Rare Ride: 1963 Bill Thomas Cheetah
If you’ve never heard of this car, don’t worry: Neither had we. It’s currently up for sale through this craigslist posting near St. Louis, Missouri. If you’re intrigued, read on to find out more! Special thanks go to Ikey H for spotting this one!
Bill Thomas was a self-taught engineer, born in 1921 and raised in California. In 1956, he started working at C.S. Mead Motors, souping up Corvettes, and formed his own company in 1960.General Motors came knocking soon afterwards, asking for his help with performance work on the new Corvair and the Chevy II. By 1963, as GM was winding down its factory support of racing, they secretly contacted Thomas again, and provided him some C2 Corvette running gear, from which to create a “Cobra Killer” and, by limiting the production, sneak the support in under the radar of GM’s bigwigs. At this point, the Cheetah was born. The first two were aluminum bodies, the rest were Fiberglass, and very few people know for certain how many were completed, but we found estimates between 19 and 23 total units completed. Engines and transmissions were right out of the Corvette assembly line, chassis were made from specially bent and welded cro-moly , and the drivetrain was so short that the transmission yoke attaches directly to the differential yoke. Unfortunately, a Cheetah never got to challenge a Cobra. Today, only a handful of original examples exist, however there is a shop that does restorations, and another one which will build you a new Cheetah Evolution, to your specification
We turn out attention to this car and, while the listing is sorely lacking in details, we can use the pictures to get an idea of what’s up. We see a big-block car in amazingly nice condition, and it apparently has traveled only 14 miles. The pictures seem a bit small also, so even those of us with good eyesight have a tough time evaluating the car.
For what it’s worth: I personally enjoy the cars like this; limited-run, sometimes bespoke, has a look and feel all its own. I’d want to check this one out in person before purchasing, and be sure of the provenance, but that’s just me
+
That’s what I think, what do you think? Let us know in the comments
Auctions Ending Soon
2002 Subaru Impreza WRXBid Now1 days$333
1975 Chevrolet Corvette ConvertibleBid Now1 days$4,000
1964 Ford F-100 Camper CustomBid Now1 days$2,000
2006 Jeep Wrangler SportBid Now3 days$11,000
1974 Datsun 260ZBid Now5 days$750
Comments
Closest I ever got to a Cheetah, was a 1/32 slot car,,,man, we had a lot of fun with those things. I always thought the Cheetah was much cooler than a Corvette. Again, price is relative, I know that, but a ’63 Cheetah is UNobtainable, an IH Scout, not so much.
I was just going to comment that I had one of these growing up…as a slot car. Mine was part of a Strombecker set; 1/32 nd scale also.
MY Cheetah (shared with my 2 brothers) was an H.O. scale Aurora! One of us still has it!
I had two Cheetahs but they were the HO scale. For years, we (as kids) debated whether there really was a real Cheetah. The Cheetah is a true legend in Automotive History.
To have never heard of the Cheetah, you’d have to not been born before maybe 1970.
This was Thomas’s Chevrolet answer to Shelby’s Ford Cobra.
They were FAST! And with that big block for power, how could it not be?
BUT: Apparently they were also scary to drive, with unpredictable handling. Eventually, structural engineers found that in an effort to maintain “lightness”, Thomas had not done enough to make sure that the chassis structure was sufficiently rigid. Kind of a Flexible Flyer issue.
I don’t know how many survive, but there must be a couple doing the vintage racing circuit? This would be a hoot for sure. Expect to change undies after every ride, at least if the secondaries are opened up for long on the carburetor.
There are some weird things, though….
I see two different hoods in the photos. I don’t know how anyone would want to be staring at that monstrous lump in front of the windshield. You could put Hilborn trumpets in there!
Second, the title says “Replica” Now, is that in reference to the car, or the title? I mean, the title also says “Original” at the top. Hmmm…..
Yeah you’re right the hood and the headlights are different. 1st pic must be some stock image and not the actual car.
The seller should try to be honest and show the car he is selling. It obviously has a humungous hood bulge to cover up the carb. No way would I want that in the way of my field of vision, and to my mind should eliminate it from being able to obtain street credentials. And yes, it is obviously a replica. What else is bad if he can’t even get those 2 facts right?
When I was in my early teens, late sixties early seventies, there was one floating around northeast Philly absolutely the most radical thing on the street. But definitely a function over form car interior was for driver no speedo just tach and essential gauges body cool but just didn’t have finish of vetts or other super cars of era they were more go then show.
Okay, I’m sifting through my sometimes-faulty memory here, but I do remember the Cheetah from new, devoured the published material about it (mostly in Sports Car Graphic magazine), actually saw one in a race when new, and later had a colleague who drove one in at least one vintage race.
To the best of my recollection, Thomas did not built any Cheetahs with anything other than a 327 cu. in. small block (might have been one 377 ci small-block; not sure). The two I saw in ’63 had factory fuel injection, “doghouse” and all, as I think the one my friend vintage-raced did. I would bet all the “production” Cheetahs had f.i.
They were pretty crude in appearance, at least below the skin. Lots of bare metal in the interior, a flat panel for the (few) gauges, no inner door panels, no gas struts on the doors. No ignition lock on the steering column.
As DayDreamBeliever suggests, the handling was attention-getting, at least for the driver. A Cheetah might make a great “drift” car, but I was told it wasn’t easy to catch a drift once it started. Not for the faint of heart. In a straight line, very, very quick.
All in all, I’d put my money on this being a replica. I’d have to see it in person, and see some strong documentation, to change that view.
I’ve often thought it would be great fun to have a replica Cheetah, but not for the kind of money being asked. Might be even more fun to replicate Bill Thomas’s Chevy II….
If you go back to the early ’60s Sports Car Club of America road racing history you will find several of these had been raced along with the Scarabs and Corvettes. Roger Penske and many other now famous drivers got their starts during this initial road race era.
Here’s an interesting story about one of them: https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2018/03/20/after-more-than-50-years-215-mph-cheetahs-owner-ready-to-sell
Apparently I am missing something here. The car in the article in Hemings sold for $625k so that would indicate that the Craigslist car is a replica?
Great link! Had a Cheetah slot car, believe it was made by Auroura. Just like to ride in one just once!
RayT, that’s got to be the greatest picture of a race car I’ve ever seen on your hemmings link. Great story too!
I can’t add much more to the great and accurate comments thus far, I do remember reading that besides the handling issues the interiors got so hot that the driver couldn’t see for the sweat running off their heads, I’m sure southern California contributed much to that. I’d bet my best minivan that this is a replica, (original title of a replica car).
Was it Ettore Bugatti who said “I build my cars to go fast, not to be cool and comfortable inside”?
I think it is a safe bet this might be a replica made by a company called elegant motors out of Indianapolis, Indiana.
Yeah, this is not an original. There’s waaaaay too much later technology. No originals came with a BBC, which didn’t exist when they were made, and a real Cheetah would have an asking price in 427 Cobra territory. The 14 miles is because this is a kit that was probably recently completed.
As an owner of one of the 11 original Bill Thomas Cheetahs produced in the 1960s I can assure you this car is a replica. The price alone is a great indication of that as a real one would have an extra digit- and it’s likely be the third one ;)
As expected, Colin is spot on correct
Very nice replica, not an original
Originals never had side windshield posts
I believe Allied fiberglass made replica bodies back in the day of the Cheetah. It doesn’t look like a tube frame- I’m thinking replica.
Also originals had tube frames
Never heard of a Cheetah-What happens when you have young people writing about old cars.
Thank you Garfish , now I understand the problem here.The editors of this know at Volkswagen Dashers and Toyota pickup s ,but have never heard of a Cheetah…..My apologies to the staff for all the negative comments I have made in the past
RayT,
Thanks for the link to the Cheetah story. I always thought these were over the top stunning machines! I’d love to see one of these beasts in action. Sadly, the closest I ever got to one was as a slot car, my favorite slot car.
Without a doubt, this is not an original Cheetah.
Does anyone else get the feeling that this is a scam ad? The way it’s written, especially the following:
“Engine: 427-4 BARREL Fuel Type: Gasoline
Drive Type: RWD For Sale By: Private Seller
Disability Equipped: No Exterior Color: Red
Drive Side: Left-hand drive Number of Cylinders: 8”
Plus, the VIN on the title shown in the ad, doesn’t match the VIN that seller listed in the ad?
Every kid who grew up in the 60’s, and played with slot cars, knew what a Cheetah was. Cox made a very nice 1/24 scale one, and Aurora sold millions of them to race on their Thunderjet HO scale slot tracks. I think Cox actually was a sponsor of Bill Thomas’ real red Cheetah race car, just like they did with Jim Hall’s Chaparral’s.
Face it, we’re just old… ;-)
I’m betting that people who don’t know what a Cheetah is won’t know what the Cox company sold, either.
Did you know, Cox racing fuel had nitromethane in it? No wonder those little motors screamed,,,
The infamous .049!
Driving this on the street could be an issue not having wipers, bumpers, & i dont see any – front turn signals.
Wonder if those gullwings leak as bad as those on a Bricklin.
Corvette tailights?
Would this be faster than a 427 Cobra? Should have been in ” the Gunball Rally” movie, tho mighty low ground clearance in the back for NYC streets!
Gumball.
Well,- even though it’s a replica, I bet it would be a lot of fun to try and drive-!!!
But with a big-block, it would be hard to keep from spinning out all the time.-
The ORIGINAL Cheetah’s were truly amazing cars!- I can remember them because I’m an old guy!
I had to check the definition of, “bespoke”, and now I know, maybe.
Oh I’ve known about Cheetahs since they were first made. I was only 11 when they arrived but I already subscribed to Hot Rod Magazine. I was a born car guy. And I vividly remember receiving the issue that detailed the new Cheetah. To see that tilt front end open with the new-for-’63 style Corvette Fuel Injection was almost too much for me. I also was at that age where the male hormones were beginning to kick in and the combination created a moment I never will forget!
I had the chance to drive one at Pueblo Motorsports Park about 20+years ago. First lap it scared the crap out of me. Second lap I was gettin the hang of it… deft input on the wheel and throttle. You kinda twitched the wheel and then throttle steer through about half the turns. Braking?…direct but real gentle. You gotta keep weight transfer to a minimum to keep the butt on the ground for traction. Third lap I was “feeln” it. Fourth lap, it scared the crap out me. I was feeln it too much. My “kahunas” weren’t big enough for a fifth lap…
I’m probably not the only guy here to be very envious of you, JagManBill, to have had the opportunity to pilot one of these ground-level fighter jets! Like many of the others here too the closest I came to owning one was in HO scale, and oddly enough mine had the same problem spinning out easily after replacing the original motor with one built using a rewound armature..It had’ve been the design of the car-couldn’t’ even been driver error using too much “throttle” LOL.
But seeing and hearing one on the Corkscrew at Laguna Seca is an unforgettable experience in of itself….
I saw an original at MCACN last year and got a free poster. It was blue and for sale but 6 figures. It’s my dream car but o didn’t even know that replicas are available. I’ll have to check into it
Steering column ignition and lock on a ‘63….I don’t think so….replica, but nicely done.
Stacy David built one of these on his TV show, Gearz……
Hard to believe any gearhead don’t know about these……
Butch
When I was in my early teens, late sixties early seventies, there was one floating around northeast Philly absolutely the most radical thing on the street. But definitely a function over form car interior was for driver no speedo just tach and essential gauges body cool but just didn’t have finish of vetts or other super cars of era they were more go then show.
Clearly a replica, if you go to the Craigslist post there is a photo of the title, clearly stamped REPLICA
Oh Yaaaa
GET IN
SIT DOWN
SHUT UP
AND LISTEN
THINK I PEED,,,,,LOL
Nice iconic car but if it were the real deal it would be purchased already and be in someone’s private collection next to there cobra!! With the very few numbers known to exist I would suspect that groups looking for this would know exactly where ever one is!!
Obviously this is a replica, which is fine, but 65k is not going to get you the real deal, have a little common sense here. Also if you have never heard of a Cheetah, either you are showing your age, or I am showing my age.
My customer has one, been sitting in his garage for 35 years at least. He keeps telling me he will get it back together but he is always working on other projects. If I had one, it would be my top priority!
I was impressed with the Cheetah when it came out. I remember seeing pictures of one in either Hot Rod or Car Craft. I seem to remember that production ended when the factory including all the bucks burnt down.
I believe your thinking of the BoCar (Bob Carns) in Lakewood Colorado. That how he shut down
add my name to the list of folks surprised that you never heard of a cheetah.
The barnfinds writers are usually pretty knowledgeable so I’m surprised he never heard of a Cheetah.
The car is definitely a recreation. look at the pictures with the hood up. you can see the body is on a street car chassis, probably Corvette. it would then have a wheel base longer than the real cars 90″. it could have been shortened but I doubt it the way the headers come through in front of the foot box. the originals came over the foot box. the suspension is also street car stampings not tubular. I think the picture with the tall hood bulge was at pebble beach about 10 years ago. I think this is a buyer beware
Replica of 1963 Bill Thomas Cheetah
Ran the Vin Number says its a replica
Why use Craigslist to sell something like this? Replica or no…much much bigger GLOBAL audience using eBay or Kijiji. Maybe the seller doesn’t want to answer questions from out-of-towners? Nice way to severely cut into your pool of interested buyers. I had the Strombecker 1/24 scale Cheetah and ran the wheels off it. Still have my Aurora T-jet 1/64th scale Cheetah with those really skinny tires.
Always liked these despite the cartoony proportion issues. Bad overbite, headlights are too tiny, fender lines too exaggerated and that scoop!
I got to thinkin about this – theres an 8″ difference between the Cheetah at 90″ and a C 2 or 3 Vette at 98″. Wonder what they did with that?….
Ah the Cheetah, every kid with a Strombecker slot car set knew what this car was, but only a hand full ever got to see one in person. This was my dream car, or one of them. I would love to buy one of these but my dreams have become more refined and practical. For the money I’m going for the mid rear mounted Corvette with all of the trimmings. I was once about to buy a 68 corvette fixer upper and the owner said just go buy a good lightly used newer Corvette. It hS more power, better handling, reliability, and it won’t become a garage trophy.