If there is one overarching principle that should govern the building of a replica car, it has to be the time honored, "Make a plan and stick to it." Lance Nelson, of Nelson Custom Paint, is sticking to the plan! Progress continues on the Shell Valley Companies 1963 Cheetah Replica. The Hahn Racecraft Turbocharged 2.2 liter four-cylinder Ecotech motor and five-speed Tremec transmission patiently await the completion of the Thom Taylor designed "Ecocat." Mock-up is nearing completion. Ecocat will be heading for disassembly, bodywork, and paint. Nelson's Custom Paint treatment includes perfecting the body and applying a trick two-stage paint job of a color yet to be determined. However, it's fair to say the hue selected will not be traditional.
When owner Ed Zinke set out to build the Ecocat as a higher technology Cheetah roadster that would appeal to a broad range of enthusiasts, he wisely called on Thom Taylor for a visual. The unorthodox and up-to-date turbocharged powertrain gave strong suggestion that the exterior modifications should be strikingly modern, while not abandoning the Cheetah's classic silhouette. The Thom Taylor rendering [a little weird can we change this word?] has proven to be the guiding light to achieving the roadster's stated goals. Lance continually references Taylor's vision of the Ecocat when forging ahead with the numerous body alterations. In doing so, the car has maintained a consistent theme of high-performance technology in a stunning and timeless envelope.
Studying the rendering, one realizes that Taylor has completely changed the smile of the Cheetah to a more open-mouthed, aggressive design. His tilt hood features a subtle power bulge look that runs most of the length of the engine covering. The rocker panels are extended from stock featuring a more ground-hugging look. The passenger side extended rocker panel will eventually house the super trick Stainless Works single side exit exhaust.
Taylor suggested a change in the windshield style and rake, which will make a huge difference. Lance has already whacked the stock windshield posts in anticipation of a more slanted design that will tie-in to the built-in headrest look. There are many options for the actual windshield, including a frameless design, a thin stainless frame design, and even a radical wraparound cockpit.
Having finished the mock-up of both the Hahn turbocharger plumbing and the Stainless Works side exhaust, they began focusing on the exterior, specifically on the tilt front end. It was now time for the Ecocat to receive a nose job.
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 The front end supports will...  The front end supports will be strengthened to accommodate the interior hood release and gas struts for assisting lifting the tilt forward hood. |
 After brainstorming ideas...  After brainstorming ideas for providing additional support for the tilt front end, Lance decided to add two mounting points per side to the supplied Shell Valley supports. Templates were fashioned out of cardboard. |
 1/16-inch flat stock steel...  1/16-inch flat stock steel was cut and smoothed, and welded to the existing braces. Lance utilized fiberglass to steel Fusor to attach the new braces to the nose itself. |
 The added bracing tightened...  The added bracing tightened up the nose, giving stability as it is opened and closed. The upward assist of the gas struts is now much more effective. |
 Existing tabs that once mounted...  Existing tabs that once mounted the locking braces were moved to a different location to mount the gas charged struts. |
 The mounting location for...  The mounting location for the struts required various test fits. Lance finally settled on a mounting location that gives a good balance of lift assist and smooth geometry. |
 The custom installation of...  The custom installation of struts and extra bracing looks great and works even better. |