just planning on cleaning it up, maybe painting the rims, changing tires, bars, grips, but leaving the battle scarred frame alone, we'll see

 

[V8Ben]

... not building to win just building to ride ...

It's the better purpose to join in

 

[Fv2]

What part of the country are you riding in these days?

 

[Missing Link]

What part of the country are you riding in these days?

Still in Texas, we're at Lackland AFB in San Antonio.

 

[Missing Link]

I decided to start out slow, so I took the grips off and gave them a soaking in some Dawn and a good toothbrush scrubbing. The bottom one is as found and the top is after a little cleaning.

After about 5 minutes working on them and they're good as new.

 

[OddJob]

Looks like you've got a good 'grip' on the build so far....

Glad to see the Mr Link back at it again. Give my regards to Mrs Link. Hope she's still digging that award-winning bike she built a couple of years back.

 

[Missing Link]

When I bought this frame I didn't notice that it had tabs for a slimline tank.

I'm wondering if I can use a repop full size tank with those tabs still in place or not. If anyone has any experience or even wants to b.s. or guesstimate, feel free to chime in. If anyone has a ratty slimline tank, they feel like letting go of, likewise.

 

[kingfish254]

It must have been a green version of the Panther on the far left of this 1968 catalog pic.

 

[Missing Link]

It must have been a green version of the Panther on the far left of this 1968 catalog pic.

I was puzzled by that picture when doing my research, the one on the far left looks blue but they didn't make a Panther in blue so must green, just didn't translate on paper.
Serial #says it was made in June 1968 so it'll have it's 50th birthday during the build off, that's pretty cool.

 

[kingfish254]

The one on the far left is Coppertone with the slimline tank like yours would have had.

 

[Missing Link]

I built an early 60s Jaguar with copper tone paint and slim tank in the first Winter Build Off, "Draguar"

Hmmmm, I could go that route again.

 

[Dr. Tankenstein]

On the tank question, the ‘full size’ tank rests on the sides of the top tube.
I’m not super familiar with those tabs, but if they are centered on the bottom of the tube, they shouldn’t interfere.

I’m no Schwinn expert, so hopefully someone else will chime in, I’d hate to see you waste $ on a tank or cut those off and ruin a good frame.

Best of luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GuitarlCarl]

I'm using the chrome repop and I don't think those tabs will interfere either. The repops take a little bit of tweaking to fit perfect anyway. But I think they're fine having never seen a real one up close. I do know they don't work with repop springers very well. I think it's the bottom of the fork tube t, it needs to shift forward like the old ones did... Tank should work well though with the forks you've got.

Carl.

 

[Scribble]

Inspiration for your build, built this for a friend about a year back. @GuitarlCarl might like it to.
Panther Mk III half tank.

 

[Missing Link]

I threw some parts at it to see what fit, so far I think this may be the direction I go.

The front rack is era correct, although aftermarket Wald, it also easily holds a six pack of pints firmly with no wiggle. The stem is off a late 60s Schwinn light weight with alloy low riser bars which will be narrowed to around 16" and fitted w/ the o.g. sparkle grips.

I'm pretty sure I've got a longer seat post somewhere and will likely go with a black version of the Retrospec saddle. I'm still contemplating a repop tank or just waiting till an original slim line one comes around, and I need a bigger chainring, but so far I like the direction this is going.

 

[kingfish254]

Looking sharp!
I love the new build name too!

 

[OddJob]

+1 ^ !

 

[Captain Awesome]

Lookin good! I'd take it as is

 

[GuitarlCarl]

I like everything but the BMX style bars. BUT you ride like that and they don't look bad, they just make my old back hurt thinking about leaning forward like that. @Scribble that Mark III looks a lot like my Mark IV did before I started on it. I've never seen a half tank before, slimline yes, but not a half tank, it's kind of odd. After seeing all these, I wonder if I should have kept my rat trap front rack... I think it's cool we have a few Schwinn cantilever frames going in this build off.

Guitarl.

 

[Missing Link]

I decided to give it a good scrubbing before disassembly so I took it out back a and gave it a bath.

It still has quite a bit of shine for a bike that turns 50 next month,
I looked into the serial number and found it was built in June of 1968.
Its a bit more scuffed and scraped than it looked with dust and grease caked on, but that just adds character or "rat-itude".

I love that these old 60s Scwinns had a top coat over silver base with a red primer, when you have all three visible it's pretty cool looking.