by Legendary American Sports Car Finds a New Owner
Many automotive enthusiasts dream of building their own car, but very few have the courage and funds to turn that dream into reality. In the 1960s, California engineer Bill Thomas was one of those who attempted to create a true Ferrari and Shelby Cobra killer. One of his rare creations was recently sold at auction.
The Beginning of the Story and Collaboration with Chevrolet
Bill Thomas gained experience building race-prepared Corvettes for General Motors in the mid-1950s before founding his own company, Bill Thomas Race Cars, in 1960. With the support of Chevrolet’s high-performance products division head, Vince Piggins, Thomas secured the supply of crucial second-generation Corvette parts to build his own race car around them.
Working in partnership with chief engineer Don Edmunds, Bill Thomas created the Cheetah.
Unique Design and Technical Features
Equipped with a power unit from the Corvette 327, the Cheetah had a front-mid-engine layout and was built on a tubular chrome-molybdenum steel frame with independent suspension from the Corvette. Its profile was unique for its time: the cabin was pushed as far back as possible, with the driver and passenger sitting almost directly over the rear axle.
Tragedy and Limited Production
Unfortunately, a fire engulfed the California workshop where Cheetah production was taking place. It is believed that only between 19 and 23 units were built. One of these rare cars was put up for auction in the US earlier this week and found a new owner for an impressive $520,000.
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The Fate of a Specific Example
According to the description, work on this particular Cheetah began in late 1965, shortly after the workshop fire. The car features lightweight fiberglass body panels, is painted red, and sits on 15-inch Torq-Thrust wheels with Firestone tires.
The car was delivered to its first owner without a powertrain but was later fitted with a 377-cubic-inch Chevrolet V8 engine with mechanical fuel injection. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission.
An unfinished dream turned into a collectible item with a six-figure price tag. That’s not the worst outcome.
Photos Bring a Trailer
The story of the Cheetah is a vivid example of how ambition and technical skill can collide with unforeseen circumstances, such as a fire, which sharply limited production. This makes every surviving specimen not only a technical rarity but also a historical artifact of an era when private engineers challenged the best European manufacturers on the racetrack. The sale for half a million dollars confirms that the collector car market highly values such unique and historically significant automotive models, even if they never became mass-produced. This sum also reflects the growing interest in American racing prototypes of the 60s, which are now viewed as full-fledged works of art.
