There's passion surrounding the Cheetah. Often passed over like a sidelined star quarterback, the Cheetah is an incredibly ignored candidate for high-performance driving. Built in the early '60s by engineer Bill Thomas and Indy Car builder Don Edmunds to compete with the seemingly unbeatable Shelby Cobras, the lightweight car, sporting a Corvette drivetrain, was hoped to give the Bow Tie boys something to cheer about.
The innovative semi-space frame (as Thomas called it), cutting-edge suspension, radical engine set back, and its direct connection from transmission to differential (no driveshaft) demonstrate the passion the General had to build a race car like no other. And who doesn't remember as children finding two of them in their slot-car racing sets on Christmas morning?
Though it never toppled the Shelby Cobra from its road-racing dominance, the Cheetah had a respectable measure of racing success. During the 1964 racing season, the Cheetah won 11 races in C Sport/ Modified and set track records around the country. However, on-track wrecks and complaints of erratic handling discouraged widespread acceptance of the car as a serious contender. Whether the result of slot car Cheetah memories, or the unforgettable presence of the car at the racetrack, it's fair to say that the Cheetah has amassed a significant cult following.
The March 1964 review in Hot Rod magazine announced, "A new member of the fast, `good-handling' group is the Cheetah, a beautiful car built by Bill Thomas Race Cars in Anaheim, CA. In addition to having the potential of an excellent performer, the Cheetah is a handsome animal. If its performance were only ordinary, it would still have enormous appeal to anyone who likes wild cars."
We concur, and now it's time for this cat to pounce. Shell Valley Companies (www.shellvalley.com) has recently produced a replicar Cheetah that is the basis of our creation, the ECOCAT. Shell Valley is offering enthusiasts a Cheetah that is capable of vindicating its mixed-bag racing heritage. Passion dictates the call to fill this street car/road racer with a world-class drivetrain, suspension, and brakes, but demands a contemporary styling tune-up to match a modernized chassis.
The tuner-car segment has already noticed the advent of Chevrolet's state-of-the-art Ecotech motor. It is a serious player in sport compact competition with a very bright future. As the Cheetah was built to compete alongside Shelby's dominant Cobras, the Ecotech was built to put Hondas on the trailer. What better motor to power this Cheetah?
The original 16 Cheetah cars built in 1963 through 1965 were all coupes. Some owners chose to cut off the roof and make their cats open-air models. The well-equipped Shell Valley cars are roadsters, with a roll bar and upright windshield faithful to the original look of the Cheetah. The ECOCAT envisioned by Thom Taylor (see illustration below) calls for a ground-hugging look that is fresh and contemporary. The windshield needs to be laid back and lowered, side rocker panel extensions are to be added, and the rear restyled to incorporate built-in headrests and sloping rear section.
If anyone is capable of handling the ECOCAT build-up, it's Tracy Tichenor, owner of T & R Body shop in Hammond, Indiana (219/845-8022). When not working long hours at his shop, Tracy can be seen cruising local shows with this "old school" Model A or with one of his wild, jaw-dropping customs. Very few people have the capability to see a car for what it can be become, and Tracy is a man of vision, so follow along as he starts to bring the Thom Taylor drawing to life.
 Here's what the Cheetah looked...  Here's what the Cheetah looked like before Tracy started working on laying back the windshield. |
 The area to be cut is marked...  The area to be cut is marked off with tape, leaving enough of a base to provide a strong foundation once the posts are repositioned. |
 The windshield post is laid...  The windshield post is laid back to the desired angle, with extra care taken to follow the line at the base of the windshield. After experimenting with different angles, Tracy settles on one that is faithful to the Thom Taylor rendering. The post and mating area are ground smooth and trimmed for its new location. |
 Wearing rubber gloves to avoid...  Wearing rubber gloves to avoid contact with materials, the fiberglass resin is poured onto the fiberglass matting, and the matting is then placed around the windshield post. It is crucial to maintain a consistent line from the body to the new windshield angle. |
 The angle from the passenger...  The angle from the passenger side is measured and duplicated on the driver's side. The fiberglass work is then repeated to mate the driver's post to the body at its new angle. |
 The supplied windshield is...  The supplied windshield is still workable. The base is modified to allow the glass to rest securely in the windshield channel. |
 With both windshield posts...  With both windshield posts modified and the stock windshield in place, the car takes on an entirely new look. In comparing before and after pictures, it's apparent the stock `60s vintage windshield angle isn't very aerodynamic. |
 The Cheetah originally had...  The Cheetah originally had the rocker panel area below the doors cut away in order to make room for sidepipes. Sidepipes will not be used on the ECOCAT, so the area needs to be filled. By examining the Taylor drawing, Tracy is able to find side skirts that come very close to the desired look. |
 Since the side skirt is too...  Since the side skirt is too long for the Cheetah, it is held in place, and a line is marked that continues the front door gap line. |
 The back part of the skirt...  The back part of the skirt is clamped in place. The edges and mating surfaces are DA'd with a 24-grit 3M disc to insure optimum bonding. |
 Fiberglass matting is soaked...  Fiberglass matting is soaked in resin and applied to the side skirts. After drying, the front section of the shortened skirt is also attached with fiberglass. |
 The process is repeated on...  The process is repeated on the passenger side and is soon ready to receive finish work with Duraglass and filler. |
 USC Duraglass is first applied...  USC Duraglass is first applied to the seams in order to add strength and smooth out the newly attached pieces. |
 Tracy knocks down the Duraglass...  Tracy knocks down the Duraglass with a 3M 40-grit disc. |
 USC Kromate Light body filler...  USC Kromate Light body filler is then applied over the Duraglass. |
 Tracy again hits the area...  Tracy again hits the area with the 40-grit 3M sandpaper. The board sander is then fitted with 80-grit paper to prep for primer. |
 With the air pressure set...  With the air pressure set at 29 lbs., the bulletproof Sata gun applies the Dupont Uro 2K primer sealer to the reworked areas. |
 The finished product not only...  The finished product not only looks like it came on the car, it brings the ECOCAT lower to the ground with a contemporary, up-to-date look. In the next month's installment, we'll look at modifying the headrests. Tune in then! |