This might be a bit more modern than you're looking for, but here's a CG model Wyrmshadow did years ago.
and here's an upgraded version by our very own Wyrmshadow:
I like your idea, tankmodeler. It sounds like a fun project. In reality, obviously, the Panther was a nightmare and wouldn't be worth the trouble and expense, especially considering how narrow that turret ring is. But, with the right situation (British refusal to sell the Centurion, like they did with the Chieftain), you might have ex-French and/or ex-Czech Panthers in Israeli service. Unlike some people I've seen that want to put an RO L7 105mm in the Panther's turret, your upgrade plans seem a lot more practical. You also understand the need to ditch as much of that drivetrain as quickly as possible.
- I've added about an inch of armour over the frontal arc of the turret and hull. This increases protection, of course, but can also help with the tendency of Panther armour to shatter if overmatched.
- I think I'm going to add stiffening ribs to the road wheels as well to indicate a design change to support the increased weight.
This is the one thing that I do want to mention. Part of the problem with the Panther was that it wasn't just overweight, but it was also unbalanced. Originally designed for only a 60mm glacis, the increase to 80mm overloaded the front torsion bars, and the failure of the forwardmost one would eventually lead to a domino effect where the others would fail even sooner.
Now most Panthers in WWII didn't survive long enough for this to become an issue, but those operating in mountainous areas like Italy did encounter it. Panthers in places like the Golan Heights would contend with the same design flaw. Adding another inch of frontal armor would compound this issue even more.
Wyrmshadow also addressed this on his "Panther 3" redesign.
Another bit of inspiration might be with the recent Panther replicas being built on Soviet tank chassis. That might be another option.
Cheers,
Logan