Chesnut Cheetah Tribute Kit for sale

[john chesnut]

Hello Everyone, I'm testing the waters to see if there's any interest in a Kit for my Cheetah Roadster tribute. Building unique cars is my passion and hobby. I really like how this one finished up. I think it looks COOL and it drives really well. I have my molds with a fiberglass company. I built a good jig for my frame and a copy frame so that I can easily and accurately reproduce it. I'm retired so building a few kits as a way to keep busy doing something that I love is appealing.

Here is what I'm including:
-Fully welded frame. (unpainted) The frame accepts C4 Corvette suspension in stock width.
-Coil over shock mounts
-Engine mounts for SBC and LS engines
-Hand laid 2 piece body. In white gel coat that will require paint or in Red Gel coat that has been buffed and polished. This body doesn't require body work.
-Aluminum panels that are bonded to the frame
-Parts list and lots of pictures that detail the build

I've been building a frame. I have a body in white in my shop. A Red Gel Coat body will be available on August 10.

I know that this is a Cobra site and I love them. I think that my Cheetah is a good alternative for Chevy guys.

Kit price with white body: $7999
Kit price with Red Body: $9999
I'm in Elizabethtown, NY

Having fun

[desgros@vtlink.]

VERY, VERY NICE!!


John
ERA #3010 Slabside 289 SB BRG

[Buzz]

It really is a beautiful looking product. Great lines and proportions. Perfect stance.

[twobjshelbys]

Yeah, well done.

[MKS427]

Yes, very well done.
I know you enjoy doing this. However, what is the potential, if you patent and license this to a larger production entity? It may be a better deal for you.

[incoming]

Do you have a source for all the incidentals? Windshield for starters?

[john chesnut]

Originally Posted by MKS427

Yes, very well done.
I know you enjoy doing this. However, what is the potential, if you patent and license this to a larger production entity? It may be a better deal for you.

I know Glendale well. I attended both Apollo and Moon Valley High School.

I've always said that my ideal situation would be to design and create products and license them. I've created a few simple things and patented them. One of them, Big Belly Banks, (coin banks for kids) I turned into a business. It's pretty much a hands off business that I am fortunate to make a decent living from it. (I've sold over 1,000,000 of them) I also License the Banks to manufacturers in other countries and receive royalties.

I invented and patented a fishing system for children that I successfully sold on the TV shopping channel QVC.

I would love to find a reputable company to take my car on. I'ld be happy to make a modest royalty. I have an idea for a new build. I would keep busy working on that.

My son is graduating with a Mechanical Engineering degree in Nov. He has grown up racing. He's been successful in many different types of cars. His goal is to work in the racing industry. I could see him taking my Cheetah Roadster over as part of what he does.

Reference parts availability: I have 13 sets of suspension and several MGB windshields in stock. I have contacts with Vette salvage yards and access to a large number of suspensions.

New MGB windshield glass is readily available at very reasonable prices. If the frames became an issue I could make frames to fit the glass.

All other parts are readily available from companies like Speedway, Summit, and Jeggs. The headlights are for motorcycles. They are 4 inch, hi/lo halogen. They are inexpensive. The tail lights that I used are for the Porsche 356. Reproductions are available.

My car is very simple. It's light, 1912lbs with gas, 50/50 weight. It's 72 inches wide at the rear wheel arches, 70 at the front, 42 inches tall at the top of the windshield and only 148 inches long.

I was discussing kits with a car guy friend this afternoon. I told him that I think it would be a good idea to offer a kit with the suspension mounted and a windshield. That way the builder wouldn't have to source them. Every thing else can be ordered and shipped to the door.

It's too bad that there aren't any car shows/events to go to this year. I would like to get feedback. I know that I get great response from people that see me driving it.

Having fun

[MKS427]

Hopefully, you, your son, or a reputable company can bring this to market. It looks great.
Good luck, have fun being successful,
Mark

[MKS427]

John,
I just had another thought, perhaps not the best for you initially. However, for feasibility/marketability purposes you may want to consider driver protection. The Cheetah was originally intended to be a track car. Without a cage/driver protection, I don't believe there is a track that will allow it today.
You may want to consider this to increase marketability.
Good luck

[twobjshelbys]

Not to pop your balloon, but the high volume marketability of this is minimal. It's very labor intensive and it's a relatively unknown car so there won't be a lot of high price demand.Think about it. Everybody and his brother is making replicas. If there were a demand, this would already exist. Better to keep it simple and build a few one offs.

PS. There is nothing to patent here. The car is not an invention. You could try to trademark it, but it's a copy so someone owns the rights to the original and besides, Shelby lost that war...

[Ozzie Goat]

I love the Cheetah, probably won't build one.

Despite a national coin shortage, the Big Belly Bank is a hoot.
I now have one (edit: two) on the way, for my Godson and Nephew. Thanks John.

It was a privilege watching your build process. If we ever travel again, I'll come to one of your local shows to check it out.

[john chesnut]

[quote=twobjshelbys;1480214]Not to pop your balloon, but the high volume marketability of this is minimal. It's very labor intensive and it's a relatively unknown car so there won't be a lot of high price demand.Think about it. Everybody and his brother is making replicas. If there were a demand, this would already exist. Better to keep it simple and build a few one offs.

PS. There is nothing to patent here. The car is not an invention. You could try to trademark it, but it's a copy so someone owns the rights to the original and besides, Shelby lost that war...[/QUOTE

I agree that there is not a built in demand for the car. This was never to be "business". I built the car for me without thought of selling any. The fact that I had to have molds made ,and that I have a frame jig built, got me thinking about offering some kits.

There have been a few companies making Cheetah kits and cars. Most of them were very expensive. The one roadster kit being made is, IMO, not very attractive. I believe that my car addresses the issues that prevented the Cheetah from being a popular replica. One deterrent for my car may be the lack of doors. I could add that if needed.

I realize that there isn't anything to patent here. Even if there was, patents are useless unless you're willing to defend them. That process is very expensive and not worth it unless there is a potential for good profit.

By the way, have you seen that Ferrari just lost the rights to 250 GTO? They still have it for toys.

I have thought of just building a complete car over the winter and then sell it. That might be what I end up doing.

Thank you for the input

[john chesnut]

Originally Posted by Ozzie Goat

I love the Cheetah, probably won't build one.

Despite a national coin shortage, the Big Belly Bank is a hoot.
I now have one (edit: two) on the way, for my Godson and Nephew. Thanks John.

It was a privilege watching your build process. If we ever travel again, I'll come to one of your local shows to check it out.

Great to talk to you! Thank you for the Big Belly Bank orders. They will ship Monday.

If you are ever in my area (Near Lake Placid, NY) please stop in. There are some great drives around here for Cobra's and Cheetah's! That goes for anyone on this forum that would like to see my car.

[john chesnut]

Originally Posted by MKS427

John,
I just had another thought, perhaps not the best for you initially. However, for feasibility/marketability purposes you may want to consider driver protection. The Cheetah was originally intended to be a track car. Without a cage/driver protection, I don't believe there is a track that will allow it today.
You may want to consider this to increase marketability.
Good luck

It would be relatively easy to add racing legal roll protection. I did redesign the roll bar receivers since the pictures I posted were taken. They are much more stout. I have a frame completed with the change and another one in the jig. I made sure that it would be easy to install a roll bar like FF uses for their Spec Racer or a full cage. For the track the bar/cage would be welded in.

I knew that I wasn't going to track my car. I like the looks without a roll bar or cage for the street. My car is a toy. Just for fun.

Thank you for your input!