Hi guys, just thought I would enlighten those cheetah lovers with my history of the Marque.
I am currently restoring my Mk 4 Cheetah, the first one I owned, as I had a Mk 6 also.
I raced it in Victoria, as the log book shows from 18-7-76 to the 24-11-79 in Australian ANF3 and ANF2.
It went through a series of updates from it original configuation to big winged ANF2 specs.
I ran Ford crossflow engines.
My Mk 6 had 1600 BMW engines and sometimes ran a two liter engine in the formula libra races against sports cars and F5000,s
The only car I sold and I cant remember who it went to.
As a kid I went to Brian Sheads place with Peter Macrow to get in the way when they were working on the cheetah that Peter bought from Brian before Brian made the first batch of three cars.
Memories come back of being in the back of the International panel van type vehicle with seats in the back for the "crew". Must had been the first people mover.
My road car at 18 was an A30 with the thomas cam and twin Amals from Brians Formula Junior cheetah. Those things left under the bench.
My memory is stirring and I think Brian designed a sports car that did not get built, but had a number designated to it as a MK 2, as in that simple time of life, I am sure Peter Macrows ANF2 car was called a Mk 3 which evovled from the FJ, from the BMC engine to a ford and then a 1500 pushrod to a twin cam.
There was always excitment being felt when the first three cars were laid down, Known as the round tube cars, the F3 for Brian, the F3 for Peter and the V8 hill climb car for, being brave here, Don Biggar?
Not being endowed with money my Cheetahs were always special in the way Brian made the chassis,s and I would do my own suspension. Sometimes the factory Cheetah scrap bin would get raided for bits.
However the Cheetah Marks were a milestone in Australian racing and allowed a great many to enjoy open wheeler racing, without them many would have missed out.
Hope to post some pictures later.
Regards David
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