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I knew about the Cheetah but had not heard of the neo - reproduction the Cheetah Evolution until I saw it on Gears. Anyone built one of these? http://cheetahevolution.com/
This month's Vintage Motorsport magazine has a really comprehensive article on the Cheetah by BS Levy. They are really diabolical - but cool. No one has ever been able to get a Cheetah to handle. Not even the Cro-Sal team.
A friend of mine had one one and he thought the car was on fire the first time the drove it. The headers run over the tops of your legs.
There have been several attempts at continuations. None have really worked out and they caused a lot of really nasty comments on the various forums.
This month's Vintage Motorsport magazine has a really comprehensive article on the Cheetah by BS Levy. They are really diabolical - but cool. No one has ever been able to get a Cheetah to handle. Not even the Cro-Sal team.
A friend of mine had one one and he thought the car was on fire the first time the drove it. The headers run over the tops of your legs.
There have been several attempts at continuations. None have really worked out and they caused a lot of really nasty comments on the various forums.
Hi Richard.
I'm sure you know there were three (3) of them at the 2015 SVRA Indy Invitational. They are very twitchy handling cars due in part to their extremely short wheelbase. (Note how Porsches and Corvettes have gotten longer wheelbases over the years to aid handling). Some VERY famous names (Dick Guldstrand) have refused to drive them in anger over the years.
A longer wheelbase helps handling? That must be why Sting Rays could never catch C1s on a road course.
I would think maybe the engine/trans unit was moved back so far in the chassis the poor Cheetahs acquired VW Beetle handling? I mean, they have NO driveshaftr, just a U-joint between the trans output and the differential.
But what a fine straight-line street racer they make!
Generally, most of the time, it seems everyone wants to criticize the Cheetahs. But yet NO ONE, I mean NO ONE, seems to take into consideration the time frame and the technology when these cars were developed and built, NOT TO MENTION the R&D efforts and expertise of Bill Thomas back in the day. Sure, it's WAAAAAAAAAAAAY out dated technology, but overall, they are extremely awesome cars. I'd park one beside the 56, or the Chevelle or the T-bucket.
And speaking of that, the T-bucket is one of the squirreliest and scariest cars I ever owned and driven------------------and I love it!!!!!!
And you have decently wide tires on the front. So many powerful T-buckets seem to run bike width tires there, where you need contact patch for braking even such a light car.
Then there are the ones with NO front brakes. Guess you can do that if it's rfgistered as a '20s car in some states?
This month's Vintage Motorsport magazine has a really comprehensive article on the Cheetah by BS Levy. They are really diabolical - but cool. No one has ever been able to get a Cheetah to handle. Not even the Cro-Sal team.
A friend of mine had one one and he thought the car was on fire the first time the drove it. The headers run over the tops of your legs.
There have been several attempts at continuations. None have really worked out and they caused a lot of really nasty comments on the various forums.
I appreciate your comments and info. If you get a chance to see the episode of "gears" where the host talks about the cheetah, the red car is on the show. However he goes on to discuss the new retro version which has a redesigned frame and interior panels....it looks cool and I'm interested to see if they finish the build on that show....
My buddy Bob Auxier runs BTM in Phoenix which is building the authentic continuation cars. Bob is an interesting guy and used to do a lot of Corvettes, but now he is exclusively building Cheetahs. He had the silver L88 Cheetah at Barrett Jackson this year that was a no sale at $850k I believe. He is probably the most knowledgeable guy on the planet when it comes to the history of Cheetahs and Bill Thomas. Bob is always looking for 63-64 drum brake Corvette parts since that is what the original Cheetahs used.
I can't imagine how they drive, I am not sure I could even get in the drivers seat, and I am positive I couldn't get back out. It is a tiny little door and you sit right next to the Corvette center section with a halfshaft behind you and the transmission on your hip. Crazy little cars, but very cool.
I did not know there was more than one company making these cars and find it unusual due to what I would think would be a very small market. I knew that Bob Auxier http://www.billthomascheetah.com/
Had obtained the rights to produce the car or formed a partnership with Bill Thomas some time back.
I met Bob years ago(before the Internet) when I had some J-56 brake parts for sale in Hemmings. I lived in the Phoenix valley area and after talking to him on the phone I decided to deliver the brake parts to him. He had an original Cheetah body hanging on the wall of his garage that of course begged for a conversation.
Fast forward about 30 years I ran into him at Barrett-Jackson as he has a sales display there.
No discussion of powerful cars that were nearly impossible to drive would be complete without reference to the '65 TVR Griffith with the 289 Ford engine. Short wheelbase coupled with an unbelievably hot interior made it perhaps the most unforgiving and uncomfortable car that I have ever driven. I'd love to have a chance to drive one again today.
No discussion of powerful cars that were nearly impossible to drive would be complete without reference to the '65 TVR Griffith with the 289 Ford engine. Short wheelbase coupled with an unbelievably hot interior made it perhaps the most unforgiving and uncomfortable car that I have ever driven. I'd love to have a chance to drive one again today.
Most people don't even know what one is. I owned one back in the mid/late 70s. They were wicked, light, fast cars. They made them in two different models, regular 4 barrel and the hipo 289 which mine was.
I used to autocross regularly against TVR Griffith and also Sunbeam Tiger. Both were brutally powerful and fast! Both had also been upgraded to 302 power. Had the pleasure of driving the Tiger a couple of times but I just couldn't fit into the TVR. Neat and rare cars both.
They were cool. Faster than a Cobra but the Cobras got them in the corners for the win.
They weighed like 1450 lbs, tubular frame, fiberglass body, with tilt front end, Koni 4 shock rear suspension and guaranteed to do 160 mph from the factory. I will have to get the few pictures of my old one I have scanned into my computer.
I did not know there was more than one company making these cars and find it unusual due to what I would think would be a very small market. I knew that Bob Auxier ... Had obtained the rights to produce the car or formed a partnership with Bill Thomas some time back.
From what I've read, Mr. Auxier's partnership with Bill Thomas and exclusive rights ended with the death of Mr. Thomas a few years ago. There are a few other parties who build cars or bodies and frames similar to the original Cheetah that don't cost as much as those offered by Mr. Auxier. But it is a small market and all the cars being built now are replicas to one degree or another.
07-11-2015, 08:52 AM
Cheetah Evolution
