Gallery: Bill Thomas Cheetah

A masterpiece of fiberglass and tube from a bygone era, take a look at this unique American exotic.

Advanced racing suspension, four forward moving gears, an ultra-lightweight body and 383 cubic inches of American thunder – the Cheetah was an early 1960s creation by Bill Thomas in partnership with Chevrolet, aimed squarely at knocking the Cobra out of the park.

The car was great, however fate would see it fall short of becoming a success. No real fault of the Cheetah or the persons responsible for creating it, but between workshop fires, bans on racing and the concerns of Chevrolet management as to the impact the incredibly fast machine might have on Corvette sales – the stars never quite aligned.

Today the stillborn Cheetah is being given a second chance by a man by the name of Robert Auxier, who now owns and operates BTM – Bill Thomas Motors. He’s bringing these stillborn ‘should have been’ fever machines into the 21st century.

They’re a hoot to drive out on the track, with all the mass in the right places. One look under the front clip, and the secret behind this machines 40/60 weight distribution is revealed.

The interior is a work of vintage racing art, we particularly love the way that the roll cage disappears from the cabin rather than being welded to the floor plan – the beauty of a tube frame chassis.

For more information on the BTM Cheetah, check out Bill Thomas Motors.

All images thanks to Speedhunters.

See the full gallery here: