Bargain Qualcast Panther

[sidevalve44]

Bought this little beauty at the LVMS annual country fair and show yesterday, along with the hand implement which I intend using for keeping the drainage ditch on my allotment clear, and ridging up the taters.
The mower only needed a clean-up, a few adjustments and a drop of oil before I used it to mow the lawn, and what a lovely finish it achieved !
Am in two minds: do I “restore” it or, give it a thorough clean up and leave as is ? Am in inclined to the latter, especially as it’s in remarkably good condition and has been well looked after.
Any guesses as to its age; my guess is mid 1970s.

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[charlie]

A good find. I agree with you a good clean and rub down with an oily rag.

[trusty220]

It could even be mid-eighties. I think the push Panther had a long production run and I certainly remember our workshops putting a few together for the showroom- I started in the workshop in 1985, so it could be after that.
Very nice all the same with an original grassbox and no dents. The usual damage would be that the grassbox gets pushed into the rockery on a regular basis!

[vhgmcbuddy]

Hi sidevalve@44
We also have one of these. I’ve attached picture of ours here with. I’m curious to get an idea of the value, do you mind me asking what you paid for the one you bought at the LVMS annual country fair and show?
These are nice machines, ours was well looked after by my grandparents still even have its box 🙂

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[sidevalve44]

Hi Alison,

Yours looks in slightly better condition than mine and has the original wooden roller at the front, whereas mine has the later plastic ones, probably retrofitted; as the wooden ones can split and were generally replaced with plastic ones from the mid 70s on.

As to value; I’m not sure we can put prices etc., on here but, you could get about 5.1/2 litres of petrol for what I paid ! Probably under its value but, a look on that certain auction site shows they don’t fetch that much.

Still a nice little mower that can go on giving sterling service for decades. 🙂

[Author]

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