Thanks Bruce...I've learned a little about the Canadian cars during the past 30 years I've been playin' with them :D
A few guys have PM'd me and asked what I know about the Black Panthers...so here it is in a nutshell. We just moved, so I can't put my hands on my magazines yet to confirm dates and names, so I am going by memory.
In 1998 I was researching the Canadian '67 Z-28's and contacted Craig Fisher who drove one in the Trans Am series. He was the first one to tell me about the Black Panther cars and I have been hunting them down ever since. Craig and his friend Terry both had '67 Z Black Panthers from Gorries. I have paperwork on both cars. I started asking everyone I met with an old Camaro at local cruise nights about them and ran ads in the local papers looking for info and cars. A number of leads put me in touch with owners, previous owners, guys who remembered them, a sales person from Gorries, and a photographer who had pics of one at Cayuga taken in 1968. One lead put me in touch with the fellow who wrote the only article that I have been able to find on them from 1967 (Canada Track and Traffic Magazine) and he remembered his interview with John Moss (may have been Jack???), the sales manager from Gorries.
I was also contacted by the editor of Canadian Classics magazine who saw my ad for a BP and called to ask me what a BP was. I explained and he later wrote an article on them asking for owner's to contact the mag. My conversation with him is where the estimate of 50 BP's comes from although he doesn't credit me by name...just mentions "some guy who ran an ad". Anyway, that article spawned the later article "In search of the Elusive Black Panther" which circulated on the Internet and introduced Bob Simonen's car to the Camaro world (I spoke with Bob also and he is a very nice guy).
Now the car...a BP was simply a black Camaro with gold interior, pinstripes, nose stripe and rocker stripes. It had Black Panther emblems on the fenders and trunk lid and could be ordered in any body style and motor/tranny combination. I have seen, heard of, and have paperwork on 210 hp and 275 hp standard coupes, converts, RS cars, RS/SS big and small blocks and the 2 '67 RS Z-28's. I know that at least one early 396 conversion and two 427 conversions also took place that I am aware of. They had 14 inch Magnum 500 wheels and could be ordered with a ton of speed shop equipment based on whatever the owner desired. Some cars got the "007" console which consisted of the standard console that had the lid removed and the guts filled with a panel that had toggle switches with Dynamo taped labels like "oil Slick" and "Smoke Screen" etc. It was put in one of the first cars as a joke, but it caught on and became part of the package for many buyers. I can tell you that at least 8 cars still exist today. Hope this helps!
Thanks Bruce...I've learned a little about the Canadian cars during the past 30 years I've been playin' with them :D
A few guys have PM'd me and asked what I know about the Black Panthers...so here it is in a nutshell. We just moved, so I can't put my hands on my magazines yet to confirm dates and names, so I am going by memory.
In 1998 I was researching the Canadian '67 Z-28's and contacted Craig Fisher who drove one in the Trans Am series. He was the first one to tell me about the Black Panther cars and I have been hunting them down ever since. Craig and his friend Terry both had '67 Z Black Panthers from Gorries. I have paperwork on both cars. I started asking everyone I met with an old Camaro at local cruise nights about them and ran ads in the local papers looking for info and cars. A number of leads put me in touch with owners, previous owners, guys who remembered them, a sales person from Gorries, and a photographer who had pics of one at Cayuga taken in 1968. One lead put me in touch with the fellow who wrote the only article that I have been able to find on them from 1967 (Canada Track and Traffic Magazine) and he remembered his interview with John Moss (may have been Jack???), the sales manager from Gorries.
I was also contacted by the editor of Canadian Classics magazine who saw my ad for a BP and called to ask me what a BP was. I explained and he later wrote an article on them asking for owner's to contact the mag. My conversation with him is where the estimate of 50 BP's comes from although he doesn't credit me by name...just mentions "some guy who ran an ad". Anyway, that article spawned the later article "In search of the Elusive Black Panther" which circulated on the Internet and introduced Bob Simonen's car to the Camaro world (I spoke with Bob also and he is a very nice guy).
Now the car...a BP was simply a black Camaro with gold interior, pinstripes, nose stripe and rocker stripes. It had Black Panther emblems on the fenders and trunk lid and could be ordered in any body style and motor/tranny combination. I have seen, heard of, and have paperwork on 210 hp and 275 hp standard coupes, converts, RS cars, RS/SS big and small blocks and the 2 '67 RS Z-28's. I know that at least one early 396 conversion and two 427 conversions also took place that I am aware of. They had 14 inch Magnum 500 wheels and could be ordered with a ton of speed shop equipment based on whatever the owner desired. Some cars got the "007" console which consisted of the standard console that had the lid removed and the guts filled with a panel that had toggle switches with Dynamo taped labels like "oil Slick" and "Smoke Screen" etc. It was put in one of the first cars as a joke, but it caught on and became part of the package for many buyers. I can tell you that at least 8 cars still exist today. Hope this helps!
I have a copy of Canada Track and Traffic Magazine from 67 it was a good article it is only 2 pages.
I would like to know why the BP badging was removed and the noes strip was repainted to cover the black area where the badge was. Also the only way to truly confirm it as a BP would be sales documents a build sheet and dealer invoice would only prove it was delivered to Gorries. To me that would mean it was most likely a BP camaro and that would make me pretty sure it was a real BP. Wild The spec info has the car haveing tigerpaws from UniRoyal W/ 8.8X14 rims
Bob
Also the name was George Moss not john or jack and the articel in the mag is about his car that has a 427 It says inside the all black theme is continued but other colors are allowed
I have a copy of Canada Track and Traffic Magazine from 67 it was a good article it is only 2 pages.
I would like to know why the BP badging was removed and the noes strip was repainted to cover the black area where the badge was. Also the only way to truly confirm it as a BP would be sales documents a build sheet and dealer invoice would only prove it was delivered to Gorries. To me that would mean it was most likely a BP camaro and that would make me pretty sure it was a real BP. Wild The spec info has the car haveing tigerpaws from UniRoyal W/ 8.8X14 rims
Bob
Also the name was George Moss not john or jack and the articel in the mag is about his car that has a 427 It says inside the all black theme is continued but other colors are allowed
Hey Mud Rat...
Over the last 40 years....The badging seem to have gotten lost...(pissed me off) I am trying to find, or get remade the badging. The person that lost the Badging painted over that part of the nose to try and cover the fact up...Not much I can do about that now.....Yes the were Red Line UniRoyal Tigerpaws on the car, Only Uniroyal does not make red lines any more that I know of...Firestone is the closest I can find...:(
I love these cars.. mostly because they are a real Canadain COPO!
If you know the car is real don't sweat trying to find documents for everyone on this forum. Hell, if your dad bought the car and you aren't going to sell it then you have nothing to prove! And seing that, unlike all US documentation, you have access to all the old cdn records it is easy to prove. Maybe that is why there are so few fakes. Pretty hard to fake a car that can be so easilty proven to be a fraud. I want one of these!
Could you send me / post pictures of the console and unique parts of this car? We are all curious and thanks from all of the other people on this site for sharing your truely special car.
I have already have an #ed car with paperwork (originally gold with a black stripe and black interior) and if I ever build myself a big block 427 it is going to have this paint scheme (completely opposite to my current car) and in my signiture I will add...
1967 Black Panther 427 M22 (Cloned and proud of it!)
I love these cars.. mostly because they are a real Canadain COPO!
If you know the car is real don't sweat trying to find documents for everyone on this forum. Hell, if your dad bought the car and you aren't going to sell it then you have nothing to prove! And seing that, unlike all US documentation, you have access to all the old cdn records it is easy to prove. Maybe that is why there are so few fakes. Pretty hard to fake a car that can be so easilty proven to be a fraud. I want one of these!
Could you send me / post pictures of the console and unique parts of this car? We are all curious and thanks from all of the other people on this site for sharing your truely special car.
I have already have an original car and if I ever build myself a big block 427 it is going to have this paint scheme and in my signiture I will add...
1967 Black Panther 427 M22 (Cloned and proud of it!)
Hey Vince.....
Well, because you asked, I will post the following pictures....Yes, I am in love with the car....I was only 7 Years old when my father bought it, and I remember it well....Here are some other pictures!!
I guess you have not been reading along....but My Father decided to have it switched out for a glove box, I sure wish he would have kept it! I liked it when I was a Kid...and I know I would have loved it as an Adult...lol
I guess you have not been reading along....but My Father decided to have it switched out for a glove box, I sure wish he would have kept it! I liked it when I was a Kid...and I know I would have loved it as an Adult...lol
Wild!!!:beers:
Sorry looks like I missed that... I was scrolling ahead too fast for the pictures I guess.