Cheetah
The global success of the Shelby Cobra inspired many American race car builders to build a similar car that could compete on an international level. From this perspective, nobody came close to beating the Cobra. But Bill Thomas, a famous Chevrolet tuner and race car builder, was a serious candidate. Unfortunately, the Cheetah was never given a proper chance because of various circumstances (via Car and Driver).
Chevrolet and GM pulled out of racing in 1963. Still, several independent race shops worked for GM’s back door programs in which the company supported the private racing teams with racing know-how or particular racing parts. Bill Thomas’ shop was one of those outfits. He decided to build a Cobra competitor with Chevrolet power. That’s how the Cheetah was born and named after a super-fast animal from Africa.