111 replies to this topic

[Martin]

I started looking at pics of the real Cheetah race cars and then comparing it to the Cox Cheetah.

While the Cheetahracha (IFC) car does look good IMO. It may be too low and of course you loose the side pipes and the lower front valance.

So I am cutting this body so I can keep those features but still have the low look of the IFC car.

The first 2 pics is me photo shopping the possibilities. 

Bottom pic is the full body unmodified car on the left a IFC car on the right. The body in the middle is cut down about 3/16" as you can see from the straight edge sitting on top of all 3 bodies.

Please let me know what you guys think, I will post progress pics as I go.

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[Eddie Fleming]

Low wide and long almost always looks good but there is something about that top pick that just looks mean. I like the top one for the look..

[Martin]

Eddie, that's the stock,out of the box body, and there are plenty of those. I am trying to go for a leaner lower look more like this.

Stay tuned, you will see where I am going.

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[MattD]

The Cheetah is a great looking race car, even if it didn't race very good in real life.    The  Cheetarcha model is a great looking car and I think Martins' update  will take it a step farther.

 

Here is a standard car that had mounts cut out

A resin bodied copy

A mag frame version painted gold

[Martin]

Great collection Matt, thanks for showing.

 

I noticed the gold car has it's hood vents deleted. Which brings to mind what I should do with this project.

 

I like the long hood look and I have already removed the lip just in front of the hood openings. Waiting to see how far to go with that. Lots of variations on the real race cars.

[Martin]

Made some progress today.

 

Trimmed down the IFC chassis as narrow as I could without braking into the stock mounting slots.

 

Glued in the panels that are the base for the side pipes and body mounts.

 

 

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[Pablo]

I love them all 

[Martin]

Me too Pablo. But I want the stance of the #64 car in post #3.

 

This build is all about getting that low stance, without going full Cheetahracha.

 

I think this car (in the pic below) is the car Cox based the model on, but really just based on the hood vents. They are the same as the Cox model.

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[MattD]

Martin, the poly spot putty I used on the hood of the gold car bled thru after the paint dried.   It was a white putty, go figure.    It was primed with white lacquer putty!!

[Martin]

Lets just call them "ghost vents". It adds to the character of your car.

 

I have switched to all Tamiya products, putty and paint that is. Not sure if that would have given a different result?

 

I am working on a body mounting method, so I will leave the stock hood vents for now. But I do like the long smooth hood look. I may just cut them out so I can lay one piece of screen material from underneath? 

 

Lots of options on hood vents.

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[Martin]

Here is a fun pic I found while searching.

This is  Bill Thomas Sr giving a Cox Cheetah to his son Bill Thomas Jr.

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[MattD]

Lot of options  for the Cheetahs.  I haven't bought one, but the 1/24 Carrera Cheetahs had a super nice finish and were  great looking cars.   I actually got a silver body at the local slot show from a guy that used the chassis on something.  It is new and un-used, the silver version.    I need to put a chassis under it.    The Carrera cars have beautiful   mags.

[Martin]

The Carrera cars have lots of color schemes and at least 2 body variations. They did a nice job. They go for good money, around $100.

IMO the Cox car is still the better looking.

 

Matt, Found this pic of the wheels you were referring too. I will be using the Cox mags.

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[Alchemist]

Hi Matt,

 

I've always admired the Carrera Cheetah.

 

If I may ask you please, would you be able to share photos of the Cheetah body you have?

 

Thanks Matt!

 

Ernie

[milmilhas]

The Cox Cheetahs are great ! I would like to know your opinion about  1/32  Cox Cheetah.

 

The Unique Cheetah clear body is very interesting too

[Martin]

Chassis is in place, I have to give the guide more clearance so I added a steel wire for strength. The plan is to use the Cox reverse guide so you will not see it stick out the front. 

The Cheetahracha used a flat diaplane to cover the guide. But IMO opinion it spoiled the look of the radiator intake and curved lines of the opening. 

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[Martin]

The Cox Cheetahs are great ! I would like to know your opinion about  1/32  Cox Cheetah.

 

The Unique Cheetah clear body is very interesting too

Sorry I missed your question.

I do have a 1/32 scale Cox Cheetah and I like that they molded it in black. I am not into the smaller scales so I have narrowed what I collect to only 1/24.

Cox used the same large scale buck of the Cheetah to make the different scales on a pantagraph. So all the details are the same no matter the scale.

 

At this time I cannot visualize the Unique version.

[Dave Crevie]

Here is the 1/32nd Cheetah I've had since I was a wee lad. Strombecker, I believe.

 

 

 

[milmilhas]

Sorry I missed your question.

I do have a 1/32 scale Cox Cheetah and I like that they molded it in black. I am not into the smaller scales so I have narrowed what I collect to only 1/24.

Cox used the same large scale buck of the Cheetah to make the different scales on a pantagraph. So all the details are the same no matter the scale.

 

At this time I cannot visualize the Unique version.

Martin,

 

Unique version Is a beautiful clear body seems like the Allen Green car that you posted.

[MattD]

Ernie this is the Carrera Cheetah body I picked up.    Personally silver would be my last color choice of these cars, but I got it for $10 at a show and can live with silver.  The blue one Martin showed looked great, as does the green one.  This is just a roller and not running, yet.  I wasn't sure about the chassis, but it is one of the junky recent AMT chassis with an added brass pan and some stiffeners.

 

$100 is probably a good price for the Carrera RTR.     Seems like I looked recently and  the few I found were over $100

 

[chrisguyw]

A bit of a diversion, as these are all 1/32.

 

Cheers

Chris Walker

 

A 1/32 Cox.........my macro lens shows off my grimy finger prints quite nicely 

 

 

A Strombecker version..........this has their 2 piece brass "Comp." chassis with a "Hemi" motor

 

 

 

Another Strombecker............also with the "Comp" chassis and "Hemi".

 

 

[MattD]

Excellent Chris,   You are a great modeler. 

 _{The Strom 1/32 is around and plentiful and your Strom is as nice as any Cox Cheetah.     I do have a Cox Cheetah I thought of building as the package is pretty rough.   I also recently picked up a MRRC loose body.   I can understand  taking apart an rtr to use the body on a nice scratch built chassis, but why these guys sell the bodies and keep the chassis is beyond me.}   

 

_{The mag frame 1/24 Cox that started it all, this onehas Cox Sil Sliks on Amercan mags.}

 

Martin we are drifting, but "Cheetahs always win".

[Big_John]

A couple  pics of a new Cheetah I took at Carlisle in 2008. 

 

 

No pics, but I still have the Cox Cheetah I got for Christmas in 1967(?) 

[Martin]

If its Cheetah its all good, post away.  Thanks to all for the inspiration.

 

Its at times like this I wish I could branch out to include 1/32 cars. Nice builds Chris

 

Matt, if you get time could you take a pic of the Carrera Cheetah next to the Cox car?

My eye is so accustomed  to the Cox car the Carrera looks a bit off, I just can not tell where.

 

Thanks too for the pic of the real deal John. Boy they have some nice lines.

[MattD]

Martin I'll get a pic later and put it up here.    I remember a couple years ago that  there was an Ebay auction of full size Cheetah body molds and maybe some other stuff, frames, bodies, I'm not sure what all it was.   It was in Co. or Az, I believe.