Pacer Models for A Goofy Movie

From Dino Airali, whose Pacer was a model for Goofy's Pacer in A Goofy Movie (1995), 9 October 1999.

In November 1989 my mother (Dora Airale) passed away, and I became the receipient of her 1977 (excellent condition) D/L "woody" wagon. She had it for years, and when I received it there were only 54K miles on it. Since then every one of our children (4) plus my wife and I have driven it as a back-up car and more when needed. It has served as background in three movies and it's most recent claim to fame happened one day when there was a knock on my door and a young man ask me if he could photograph my Pacer. I said, "sure, but why?" He proceeded to tell me that he worked for Disney Studios and his assignment was to find an unusual car for the upcoming production of the new Goofy movie. Delighted at the thought I said, "OK, go to it." After Polaroiding it he left and two days later Disney studios called and I brought her over to the animation department where a host of animators swarmed it with cameras, rulers, pads of paper and questions about its ride and driving sensations. Months later the movie came out and our Pacer was famous!

To my knowledge my '77 pacer was the only one used in the rendering of the "Goofy" movie. When the animators rendered it they chose to leave off the woody paneling. In addition the grill was rendered by a group of disney animators and (not unlike the joke told to a line of people sitting on the park bench) they ended up with three or more different looking grills. In fact in one or two scenes they left the grill off completely. I can only speculate that there is poor quality control and/or a lazy attitude (in keeping with the character of "Goofy").

Bob Wilson was kind enough to capture some stills from A Goofy Movie on his web page. I have mirrored these images below and in The Pacer Page Photo & Image Archives.