Restored 1982 Panther Vmate Ii

[critchfield mike]

This is my God fathers restored 82 pather vmate II. New transome, dash & custom paint job. All ready to hit 6mile lake in the spring 2004. With a 310hp 2.5 merc to help push it along. Just finishing up the interior & motor they will be ready soon.

[critchfield mike]

pic #2

[critchfield mike]

pic #3

[speedyfast]

i think the hull on these are pretty good aside from being fairly heavy. i heard that the hull was half Charger DL design and half Checkmate........anybody got info on this.

[critchfield mike]

I know the desine came from a checkmate but never heard of lines coming from a charger dl. I will try to get more info

[Adam]

We had one of these in the family up until last year. Sold it to John Spaith who is rebuilding it now.

With a 200 merc it ran into the 70s. Great boat. Stable and roomy. With the 2.5 you should haul some ass.

[Firestarter]

The real story on the V-Mate, and all panther's for that matter is that John used to drive down to Ohio, and buy all the old Checkmate molds and build the boats at Quinns Marina in Pefferlaw. They are 100% Checkmate.

There is no DL in that boat, the DL is a mini Challenger 21.

RT

[critchfield mike]

i didn't think there was any charger in it. this panther also came from quinns marine.

[Firestarter]

Every Panther was built at Quinns.

RT

[critchfield mike]

firewalker what do you think of Stelters work on the Panther?

[Firestarter]

If you are asking about the paint, it looks good.

RT

[175checkmate]

Great looking boat. Have you added a pad?
The little checkmates tend to get a little chinwalk above 65. Trying to balance on the "V".

[AnthonySS]

ROB...

Didn't you notice the 21 Challenger beside the Panther.

It will be at Speedmaster soon.

Nice work on the panther Miek. Let us see the next pics ASAP.

Thanks for contacting me

[Firestarter]

Nope I didn't

What was he doing to it?

RT

[AnthonySS]

New Paint...Look for it at Ted's soon

[Firestarter]

What is it getting for power?

[critchfield mike]

There was no pad added to the panther. i will have pics of the 21 challenger by the end of the week. It looks great. I herd a 300hp merc was going on the challenger. It will be at Ted's at the end of next week, when he returns

[Firestarter]

Like my Challenger

[critchfield mike]

thats what i hear. very nice 21 firewalker. who did the work on it?

[Firestarter]

Me

[critchfield mike]

where do you work out of? where do you do your boating? was the boat repainted? Looks great.

[Firestarter]

I work for an investment firm in Toronto, I have a private shop in muskoka. The boat is a total restoration.

RT

[critchfield mike]

you do most of your boating on the muskoka lakes? I am just south of you on 6 mile lake. we have many lake racers.

[Firestarter]

Yup 99% of it.
There is a big crew of guys that run out of my shop....... all STV's

RT

[Three_Banger_Omc]

I would be one :D. I really like the boat mike u were showing me pictures earlyer and im still amazed with it so it will be hitting up six mile eh? Who did the paint again?

This is out of topic but whens gary getting your numbers and stuff? And what number are u

[critchfield mike]

Stelray boats did the paint, paul i talked to gary this weekend about the decals he is going to be doing them up I will be #52.
firewalker (Rob) i would love to get together and rip with all you guys, I hope to have a stv in the future. I will be trying to get a bunch of people together for a weekend of fun ripping up at my cottage this summer some time i will be sure to let you know.

[critchfield mike]

heres one of the stv's from 6 mile. you will probably recognise it from speedmaster

[Firestarter]

Sure I know the boat....... and Owner.

I know Ted at Speedmaster well, the picture of my challenger is at speedmaster, he hung the motor for me.... I was easier to take the boat to him.

RT

[AnthonySS]

Mike...

Is that STV for sale...I got a freind looking?

[Firestarter]

Anthony, the is an 03 Triad River Rocket....... 111mph.

RT

[AnthonySS]

THANKS ROB,

Probably worth more then 25K and besides...its too slow:D

[critchfield mike]

the stv is for sale as far as i know It used to be ownd by a man named Randy wyhat. He sold it to his nephew Mark Major. I will find out asap

[Firestarter]

Ya Mark sold his blue river rocket, and regretted it and bought that from Randy. Both had Triad Euros also.
And Yes a lot more than 25 K

RT

[AnthonySS]

OK...that's Mark's Boat...

his old Euro is know owned by a GM tech friend of mine. He is member of PBCC too

[critchfield mike]

you are correct. I loved marks blue one. Mark is always looking for something new. Randy's old euro is also still on the lake ownd by a guy named Mike Morrison. Stelray boats also did some work on that in the fall. The guy that owned it after Randy got in a fight with a lake marker the metal ones and almost riped the hole sponson off Peter fixed it up and also installed nice red anodised pop up cleets. I will try to get ahold of Mark tonight Anthony

[Firestarter]

That boat will be at least 40K.
My old River rocket, is going to take mid/high 30's to get...... And it will break 120.

RT

[STV Dreamer]

The Panter looks cool. I had 1 a few years back before I found my STV.

You boys know where I can find an ass hauling motor for my STV....prefer something Canadian and solid/reliable....280 EFI minimum but would love to find a drag.....want retarded fast. Budget....say 1 million! LOL. It's time to start shopping any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[AnthonySS]

here you go

http://forums.screamandfly.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=55026

Indiana ain't that far to go

[Firestarter]

I don't know of any drags for sale, but I can get you a 260 easy enough.

RT

[STV Dreamer]

WOW that was quick....Thanks.

Saw a drag in Tenn. on bb last week.

Est. price for a 260 RT? complete?
Any one have approx. est. of potential speeds with each motor:
260
280
drag

Would hold out for a real beast b4 settling.....but you never know.

THX AGN.

[Firestarter]

Dreamer, you will want a 260 over a drag.

A hot 260 will get you to 120.

RT

[STV Dreamer]

RT you have a hot 260 motor available now? and again complete or drop on...price? That kinda speed could keep me happy for a bit.
Continue to drop info here if you want or email gottahaveanstv@hotmail.com.

Looking to really trick out my boat this year....gauges, power, etc.

[speedyfast]

i dont know where i heard that from, thinking about it now it does sound a little weird.
I used to have the checkmate mx-15 that Quinns brought up from Bucyrus to spring molds from..and was talking to someone (i think the original upholsterer at Quinns becasue he redid my interior in 2000 or so with the original panther stamping in the seats and he was telling me the story....guess its wrong.

[Instigator]

Could tell it was an older C.Mate right away by the lines.
RT, my parents and I used to drive right by the factory every weekend in the Summer on our way to Lake Erie.
Used to be a huge stack of old molds sitting out back when we'd pass. I'd leave slobber all over the window in the back seat!
Used to be a compnay down here named "Cobra" that did the same thing fairly succesfully for a few years.
Gary

[critchfield mike]

thankyou for all the good feedback on the panther everyone i really apreciate it. I am very pleased with all the hard work that went in to it. I will give you a short history on the boat to get the real meaning. My God father baught it brand new in 82. Drove it every weekend all summer for years untill 1993. In 1993 My God father Jerry Vine & my fathers best friend STORMIN Norm Lelleot past away in a tragic snowmobile accident on 6 mile lake. from 93 till last year my God mother has been ripping it. At the end of last summer she was starting to think of selling for a dorel or something like that $25,000.00 and up. so I suggested restoring the panther to her and she loved the idea. So along we went and here we are with a brand new boat for half the cost of a new dorel. and I bet Jerry's smililing in his grave.
thanks FV REP Mike Hooper

[AnthonySS]

MIKE,

That's what makes these projects worth while is the BIGGER stories around the restoration

We have a boat like that in our family too. My son is 4th generation to drive it. Hopefully his son will be next

[Pete]

hey mike,
that panther looks real nice! cant wait to see it on the lake this summer!

any new news about the sportsman show?

Pete

PS can you grab me some of those numbers to? i will be #11