Pacesetter Funny Car

[Lovedr]

Hay Guys:

I picked this car and I need some help with some things. its my first funny car and some of the questions may sound a little dumb to some and I apologize for that. so here we go..

1) the body right side seems to stick out and does not sit properly(almost 2 inches). what can I do to straighten it out without having to repaint the body? the body also has a few cracks in it but I am sure this isn't causing the body to stick out so far. please see pics below

2) how do I mount the wheelie bars on the car? should I fab something out or is there some common hookup?

3) the parachute is driving me nuts, never had one. is there a video out there that can explain the instructions to hooking it up? does the chute go first or the spring? etc.

some things I will need if anyone has any spares are front tires, velocity stack type air cleaner, and a starter for this kind of engine.

all input will be greatly appreciated

thanks!!!!

[Mike Casey]

Good for you scoring that dude. That car is a great collector piece. For sure don't mess the paint up. Mike white was partners with Jeff when pacesetter was here in CA. When mikes dad took the business back east, he did some stuff with Degree engineering / design one. Cool ride.


To try and fix the body, you need to wrap something around the body to pull the sides back in. Then heat the body up a lot. I use one of those floor heaters that sounds like a jet engine. you can also put it outside when its really hot out.

I have starters, I would need to dig in the pit to find them though.

[Lovedr]

Thanks mike!! You always come through when you can. As to the body, I was thinking the same thing but I didnt think u need that much heat. I really don't want to mess the paint on it but I will try a heat gun first. Any input on the chute? I know you must have had some experience with them. Please let me know about the starter and anything else you think I may need. I really appreciate it.
Thanks

[Mike Casey]

depends on how patient you are. I am impatient LOL. Its going to take a long time for it to work. Even in front of my floor heater it takes an hour or so. It takes a long time for that damage to happen, so it takes a lot to fix it too!

On my chutes, I have always packed the spring first then the chute.

[PaulSongas]

Can you post a pic of the chute and spring?? Is the spring by itself, or is there a teather to the back of the chute??

The spring most likely will go in after the chute. Depending on the pack/spring you may need a loop from the back end of the spring to close the pack properly.

[Lovedr]

PaulSongas:

ill take some pics tonight and post them. I really appreciate your help.

thanks

[Lovedr]

here are some pics of the chute. sorry for the delay.

thanks

[quartermortar]

The spring is on the pilot chute. The pilot chutes job is to get the pilot chute out of the pack into the air stream. Once there its job is to pull the main chute out of the pack in to the air stream. The spring goes in last. John

[PaulSongas]

Yup.. Chute in first, then the spring. It's the same design as any fuel car today. (All pro stock cars use an air launcher, totally different) Fold the Chute, put it in the pack, then the spring. On the end of the spring, is a loop, and that loop will need a guide wire to pull the loop through the holes in the chute pack. It looks like yours has the guide wire on it already. So, put the spring in, and compress it, hold it in with one hand. Take your other hand and run the guide wire through the holes in the chute pack. Most packs have 2 rectangle flaps, and 2 triangle flaps. Do the rectangle flaps first (top and bottom) and pull the loop on the back of the spring all the way through. Then do the 2 side flap, and again pull the loop through via the guide wire. So, now, the chute should be totally packed, and the guide wire has the loop pulled out of all 4 flaps. Now.. Take your chute release cable and put it through the loop. The chute should now be all contained. Once you have the chute release wire in, you can remove the loop guide wire and put it away till next time you pack the chute. Now, once that chute release cable gets pulled out, the spring will be able to push through the flaps on the pack, pulling the main chute out.


This is a video from Dennis Taylor. He owns a company that makes chutes. It's not a real good video but it should help.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Awra2HVx7zc

[PaulSongas]

Ok, this next video shows how to close the flaps, and insert the release calbe, and take out the guide wire.

BUT-- This video is of an air launcher type, so the loop that is normally on the back of the spring, is now on the top side of the chute pack. Disregaed that. Yours will use the loop on the back of the spring.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1P2hG1mE7vk

[Lovedr]

hey Guys,
I got the chute in and I think I finally figured out how to do it. its still a pain. so thanks for everyone's help. Mike, I was also able to bend back the body enough to make it fit like its suppose to. I want to put those little screws on the windows because I think they make the car look really pro. can you tell me what size and type of screws are used in doing this? and should I use a nut on the inside?

thanks

[BlownDragFreak]

Hello Lovedr, I have always used DU-BRO CATALOG # 526 #2 x1/2" button head sheetmetal screws. They look pretty good and have always held the Plexi in place well for me, you can polish the end and they look almost like the real thing that is used in the real Funny Cars. Hope this will help.