1964 Chevrolet Cheetah, Cro-Sal Special

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We are pleased to offer the Cro Sal Special Cheetah, a weapons-grade one-off-one Cheetah roadster with a well documented race history, including eight race wins in 1964 and eleven wins in total, backed up with unparalleled period documentation. Initially conceived as a direct competitor to the Shelby Cobra, the Cheetah was designed and developed by Bill Thomas and Don Edmunds. Though only a two-year venture, from mid-1963 to late 1965, their small shop in Anaheim CA, managed to build these potent race cars into legendary competitors. Needless to say a great deal of the success behind the Cheetah was in the fuel-injected Chevrolet small block, situated far back into the mid-section of the car, creating a near perfect 50/50 weight balance. The astonishing power to weight ratio and fantastic cornering capability, thanks to lots of rubber on the ground, made the Cheetah agile and scathingly fast. All Cheetahs started life as coupes, fitted with a menacing body design featuring its lurid fenders, high-arched rear haunch roof line, and dramatic gullwing doors that left onlookers gaping in awe at the sight of a Cheetah, on or off the racetrack. Only the Cro Sal special (named for mechanic Gene Crowe and original owner/driver Ralph Salyer) became and raced topless in period!

Thomas and Edmunds were no strangers to racing and served as a low-key, de-facto, skunk works for Chevrolet’s modest Corvette Road Racing program and the short-lived Corvair Performance program. When Bill Thomas saw an opportunity to build an all-new race winner, it was natural that the high-revving Corvette 327 V8 engine and durable Muncie close-ratio 4-speed transmission would power the Cheetah. But nearly as quickly as the first cars were built, homologation rules changed and GM pulled the plug, leaving the team stranded with no backing. Despite losing funding and a tragic fire on 09 Sept., 1965 at the shop where Cheetahs were built, the company briefly soldiered on, even allowing for fiberglass body shells to be independently built by Fiberglass Trends, offering it in kit form from late 1965 well into the 1980s. During construction of the original Cheetahs, Thomas and Edmunds had done a masterful job building the chassis, utilizing upper and lower tubular A-arms, rear trailing arm suspension, coil over shocks and, as it was 1963 and GM had not yet developed a production disc brake, 1963 Corvette Z06 drum brakes were originally fitted at all four corners. The total package, including the handmade fiberglass body, weighed in at just over 1,500 lbs. This, combined with race-tuning, a “hot” cam, a 3/4 inch stroker crank giving 377 cubic inches and a Bill Thomas modified dual air meter Rochester Fuel Injection made for 470 hp in period, with Goodyear Blue Streak Sports Car Special racing tires mounted on 9 x 15 front and 10 x 15 rear American Racing Magnesium wheels putting the power to the ground, making the Cheetah a formidable competitor at any track.

Even though the Cheetah was quick, it couldn’t outpace the speed of racing technology and the shift to mid-engine production. Eventually Thomas and Edmunds moved on to other ventures. Of the ten first generation factory-built Cheetahs, assembled as complete cars, historians generally agree that the first two originally had alloy bodies while the third Cheetah built, and the first to be fiberglass bodied from the start, was sold to Ralph Salyer of Hammond, Indiana initially using race # 25, in very early 1964 and was turned into a roadster mid-season. As one of the first cars built the Cro Sal Special was one of two Cheetahs (# 3 and # 4) entered on 16 February 1964, on race # 25, in the Daytona Continental race at the Daytona Speedway, where the Cro Sal Special Cheetah was clocked at a stunning 200 + mph on the banking, which literally blew the doors off the car, forcing Ralph Salyer, the fearless driver, to duct tape the doors in place for all future races. The next major race was the June Sprints at Elkhart Lake’s Road America in 1964 where the Cro Sal Special, then using race # 26, won it’s 40 lap race for C Modified cars and was clocked at 183 mph on the back straight! Some had doubts about the top speed so Salyer came back for the June Sprints in 1965 and clocked an almost identical top speed, again winning the race! A combination of overwhelming cockpit heat and the fear of being trapped inside a burning car with the doors duct taped shut brought out the sawzall, and so on 02 August 1964 the Cro Sol Special first appeared topless at the Wisconsin GP at Lynndale Farms, finishing first. Later that year on 15 Nov., the Cro Sal Special ran at the American Road Race of Champions at Riverside, using race # 32, finishing 3rd and clocking an astounding 198 mph on Riversides long back straight, all documented by race reports in magazines of that time period!

Ford versus Chevrolet

As anyone who has watched the Ford Versus Ferrari movie know, Henry Ford II wanted to win at every level, funding the Ford Cosworth V8 for the F1 series and supplying engines, transmissions and ever more generous funding to Holman-Moody for NASCAR and Carroll Shelby for the US USRRC race series. Cobra production began in 1962 at Dean Moons shop in Santa Fe Springs, only twenty miles from the Bill Thomas operation in Anaheim. By April of 1963 Shelby had built the needed 100 cars for production homolgation and was capable of building another 15 cars a week. With 289 cubic inches putting out up to 330 hp in race trim and weighing in at 2,300 lbs the Cobra absolutely dominated the US USRRC race series, sponsored by the SCCA. Frederic Donner, then the CEO of General Motors, did not share Henry Ford’s enthusiasm for racing and had instead put a corporate ban on racing involvement! With only ten cars built in period, and no hope of reaching the needed 100 cars for homologation, the Cheetahs were forced to race as a C Modified and were soon outclassed by mid-engined cars.

Massive Documentation

We love documentation and the Cro Sal Special comes with not one, not two, not three but four large photo albums filled with period magazines, very rare period race programs and specific articles plus a fifth large book which documents the very early history of Bill Thomas and the Cheetahs. For those who have stayed up late at night wondering just how many Cheetahs were really built, the overwhelming documentation that comes with the Cro Sal Special confirms only ten cars were built before the tragic fire of 09 Sept., 1965. Cheetah # 1 was built for Chevrolet with an alloy body by California Metal Shaping and was later rebodied, using frame # 11 as the 427 powered Super Cheetah. Cheetah # 2 was also initially alloy bodied and was sold to Friendly Chevrolet for Jerry Entin and was later used in the Elvis Movie “Spinout” and The Love Bug, plus a television show called Run for your life. Cheetah # 3 was the first car delivered in fiberglass as the Cro Sal Special. Cheetah # 4 was sold new to Bud Clusserath and was entered at the Daytona Continental race at the Daytona Speedway on 16 February 1964 with the Cro Sal Special. Cheetahs # 5, # 6 and # 7 were all sold to Allan Green Chevrolet. Cheetah # 8 was sold to Tom Fredckin but had minimal race history, Cheetah # 9 was sold to Jack Goodman and raced in the 1968 A/SR Championship by James Phillips. Last but not least was Cheetah # 10, sold to Don Greib and drag raced. As already mentioned frame # 11 was used for Cheetah # 1 when the 427 was fitted. Frames # 12, # 13 and # 14 were not completed in period and frame # 15 was used to repair a car wrecked at Riverside in 1964.

Each of the Cheetah books that are included with the Cro Sal Special # 1 through # 4 are more-or-less in chronological order with the first book having the original introduction and mid-1963 track tests at Riverside as reported in the November, 1963 issue of Sports Car Graphic. That track test was written by noted racer Jerry Titus who was also the main test driver, an SCCA National Champion and the technical editor of Sports Car Graphic Magazine. Over the years this Cheetah, and the other nine period built cars have been featured in many automotive magazines including Competition Press, Road & Track, Hemmings, Victory Lane, Motor Sports, Sports Car Digest, Hot Rod, Vintage MotorSport and many more. By the late 1960s the Cro Sal Special was an obsolete race car and was sold to the third owner, noted IMSA racer Dick Barbour, who had bought the car at auction in Auburn, Indiana in the mid-eighties and then on to the fourth owner Chuck Brahms on 09 March, 1990. In very early 1992 the Cro Sal Special was purchased by this author, former IMSA and SCCA racer Mike Sheehan who raced and won with the Cro Sal special at Willow Springs. In July 1992 the Cro Sal Special was sold to Al Bahoric who owned her from 1992 until his death late last year. Cheetah books # 3 and # 4 have all of Al Bahoric’s races in which the Cheetah usual finished 1st in class. If you are in the hunt for an ultra-well documented, big horsepower, easy to own and maintain race winner that is accepted by any sanctioning body, for any vintage race series, this is it.

Current Condition

Today the Cro Sal Special  presents as an excellent example of one of the most dynamic and exciting independent American built sports cars of the 1960s. Beautifully finished and prepared with period correct dark blue livery, the paint is glossy throughout, and the body panels display fit and finish to a high “vintage racer” level. Details are expertly fabricated, and where appropriate, have been updated with systems or components that enhance safe high-performance operation. Multiple alloy air ducts direct outside air to the radiator, front and rear brakes and the driver’s feet. Stunning body design and exterior detail features include the expansive hood with unique air venting, legendary flared fenders, tall rear haunches, and dramatically cut of rear body. The scrutineering decals on the roll bar reveal a sampling of the many vintage racing events this car has run. The competition stance is perfectly positioned on period correct American Racing magnesium wheels wearing Good Year Blue Streak racing tires, tucked under the smooth contoured wheel arches. Huge side exit exhaust and twin stack F1 engine intake topping the hood line complete the amazing profile of a true racing legend. Low, sinister, evil even, all dark blue paint and chrome roll bar with big Torque Thrust American Mags, this Cheetah and her kin were built to win!

The interior is all business with period correct Stewart Warner instrumentation to monitor water temp, oil temp, oil pressure, MPH and RPMs. A pair of matching contoured bucket seats, driver’s side headrest with Simpson competition seat belts, and built-in roll bar complete the sparse cockpit. The exposed Muncie M21 4-speed gear selector, a shifter specifically made by Hurst for the Cheetah, a black rimmed steering wheel, and wide entry sills remind anyone viewing the Cheetah just how innovative this rare and daring package was when first developed.

Under the hood, details for the engine are prepared with historic reverence and modern safety elements to bring out as much performance as possible from the Corvette 327 V8 engine. Having been rebuilt to 377 cu. in. and topped with a rare and highly desirable Dual Meter Rochester Fuel Injection unit, the engine puts out approximately 470 hp at 6900 rpm. Aluminum valve covers, tube headers exiting to twin side exhaust, with the engine’s dry sump oil tank on the right of the cockpit with two fuel cells, one on the left of the cockpit and the second fuel cell in the tail. The beautifully finished components, twin Rochester air intakes, and properly finished suspension, brakes, and engine fittings combine vintage authenticity with contemporary racing confidence. The underside of the car is remarkably clean and consistent, exemplifying the high level of care given to this car over Al Bahoric’s 33 years of current ownership. The chassis is in excellent visual condition including flat alloy panels fitted to the car in period to stiffen structural rigidity. The adjustable front and rear coil over shock absorbers, sophisticated rear suspension geometry, Corvette C2 differential and attention to detail all contribute to the high-quality presentation of this Cheetah. As stated and shown in the many photos, this Cheetah is accompanied by five large binders of period and recent history and documentation.

What’s it like to drive

Getting in is easy, you simply step over the door that isn’t a door then slide down into the seat, which fits my 5’9″ and 165 lb frame like a glove, although Al Bahoric, the previous owner, was 6′ tall it obviously fit him well. Once in the seat click on the kill switch, switch on the fuel pumps and ignition, push the button to primer the fuel injection and then push the start button. The Cheetah doesn’t so much start as explode into raucous, thundering life. Anyone racing it must wear ear plugs. The clutch is amazingly light, the Hurst shifter is easy to use and there’s a unique reverse lockout to prevent an “oops”. The steering is heavy at low speed but is just right once at speed. The Good Year Blue Streak racing tires don’t have date codes but are at least five year old, probably much more and so are as hard as hockey pucks. I accidentally started in 3rd gear and quickly realized I was in 3rd, but the Cheetah simply didn’t care. Because we’re in an industrial area there’s lots of traffic so for the video we kept it well under 5,000 rpm and short shifted. Once mildly on the gas any traffic in front seems to be coming at you in reverse gear and you’re well over the speed limit going into 2nd gear! The Cro Sal Special was long ago updated to four wheel disc brakes and so stopping was hands-off straight, quick and easy. Having raced this car many decades ago, it’s best driven like a Sprint Car or a Trans-Am car with big slip angles and the tail hung out, making it very predictable with excellent seat-of-the-pants feedback. At any vintage racing event or series the Cheetah will almost certainly be the most powerful car with the most rubber on the ground and so the fastest in the class.

Priced to sell

Beautifully restored and ready for further combat, this historically important Cheetah is one of the most exciting competition sports cars ever produced, backed by massive documentation, recent long-term ownership and years of professional preparation and race sorting. It is drop dead gorgeous in a Playboy centerfold kind of way, which is to say that it has all the “characteristics” to make a virile younger man’s palms sweat. Our warehouse is surrounded by dozens of other automotive shops so exotic cars are common, but in making our video just starting up the Cro Sal Special Cheetah and heading down the road brought them out to watch. While the overall gearing is very tall, accidentally starting in 3rd gear was unimportant, it just goes. This car exudes and delivers power! The Cro Sol Cheetah Special was last serviced by Larry Webb, the Rochester dual air meter Fuel Injection guru, in June of 2021 at a cost of $4,182.55 (invoice on file) and further serviced and race prepped by Andy Greene’s Sports and Vintage Race Cars LLC, 205 Bourne Blvd, Savannah in Sept., 2021 at a cost of $10,191.07 (invoices on file). All that’s needed to go racing is a check-over by a qualified race mechanic and a fresh set of tires.