Tim Cullinan-- Funny Car

#1 08-03-2008, 01:10 AM

Appears to be the ex-Chuck Etchells/Jim Epler Toys R Us body!

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Pretty cool that all that stuff can sit around who knows where only to come back out all these years later.

#2 08-03-2008, 01:17 AM

Had to dig a little, but here it is

NHRA Matco Tools SuperNationals: Photo Gallery

#3 08-03-2008, 02:06 AM

That definitely looks like the Epler/Etchells body. I remember seeing the car at E-Town and I thought it was ugly compared to the Etchells Sunoco body.

#4 08-03-2008, 04:12 AM

I wonder where it's been sitting all these years? It is cool to see it back out there though!

I remember that car very well. In fact, I even have 2 models of that car. I don't collect diecast models but I do have a couple stashed away. It took me a while but I dug out these two cars...

And the really small version (matchbox size)

I bought these cars at Toys R Us when they were having a blow out sale. Probably a year or 2 after Jim Epler actually ran the car. They're lower quality compared to the Action stuff but for 5 bucks (if I remember correctly) you can't go wrong.

Ironically ..... I was looking through the photo gallery that Paul Songas posted in his link and noticed a one race only deal for Frank Pedregon. It was called "3A Racing" and if I recall, Frank blew the body into 2 or 3 pieces on his first or second pass and that was the end of it for that body...... I also have that diecast for some odd reason!

Here is the link NHRA Matco Tools SuperNationals: Photo Gallery

#5 08-03-2008, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Okeefe

I wonder where it's been sitting all these years? It is cool to see it back out there though!

OO OOO I KNOW!!!!!!!

it was sitting in Lockport IL at tom motrys shop for a couple years then 'ol Turbo Tim decided to switch to funny car after all stupid TF rules came into place.....

Motry got the body from etchells when he bought a chassis off of him....if any of you are familiar with the "Drastic Plastic" that Motry currently campaigns (driven by Lisa Coil), that is an old Etchells car built by victory. Tom bought it off of chuck and chuck gave him a good deal on the body too so Tom decided to take it. My dad and tom went and picked it up (i believe it was at roomans shop) and i remember when i saw it the day they got back i remember thinking, that is the ugliest damn thing i have ever seen......we had it out front of motry's shop and i mean cars were slowing down and staring lol!!

#6 08-03-2008, 07:12 PM

Good story!

#7 08-04-2008, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Songas

Good story!

I think good old Tim should go back to driving school before he comes back to an event knocks out three cones on his frist run then slaps the wall on his second run. And the IHRA gives him a lic. Not a good Idea in my eyes.

#8 08-04-2008, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben Rogers

I think good old Tim should go back to driving school before he comes back to an event knocks out three cones on his frist run then slaps the wall on his second run. And the IHRA gives him a lic. Not a good Idea in my eyes.

lets see.....Hilary Will knocked the wall while getting her TF license, guess we'll have to take her license away....Mike Ashley scraped the wall in his first ever pass in a FC (yes i know the throttle stuck), guess we'll have to take his license away....right?

#9 08-04-2008, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Minick

lets see.....Hilary Will knocked the wall while getting her TF license, guess we'll have to take her license away....Mike Ashley scraped the wall in his first ever pass in a FC (yes i know the throttle stuck), guess we'll have to take his license away....right?

Ok you want to get in on this lets do it. Both drivers were not isued a license after after those runs you must show you have control of the car. I dont know about you but I dont need to be saying good bye to anymore friends in this sport becuase the ihra is giving away license to try and put a full field of cars on the track.

#10 08-04-2008, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben Rogers

Ok you want to get in on this lets do it. Both drivers were not isued a license after after those runs you must show you have control of the car. I dont know about you but I dont need to be saying good bye to anymore friends in this sport becuase the ihra is giving away license to try and put a full field of cars on the track.

wait what? there were 11 FC in Martin so i highly doubt that was IHRA's excuse plus i guarantee you that he has no desire to go anywhere outside of the midwest unless he gets some money....and suggesting Tim doesnt know how to drive is just rude and wrong....the man has driven everything from a turbo powered motorcycles (hence the name turbo tim) to a AA/FA and a TF car and I counted 3 other people who either crossed the center line or hit the wall this weekend....and i must have missed the part where anyone else was in danger.....sh!t happens

#11 08-04-2008, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Minick

wait what? there were 11 FC in Martin so i highly doubt that was IHRA's excuse plus i guarantee you that he has no desire to go anywhere outside of the midwest unless he gets some money....and suggesting Tim doesnt know how to drive is just rude and wrong....the man has driven everything from a turbo powered motorcycles (hence the name turbo tim) to a AA/FA and a TF car and I counted 3 other people who either crossed the center line or hit the wall this weekend....and i must have missed the part where anyone else was in danger.....sh!t happens

Never once said Tim caint drive a car. My point is that you have to show you have control of the car. and I have been around these cars for awile now and I was on the starting line for both runs he made it was pure and simple he stayed in it to long after getting way out of the grove. And yes even the most skillfull drivers have tag the wall or crossed the center line look at paul lee I worked with him for a year and he is one hell of a driver.

#12 08-04-2008, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben Rogers

Never once said Tim caint drive a car. My point is that you have to show you have control of the car. and I have been around these cars for awile now and I was on the starting line for both runs he made it was pure and simple he stayed in it to long after getting way out of the grove. And yes even the most skillfull drivers have tag the wall or crossed the center line look at paul lee I worked with him for a year and he is one hell of a driver.

you said he needed to go back to driving school....to me that suggests that you don't think to highly his driving abilities....now maybe that wasn't your intentions, it's hard to tell on a message board so if I misinterpreted i apologize....i have been around fuel cars for awhile to and tim was the driver of an altered as recently as this year....he can drive a racecar

#13 08-04-2008, 11:01 PM

Not to derail.. but I took this shot of Mike Ashley on his first ever pass--As you can see he is already out of the groove headed directly towards me (the wall). I took this shot, and waited for him to shut it off... As he got closer I closed my eyes and turned away, and the force from the headers stood my hair up on end!!

What a cool feeling that was. Almost better then, ah nevermind.

He got VERY close to the wall right where I was standing.

Anyway... carry on.

#14 08-04-2008, 11:18 PM

look at that guy standing behind the christmas tree....oh wait thats me!!

#15 08-05-2008, 01:45 PM

Tim will get the car sorted out. He can't go to Joilet anymore to test because of the new NHRA chassis rules, and so he has to work with what he has. He has a TF license and needed to cross it over. This he accomplished.
I am sure he feels as bad as anyone to have hurt the body, but he will get it fixed and be back.

Justin