Photo: Mecum Auctions
In the mid-1970s, the U.S. military needed a new High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, or HMMWV, as a Jeep replacement. So it called on 61 companies to come up with proposals for a new 4x4 design that could be built in various configurations to serve as a TOW missile carrier, an armament carrier, an ambulance, and a shelter carrier.
Only three of the submitted designs made it to the prototype phase, and one of them was the Teledyne Continental Cheetah. Eleven final prototypes were made, but they weren’t selected for the U.S. military contract. That role went to the rival AM General M998, better known as the Humvee.
Said to have been based on the Lamborghini Cheetah of the late 1970s, an off-road 4×4 vehicle with military-style aesthetics, the Teledyne Continental Cheetah was built with a tubular steel chassis and an aluminum body. It featured a 4x4 drivetrain and independent front and rear suspension.
During the development process, three engines were installed on the military vehicle. A Chrysler 5.9-liter V8 was the first option, but it was replaced by a Volvo inline-six diesel and then, by an International 6.9-liter V8 diesel power unit. This final engine option was mounted up front and produced 170 hp (172 ps) and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm) of torque. Power was sent to all four wheels or just the rear ones via a Chrysler A727 three-speed automatic transmission.
The unit you see here is one of the 11 original Teledyne Continental Cheetah prototypes, and it came up for sale on Mecum Auctions. This is one of the later prototypes equipped with the International 6.9-liter V8 and, by the looks of it, it’s offered in excellent condition.
Its exterior is finished in Olive Green, and it features Black fabric doors and Black fender flares. The interior of the Teledyne Continental Cheetah is quite minimalist, with a spartan layout specific to military vehicles. It has seating for four and a cargo area in the back.
This 1981 Teledyne Continental Cheetah is offered from the Michael and Dianne Morey collection and is set to roll across the auction block on January 4-15 as part of Mecum’s 2023 Kissimmee sale.
Said to have been based on the Lamborghini Cheetah of the late 1970s, an off-road 4×4 vehicle with military-style aesthetics, the Teledyne Continental Cheetah was built with a tubular steel chassis and an aluminum body. It featured a 4x4 drivetrain and independent front and rear suspension.
During the development process, three engines were installed on the military vehicle. A Chrysler 5.9-liter V8 was the first option, but it was replaced by a Volvo inline-six diesel and then, by an International 6.9-liter V8 diesel power unit. This final engine option was mounted up front and produced 170 hp (172 ps) and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm) of torque. Power was sent to all four wheels or just the rear ones via a Chrysler A727 three-speed automatic transmission.
The unit you see here is one of the 11 original Teledyne Continental Cheetah prototypes, and it came up for sale on Mecum Auctions. This is one of the later prototypes equipped with the International 6.9-liter V8 and, by the looks of it, it’s offered in excellent condition.
Its exterior is finished in Olive Green, and it features Black fabric doors and Black fender flares. The interior of the Teledyne Continental Cheetah is quite minimalist, with a spartan layout specific to military vehicles. It has seating for four and a cargo area in the back.
This 1981 Teledyne Continental Cheetah is offered from the Michael and Dianne Morey collection and is set to roll across the auction block on January 4-15 as part of Mecum’s 2023 Kissimmee sale.
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