409 Cheetah
- Thread starter impalamike.com
- Start date
Johnnyrod,
Per the Bill Thomas Cheetah web site, 11 were completed, 8 are known to survive,
believe all were Chevy powered. Some people say 1 was Cadillac powered, but the car was sponsored by Dixon Cadillac only.
Shell Valley Company of Nebraska made a replica of the 1963 Cheetah at one time.
Dave
Per the Bill Thomas Cheetah web site, 11 were completed, 8 are known to survive,
believe all were Chevy powered. Some people say 1 was Cadillac powered, but the car was sponsored by Dixon Cadillac only.
Shell Valley Company of Nebraska made a replica of the 1963 Cheetah at one time.
Dave
Thanks RoyalOak62. Do you mean 11 were completed with 409s?
NASCAR FAN
Well Known Member
According to this web site: http://www.cheetahcars.com/index.htm
most, maybe all Cheetahs originally had a 377 cubic inch small block. It is also claimed the report of a 396 engine is not true.
Rick
most, maybe all Cheetahs originally had a 377 cubic inch small block. It is also claimed the report of a 396 engine is not true.
Rick
327 or 377?
Rick:
Is this the same aluminum 377 that went into the 1963 Grand Sports?
That would be special in the Cheetah
.
Cheers!
TomK
Rick:
Is this the same aluminum 377 that went into the 1963 Grand Sports?
That would be special in the Cheetah
.Cheers!
TomK
buzzard
Member
There was 1 in Alma Michigan, Ouned by Mike Pung, He later ouned a povtiac dealership there and it was reported G.M. forced him to quit racing becouse of the dealership, His was a Small block Chevy, He traded a 1965 corvette [396] and a bunch of cash for it.ast I herd he still had it. Buzzard
there was a cheetah in my hometown in the early 70,s.I walked by it daily on the way to school.Being a kid I didnt know much besides the name and that it looked cool.years later i talked to the owner and he said it had a 396,but maybe that was put in later. He sold the car and the trail is cold from there.
larry t
Well Known Member
The Bill Thomas Cheetahs were a turn key car, but you could buy aftermarket fiberglass bodies. I've seen a couple of Cheetah drag cars and I always figured that's what they were. So any combination is possible. However, in the mid 60's the 396/427 bigblocks were the hot setup. So if anyone was building a scratchbuilt car, they would have more than likely used the newer, more user friendly rats. I know of a couple of Impala's that had 409's pulled out and replaced with 427s in the late 60's.
Now that I've said that, it's time for someone to post a picture of a 409 powered Cheetah.
Larry T
Now that I've said that, it's time for someone to post a picture of a 409 powered Cheetah.
Larry T
I found this picture on the internet. If the Cheetah was originally released in 1963 I could see *someone* dropping in the largest Chevy motor available - the 409. By '65 its understandable that someone would move to the 396. I collect old car magazines (Hot Rod, Car Craft, etc.) and have seen articles on a Z-11 powered Chevelle and Corvette. Maybe someone dropped in a Z-11 in a Cheetah in about 1964. The lightest 'Chevy' with the most powerful Chevy.
**The new Cheetahs are 1500lbs with a 350. How about a 409? http://www.65cheetahccc.com/Site Photos/SpecPage.gif
**The second picture is a period picture. I really like it - its got a '59 Wagon and Chevy pickup in the background too!
**The new Cheetahs are 1500lbs with a 350. How about a 409? http://www.65cheetahccc.com/Site Photos/SpecPage.gif
**The second picture is a period picture. I really like it - its got a '59 Wagon and Chevy pickup in the background too!
Attachments
oil4kids
Well Known Member
http://billthomascheetah.com
if you have 100k you can get the new version
check out 409s against the wall
http://www.cheetahcars.com/btcars.htm
if you have 100k you can get the new version
check out 409s against the wall
http://www.cheetahcars.com/btcars.htm
I work with a guy in Chicago who's friend is building the Cheetahs now. Not sure of the company name. Bob
I got this email from cheetahcars.com
Mike,
Bill Thomas never built a big block Cheetah. He installed one of the first 396 big block motors and rock crusher transmissions in the Dixon Cadillac Cheetah in July 1965. The Dixon Cadillac Cheetah was delivered in 1964 as a stock 327 FI powered Cheetah. It was no faster on a road course with the 396. Fiberglass Trends kits were built with what ever the customer wanted to make. However they were either drag race or street cars.
Jeni
Mike,
Bill Thomas never built a big block Cheetah. He installed one of the first 396 big block motors and rock crusher transmissions in the Dixon Cadillac Cheetah in July 1965. The Dixon Cadillac Cheetah was delivered in 1964 as a stock 327 FI powered Cheetah. It was no faster on a road course with the 396. Fiberglass Trends kits were built with what ever the customer wanted to make. However they were either drag race or street cars.
Jeni
highlander61
Member
My oh my...those look so pissedoff, don't they? Always liked em, always wanted one, but things like housing and transportation always get in the way