Vintage Grudge Match: The Cheetah returns to take on those pesky Cobras
1965 Bill Thomas Cheetah Continuation - Click above for high-res image gallery
Ford versus Chevy. To many red-blooded Americans, the battle lines are as clear as good versus evil or Rocky versus Ivan Drago. We're not taking sides here, but we will remark that its a tad bit surprising that so many remember the Shelby Cobra with such fervor without noting a few of the more interesting competitors powered by engines from the Bowtie brand... like Zora Arkus-Duntov's classic Corvette Grand Sports and the Cheetah. Right, the Cheetah.
As much as we love the aforementioned Cobra – which is to say a whole heck of a lot – allow us to go on record as saying that the Don Edmunds-designed, Bill Thomas-marketed 1964 Cheetah is one of the most beautiful shapes in the history of American automotive racing. See for yourself in the high-res photo gallery below. Unfortunately, a fire at the factory assembling the Cheetah in 1965 ended the car's production after just 23 cars were built.
All was not lost. A company called Cheetah Continuation Turnkey Collectibles in Arizona is building a series of continuation cars authorized by Bill Thomas himself. Prices start at $88,500, which nets the buyer a space frame chassis with fully independent suspension, a 350 cubic-inch Chevy V8 with dual quads mated up to a Muncie M-20 four-speed transmission and a hand-laid fiberglass body built to the same specifications as the original car. Now... to pick a color.
[Source: Bill Thomas Cheetah Continuation via Automotive Traveler]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Lucas 8:05PM (10/07/2009)
Nice proportions!
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TigerMil 9:20AM (10/08/2009)
It's roughly comparable to a caterham 7 with a small block Ford in it, or a small block chevy, whatever you want to put in a tube framed car that weighs a lot less than a Cobra.
Nice body, but it's so Pam Anderson compared to Megan Fox or the latest 18 y/o fembot churned out on the left coast.
Still, a resto-mod Cheeta with modern brakes, FI (hmm...LS-series 427 small block crate motor or Edelbrock crate motor works for me!) could work, but the price point at $85K is rather high. A repro Cobra goes for about $50K...is this really $35K better or just 'different?'
izaerian 9:50AM (10/08/2009)
The price point is due to the fact that this is an authorized "continuation" car. The original honcho approved every aspect of it. The "Cobra" kits on the hand aren't even allowed to actually be called Cobra because they are replicas of someone else car. So in the end, any continuation car will at all times be more valuable to collector's than any replica.
Charles 8:10PM (10/07/2009)
Man, I'd actually kinda forgotten about these. And that just doesn't seem right. I mean, the Cheetah is a near perfect mix of wild, almost verging on cartoony, stylistic badassery stretched over a stripped-down, bare bones racein' machine. Too freakin' cool!
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LoneWolf 8:13PM (10/07/2009)
Cool car!
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Zamafir 8:27PM (10/07/2009)
I'll take the original for a spin instead
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Rich 8:31PM (10/07/2009)
Nice. Hint of Jag about it, without it being a "Jiaag".
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Farris 9:16PM (10/07/2009)
Honestly, I'm not sure I like the Cheetah. This is the first time I've ever heard of it.
I like the idea of the car... SBC in a small fiberglass bodied car, loads of power and no weight. I think the headlights and rear end kill it for me.
I bet it sounds GREAT, though. I love the sound of small block Chevy's with high flow pipes.
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zamafir 9:52AM (10/08/2009)
A friend of mine has one (the original), there's nothing not to like about a car that weighs 1700lbs, puts out around 500 hp, and contains all weight between both axels (and no drive shaft :P). Once you've seen/heard one racing it is very difficult not to admire these truly wonderful racecars
JZeke 9:18PM (10/07/2009)
There's a reason the [gorgeous] Cheetah isn't fondly remembered. Apart from the notable racing successes of the Cobra Daytona coupe, the Cobra family had a racing history that stretched into the 70s.
The Cheetah on the other hand was a rough-riding, cramped, and demonically hot beast with a tendency to snap on the limit due to its short wheelbase and limp chassis. For a good couple decades after it stopped racing (with limited success) it was looked at as a flawed old racecar.
Nostalgia is a wonderful thing though, and hopefully modern engineering has sorted some of the Ur Cheetah's nascent ills.
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HotRodzNKustoms 12:24AM (10/08/2009)
"The Cheetah on the other hand was a rough-riding, cramped, and demonically hot beast with a tendency to snap on the limit due to its short wheelbase and limp chassis."
Could also say
The Cobra on the other hand was a rough-riding, cramped, and demonically hot beast with a tendency to snap on the limit due to its short wheelbase and limp chassis.
tim templeton 10:03PM (10/07/2009)
I remember it more as a Cox slot car than competition for the Daytona Cobra. I do however "sort of" seeing it in the sports car magazines back in the day. For some reason, I thought it was powered by Cadillac?
Also, anybody remember the TVR/Ford 260 Griffith?
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tentenths 10:52PM (10/07/2009)
Sure looks like it would be cramped in there
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andre lavoie 11:03PM (10/07/2009)
Dare I say it looks better than the Cobra.
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TimO 11:14PM (10/07/2009)
Looking back at it after 40-something years, the proportions come off a bit cartoony.
I'm sure at the time people were more receptive.
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Dr. Nick 11:14PM (10/07/2009)
Yeah, it's weird how now one remember the Cheetah and all its great victories at Le Mans, Sebring and Daytona.
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suraj.sharma14 11:19PM (10/07/2009)
not doing it for me, but then again i am a teen...
-the doors seem like an after thought
-the proportions are all off
-the rear looks like an AMC pacer was rounded out on the rear
luckily it had the chevy small block
but unfortunaly my opinion is ford/shelby won it with the daytona coupe, in the beauty, speed, and all important rememorable factor
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Charles 1:07AM (10/08/2009)
"-the doors seem like an after thought"
That's probably cause they were an afterthought; it was (is) a race car.
"-the proportions are all off"
All depends on personal perspective. For race machines of that era, the proportions are spot on.
"-the rear looks like an AMC pacer was rounded out on the rear"
Sorry man, but the last --and I do mean very last-- thing I think of when I look at that arse is "AMC Pacer".
One other thing, unrelated to your post: Man, o' man, do I dig those fat BFGs! I know that low profile is better for handling, but there is just no beating that 60's/70's fat meat look. Makes me want to rush out and buy a C3 to restore.
atc98092 8:23AM (10/08/2009)
What I thought of for the rear was the Avanti.
That engine (minus the dual quads) reminds me of my first car. 1963 Impala SS. 300 HP 327 and 4 speed Hurst shifter. Engine looked just like that. Great memories, but I know if I drove it today I'd think it a real tank. No power steering or brakes, a big boat. But the memories are great!
suraj.sharma14 8:35PM (10/09/2009)
charles i know where your coming from, and i know it was a racer at heart but at the same time so was the shelby daytona. and like i said im a teen, so for my era the proportions are all off, and the pacer is one of the only cars i could think of