Own and Race a 1965 Bill Thomas Cheetah
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- Опубликовано: 21 фев 2019
- Casey Putsch describes owning, restoring, and racing a 1965 Bill Thomas Cheetah with Weber carburetors and Rochester Fuel Injection.
Instagram caseyputsch... 
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Being a retired welder/fabricator of 20+yrs, as soon as you said "leather driving shoes" , I knew what was coming. ;)
GoofyLeo3 yes sir!
@@CaseyPutsch where did you get that car. I worked with a guy who had one,
In Zanesville, according to him in 1995
I was the 4th person who he told about this car. It was something he bought when he started driving. And actually it was the first car he ever bought.
Yes I got the see it and touch the car.
Good details in a lively presentation.
I never drove a Cheetah, but got smashed by one. Westwood track, Vancouver, 1969. I had a new Alfa Giulia Super, that with 10:1 pistons and Konis went rather well. It was advertised as the family sedan that won races and it did. Novice Racing Classes run through the Summer and one key rule was no passing in the turns. The Super was fast enough to need all of the track to get through the "Esses" and thinking he could accelerate through the Cheetah driver hit the right side of my car and then rear-ended the MGB race car in front. The whole plastic front body shell went up and folded down onto the roof. I thought "Wow-three-car crash", as I went off track-left into some rough landscape. Didn't roll but the left rear wheel was bent and the tire was losing air. Who would ever think that some 54 years later there would be a forum upon which to post the story.
Casey
Thanks for the "Like". At the time, I thought it amazing that a "Novice" would start in a Cheetah. And I still do. Also, one guy was novicing in a Porsche 904.
I'm in Vancouver and went to Westwood plenty of times with my dad. When I was 18, I started building a 510...and then they closed it. I'd love to see photos, Bob?
I almost got hit by one in an alley on Balboa Island! I was a kid going to go get candy and this guy was on it. What an idiot! It was frightening but kind of cool.
One of the most underated channels it needs to be side by side with the vinwiki
Someday hopefully!
My father and brother took me to my first race in 1966. It was the Times Grand Prix at Riverside. It was won by Hap Sharp in the Chaparral. But what I remember most was the two Cheetahs. One came through the the curves before turn six and went end over end right in front of me. The driver was Jerry Enton. He was not injured, but it was quite a scene. The other Cheetah was drive by Rolf Picard. Funny the things you remember. The Cheetah was a real crowd pleaser.
That would have been the 1965 Times GP at Riverside.
Thanks for another great story Casey 👍🏻 it looks like a Dune Buggy mixed with a Corvette very cool car
Another awesome and entertaining set of stories Casey. Thank you for not waiting around for VinWiki to do another episode with you, I'd rather come watch them straight from the source!!
Your content absolutely rocks, Casey! Been watching a video pretty well daily since subbing. Thank you!
AWESOME STORY!!! Thanks for posting this! Sure wish ya could've had some footage of racing it, to go with this video.
Thanks for the memories! Saw a couple of Cheetahs running in A/P with the Cobras, etc., at Riverside back in the day. One of therm had been fitted with a monster Cadillac V8 and, iirc dually rear wheels in an attempt to cure the instant spin out when they dropped the clutch.
Awsom video! Thanks for effort and pics,
I got a 392 Hemi w toploader in mine, and wont ever sell it! amazingly I bought it from a race shop in Michigan in the 80s
Love the Cheetah!! I dream of putting together one of the kits.
Love these stories!
Great video, love to see it!
I had a Cheetah slot car as a kid. That was a very cool car.
Very cool, brother. A little history and a lot of fun. Love and respect from the Lone Star State.
🤘🏽
I had a cheetah slot car, coolest thing on the track
We still race them. ruclips.net/video/_L8XEkZ7gAQ/видео.html
A beautiful slotcar ! From an era when slots were beautiful scale models of real race cars.
It's the first magnesium COX 1/35 scale slot car that I owned, still have it.
Alright Casey! You just gotcha a new sub. I should have checked you out sooner. Cars, Motorcycles, Go-carts, Bikes? Oh my! Looks like I'm gonna binge me some Casey here soon. Great channel, Far-out.
Greg der Gehämmerte Thanks!!
That is legit one of the most beautiful cars I've ever seen. I love it, and I want one. With a modern engine and suspension.
This car is for dancing with death. If you want a modern suspension you don't really want one.
That's the definition of a "screaming metal death trap" hahaha! Surrounded by headers, engine, transmission and a diff... Good grief! What a beauty though! Poor lambo owners you "probably annoyed...it's not probably, I totally did that on purpose." #winningatlife
batmayn Hahahaha!
One other HUGE issue was that Ford lobbied the SCCA to re-define the homologation numbers from 100, to 1,000. This made it impossible for enough Chetahs to ever be made to qualify in A-Production. Instead it was forced to race in Sports Racing, against the likes of the first McLaren Elvas, Lola T-70s, early Chapparals and other true mid engine/transaxle cars that just out engineered it. Another tidbit... at the time Bill Thomas got started on the Cheetah, he owned a Lotus 23... and admired its front suspension.. so he basically copied it on the first Cheetahs.
Thanks! Cool story. Lots o fun .. .
Firstly, I agree with the previous poster, your vids should be up there with Vinwicki or Jay Leno's.
Fortunately I've been lucky enough to see, closely inspect 3 Cheetah's. One was a drag car conversion, one at the old Palm Springs Historic and the other is here in San Diego county, runs vintage events, at the very last North Island Naval base event. What impressed me is the engine is setback so far in the chassis, leaning forward slightly, the driver could if desired adjust dist. timing!! Personally, I've never cared for the GM dist. at the rear of the engine. Just try to set timing/dwell on a Monte Carlo or pickup. Silly thing is 'bout 1/2 a county away. Ford/Mopar did it right, dist. in the front, right where God intended it to be. :-)
Fuel reversion...the 'haze' of air/fuel during off throttle above the intake. Elimination of is so important, even Smokey Yunick addressed it in one of his HP books. First saw this long ago during the A/FX class drag cars out at National Trail Raceway. Also, got my 1st really big hit of nitro (cough, cough) Lesson learned!!
As a former resident of Columbus, I wonder if you knew Eric Jones, the Brit car master mech near campus?? He was sorta' the 'Rally Master' at OSU sports car club, introduced me to rally but put on some crazy casual rallies around Cols.
Living in Dublin, I think a hard run north up Olentangy River Rd. would've been appropriate. I recall several miles north of Cols. is twisty enough to be fun or...the roads in the Hocking Hills south of Logan would be a blast. Used to go crazy down there, that's where I learned how hard to push my old MGB and Kawi triple near the limit
you are a good storyteller.
Always loved the look of these cars. I'm wondering if header wrap and that thermal insulation around both the inside and outside of the foot box would help cool things down.
I've had a picture of a Cheetah as one of my computers wallpaper for years but never knew what it was.
Then, just a couple of days ago YT suggested a video of a guy driving a cheetah in a vintage car race. Now, two days later you post another. Went from unknown cool looking car to now my favourite insanity car, pushing the Shelby Cobra out of the top spot.
They made for a cool drag car. Used to be one that raced at my uncles track in the seventies.
I like your BD-5 in the background.
Nice one Bud!
How about a video with a list of the cars you have owned? I have owned around 50 or so cars, but not as many fun cars as you.
Like a lot of Guys back in the Day I wanted a Cheetah, or a Pantera but couldn't afford one at 20! So at the time I bought My first Corvette a 1970! Probably a Better choice as my every day driver! Loved that Car! As time went on I had many different Cars and a few more Corvettes! Then years later I bought my second most wanted Car, a 1973 Pantera, and I still have it! From time to time I think if I could find a Cheetah or even one of the Continuation Cars I might like to Trade the Pantera! LOL Probably not the best idea I ever had since I don't deal with the Heat Like I use to, and the Pantera has Air Cond.! Love the Site!
A Cheetah at Mid-Ohio. I would have loved to have been there.
Just watched this for the first time after a Goodwood video about them popped up. So how do I put this... The insanity of this car is terrifyingly brilliant!
Same here! Watching the Goodwood video led me here as well, lol.
Old post, but whatever.... 2 minutes and 36 seconds into a video about a car that I really like, and I've had my fill of the snarky presentation from Mr I'm Better Than The People I'm Shitting On.....
Hey Casey I've been enjoying your channel a ton and I'm glad you are pursuing it so heavily. I have a pretty broad question but I autocross and "spiritedly" drive my 2008 Mx5 but I don't know anything about the technicalities of a car is there any way you recommend getting into the mechanics of a car so basic stuff like tire grips and good maintenance for a hard driven car, how an engine works, transmissions because I worry about lowering mines lifetime, basically like a resource you used or are aware of besides just googling it on the internet? I know it's a pretty broad question but any tips are appreciated for becoming more informed on cars in general.
bobby tux not a bad idea! Send me an email.
I think the NC Miatas have soft suspensions with a lot of travel. I put a Flying Miata Stage III suspension package on my NA. It's lower and really tight now. Also went to bigger wheels with high-performance tires.
As of 2017, these were being produced again.
I have been intrigued by this little wildcat since I bought an Aurora model car of the Cheetah back in the mid 60's. Even as a 12 year old during the 60's I understood that the physics of a car like this would be wild. :)
Nice story. I loved/love the Cheetah. To me, it was like a 1965-1967 Corvette on steroids and caffeine, all torque and snarl, sideways when it should have been straight, something that would scare the snot out of the young kids at the drive-in. I liked the Cobra, too, especially the 427 cu. in. version, but the Cheetah was, well, in a league of its own.😊
If one of your videos is good, two are better, right? Right!! If one of your projects is good, two are better, right? Right!! A Brilliant idea this RUclips channel. A wonderful creation, Your Genius Garage.
"Bring me my bow of burning gold, Bring me my arrows of desire, Bring me my spear O clouds, unfold! Bring me my chariot of fire"
~William Blake~
All the best to you 🎥🚗
Have subscribed to your adventure and the Bell is checked, awaiting your "Gentleman, Start Your Engines" notifications.
Edit: Beautiful car.
Thank you for your lovely comments! Means a lot!
It sounds like you knew the limits of the car. And,, drive and enjoyed them. Sounds like a great day, to bad you did not have wrap on the hose headers.
LOVE THE SUBJECT. lOVE THE VIDEO. But I thought it was kind of funny you state there is NO driveshaft (There isn't). Then you say you hope you have a drive shaft safety loop in case it breaks . so it wont fly around! LOL. Remember...NO driveshaft. ;) The car is a BEAST and almost a UNICORN! Would love to drive one someday! Cheers!
He was referring to the axleshafts used on the Corvette rear end that the Cheetahs used . If you broke the left hand axle shaft you would probably never have problems with hemorrhoids.
Such a cool car
the story behind the roadster cheetah (cro-sal) was the driver (who i can't remember) was complaining about how hot it was inside the car. after some time in the race he was scheduled for a pit stop. he claimed the last thing he remembered was entering the pit lane and blacked out. after the crew woke him up, he said he would not go back out in it until they cut the top off.
You made a funnycar for road racing.
My friend was in a garage today with that car . Wow
Coolest race car eva!
Cool story. That blows away my story of owning a 1966 Shelby GT-350 with a 289 engine that was built beyond what was raced in SCCA B Production racing, an all fiberglass front end, four-point roll bar. I have a tricked out NA Miata now which really is the best all-around car I've ever owned.
I live in the western North Carolina foothills. The Mita is super reliable, practical and a fun daily driver that I can put as many miles on as I want with no downside or expense and loads of fun on the twisty, hilly back roads.
Chassis set up is usually a compromise and then talent determines the rest of the story.
There is some video of nostalgia dragsters on RUclips that shows fuel pulsing at the venturi's. I think maybe a couple of inline 6 dragsters.
Like the COX slot car reference. Although my only real slot car back in 1966 was the Revell Cobra I built. Although Revell were good enough for Ken Miles to race on film.
COX were in a much higher price bracket then in Australia.
"Casey, great story about the Cheetah! I follow your antics will delight on VinWiki. The Cheetah's interior reminds me of those sweatbox torture chamber folks used for losing weight way back when. The Cheetah had potential if they could have dealt with the headers and possibly a convertible version but that's why they call it history, right?"
This is the 3rd straight day of You Tube being out of sync on all their videos. WTF RUclips?
The last Cheetah I heard of, sold at auction for 625,000 American dollars. I'm sure they're worth more now. I have a trick slot car track and the Cheetah is still available as a digital slot car. Coolest car on track.
Bill originally designed the car with front and rear suspension and steering designed after a Lotus Chevy had in the shop. Originally had front and rear drum brakes!😬
I Don't Believe There Would Be A Better Owner Than A An F-4 Fighter Pilot😎
How many years was this car produced for?
I have known the #64 since it arrived in Ohio. The owner was my coach when I started racing in 1990 at M-O.
The most iconic cobra isnt the open top but the Dayton 65 that won the most races and are completely different cars.
There are the factory five 65 Dayton component kits and track only version with huge wings to plant the thing to ground.
I love gm engines trans over ford, but in comparing the factory five 65 Daytona to the BTM cheetah , the Daytona wins in build cost, road and track.
Casey do you prefer having adventures in "newer" cars or "older" ones?
Mohammad Moh Waqas Ill give you a hint. If it has traction control and paddle shifters it’s not an adventure. :)
@@CaseyPutsch Sooo the Omega won't have paddle shifters, but an actual manual setup?
Mohammad Moh Waqas paddle shifters are expensive and the systems complex. Expensive and more to screw the environment, so no.
tell us about the pterodactyl on the ceiling.
@0:55 this is completely false! Carroll Shelby wanted the car to have a 289ci not the 427 they only put the 427 in there because Chevrolet put the 427 in the vets also Pontiac was coming out with the banshee around this time and Chevrolet cand that car so I'm guessing they took the banshee design and made the cheetah
Shelby used a 260 in the new creation that's before the 289 came out. Chevy came out with the 427 years after the Cheetah.
The Cobra Daytona coupes that won the international championship of makes (only US car to ever do that) ran the 289.
Cheetahs predated the banshee .
A Story for those that thought their Cobra was Hot , Cramped and Unwieldy . Monstrous little Car . Jesus . H . Christ .
What ? OH ! You actually think Jesus , of Nazareth , was a REAL Person .
🤣😂🙃
theres a cheetah for sale near me,is it worth 45k?
Some header wrap would help the temps out
Must be nice
How many cheetah did they make Chevy
“First timer” !!
Gotta say ?? You l👀k like Ted Nugent’s little clean shaven BROTHER !! Antics n all !!! I know him well !!
GREAT STORY !!
Here in TeXaS!!
GOD BLESS
:)
When they first came out, they were awesome and still are but me, like countless others, I don't have the funding for such great fun. Maybe when I when the lotto or something. Speed cost lots of $.
More Miatas have been sold than any other sports car in history. Also, they are the most raced sports car in history. There is a reason for this. They are great cars. You can pick up a solid used one for about $4K,. Spend about another $2K on it and you've got a great budget sports car that can beat crotch rockets through tight corners.
Love the small block Chevy engine
Transmission specs not disclosed
RX8 & Cobra Slayer
Please let me know background car under 69 black color car. What is that car ?
7:37 American micro car still double the size of this Lotus lol 😂
7:35
love you assessment of the cobra. shelby did nothing...other than put a big motor in an existing car
Exactly !
Didn't this thing rock drum brakes originally?
Sure did .
They are building them again at Cheetah Nation works.
Not sure if you care. But I have a cheetah thats like 45% done with a big block 427. Was my dads. Not even sure where to start..... :(
The term is called reversion.
👍
👍👍✌️
🍵
Look after the last one built
No other Engine option available
Congratulations on the video !!
I knew a little about the history of the Cheetah, but in this video you comment on really interesting things, such as the obvious rivalry between the Cheetah and the Cobra (I personally prefer the Cheetah).
Concerning similar automobiles, I leave you a video about the Ford Huayra (yes gentlemen, from whom the name Pagani Hayra, from the Argentine Horacio Pagani), which was built for the category ¨Turismo Carretera¨ of Argentina, and then ran so much on this as in Argentine Sport Prototypes, from 1968.
This car had a Ford Y-Block 292 engine reduced to 4,000cc, with 4 WEBER IDF carburettors, developing approximately 310 hp, and a maximum speed of between 300 and 320 km / h (depending on the aerodynamic setting).
Greetings to all from Argentina, and again an excellent video!
ruclips.net/video/8Qx3nvCEC0M/видео.html
A 240 cubic inch Y block. Ironically i believe that the first OHV Ford V8's were 239. The same size as the outgoing flathead. Then they grew to 272 then 292 and then finally 312. I believe Mercury was still stroking their engines to provide justification for the higher price tag and really just to help put emphasis on how much more you got by going "upmarket."
@@gregorytimmons4777 Indeed, it is that in Argentina only the 292-cubic-inch Ford Y-Block was manufactured, and the regulation of Turismo Carretera (Road Tourism) of those years allowed only the use of power plants of national origin and of large production, with a displacement 4,000cc, 4Lts or 239 cubic inches maximum.
The engine options available for Ford cars in thats terms, at the time, was the 3.0L Ford inline 6 from the Ford Falcons, which was far from being able to be brought up to 4Lts and its cylinder heads were not adequate, the venerable Ford Flathead. 59AB of slightly more than 3Lts, but they were already exceeded, and well, the "Logic" option was the Y-Block of 4.7Lts (292), reducing its displacement. In fact, these engines used aluminum cylinder heads made here in Argentina, which gave them quite a bit of power.
At least the focus is on the cars. Pardon the pun but I coundn`t help it.
Think 1999 Charger Concept but 2.5 door hatchback Venom
geek alert! it's charlie's brother!
When it comes to cars: Cobra > GT350 > Cheetah. Sure there are some European cars that would top these, but these 3 are just mythical creatures. Ugh, where did the days go when people actually still took pride in making cars.
Top speed Expected 210 MPH
Correction cheeth evolution making these cars
Base model top speed 180 MPH
I’m really sorry that a 427 Cobra is just too much for you to handle.
No manuel option (TOO RISKY) Code Black
Are there any Cheetah Kits??? I would love to own one but I would love it to be an automatic transmission instead of a manual transmission.
Putting an auto in a car like that is a sin.
This would better if the guy with white hat and jacket wasn’t in it.
Carroll burned it down.
Think Trans AM
Young man, you need a lesson in modesty and adulthood.
Cool story, Bro... This reminds me of the time before Trump, way back when I actually liked and respected America and Americans.
Dude. STFU. You don't even know what you're talking about. #1 what does Trump have to do with cars? And just so you know Trump is and has brought America back and brought back oil and gas to the USA. If it was Hillary you wouldn't and couldn't even drive a gas powered vehicle anymore you dumb ass. She was and said she was going to put oil and gas out of business. So WTF are you talking about clown. Trump is making America literally GREAT AGAIN. like the old days you are talking about. Breaking stock market records over and over and in 3 years many millions of new high paying jobs created that Obama said would never come back. Get your head out of your ass. And stop listening and watching and believing the main stream lying media. Trumps economy literally the best in over 50 years you fool. So once again don't forget to remove head out of your ass.
Joe Blow I agree 100% the fucking liberal doesn’t know shit
An ugly response to the beautiful Cobra.
I like it better. This is a race car. Cobra was a hot Rod.
The story wasn't that Chevy guys were tired of Ford winning all the time, it was the fact that congress had threatened GM with spinning off Chevrolet because it was basically a monopoly. In the mid sixties, half of the cars sold were Chevrolet. Fearing Chevrolet would be forced to become it's own company, GM pulled factory racing support and any race efforts were by privateers. Even with the Corvette, Chevy was more than the equal of any of Ford's race cars with the L88. Once the L88 was installed in the Cheetah, there was practically no competition in the world. So, the same government who lets Microsoft remain a monopoly, since it shares all our personal data with the fbi, forced Chevrolet to stay out of racing, since the more races they won, the more cars they sold, andnif they sold even more cars, they would be spun off. Funny how morons claim GM took all this bailout money, when they have no idea the effects of government intervention that plagues GM to this day. Practically like fighting with your arms tied behind your back. Your government at work...preventing anti-trust and monopolies whenever it doesn't serve them directly.
In the early sixties Pontiacs dominated NASCAR. This was back when they really were "stock" cars.
In the early sixties Pontiacs dominated NASCAR. This was back when they really were "stock" cars.
@@gordonipock9385 Yep. Pontiac was unstoppable with the 421SD and other engines which outflowed the competition. Until the advent of the Big Block Chevy. Fortunately for Richard Petty, GM limited participation in factory backed equipment, and he enjoyed a robust factory backed program which backdoored hemi parts to him while Chevy guys campaigned privately with very little factory backing. By 1967, the L88 was more than the equal of any street or race hemi, and was infinitely less expensive, complicated and heavy. The shear clandestine factory support of the hemi guaranteed its success simply by attrition. And made about 160 of Petty's wins not so much about skill, as the last 1/2" of gas pedal on the last lap of a race.