Cobra vs. Cheetah

[Mikey_P]

Here is Wayne and Mary Ann's Cheetah from last weekend at the Reptile Roundup.

[John McMahon]

I had read that they needed to built 100 units to homologate it for racing., The actual number built was approx. 27 and the first 2 were all aluminum bodies, the rest were 'glass.

They were also in the process of designing a street version called 'The Super Cheetah'. But once the homolgation rules changes from 100 units to 1000, Chevy was not willing to back the project anymore and the Cheetah died. The Super Cheetah was lost in the shop fire. Sad.

[CobraDan]

Wayne Pontes Cheetah is #26 of 100 only continuation Cheetah's being built by Bill Thomas, and unlike the Cheetah's of the Cobra age they were all race cars only, Wayne has made his Cheetah for the street with lights and a full interior plus instead of a 327 he choose a 350 fuel injected Chevy engine.

[Tangible Toys]

Hey Mikey P.,
Thanks for posting the pic.
Hey Dan,
Great write up,see you on the 7th,we'll be driving the Cheetah down to Sun Splash, (if it's not sold )just a short 60 mile trip,one way!!

[cscobra]

So, who makes the most authentic Cheetah replica on the market today?

[KM480]

From what I have seen it would be BTM. I met Robert Auxier at Barrett Jackson in 2005 when he was still building the cars out of a shop behind his residential house. The cars looked amazing and very period correct with updated chassis materials.

At the time he told me I could buy one for $40K without an engine... I should have done it... I just visited tangiletoys.com and they are $59,500... But dropping a small block chevy in one of those would be a lot cheaper than the 482 SO I have planned for the Kirkham.

Mr. Bruce and Wayne could answer this...what does it take to make one steet legal, especially in California? That was one thing that caused me not to get one, I didn't feel like I could ever get it registered for the street.

If GM ever really followed through with some of these ideas and projects and didn't cave to the insurance companies back in '63 a lot of racing history would probably have been different.

[CobraDan]

Wayne
The show on December 7th will be one of the larger shows in our area but has never been at Cape Corals water park Sun Splash before. One week before the show I will email the Deeper South Cobra Club and you so we can all meet at Santa Barbara and Hancock Bridge less than a mile from the show so we can enter as a group.

[mr bruce]

KM 480, my cars will pass Pennsylvania state safety inspection, and I will guarantee is is tougher than California requirements, or any other state in the Union for that matter. Cars that go to Calif, go with out engines , and you must use SB100. My cars have safety glass windshields, DOT door latches, DOT lites, parking brakes, etc.

[Tangible Toys]

KM480 our Cheetah rolling chassis price has been reduced, we are having our website updated and the price has not been changed yet, if you want more information please go to our contact page and send us an e-mail. We get our Continuation Cheetahs titled thru International Title Service, I do know that there has been 1 titled out near you, not sure which state. I can look into that for you. The Cheetah Car is considered a replica, being built as it was in 1965, like the BDR's we build, there are some states we have problems with because of lack of emissions control, air bag, door impact side bars, it must titled as a replica. Here in FL., we have vintage race cars titled and taged driving on the street with lexan windows, no doors or signals.
Our cheetahs have corvette tail lights, headlights, LED turn signals, all are DOT, the door latches are the originals, and can be used because we sit in the capsule of the cage and the latch does not come in to play with safety.

[427supr]

Just like the cobra, with today's technology and superior parts, the cheetah replica's too can be made a more refined user friendly car. Powertrain, suspension and interior comfort, improvements from the 1960's could make the cheetah another nice replica alternative for us "motorheads".

[Tangible Toys]

Hey 427supr,
can we use that in our ads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LMH]

I've seen the Bill Thomas Continuation cars in person and under construction. The car is an exact or rather, better than original. There was an original sitting there and the first thing that struck me was how poor the welds were on the original car. The continuation cars are much nicer. I don't recall the price but I remember thinking "expensive"!
Larry

[427supr]

That did sound a little "catchy" The cheetah is a cool looking car. At first it looks a little goofy, but it grows on you after a while. Being a big dude I won't fit. One more cheeseburger, I won't be able to fit in my cobra. Being that the Cheetah is similar to the cobra's light weight/big hp engine. Seems like you guys are interested in Cheetah buildups, except now Chevy engines. We know the ford engines inside and out. Maybe club cobra could start a new website "Club Cheetah" or "Fast Cats"

[Trabuco Fred]

Dan there were five Cheetahs that raced in 64 & 65 but Allen Grant & Jerry Grant drove the same car. It was owned by Allen Green Chevrolet. The fifth Cheetah raced was owned by Jack Goodman and sponsored by his dealership Dixon Cadillac in Hollywood, California. The drivers of the Dixon Cheetah were Mike Jones, Jack Goodman and Ralph Picard. It ran in many CalClub races and in both the 1964 and 1965 Times GP of Riverside, Check my web site www.cheetahcars.com for more background on these cars.
Fred

[*13*]

My Dad recently told me a story of a Cheetah that was next door to his Friend's house when I was was a kid. I remember a car but I can't remember any details or it even being a Cheetah. This was just outside of Portland, OR in the Mid to Late 70's. As he tells me, the guy would not sell it. I guess someone eventually stole it from the guy when He wasn't home.

[DanEC]

I wonder if there was an earlier continuation series of Cheetahs? Or a replicar series. I saw an obviously worn one w/o a motor at the Arkansas Pettijean Antique Auto Swap Meet 4 or 5 years ago. I assumed at the time from the construction and patina that it was an original but it would be odd that with so few built and fewer surviving that they would show up so randomly. They were not asking an arm and a leg for this one either.

I saw on the Continuation Series web site that they have a 90 inch wheel base - same as a Cobra. Since a Cobra normally has a slight rear weight bias and the engine in the Cheetahs is apparently about 14 inches more to the rear - not to mention the drivers weigth - these things must be approaching a 911 in rear weight bias(?).

Dan

[CobraDan]

Elegant Motors / establish 1973 / owners: Del Amy and Dick Passwater
Manufactured: The Cobra, the Cheetah and Auburn 856 Speedsters (2 place car) and Auburn
898 Speedsters (4 place car), 820 Cord and a Duesenberg
"LaGrande"

Elegant Motors
832 N. Meridian Street, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46204
Tel: 317-634-5200

Indy Exotics / owner: Harry Broaddux former shop manager of Elegant Motors
Manufactured: "Indy Exotics bought the old Elegant Motors"

Indy Exotics
7610 Lake Road, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46217
Tel: 317-881-9067 closed
Indy Exotics reopened with son closed
1551 Churchman Ave, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46203
Tel: 317-784-1119

Classic City Motors / contact: Gene Daley
Manufactured: “Classic City Motors bought Indy Exotics”
Classic City Motors
Auburn, Indiana
Tel: 260-402-7163 / Website: www.classiccitymotors.com down assumed closed

[mdross1]

A great looking car to me.For years in this area we had an alcohol big block powered Cheetah terrorizing the drag strips.It was an absolute joy watching this thing launch.Reminded me of the wild fuel altereds.My big block Cobra will have to do, oh,the agony of it all!

[Tommy]

I had never thought about it that way until you mentioned "altereds," but an original Cheetah is sort of like a road course altered. Like the drag race altereds, on the track they were very exciting for both onlookers and drivers. Exciting is a good thing for the audience, but not necessarily for the driver.

[Buzz]

Lol! That's right - a Cheetah does look a bit like an AwfulAwful/Fuel Altered with bodywork