Does anyone have any photos or ads of the old twin top tube Panda Elites? I am working on my Elite but not sure where the decals are suppose to be.

I'm also wanting to know how to date the frame.


Thanks!

Anybody???

Ken, do a search for "Panda build" from dewabo. he has an awesome Elite and his pics might help ?

Check these links out!

Panda Elite

Panda Elite

Thank you!

I had actually seen both of those bikes. That is what got me confused; they both have the down tube decal on different directions. I was hoping to find some photos of an un-restored bike or an original ad for one. I’ve played around online searching for photos and those 2 bikes are the only ones I have seen. I just don’t want to use NOS decals and then find out I installed them the wrong way, that would be my luck.

You have to consider the chance that the originals might have had the stickers installed both ways (red on top or blue on top), but I applaud your desire for 100% accuracy.

That is the kind of photos I'm looking for, thanks. It's kind of funny though, the complete bike has the head tube decal but the frame only doesn't??? Do you have any close ups of that?






Trying to be accurate is part of the chase for me. I figure anyone can take an old frame and through it together but it takes some effort to build a period correct bike that looks like someone just plucked it from that time period with a time machine.

I see this all the time with Mongoose decals, so many people install the top tube decal on backwards. I guess I am too picky.

Good question on the decals I would like to know myself. I went with red in front because the red was on top of the headtube decal first. Totally guessing though! lol. I never could figure it out. Not to many around. I think Bill's was NOS but the decals were never installed. Can't wait to see it when your done!

I put mine on by using the second pic there...I assumed if the colors were the same as my decals. Just guessed by the shades in a black and white photo

I think you are correct, it does look like the red is in front. The last photo shows the head tube decal is different than the seat tube decal, I would like to see a close up shot of that head tube. I have the down tube and the sticker that is on the seat post tube but that is all I have. The photo that hotrod49 posted shows a frame w/out a head tube sticker, that may be what I end up doing unless I can find the other one.

I have some Panda Pro-Am and Panda cruiser decals that I would trade if anyone has any of the ones that I need.

Thanks for posting the photos, this does help me a lot. Keep them coming if anyone has any others.


Thanks!

Here's a better Panda Elite pic...from a 1977 Panda Dealer Brochure which also has the MX-1, MX-2. MX-3, MX-3A, MX-4, R&R CM-II, R&R CM-1, R&R CR-1...

Elite Close Up

Thank you!!!

That close up shot confirmed my suspicion that I actually have a seat tube decal and not a head tube decal, it also shows me exactly where they are to be placed on the frame. Now I just need to find a head tube decal.

Where did you find this info? Do you have the brochure or down load it from a website? I spent hours online searching for info and photos and come up empty.

Thanks again,

Having been around Panda off and on from the late 70s through the end I can promise you that there was no correct decal placement. If you have an official Panda photo or a picture of a frame as it was shipped consider that correct, at least for that day.

That's an original dealer brochure I scanned for you, not online.