Over the years we have always had a black shop cat with us at all times for good luck.:rolleyes:

This was the first one in 1975.

We have one with us now that is 17 years old and still going strong.She loves to roll around in fibeglass.:D

JO

And this is Ely.She is 17 years old now and a bit light headed but she loves fiberglass.She walks around the entire factory for a fresh patch of raw glass to roll around in.:D

You gotta love them Pantera eyes!!! :p :cool:

JO

Even though it is not a Pantera I thought you would like to see another old race boat from the 70s.This boat was a Bertram 38 owned by a good friend of ours Rocky Aoki owner of Benihana.This hull was also very fast in its time but got a bad wrap for being a tough boat to handle due to its bottom design.

Rocky Aoki sponsored me while I was racing an NHRA Pro -Stock Camaro in 1987-1989 season.I saw him last year at the Manufactures challenge boat race in Pt. Pleasant beach, N.J.

JO

This is a pic. of the Camaro Pro Stocker I ran with NHRA and IHRA with Benihana and Kirin beer sponsorship.I was and still am the Youngest Pro Stock driver to get licensed with them at 16 years of age.

This pic .was taken at the U.S. Nationals at INDY in 1989.I was pulling the chute after a 7.39 second run at 187 MPH.

JO

This pic was taken leaving the line at 8200 RPM.:D

JO

This pic.was taken at Key West in 1979.We did custom air brush work on the sides of this 28 race boat.

JO

This pic is of a 1978 24 called *****cat.

JO

This pic .was also taken in 1978 of a 24 race boat called EL Dandy.

This boat is still here in Miami and running great.

JO

This is a top view shot of the 24 that set the record.Check out the powerheads.:D


JO

Man how have I been missing this thread!!! What a great trip back into the history of your boats :D:D Thanks

Jon

This is a cockpit pic.on my Fathers 24 race boat that set the record in 1978.

This boat is still running and located in the Northwest United States.

JO

This pic. was taken at Key West Worlds in 1979 behind the Pier House getting ready to start.


JO

This pic .was taken at 1977 Miami Bacardi Race. It would go from Miami to Bimini and back to Miami.

This 24 was powered by a single 460 Ford / Hollman and Moody with a Volvo outdrive.Top speed was 63 MPH with fuel and 3 guys.

The round trip on a good day:D was about 2 hours and on a snotty day up to 8 hours.:cool:

Real offshore racing back then.If you missed Bimini, God only knew where you would end up.The VHF , life raft, food supply,and drinking water were a must.

NO GPS at the time.You need to navigate your way there with a compass since it is 47 miles each way open ocean.


JO:D

This pic.was taken just before the start at the wet pits locate at the Four Ambassadors hotel in Downtown Miami.


The brown boat also in this picture is a 27 Signature from Tommy Adams.

JO

This pic. was taken in 1991 at our factory in 188 st. of a 28 we built for a customer in South America with enclosed canopy and Recaro seats.


JO

Jo, I know that the 24 and 28 are you most popular models and now the 35, but I have seen a couple of larger boat's that were called pantera. I think one was a 47? What other size of boat's have you guys built?

great pics jo. i have saved every one of em. :cool: . . . i got this ad pic from a 1978 copy of MOTORBOAT. i have always thought that this was one of the best looking boats ever. way cool man. . . oh yea . . at the bottom of the ad it says " all for the price of $13,900 fob Miami" . . .that price still good? :D :D . . keep em come'n . thanks

Hey fun home,


We had nothing to do with the ( 2 ) 47s Aronows that were built and sold as Panteras.I think they were being built in the State of Missouri back in the mid 90s.From what they told me the gentelman building them wanted to use our reputation to get out of these 2 boats.He is no longer around.

We did build a total of 4 38 Panteras that came out of the original Signature molds.3 went overseas and one just got sold recentley to a member here on Offshore only.There is pictures of the boat in the Pantera section.

We no longer have those molds and decided to build our new 35 Survivor instead with a 42 in the near future.

Regards, JO

Hey Glass Dave,

Thanks for sharing that pic..

I do not even have that one around anymore!!

I am thinking of doing a Christmas special next month and honor that price with a 500 EFI package.:D

Regards, JO

I am first in line .... confirm my order for one 2002 24' Pantera with 500EFI for $13,900.00. I'll even throw in $5,000.00 to deliver it to Newport Beach :D

VERY, VERY COOL... WONDER WHY THE CUSTOMER WANTED AN ENCLOSED CANOPY... IT ALMOST LOOKS ARMOR PROOF!:D :p
HHHHHHHHmmmmmmmmmm SOUTH AMERICA HEH HEH HEH:eek:

[QUOTE]Originally posted by JO - PANTERABOATS
[B]Hey fun home,


We had nothing to do with the ( 2 ) 47s Aronows that were built and sold as Panteras.I think they were being built in the State of Missouri back in the mid 90s.From what they told me the gentelman building them wanted to use our reputation to get out of these 2 boats.He is no longer around.
************************************************** ********


I know that guy, he use to work for a marina whose owner is now making our license plates. I don’t know what happened to him though, last I heard he was doing something with Magic, but that was years ago..

This is a picture of # 005 24 Pantera.This boat is still running around in New Jersey.


JO

This pic .was taken at a National race in Ft. Myers in 1980.

28 powered with triple mercs.Top speed back then was 75-77 MPH.

JO

This pic. was taken in St. Tropez, France by our dealer over there in 1992.He was in a 28 with a custom made 6 man bolster that is seen in the first few pages of this thread.


You will see also a 41 Cougar in the background.

JO

This pic. was taken at the Miami SBI race this year in April when we ran a 28 powered with the Dodge Viper motor.We led the race until the last lap when the forward gear let go on the Bravo 1.

We may do some more R and D work with the Viper motor real soon.


JO

This pic .was taken at the 2001 Key West World championships award ceremony. We are receiving our 1st place trophys from 2 legends in Boat racing.

Guess who they are ??? :p

JO

This is a great picture from Key West World Championships in 1990.It is a customer of ours running a 28 with triple 2.4 Mercs.
turning at the wall on the outside leg.


Check out the Navigator in the picture.He said the hell with it I am hitting the floor.:D

JO

This is a picture of my Father in the first 24 Pantera race boat in 1975.It was called Macho.


I pulled this picture of the original frame to post here so it is a little on the rough side.


This race went from Miami down to Alligator light in the Florida Keys and back.This boat was powered with a 460 CI Ford with a Volvo outdrive.

Top speed was 65 MPH.

JO

This is the article that came out in the November 1978 issue of Powerboat Magazine on my Fathers Miami to New York record run.

The story was wrtitten by legendary writer John Crouse.

JO

COOL pics joey!!! alotta great history on the best offshore boats around!!

-talk to ya
-PANTERA LOVER:D

This is the second page of the article.

JO

This is the cover shot from the November 1978 issue of Powerboat Magazine.

JO

This pic. is of a 1991 28 powered with twin 454 Magnums.This picture was taken for an article in Hotboat magazine.


This boat is located now in Minnesota.

JO

Pic. # 2

Hey Jesse James,


You know your boat racers.I guess you pass your boat racing 101 now.:D

Regards, JO

This was an article that was done on me in a magazine called Drag racing today when I ran My Benihana sponsored pro stocker in NHRA and IHRA in 1987-1989.

I was 16 years old at the time


JO

This picture has my Father, Mother,Sister,and Uncle, and I at the NHRA Englishtown, N.J. Summer nationals in 1989.

The State of New Jersey did not allow me to race due to the fact that it was a state law to be 18 years of age to drive a car in New Jersey.

We did not understand this law since it was a closed race track and not a public road.:rolleyes:

JO

This picture has Rocky Aoki and Keith Card from Benihana and I at a Benihana Japanese steakhouse restaurant in Indianapolis.

JO

I will be running a new 35 Survivor in F2 class next season.

The boat will have our new twin step bottom,cutdown deck glassed in ( no rubrail ),Sparco custom race seats mounted on shock absorbed pedestals, 5 point harness,deflector bulkheads,custom roll cage, and a few innovative ideas that nobody else has thought of yet.

Boat will be all black with the green eyes on it.

We will also be offering this model for customers that are not interested in over nighting and want a trick poker run boat built for speed.

We will begin to offer the 35 Survivor as of the next few weeks in a "full pleasure" model that will include custom full and half cabins with A/C and enclosed head as optional equipment.

Regards, JO