At the end of 1975, there were reportedly only 13 snowmobile companies, way down from over 200 makers at the peak of the early 1970s. This 1986 Arctic Cat Pantera is toward the end of this model’s run, and it’s listed here on Facebook Marketplace in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The seller is asking $800 or best offer. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Lothar… of the Hill People for the tip!
A Pantera was light-years away from the junk bomb sleds we had growing up, for the most part. A snowmobile with faux woodgrain? Arctic Cats were for the rich kids, and we weren’t that. Not that there’s anything wrong with having nice things, but we were always jealous of people with Arctic Cats; they were the pinnacle of snowmobiles from what we knew about the industry. And they literally were, at least in the mid-70s for the U.S. market.
Arctic Cat was the biggest producer of snowmobiles in 1975 and second in the world, with Ski-Doo hanging onto the #1 spot. Coming after a two-year production of arguably the fanciest Arctic Cat to date: the 1974 and 1975 Panther VIP (a heater on a snowmobile?!), the Pantera was offered from 1975 through 1989 and continued the luxury tradition. Our little 8 and 10-hp single-cylinder gas-smelling snowmobiles were a laughable comparison, but they were still fun.
Arctic Cat was so successful in 1975 that they bought another Minnesota staple of the recreation industry, Lund Boats. The Pantera was Arctic Cat’s new deluxe model, and it showcased the company’s new generation of aluminum slide rail suspension, something they had brought to market over a decade earlier. I don’t think any of our old snowmobiles even had a speedometer, let alone a tach, temperature gauge, or any other gauges. Not that a speedometer mattered with an 8-hp Kohler engine. This one has handlebar/hand warmers, of course.
The engine is a 436-cc, liquid-cooled, oil-injected Spirit (by Suzuki) twin-cylinder. The seller says it has 2,212 miles and is in original condition, other than having new fuel lines, and the carburetor has been cleaned, but it could use new carbide ski protectors. We used to bend and weld a piece of round stock to the bottom of the skis to help them take corners better, back when Jefferson was president, or it seems that long ago now. Let’s hear those vintage snowmobile stories!
Cool sled, great article đź‘Ť SG.
Not mentioned surprisingly,,the CADILLAC of snowmobiles,,,right here. When someone slid into the watering hole, to warm up( cough), on one of these, they commanded respect, even parking spots right by the door, “Pantera Parking Only”! Even with 13 remaining companies, ( I’d have thought more than that) Arctic Cat Pantera was still the top of the line. By saying that, it doesn’t diminish the others really, by the mid 80s, most sleds were refined enough, they were all good. I read, this sled cost about $2500 new, similar to most sleds of the time, and liquid cooled was still being perfected, but almost trouble free here. This wasn’t a sled to go up again a Yamaha Phazer or SkiDoo Formula, this was for that old farts that wasn’t interested in being the 1st to the bar. More a leisurely cruise, cushy ride, and in true Cadillac style, could pass those noisy one-lungers if they wanted. I’m telling you from all my experience, if you want a used sled, and folks in northern climes may experience an uptick in interest due to the winter they are having, it doesn’t get any better than this!
Now, regarding Green Bay after the Packers lost, was no fun!
Great find and a great write up. We never owned an Arctic Cat – always had either a Scorpion or a Kawasaki (440 Drifter) growing up besides the ubiquitous Skidoo in the yard and on the tilt trailer. Arctic Cats were always considered the “Cadillacs” of sleds in New England. I remember the Blizzard of 78 and driving around our city as a young kid on our Scorpion and the Skidoo as the only means of transport for a week before they were able to get a plow to us. This was just north of Boston in a place called Revere. We were running around the grocery store parking lot where there was 2-3 feet of snow and plenty of drifts. Today you can’t do that as times have changed. Police frown upon that!!!
With a name like that, I was expecting a mid-engined sled, maybe something with a 351 Clevland.
Haha, what a great write up. Yes, this was exactly how it was. The rich kids from the nearby town (in reality they were not rich and it wasn’t really a town, but it’s all relative!) they had their Arctic Cats and Yamahas. All I had access to was an old Ski-Doo Olympique and later an Aktiv 600 and even later a pretty decent Lynx. On a hard snow surface (Skare) I could probably have outrun the Ski-Doo with my Puch Dakota moped!
Being from MN I can honestly state this was Top of the line!
Panteras were very nice sleds combining some luxury with pretty solid performance. This seems like good buy to me. This would make a great rider sled for the dozens of Antique, Vintage & Classic sled events held each weekend during the snow season.
I read yesterday that there is some shortage of carbide wear rods? It may have been related to the real late model sled style “dualie” rods though or maybe carbides in general. Not sure.
Bought a brand new 1968 Super Olympique for $650. I ran the pi$$ out of that thing as I was too young to drive anything but a farm tractor. Later, in the seventies, when the snowmobile clubs started up, all the sleds here in North Maine had what we called the “ice fishing lift”, which was a hinge added to the seat and an added 2X4 spacer that would accommodate a fifth of whiskey, for emergencies. (kind of like the St Bernard rum barrel). HA!
Shades of brown when Arctic Cat was normally black and green.