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Ford Ranchero Drag Chute Testing in Texas
By Brian Perrenot
Only four teenage idiots from South Texas would have done this, but hey, if you resemble ‘em?
Sometime back in 1960, can't remember now, but it was right after AHRA and likely, NHRA as well, mandated parachutes if your car could go over 140 mph, we got our spanking new 16' ring slot/ribbon chute. I say new, it was purchased from the local Navy surplus store, but she sure looked new. Anyway... my brother Travis, I and two pals were out at my dad’s shop pissing around as we normally did on weekends when my dad had to work and we weren't at the drags. Well, we spotted the chute sitting there. All packed away nice and neat. We all looked at each other and asked ourselves if it would work? Being the idiots I mentioned before, we decided to take it on a test run to make sure. We loaded it up in the back of the Ranchero and tied it to the bumper.
We got going about 80 or 90 or so. Travis was driving since he was the only one with a license. Me and a friend stood up in the back and tossed the drag chute into the air. LOL... see where this is going? Needless to say, at 80 or 90 MPH a 16' ring slot/ribbon chute will stop a Ranchero right quick. Much quicker than two teenagers can get a grip on the roof. When the drag chute went out, it damn near jerked my buddy out of the truck because he didn't let go right away. Like I said, an idiot. He managed to catch onto the tail gate just in time. Well, once the main chute went sailing out the back it opened immediately. Just like it was supposed to do.
That Ranchero nosed dived immediately and slammed both of us against the cab of the Ford. I went over the roof and landed on the hood. Damn near scared the poop right out of me. Travis got the truck stopped and was laughing his ass at us off until he went around to the back of the Ranchero and saw the bumper (left side) damn near pulled off and bent way out of shape. Oh, did I mention that this was nearly a brand new 1959 Ranchero? Whoa... our Pop was gonna be pissed. He had two idiots for sons and a bent up Ranchero. I won't go into the rest of the story, it ain't pretty, but suffice it to say, the only reason I didn't get my ass kicked by Pop like Travis did was because I had broken my arm. Man was I glad I broke it, too.
Brian Perrenot
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