Old Sled Sighting: Ol’ Panther found prowling the backwoods of B.C.

Here is another 70's classic from yesteryear that I recently found hiding away in the weeds in the heart of a whistle stop community situated along busy Highway #3, in the B.C. interior.

This late 1960's or early 1970's Arctic Cat Panther once again harkens back to the glory days of big, heavy, guzzied up snow machines. This era of Arctic Cat typically had a big bore Hirth engine, though some Panthers came with Kawasaki engines; other models were equipped with a Kohler engine while still others sported the innovative, limited-edition, Wankel rotary engine. Most Panthers were produced with the standard Tillitson Carbs and they made a distinctive impression on snowmobile trails everywhere with their boxy yet sporty appearance and throaty sound.

These old workhorses were known for their reliability and were a solid, dependable form of winter travel – the Panther models with the big engines were often considered by many as the original “muscle sleds” of the industry. Today the Panther is a favourite with vintage snowmobile collectors because it shines up and shows so nicely with lots of chrome finishings set against the sharp matte-black colour scheme.

The popularity of the Arctic Cat Panther made them a common sight on the snowy trails of the 1970's, and as one vintage collector stated, “you can't get more common than an early 70's Arctic Cat Panther.” Commonplace sled or not, it is a little surprising to see this ol' Arctic Panther prowling the backwoods of B.C. In fact, it was sort of like stumbling across an old friend you haven't seen for a long, long time.