Vehicle Description
As the Shelby Cobra became a dominant force in SCCA and FIA sports
car racing in the 1960s, a handful of competitors attempted to
dethrone Carroll Shelby's mighty Ford-powered roadsters and Daytona
Coupes. A few dedicated souls at General Motors tried in vain to
get a full factory-supported effort using the Corvette as a basis,
spawning the track-pack Z06 and the factory lightweight Grand Sport
in 1963. But General Motors' corporate ban on motorsports squashed
these attempts, and the promising Grand Sport was dead after just
five cars. While the corporate ban kept any official programs from
getting off the ground, there were plenty within GM who made sure a
steady supply of experimental performance parts flowed out the back
door into the hands of independent car builders and race shops. One
such car builder was Bill Thomas of Southern California. He had a
close relationship with the engineers at GM's performance division
and found particular success with Chevrolet. He began his career
preparing Corvettes for racing in the mid-1950s, eventually opening
Bill Thomas Race Cars in 1960. GM approached Thomas to develop
performance parts for the new Corvair, and he also prepared the big
409 Biscayne for drag racing, among other projects. In 1963, Thomas
was approached by Vince Piggins, the head of Chevy's Performance
Group, to design and build a "Cobra Killer" for road racing, based
around the small-block Chevy V8. The top brass at GM was strict in
their enforcement of the racing ban, so Piggins could only provide
parts and guidance to Thomas, who handled the bulk of the design
and construction of the new sports car, which he called the
Cheetah. Chevrolet supplied engines, gearboxes, and suspension to
Bill Thomas, who, in essence, built a car around them. A classic
old-school car builder, Thomas built what looked right and didn't
rely much on models and theories. He had a strong understanding of
what made a proper race car and wasn't afraid to push boundaries.
For the Cheetah, Thomas employed a front-mid engine layout, and a
chrome-moly tubular chassis, with independent suspension borrowed
from the Corvette. To achieve ideal weight distribution, he pushed
the V8 so far back in the frame that the "driveshaft" consisted of
little more than a flanged U-joint coupling. According to legend,
the Cheetah's body design was hastily sketched out on a cocktail
napkin, yet it is one of the sexiest, most indelible racecars to
come out of the early 1960s. The first two bodies were built in
aluminum, while the "production" cars used fiberglass. Aerodynamic
issues and a flexible chassis didn't do the handling many favors,
and the extreme rearward seating disconcerted some drivers. But
once teams figured out how to overcome the quirks, the Cheetah
proved to be explosively fast, and a few went on to successful
racing careers. Unfortunately, only ten complete cars and a few
chassis left Bill Thomas' shop before a fire destroyed his
operation and put an end to the project. With all the development
and production struggles, the Cheetah could have headed for
obscurity, yet it endures as an icon of American sports car racing,
enjoying near-mythical status among a loyal and passionate fanbase.
Chassis number 007 is one of three Cheetahs originally purchased by
Alan Green Chevrolet in Burien, Washington. Alan Green ran a
successful Chevrolet performance dealership and was well-known for
his support of road racing and drag racing in the Northwest and
beyond. The three cars he ordered from Bill Thomas are 005, 006,
and 007, and the first two were immediately put to work as road
racers, while the third - this car - was given to Alan's wife and
used for promotional purposes, shows, and eventually drag racing.
It was ordered in their signature shade of metallic green
(naturally!) over a green interior and fitted with magnesium
Torq-Thrust wheels and whitewall tires to give the illusion of a
civilized street car. But this was no tamed cat, as it came
equipped from new with a factory-built Chevrolet experimental 377
cubic-inch small-block V8 topped with twin carbs. A series of
period photographs show Bill Thomas and racing driver Allen Grant
posing with 007 in front of Bill Thomas Race Cars. Allen Grant is
best known for his championship-winning career driving Cobras, but
he did briefly venture across enemy lines in 1964, piloting another
Alan Green Cheetah in a handful of West Coast races and chalking up
a couple of wins in the process. In the photos, the Washington
State dealer plate taped to the rear glass suggests Grant drove the
Cheetah home from SoCal to Washington! Once it arrived in Burien,
Cheetah 007 was adorned with the Alan Green Chevrolet logo on the
hood and put to work as a show and promotional car for the
dealership. It appeared at auto shows across the Northwest and soon
with Alan and his wife "Bookie" Green in drag racing events.
Additional period shots show Bookie behind the wheel, launching the
Cheetah down the drag strip. It was later developed into a
full-fledged drag car by Larry Webb and Bob Redwing of Alan Green
Racing, who added fuel injection to give the Cheetah an alleged 500
horsepower. In 1967, Green sold the car to John Harvey, who titled
it for the first time - and it remains titled as a 1967 model
today. He continued racing it until 1970 when a crash at Mission
Raceway Park in British Columbia put an end to the car's
competition career. Chassis 007 then went into storage and would
not emerge again until the late 1990s when it transferred ownership
to Alan Book of Seattle, Washington. Mr. Book sold the car to its
3rd owner, a Mr. Barnes, in 2014, who then commissioned a complete
specialist restoration to return the car to exacting original
specification. The restorers were able to track down Mr. Harvey,
who still had possession of 007's original experimental 377
cubic-inch Chevrolet engine, and they were able to reunite it with
the chassis. Following the extensive restoration, chassis #007
presents in stunning condition, appearing as-delivered to Alan
Green Chevrolet. The Cheetah is a tiny car, but it has enormous
presence, particularly in this car's brilliant metallic green
livery with Torq-Thrust wheels and period-correct Firestone Deluxe
Champion whitewall tires. The paint and body are finished to
concours quality standards, with excellent detailing down to the
evocative hand-paintedAlan Green Chevroletlettering and recreated
Washington State dealer plates. The minimalist cockpit features
correct green trim, restored original instrumentation, and just
enough room for an overnight bag. Under the clamshell hood sits the
original Bill Thomas engine, returned to 1964 specs with the
dual-quad intake. It is fastidiously detailed, with beautiful paint
finishes and a correct Harrison radiator with a modern electric fan
for peace of mind. Despite minuscule production numbers and short
racing career, the Cheetah made a massive impact on countless fans
of American motor racing, and it continues to do so today thanks to
dedicated enthusiasts. With fewer than a dozen verified original
examples in the United States, the opportunity to acquire a genuine
Bill Thomas Cheetah is rare, indeed. This car's unique history both
on and off the track makes it one of the most fascinating and
intriguing examples ever to become available, and its superb
restoration makes it an ideal candidate for concours events the
world over. Offers welcome and trades considered For additional
details please view this listing directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/6599-1964-cheetah/
