Real Deal: Chevrolet Cheetah

It was the early 1960s, and Chevrolet was intent on continuing its recent ‘unofficial’ successes in racing. The 1963 Sting Ray had just been introduced with new independent rear suspension, and the Chevy small-block was strong in the horsepower department. All seemed well, until Carroll Shelby showed up at the racetrack with his little British-bodied roadster called the Cobra and proceeded to poison the competition. Chevrolet fans agonized over the inability of their machines to compete with Cobras. Then, as if adding insult to injury, in early 1963 GM announced it was no longer going to be involved in racing. All hope seemed dashed.

But designer and engineer Bill Thomas emerged with a dream. Thomas was a highly successful Corvette road racer and drag racer. He approached Chevrolet with the dream of building a Cobra killer. Funding and arrangements, though unclear, were likely presented. Thomas worked with Don Edmunds to design the Cheetah. As the car progressed, its spectacular looks and innovative design gave hope to the Bow Tie crowd.

The Cheetah received mixed reviews. The engine was set back to virtually a mid-engine location, producing squirrelly handling. The awesome power-to-weight ratios in this 327 ci modified 327 (377 ci), fuel-injection-powered, 1500-to-1700 pound race car further added to poor track manners. To give an idea of how far back the engine is set, there is no driveshaft. The universal joint on the rear differential is bolted directly to the trans output shaft. The transmission is a Muncie M21 close-ratio unit, and the rear end is an independent early Corvette type. Flimsy fiberglass body panels made it difficult to keep the car together. Because the driver was very close to the headers and exhaust, heat in the cockpit was a huge problem.

But there were also some bright spots. During the 1964 race season, the Cheetah set numerous track records around the country. By the end of that season, Cheetahs had won 11 races in C-Sport/Modified. On the dragstrip, the Cheetah also did well.

A fire in Thomas’s shop in September 1965 stopped production at the 16th car, and his dream literally went up in smoke. Eleven were completed, and eight survive. Since that time many replicas of the Cheetah have been built.

The Cheetah, though not a highly successful race car, has gained a cult following — perhaps for its incredible looks, a shape often duplicated in slot car kits as the race car of the era.

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