Cheetah (car)

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There have been a number of Cheetah marques.

1 Brian Shead Cheetah
2 Bill Thomas Cheetah
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Brian Shead Cheetah

Cheetah Racing Cars were a prolific Australian manufacturer of race cars. The cars were almost solely designed, engineered and constructed by Brian Shead in a small factory at the rear of his home in Mordialloc, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia.

The first Cheetah was built for Brian's personal use in 1960. It was a 'Cooper Copy' built to race in Formula Junior. A second Cheetah was built in 1962 and third in 1963. A completely new design was commenced in 1970, after which a friend persuaded Brian to construct an additional car. By 1973 Brian gave up his usual job to design and build race cars full time. The final car was produced in 1989, being a Mk9 for use in Formula Holden. Cars were constructed for Formula Junior, Formula Libre, Hillclimbing, Australian Formula 3 (AF3), Australian Formula 2 (AF2), Australian Formula 1 (AF1 or Formula Atlantic) and Formula Holden.

Brian is still actively involved with Cheetah race cars, supplying parts and advice to Cheetah owners.

Cheetah race cars are common sites at Australian historic race meetings, hill climbs and in AF2, where cars such as Cheetah Mk7 and Mk8 which were built in the late 70’s and early 80's are still competitive against Reynard Racing cars and Dallaras which were built in the late 90’s.

Models

Cheetah Mk 1 Formula Junior (Cooper copy)

Cheetah Mk 2 Major revision of Mk 1.

Cheetah Mk3 New chassis, body & suspension.

Cheetah Mk4H Formula libre. Hillclimb car.

Cheetah Mk4A AF3.

Cheetah Mk4B AF3.

Cheetah Mk4 AF3. First production chassis.

Cheetah Mk4E AF2

Cheetah Mk5 AF3

Cheetah Clubman AF3

Cheetah Mk6 AF2, AF3

Cheetah Mk6E

Cheetah Mk7 AF2. First monocoque chassis. First ground effects car. New bodywork and suspension.

Cheetah Mk8 AF1 and AF2. First full ground effects car. New bodywork and suspension.

Cheetah Mk9 Formula Holden. The last Cheetah made.

Championships

1979 Brian Shead Cheetah Mk6 Toyota Australian Formula 2

1984 Peter Glover Cheetah Mk7 Golf Australian Formula 2

1985 Peter Glover Cheetah Mk8 Golf Australian Formula 2

[edit] Bill Thomas Cheetah

The Cheetah was a race car first built in 1962 by Bill Thomas as a competitor to Carroll Shelby's Cobra. Unfortunately - as the car was intended to be mass produced - the car did not have the intended success with the public.