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Acme #A1800700 1/18 Vel's Parnelli Jones Mustang Funny Car
The Vel's Parnelli Jones funny car began its life as a ‘69 Barracuda bodied Funny Car which Big John Mazmanian had traded his willys gasser for. Mazmanian raced it with Danny Ongais behind the wheel. Indy car and off-road racing icon Parnelli Jones bought the ’Cuda Funny Car, and along with partner dealership Vel's Ford, campaigned it through 1974 with Ongais continuing as driver. Following a fire they switched to a Mustang body more befitting a Ford dealership-sponsored race car. Because of Parnelli’s connection to Firestone, the racer served as a test vehicle for new drag slick designs. When Ongais left in 1974 to go Indy car racing the Funny Car was parked and the dragster was sold. Due to changing technology the car was obsolete by 1975 and went unsold. It sat for many years on display outside a Firestone dealer in Huntington Beach, California. Eventually it made its way back to Parnelli’s shop, occasionally showing up with an exhibit of his race cars. In 2013, it was donated to NHRA Museum, where it is proudly displayed today.
