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History Cheetahs Always Win-sort of...

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by miller91, May 28, 2009.

  1. miller91
    Joined: Dec 7, 2008
    Posts: 542

    miller91
    Member

    They had promise and always wanted to win, but these very cool hand builts never reached the full development they needed. Ass over the diff, engine in your face, doors that literally blew off...what else would you want in a daily driver? The continuation Bill Thomas Cheetahs look pretty nice I must say...
     
  2. DocWatson
    Joined: Mar 24, 2006
    Posts: 10,273

    DocWatson
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Very cool cars, like a stumpy daytona Coupe. These things are very muscular, I always expect to see two very big balls hanging from the diff!
    Doc.
     
  3. Mazooma1
    Joined: Jun 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,598

    Mazooma1
    Member

  4. these woulda kicked ass on the fords if chevy had honored their promise and backed the Cheetah one of the coolest cars I have ever ridden in
     

  5. What a monster. I remember all the Cheetah slot cars at the local slot car track, Rogers hobby land or Orr's in Wichita.
     
  6. DocWatson
    Joined: Mar 24, 2006
    Posts: 10,273

    DocWatson
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Although they are a wicked car they were too ill handling to have ever been truly serious competition. Short wheel base was the issue, but hell I do love them (And that coming from a die hard Ford and Daytona Coupe fan!)
    Doc.
     
  7. racer756
    Joined: May 24, 2006
    Posts: 1,558

    racer756
    Member

    i can see one sitting nose in the air, with a straight axle, and a blown injected SBC, Flaked paint..racing strip.

    Oh man...
     
  8. James427
    Joined: Apr 27, 2008
    Posts: 1,740

    James427
    BANNED

    There used to be one sitting on the front lawn iof a run down house in Redford Micjigan. A red one. I used to just sit and stare at that car. Didn't have two nickels so it was not worth even asking about it. But it stuck with me.
     
  9. 1950ChevySuburban
    Joined: Dec 20, 2006
    Posts: 6,187

    1950ChevySuburban
    Member Emeritus
    from Tucson AZ


    Checkered Flag hobby in St.Louis, Concord Plaza downstairs.

    Those cars are rolling sex! Plain and simple
     
  10. landseaandair
    Joined: Feb 23, 2009
    Posts: 4,485

    landseaandair
    Member
    from phoenix

    Talk about power to weight. Bob, the guy in Arizona who does those originally built them out of his house in my old neighborhood. One of them had a rowdy sounding big block with 3 2's. As he passed by one day he goosed it and I could see the car speed up. I mean really speed up like F1 or Indy car style.
     
  11. landseaandair
    Joined: Feb 23, 2009
    Posts: 4,485

    landseaandair
    Member
    from phoenix

    Last edited: May 28, 2009
  12. Hellfish
    Joined: Jun 19, 2002
    Posts: 6,626

    Hellfish
    Member

    One of my favorite cars. There's one that races at Elkhart lake. LOVE that sound.

    <embed width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://i30.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid30.photobucket.com/albums/c345/Hellfish122/MVI_5113.flv">
     
  13. JokerJ
    Joined: Oct 11, 2003
    Posts: 93

    JokerJ
    Member
    from Hobergs

    I saw on at a mexican restaurant near me about 5 yrs ago. The owner wasn't around but it was cool as hell and looked to have a bbc through the hood vents!
     
  14. racer5c
    Joined: Nov 30, 2002
    Posts: 2,218

    racer5c
    Member

    Bill Thomas built them in space he rented from my dad in Anaheim CA., Don Edmunds did the bodies on them, if you don't know who Don Edmunds is so a search on here, then go to his website too
     
  15. miller91
    Joined: Dec 7, 2008
    Posts: 542

    miller91
    Member

    Don Edmunds rocks
     
  16. zzford
    Joined: May 5, 2005
    Posts: 1,823

    zzford
    Member

    As kick-ass a car that has ever been built !
     
  17. That too. :D
     
  18. vntodd
    Joined: Jan 1, 2009
    Posts: 58

    vntodd
    Member

    There used to be one that a guy here in Minnesota bracket raced years ago. Always showed up at the track in an enclosed trailer with glass sides so you could see the car in there. Really Kool!

    Todd
     
  19. Steve 38
    Joined: Jan 5, 2007
    Posts: 500

    Steve 38
    Member

    Ahhhhhhhhh, the Cheetah. What a beautiful car, and staunch too. The wheelbase was 90 inches, same as a Cobra, and they had better weight distribution, and with 520hp, had good power too. Jerry Titus tested the prototype, and gave a glowing report, which brought in a flood of orders.

    Thomas needed to build at least 100 cars in a year for it to be elligible to race against the Cobras, and GM were going to tip some money in to help. But Thomas had to turn his focus on to production, so the much needed development suffered, hense the immense cockpit heat, and chassis flex.

    Then it became apparent GM weren't going to help in the capacity hoped, then the factory burnt down. Apparently only around 20-26 cars were built, so they had to compete in the prototype class. One of those great woulda-shoulda-coulda stories.
     
  20. haulAss or GTFO
    Joined: Feb 27, 2009
    Posts: 59

    haulAss or GTFO
    Member

    i see now where tuscan got their design from, thats a cool little car
     
  21. Crazydaddyo
    Joined: Apr 6, 2008
    Posts: 3,343

    Crazydaddyo
    Member

    I concur. Don is the man.
    .
     
  22. skywolf
    Joined: Jul 1, 2006
    Posts: 1,867

    skywolf
    Member

    [​IMG]

    Instant Motion Cheetah
     
  23. landseaandair
    Joined: Feb 23, 2009
    Posts: 4,485

    landseaandair
    Member
    from phoenix

    I think the name fits the car.
     
  24. Mazooma1
    Joined: Jun 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,598

    Mazooma1
    Member

    That photo, above, was at Lions, but the first time I ever saw this car was at Fontana. Man, what a stunner, beautiful color, unreal detail work. Almost 45 years later now, but I remember it like it was yesterday,,,
     
  25. 327-365hp
    Joined: Feb 5, 2006
    Posts: 5,429

    327-365hp
    Member
    from Mass

    I've always liked those cars. Alot of the drag versions were Fiberglass Trends bodies.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  26. 327-365hp
    Joined: Feb 5, 2006
    Posts: 5,429

    327-365hp
    Member
    from Mass

    One of my favorites too, Doug. I wish I had seen it in person, it looks like a copper metalflake. I just noticed the front wheels, only 4 lugs. What kind of chassis were the FT cars running?
     
  27. 69fury
    Joined: Feb 24, 2009
    Posts: 1,452

    69fury
    Member

    with over 50%on the rear wheels and a limp chassis, they got out of hand real quick. Zora Duntov brought one in to test on GM's skidpad, and it set a record for Gforce in a turn.
     
  28. B.A.KING
    Joined: Apr 6, 2005
    Posts: 4,039

    B.A.KING
    Member

    ball-park figure on what they weighed?
     
  29. Steve 38
    Joined: Jan 5, 2007
    Posts: 500

    Steve 38
    Member

    Just over 1500 pounds
     
  30. talker
    Joined: Jan 6, 2008
    Posts: 41

    talker
    Member

    At one time there was Cheetah in Easley S.C. owned by a druggest on main street He race it in vintage sports car events in the southeast.I saw this car at road atlanta in the late 90s Talker
     

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