Description
This an Original 1966/ 67 Fibreglass Trends Cheetah they are also called Fiberglass Trends G. T. R
Although this is not one of the original 16 ( 2 were alloy ) it is still super rare, especially as it is unfinished.
The Fiberglass Trends G. T. R. is respected in its own right, and has legitimate ties to Bill Thomas and the original car. After Bill Thomas decided to abandon skinning his Cheetahs in aluminium, two different companies produced fiberglass test bodies for Thomas’ consideration. Marv and Darlene Eldridge’s Fiberglass Trends was one of these companies, but was ultimately not chosen, Contemporary Fiberglass were.
Fiberglass Trends then continued producing their Cheetah body anyway, from late 1965 now called the G. T. R. While the G. T. R. was designed to fit on most frames, the company offered a tube chassis that was designed for the drag strip, and the drag racing Cheetahs you see in vintage photos are actually G. T. R. s.
The key difference between the Bill Thomas Cheetah and the Fibreglass Terns Cheetah lies in the A pillar. The G. T. R. has a conventional A-pillar while an original Cheetah will have a much thinner, nearly invisible. The GTR with its stronger A-pillar was more suitable for dragstrip speeds and forces.
However there are a considerable number of either fake or replica Cheetahs out there presenting as ‘Bill Thomas Cheetah’s’ This car presents as exactly what it is, an unfinished The Fiberglass Trends G. T. R complete with drag chassis and complete with its parachute hole in the rear!
This particular car was one of a few unsold examples in the Fiberglass Trends inventory after they were evicted from a warehouse in Santa Ana, California in the 60’s and was brought to the UK around 7 years ago.
• Original 'Fibreglass Trends' body (tilt front, main body and gull-wing doors
• Original 'Fibreglass Trends' chassis
• The car may come with some internal panels if they can be located
The car has no engine/ gearbox or registration, but you cant put the advert on without them.
The previous owner has tidied the original GRP around the windows in order to get a good seal for plexiglass/ rubbers and the shut gaps are very good.
This could be completed as a ludicrously fast road car, a period drag racer, or a historic racing car, and either way a fascinating and super rare project..
Original Cheetahs fetch prices exceeding $1, 000, 000, making this ‘in period’ second generation car a fascinating unicorn
The Cheetah is one of a handful in the UK
£40k or part exchange for Bentley Continental R, Citroen SM, Lotus 7 Series 2/ 3, Lotus Elan DHC, Ferrari 400i manual or Riley Imp, Lagonda Rapier or similar but no major projects please
