Cheetah (make of car)
Cheetah was an American automobile brand.
Brand history
Bill Thomas from Anaheim , California originally made racing cars. In 1963 there was an agreement with Chevrolet to supply parts for a sports and racing car with the brand name Cheetah . 100 vehicles were planned in order to meet the minimum amount required by a sports authority for sports car racing. During the construction period, the minimum quantity increased to 1000, after which Chevrolet stopped supplying parts. In 1965 the production of automobiles ended . In total, fewer than 30 vehicles were built.
Allied Industries International , CR Cheetah, and Elegant Motors manufacture or manufacture replicas .
vehicles
The only model was a sports car that was to compete against the AC Cobra . The base was a tubular frame designed by Don Edmunds. A small two-seater coupé body was mounted on top. The double doors were striking . One vehicle was an open two-seater.
A Chevrolet V8 powered the vehicles. It was installed as far behind the front axle as possible for good weight distribution. It had a displacement of 5300 cc and made 520 hp in the racing version .
One source states that the landing gear and drum brakes were inadequate for engine performance. In addition, the engine caused enormous heat development in the interior.
literature
- George Nick Georgano (Editor-in-Chief): The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile. Volume 1: A – F. Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, Chicago 2001, ISBN 1-57958-293-1 , p. 267. (English)
- Norman Gocke: Cheetah. Bill Thomas' Cobra Killer - or: an oven on wheels. In: OLDTIMER MARKET. Issue 12, 2016, ISSN 0939-9704 , pp. 12-21
Web links
- Website about Cheetah (English)
- Article in the Internet edition of Road and Track magazine, June 17, 2013 (English)