The history of the Ford Pinto has been told often enough that we don’t need to rehash it here. Yes, it’s true the pint-sized Pinto was conceived when Lee Iacocca ordered Ford designers to build a subcompact car that weighed less than 2,000 lbs. and cost less than $2,000. That was when Japanese cars were being recognized as a serious threat to the American car market, but before the first oil embargo. And it is true the car’s fuel tanks were poorly placed and were vulnerable to rupture in a car crash (but did not explode nearly as often as people think). 

What is also true is that the car presented here is an unusually well-preserved example of a 1970s subcompact American hatchback. And it gets as much attention at car shows and cruise nights as any 1960s muscle car resto-mod with an agreed-upon insurance value equal to that of a nice two-bedroom house.

Jim Longworth, of Farmington, Conn., was looking for something different after selling his Corvette. Mission accomplished! With just about 39,000 original miles and as-built from the factory, his Polar White 1978 Pinto three-door Runabout was hard to resist. The only things not original to the car are the Styled Steel Wheels and raised-white-letter radial tires, which were factory options in 1978. The car was delivered to Archbold Sales-Service in Archbold, Ohio, with full wheel covers and 13-inch bias-ply whitewall tires instead. The window sticker shows an MSRP of $4,442.00, so it was not loyal to the price target Mr. Iacocca had in mind, but still a very low new-car price equal to $20,750 in today’s dollars.

Longworth’s Pinto has a middling number of options, including the SelectShift Automatic Transmission, dual sport mirrors, power steering, the interior décor group (which included the faux wood shifter housing) and the gorgeous Accent Tape Stripe. The Runabouts were notable for having the standard pneumatic-assisted all-glass third door for convenient access to the rear storage area. The 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine still runs great.

Although the exterior of the car is stunning and remarkably clean, the highlight of this little automobile is the interior, which features Ruffino vinyl low-back bucket seats in the very bright and cheerful Tangerine color (only available with Polar White or Tangerine cars, according to Ford’s dealer fact book). The cozy-looking rear seats fold down to provide additional storage.

Almost 189,000 Pintos were manufactured for the 1978 model year, a very large number considering it was in its eighth year of production with only minor changes. Since Pintos and other subcompact cars were usually purchased by people who put on a lot of miles or were of restricted financial means, many Pintos were used to their last drop and discarded, making Longworth’s survivor a true rarity.

Love Pintos? Here are a few more articles for your reading enjoyment.

https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/features/car-of-the-week-1972-ford-pinto

https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/features/car-of-the-week-1977-ford-pinto-cruising-wagon

https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/old-cars-reader-wheels/old-cars-reader-wheels-1972-and-1973-ford-pintos

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Full disclosure: We love Ford Pintos. We love them more than is probably healthy. Blame it on some childhood trauma, or just the residual effects of growing up in the 1970s, but we have a soft spot for all of Ford’s long-running Pinto lineup. Especially wagons with paneling on them.

And Village Green, all-original wagons with the full woodwork treatment are right at the top of our Pinto Wish List.

This amazing specimen has just 84,000 original miles. It’s one of the most beautifully hideous creatures we’ve ever seen, and it’s got the 2.8L six-cylinder with an automatic, which is a bonus.

It will be up for bids at the Raleigh Classic Auction June 2-3 and will be a charity lot with all proceeds going to the Ruin Creek Animal Protection Society of Henderson, N.C. — a no-kill animal shelter.

We hope this baby brings a big bag of money. We’re green with envy over whoever gets it.

CHECK IT OUT

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CARTERSVILLE, GEORGIA – The Savoy Automobile Museum  announced the opening on of its latest temporary exhibit, Built for a Crisis. In the 1950s and 1960s, it seemed like America couldn’t build its cars big enough. Even mainstream models were generally big and thirsty. Many drivers were getting tired of gassing up these enormous land yachts, but the market was slow to respond. The domestic manufacturers had produced some downsized models, but only a few, and Japanese automakers were just putting a foot in the door with their tiny cars. And then, essentially one day in 1973, everything changed when America’s oil supplier turned off the tap. The U.S. had become increasingly dependent on foreign oil. The United States used about 17 million barrels of oil each day, but only produced some 11 million of that itself. This exhibit displays some of the domestic models produced to compete with the smaller imported cars.

The exhibit will feature six iconic cars including a 1972 Ford Pinto, a 1974 AMC Gremlin, a 1975 AMC Pacer, and a 1975 Chevrolet Cosworth Vega, all part of the Savoy Collection. In addition, two special cars brought in specifically for the exhibit include a 1971 Chevrolet Vega and a 1976 Chevrolet Chevette, both from the General Motors Heritage Collection in Sterling Heights, MI. Visitors may find the Vega particularly interesting as it holds the prominence of the first Vega to be produced at the GM Lordstown Assembly Plant on June 26, 1970, at 3:05 pm. The Chevette was never sold and has its original sales sticker still on the window and only 64 miles on the odometer. This exhibit represents a significant part of our automotive history.

These cars will be on exhibit until April 30, 2023. The museum is open for visitors

Tuesday – Sunday from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. Admission is complimentary for members. For non-member adults, the price of admission is $15, for children ages 3 – 12 it is $5, and complimentary for ages 2 and under. Savoy is located at 3 Savoy Lane in Cartersville, GA, 30120.

Savoy Automobile Museum connects people to the cultural diversity of the automobile. Whether you are a serious car collector, a weekend enthusiast, or simply a traveling motorist from Detroit to Daytona, Savoy aims to educate and entertain through changing exhibits, educational programs, and engaging experiences. The world-class museum campus sits on 37 acres in Cartersville, GA and provides access to a variety of automobiles and specially curated collection of original automotive art. As the newest program of Georgia Museums, Inc., Savoy Automobile Museum joins a prestigious group of museums including Booth Western Art Museum, Tellus Science Museum, and Bartow History Museum.

Savoy Automobile Museum | 3 Savoy Lane, Cartersville, GA 30120 770.416.1500 https://savoymuseum.org/

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Old Cars is turning 50. In honor of 50 years of the privilege of bringing the old cars hobby to our valued and faithful readers, Old Cars will revisit 50 of our past featured cars in 50 days, to commemorate the half-century of Old Cars. Here’s to fifty more years of Old Cars!

 DAY THIRTY-NINE: 1972 Ford Pinto

Ford cranked out more than 3 million of the gas-sipping Pintos in the 1970s, but attrition has taken a heavy toll and nice specimens are fairly scarce these days, particularly in northern climates such as Wisconsin. Even though they are a die-hard Ford couple, a Pinto wasn’t on Mike and Jude Christensens’ radar. That is, until they spotted one a few years back not far from their home.

“We had the ‘66 Mustang and we were showing that, and I thought, ‘You know what, I’d like to have my own classic car.’ I didn’t know what I wanted, but I knew it had to be a Ford, of course,” Jude laughs. “I’m not a fancy person, so I just wanted a nice little car and we happened to notice there was a Pinto for sale [nearby]. I didn’t remember them at all. I just saw that Pinto sitting over there on the street and just thought, ‘This is the cutest little car I’ve ever seen,’ so right then it was like, ‘I want a Pinto.’”

That was in 2010, and the car wasn’t in the wonderful shape it’s in today, but it was still excellent for an unrestored car almost four decades old. The couple planned to have the car restored so they could show it, and the operation turned out to be fairly painless.

 To learn more about Christensens’ Pinto <CLICK HERE>

CHECK OUT DAY THIRTY-EIGHT OF 50 CARS IN 50 DAYS, CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF OLD CARS HERE

– 50 days of cars celebrating 50 years of Old Cars is brought to you by our friends over at Camaro Central, Modine and sonicbidder.com.  If you are looking for parts for your classic Camaro, HVAC for your garage or a place to sell your classic car, check out these trustworthy establishments.

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“I loved the pinto story (CLICK HERE), I can relate to the getting more comments at car shows than the guys with the $40,000 and up cars.

I have two at the moment. They were fixer-uppers when I got them. I did all the work to fix them up. Green ’72  2.0 4-speed  and yellow ‘lil Starsky ’73  2.0  auto trans.”

If you would like your car featured in Reader Wheels click on the link below and tell us a little bit about your ride.

CLICK HERE

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The post Old Cars Reader Wheels: 1972 and 1973 Ford Pintos appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

This is what Noel had to say about his Pinto… 

“This is my 1977 Pinto Cruising Wagon van. It has a V-6, 95 HP 171- CID, 2.8L engine in it with a 3-speed automatic on the floor. I have only seen one other like it in my life, 72 years. It has a 4:11 race reader end in it.”

If you would like your car featured in Reader Wheels click on the link below and tell us a little bit about your ride.

CLICK HERE

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The post Old Cars Reader Wheels: 1977 Ford Pinto Cruising Wagon appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

In the fall of 1959, Ford opened a new door for its sales staff with the smart-looking and totally new Ford Falcon compact for the 1960 model year. 1960 also saw compacts from General Motors with the Chevrolet Corvair and from the Chrysler Corp. with the Valiant sold by Plymouth dealers. These cars joined the already-popular Rambler American and Studebaker Lark domestic compacts. Falcon was the sales leader, but through the 1960s, the Falcon grew and put on more weight. By the late 1960s, a new breed of smaller “subcompact” car was coming to market and selling well. Many of the subcompacts arriving in the United States were from Japan, and those little Japanese cars kept taking a bigger piece of the sales pie. In the Spring of 1969, Ford countered with a rebirth of the compact car idea by presenting the Maverick. However, it was not lost on Ford that the new subcompact market was calling. Thus was born the Pinto.

High off his success with the Ford Mustang, Lee Iacocca was a major champion for a new Ford subcompact to meet the growing competition. Some say his enthusiasm for making the Pinto as cheaply as possible would ultimately lead to his departure from Ford.

The new-for-1971 Pinto

Considerable amounts of market research were done by Ford before it began the Pinto project, which started in the spring of 1967. Imported car sales for 1970 had reached a record 1,214,000 units or 13.5 percent of the market! Imports, especially those from Japan, had seen tremendous gains in quality, reliability and customer loyalty and Ford was taking notice. Pinto was designed and engineered to meet those imports on an equal basis. Size mattered, with the new 1971 Pinto placed on a 94-inch wheelbase, which was about an inch shorter than that of its two main competitors: the Datsun 510 and the Toyota Corona, both with wheelbases of 95.3 inches. The Pinto’s axles were even a 1/2 inch closer together than those on the popular Volkswagen Beetle. Bumper to bumper, the Pinto was still the longest at 163 inches, but only by a fraction of an inch compared to the Datsun 510 at 162.2 inches and the Toyota Corona sedan at 162.4 inches.

Pinto presented something not seen under the hood of a domestic-built Ford passenger car since 1934: the return of a four-cylinder engine. Initially supplied to the United States from Ford of Britain, the 1600cc engine had an established record of performance and durability. Starting with a cast-iron block and cylinder head, it featured a thin-wall casting, five-main-bearing crankshaft, solid lifters and a cross-flow head. This engine wasn’t revolutionary, but it was well-proven. Styling was pure and simple with standard equipment featuring all-vinyl high-back bucket seats, “Direct-Aire” ventilation with heater and defroster, rack-and-pinion steering, floor-mounted shifting connected to a fully synchronized four-speed transmission, courtesy dome light and blackwall tires. Initially only the two-door sedan was released, but by January 1971, the Runabout edition with a large hatchback joined the corral. In its initial year, more than 352,400 Pintos were produced, making it another success for Ford. The closest domestic subcompact competition to Pinto, the Chevrolet Vega, also introduced for 1971, saw just under 268,000 units. Dodge and Plymouth turned to Mitsubishi Motors in Japan for the subcompact Colt and Cricket, respectively, but sales were slow, seeing just over 56,000 units of these two models.

Pintos could be dressed up with the Rallye Appearance group that added side stripes; black-out grille, hood treatment and rear panel; and special badging featuring a pony kicking up its rear hooves. Also available was the Luxury Décor group that added rocker moldings, bright trim and upgraded interior materials. For going all-out, a full vinyl top, AM radio, air-conditioning and an electric clock were on the options list, but most popular for many was the optional 100-hp 2.0L engine. Simple instrumentation kept costs down with all gauges contained in two separate pods directly in front of the driver.

More features for 1972

During Pinto’s initial year, there were several running improvements, all of which were incorporated in the 1972 models. A few more amenities were added such as parking brake warning lights, front and rear seat belt retractors and little things such as relocating the headlight dimmer switch.

In January 1972, the sedan and Runabout were joined by the first Pinto station wagons. The wagon became an instant sales success with nearly 101,500 units produced in its premiere season. Americans were taking to small cars and Pinto helped secure Ford’s slice of the pie with more than 480,400 of the 1972 edition going to new owners. The Pinto’s options list also grew with optional front disc brakes, an AM-FM monaural radio and more dress-up items such as a roof-rack for all three body styles. Ford touted how the Pinto was owner-friendly and that most basic maintenance chores could be done in a home garage with basic tools. However, for doing more in-depth repairs, such as changing the head, owners were surprised that some specialized tools were required.

The feds influence 1973 styling

Pinto’s styling and features were left untouched for 1973, except where required by law. New federally mandated energy-absorbing bumpers with front “guards” were installed, which truly did not add to Pinto’s front-end styling. Inside, a new “uni-lock” shoulder and lap-belt setup was also required. Most Pintos in 1973 were ordered with the “friskier” 2.0L package, which was now rated at 86 hp using the new mandated power formulas. Despite price increases, Pinto sales continued to climb, accounting for more than 28 percent of Ford’s overall unit sales! The most popular model was now the Pinto station wagon, the priciest Pinto model, and more than 217,750 came off the assembly line to represent 45 percent of all Pintos sold. Even more accessories were added such as the Sport Accent group which offered the vinyl top in period colors such as Avocado Green and Bright Orange, plus two-tone paint applications. A popular option package was the Squire edition of the station wagon. Faux wood grain panels were added to the sides and rear hatch of the Squire body and there were faux wood interior appointments, too. A wider range of audio selections were also introduced, bringing Stereophonic sounds to the Pinto crowd. For that “sports car feel,” a special deluxe steering wheel was available with genuine leather wrappings. Available this year, but rarely ordered, was a manually operated sunroof. During the 1973 model year, a total of 484,512 Pintos came off the assembly line to take total Pinto production well above the 1.3 million mark since its introduction.

More improvements in 1974

For 1974, styling remained basically untouched except for more durable bumpers that grew to the point that the lower intake opening in the front valance panel was blocked, affecting Pinto’s clean, uncluttered styling even more. (To be fair, this was a plague that affected American car styling across the board.) Ford made several improvements to Pinto this season starting with the elimination of the 1.6L engine, making the 2.0L standard. Also moved over to the list of standard features were front disc brakes. In the option column, a new and more potent 2.3L engine was available; it was rated at 90 hp and loaded with a bit more torque and overall pep.

Marketing continued to aim the Pinto toward youthful buyers, and they were responding. While the Pinto might not have had lightning-quick response with 500 hp under the hood, they were reliable transportation that could be dressed to contemporary standards, and they did not break the bank in doing so. Ford also found that a great many families looked at Pinto as a true second or even third car. At this time, the small-car segment of new car purchases was also growing by leaps and bounds due to the first Arab oil embargo, which sent millions of drivers fleeing from 10-mpg land yachts to more economical cars. High mileage had replaced high horsepower and Ford proudly touted Pinto’s mid-20-mpg ratings in advertisements of the day. For 1974, more than 544,200 Pintos were assembled with the Pinto station wagon leading the way. With 237,394 Pinto station wagons sold that year, it was the best-selling wagon in America that year.

Pintos explode, sales drop for 1975

In Pinto’s fifth season, styling retained the same look that it had featured the previous season, but there were some changes under the skin that made a big difference. The standard powerplant was now the 2.3L inline four-cylinder engine, still mated to a fully synchronized four-speed transmission. For those looking for a bit more power, Pinto now offered the 2.8L “Cologne” V-6 engine as an option. Rated at 90 hp, it was a strong performer that was still economical to operate. Initially, this engine could only be ordered with the Select-Shift automatic transmission and required the optional power front brakes. Pinto’s amenities remained about the same as in 1974 with a couple of interior trim changes and exterior paint selections. Despite these new improvements, Pinto sales saw a steep decline, down to 223,763 cars — a nearly 59% decline. Several reasons contributed to this drop, such as the saturation of the small car market. Pintos were well designed and durable and with nearly 2 million in circulation, but their attrition numbers were lower that larger domestic cars.

The other reason for the decline in the Pinto’s popularity was a bit more ominous. In 1972, Lilly Gray was merging her Pinto onto a Southern California freeway when she was rear ended by a larger vehicle moving about 30 mph faster. The collision resulted in a ruptured gas tank of the Pinto, consuming the vehicle in moments. Ms. Gray died of her injuries and her 13-year-old passenger was severely burned. This was very bad press for Ford and during a resulting lawsuit, the plaintiffs discovered a memo from Lee Iacocca stating “safety doesn’t sell.” That was icing on the cake for the jury, and it was also the final straw for Henry Ford II.

For 1975, U.S. Mercury dealers received a subcompact to sell with the release of the new Bobcat. Featuring unique front-end styling and taillamps, the Bobcat shared everything else with the Pinto. The Bobcat had first been seen in Canada during 1974 where Mercury dealers had found wide customer acceptance. However, Mercury customers in the United States were a little more resistant to the subcompact cars, even though Bobcats featured more comfortable seating and quieter interiors due to additional sound-deadener.

More safety for the 1976 Pinto

Moving on to 1976, Ford continued to tout the Pinto’s reliability and economy of operation, as well as acknowledging new safety features. Up front, a new egg-crate grille housed new and brighter turn-signal/parking lamps. Headlamps were highlighted with bright metal surrounds and bumper guards became an optional item. Safety side marker lamps were also seen for the first time. The three basic Pinto body styles continued, but there were some rather wild options available such as a Squire edition of the Runabout featuring faux-wood trim on the exterior and interior as seen on the Pinto wagons. Probably the most eye-catching packages were the Stallion editions. Finished in silver metallic, they featured blacked-out hoods, grilles, window and headlamp surrounds, plus custom mag wheels, dual sport mirrors and bright Stallion decals on the fenders. Dealers were encouraged option up Stallions even more by ordering them with the V-6 engine, a sunroof and, of course, a stereo system for the groovy sounds of the day. Ford continued to tout Pinto’s fuel-sipping economy and new this year was the Pinto Pony MPG package. Priced at $2,895 (about $130 below the base sedan price), these MPG models were pretty bare-bones Pintos with cheap interior fabrics, less trim and the replacement of several items that were standard on the basic models. Pinto sales climbed nearly 30 percent over the 1975 sales total, recording 290,132 units produced.

As a result of on-going litigation, in 1976 Ford issued a recall of more than 1.5 million Pintos and about 30,000 early-production Bobcats to better secure and fortify the fuel tanks in these cars.

1977 sees a Pinto facelift

Seeing the most notable changes since the Pinto was introduced, 1977 saw a major redesign to the front-end styling. A “soft” front end and color-keyed plastics that were more resistant to impact damage were employed. The egg-crate grille was down-sized and dual turn-parking lamp units were installed on either side of it. Headlamps were recessed with the surrounds returning to body colors. Interiors were freshened with new materials, colors and patterns. To the rear of the car, the taillamps were redesigned and the hatchback on the Runabout models could be optioned as a one-piece glass cover instead of the original-design metal frame with mounted window. New interior fabrics were used with one of the most striking combinations being bright plaids representative of those days of disco enchantment. Ford continued its market strategy of aiming the Pinto to the economy buyer with the MPG Pony edition, but it also began targeting a more affluent crowd with a new line of “Cruising” panel wagons featuring colorful stripe kits, a front spoiler, styled steel wheels, sport mirrors and the addition of “bubble” porthole side windows. It is interesting to note that when the Pinto Cruising wagon was released, Ford offered an Econoline van version, too. Pinto sales slid a bit in 1977 despite the recurring appearance of a sharp white-and-orange Runabout with the Luxury Décor Trim on the popular TV show “Charlie’s Angels.” Actress Kate Jackson, who portrayed detective Sabrina Duncan on the show, drove a snazzy Pinto through several seasons. Just 202,549 Pintos were produced for 1977, which included 22,548 early-production 1978 models that were marketed as 1977s.

Internal competition for 1978

Engine and transmission choices remained unchanged for 1978. By this time, America had gotten used to the higher fuel prices that hit around 1973, but by 1978, Pinto was starting to wear a little thin. Ford also had a new smaller car that was coming on scene — the Fiesta — and the company was biding its time with the Pinto.

Exterior styling also remained the same for 1978, but there were a number of cosmetic changes in terms of colors, stripe kits and décor groups. The new Rally Appearance package included a blacked-out front spoiler and exterior moldings similar to 1976’s Stallion edition, including the Stallion’s dual sport racing mirrors and gold accent tape stripes in several harmonizing color selections. Luxury Décor interior groups were offered for those wanting a more pedestrian-level ride, and the Cruising Wagon made its return while offered in both Standard trim and Deluxe with colorful stripes, styled steel wheels and other items. Mid-1978 saw the introduction of a sedan delivery model, the first from Ford since 1965. Also new for 1978 was the Rally Appearance package that included upgraded wheels, a “Sport” steering wheel, in-dash tachometer and a full assortment of gauges plus a front stabilizer bar for better handling. Bright plaid interiors were still offered as were most all other Pinto accessories. One innovation was the “Air-Roof,” a moonroof fitted with a removable glass panel for those pleasant sunny days or warm clear nights for gazing at stars. Engine and transmission choices were unchanged with the 2.3L inline four still standard or the respectable 2.8L V-6 mated only to the Select-Shift automatic transmission.

During the 1978 model year, Ford introduced a sub-subcompact with the new Fiesta, seen as one of Ford’s first “world cars.” Customers looking for even better mileage and lower prices gravitated to the Fiesta, and Pinto production numbers fell to just under 189,900 units. Most popular with buyers were the base two-door sedans, with many of those likely fitted with the Pony MPG economy package.

Pinto gets a facelift for 1979

Another front-end redesign was seen for Pinto’s ninth model year starting with all new front-end sheet metal featuring a sloping hood with contoured fenders that presented smoother lines. The headlamps for 1979 had transformed into rectangular boxes flanking the restyled grille made of high-impact chrome-plated plastics and featuring three horizontal bars or a rectangular mesh background. The Pinto Pony was still the price leader with a black plastic grille rather than chrome, as well as other basic amenities. The “standard” Pinto featured bright grille work as well as bright window surrounds, protective color-keyed vinyl body side trim, tinted glass, AM radio, rear-window defogger, full wheel covers and the Deluxe bumper group. New for 1979 was the Euro-Sport or ESS package. Similar packages were also offered for the 1979 Fairmont and Granada, but the Pinto version really stood out with a black-out treatment to the side drip-rail moldings, window surrounds, lower rocker panels, front grille and hood as well as the rear taillamp panel. It also featured blacked-out dual sport racing mirrors and styled steel wheels. The ESS package could be ordered from the factory on the sedan and Runabout models, but several dealers also created their own unauthorized versions for the standard station wagon.

1979 also saw the return on the Pinto Panel wagon, still available with the Cruising stripe package that included color-keyed styled steel wheels, window surround black-out treatment and a blacked-out grille. New this year was this same treatment being offered on the Runabout, which could still be ordered with the standard metal frame hatchback door or the optional all-glass unit. Pinto’s accessory list continued to grow with new audio systems, improved air conditioning and stylish “Lacy Spoke” cast-aluminum wheels. A mild redesign to the entire dashboard and instrument cluster was appreciated. The standard sedan, Runabout and station wagon were all well-appointed in base version, while the price leader continued to be the Pony package which deleted several items such as bright window surrounds. The Pony did include the basic AM radio and a rear window defogger. These items gave customers a $329 reduction over the base sedan price, and new for 1979 was Pony Station Wagon with similar savings. Pinto production saw a slight up-tick for 1979, climbing to just over 199,000 units with sedans, including the Pony edition, leading the charge.

1980: Pinto trots into the sunset

For 1980, the Pinto’s final year, Pinto was taken down a notch. Any hint of performance was gone with the deletion of the optional V-6. The remaining 2.3L inline four was given some slight improvements in mileage performance as the nation was gripped by the oil embargos of the late 1970s.

Ford touted that there were “three ways to up a bargain” with the Pinto two-door sedan, Runabout and station wagon. While styling was unchanged from 1979, the décors were updated with stylish two-tone treatments available. Most notable was the Rallye Appearance Group available on the Runabout, the Cruising package for station wagons and the Runabout with all-new graphics this year, plus the ESS package for sedans and Runabouts. Pony continued to be the lowest-priced edition while the Pinto Squire wagon had seen prices jump up to $4,637 with many topping out well above the $5,000 mark with “out the door” bottom lines. With increasing competition for smaller imports and Ford’s own new little Fiesta, the decision to discontinue the Pinto was a private affair. However, the Pinto’s final year still saw an impressive production figure of 185,054 units.

Pinto was Ford’s first domestic foray into the world of subcompacts and just as it had revolutionized compact engineering and styling with the Falcon back 1960, and the sport compact market with the Mustang, it had pulled off a pretty peppy little subcompact. Sure, the Pinto may have been the brunt of numerous jokes, but today it is becoming a highly prized automotive icon from the 1970s. Like the Model T Fords from the early part of the 20th Century, quite a few people driving cars today probably had their first experience behind the wheel of a Ford Pinto. 

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The post Celebrating 50 years of the Pinto appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Story and photos by Brian Earnest

Mike Christensen had no idea when he helped his wife Jude track down and buy her little 1972 Ford Pinto that his own pride and joy — a stellar 1966 Mustang — would wind up suffering through an identity crisis.

“When we started showing it, and even to this day, I’ll park it next to my ’66 and I might get a look from people, but then they all just gravitate to the Pinto and she can just spend hours talking to the people and everyone who’s had one at some point in their life,” Christensen says. “And I’m over here thinking, ‘Hey dude, I got a really nice ’66 over here!’ … I feel like a second-class citizen!”

Such is life living in the tiny shadow of the Christensens’ sparkling orange Pinto. It was a bit of a surprise purchase for the Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., couple, and aside from the Mustang getting a little less attention, they haven’t regretted the acquisition for a second.

“I just like that era — you know, disco and everything. I love the ‘70s,” Jude says. “To me, driving it is just nostalgia. It takes you back to a time when we were younger. I never owned a Pinto in the past, but it just gives me a good feeling.”

Ford cranked out more than 3 million of the gas-sipping Pintos in the 1970s, but attrition has taken a heavy toll and nice specimens are fairly scarce these days, particularly in northern climates such as Wisconsin. Even though they are a die-hard Ford couple, a Pinto wasn’t on the Christensens’ radar. That is, until they spotted one a few years back not far from their home.

“We had the ‘66 Mustang and we were showing that, and I thought, ‘You know what, I’d like to have my own classic car.’ I didn’t know what I wanted, but I knew it had to be a Ford, of course,” Jude laughs. “I’m not a fancy person, so I just wanted a nice little car and we happened to notice there was a Pinto for sale [nearby]. I didn’t remember them at all. I just saw that Pinto sitting over there on the street and just thought, ‘This is the cutest little car I’ve ever seen,’ so right then it was like, ‘I want a Pinto.’”

That Pinto sold before they could check it out, however, and Jude figured she would wind up with something else someday. About a year later, though, Mike spotted one for sale online in San Diego, Calif. This time, they weren’t too late. “We’d never bought a car without seeing it, let alone way across the country,” Jude said. “So I contacted the seller and he was very honest. He emailed us pictures of it and was a very nice guy. I did the financing and arranged for Autobahn to pick it up and bring it back here and here it comes, this big honking car hauler rolls up in front of our house with a little Pinto on top, just like a cherry on a sundae!”

That was in 2010, and the car wasn’t in the wonderful shape it’s in today, but it was still excellent for an unrestored car almost four decades old. The couple planned to have the car restored so they could show it, and the operation turned out to be fairly painless.

“It didn’t need a whole lot of work. The motor ran really, really well,” Mike said. “I just did a little cleanup on it, a little detailing. The body was solid, but the paint was fried … so we had the body painted in the original Medium Coral paint.”

Mike rebuilt the carburetor, put in a new flywheel and gave the little Ford a tuneup. Inside, the Pinto just needed a little repair to the driver’s seat and a new OEM-style dash cover. With new paint and a set of fresh rubber, it was looking new again.

Mike does admit to getting a few puzzled looks when he took the car in to get it repainted. “You know the old story, we all have more money in our cars than we will probably ever get out of them, but that’s not the reason we are in the hobby. Everyone I talk to has overspent, but it’s a car they want and they want it done right and they enjoy driving it, and that’s the enjoyment they get out of it.

“For us it was money well spent.”

It doesn’t take much to spend more on a restoration than a Pinto originally cost. The popular Ford compact Runabout models carried a base price of just $2,078 brand new. The Pinto was available only as a two-door sedan initially in 1971. A station wagon was added for 1972 and the Runabout two-door hatchbacks were also added mid-season. After building 352,402 Pintos for their 1971 debut year, Ford churned out 480,405 copies for the sophomore selling year in 1972. That number grew to a high-water mark of 544,209 for 1974.

It was exactly the kind of reception Ford President Lee Iacocca wanted when he pushed for the launch of the new Pinto. The company leader wanted a budget-priced — under $2,000 — gas miser than could compete with the growing number of economy models already on car lots and on the drawing boards of the other automakers, including the VW Beetle, Plymouth Valiant, Chevrolet Corvair and Vega, AMC’s Gremlin and various offerings from Japanese brands.

The Pintos featured simple uni-body construction with rear-wheel drive, longitudinally mounted engine and live axle rear end. Buyers could get either a 1.6- or German-built 2.0-liter inline four in the first three years before a 2.2-liter four debuted in 1974. A six-cylinder would join the menu from 1975-’79.

Standard equipment included ventless door windows; highback, slim-line bucket seats; all-vinyl upholstery; two-pod instrument cluster; glovebox; interior dome light; floor-mounted transmission controls; rack-and-pinion steering; hot water heater; Direct-Aire Ventilation system; and 6.00 × 13 rayon blackwall tires.

The Pinto soldiered on through the 1970s and spun off the Mercury Bobcat variant, which arrived in 1975 — one year later after it was available in Canada. Eventually, the Pinto lineup was phased out, along with the Ford Fiesta, in favor of the Escort.

The resilient Ford compact probably could have survived even longer had it not been for the wave of bad press it received from its infamous “exploding gas tank” scandal. Controversy dogged the Pinto after an article in Mother Jones came out in 1977 claiming a faulty fuel tank design made the Pintos unsafe and blamed the flaw for a series of fiery crashes. The magazine claimed Ford knew about the flaw, but had done a cost-benefit analysis of fixing the issue and decided against making any changes.

The company wound up fighting several high-dollar lawsuits and took a huge PR hit. Since then, various studies and investigations have taken place both defending and criticizing FoMoCo.’s handling of the issue, whether the gas tank design was really any more dangerous than that of other vehicles on the market, and whether the company did in fact cover anything up.

In any case, the Pinto’s reputation was permanently scarred, which no doubt makes it an even more unique collector vehicle today. “You get a lot of looks. Sometimes she gets a wave or a thumb up, and other times you may just get a laugh,” Mike says.

“That’s OK, as long as I like the car, that’s all that matters,” adds Judy. “I’ve had comments [about the gas tank], but I figure, well, every car has their thing.”

The Pinto has certainly filled the bill as a fun, bargain hobby car for owners like the Christensens, who happily drive their shiny little Ford to weekend car shows around Wisconsin. The couple often caravans with the Pinto and one of their three other hobby cars — the ’66 Mustang, a 1973 Mustang Mach 1 and a 1974 Mustang II.

“It’s like being back in the ‘70s,” Jude says. “No power steering, no power brakes … But I love driving it.”

Mustang Mike still has a hard time wrapping his head around the popularity of the orange Pinto. And he can be pretty certain that their Pinto will be the only one wherever it goes. “Especially one as stock as [ours],” he says “Even back years ago, guys were stuffing V-8s under the hood and making them into hot rods … To find one in such original condition with original numbers-matching drive train. The car is basically untouched other than the body and a paint job on it.

“Nobody saved them. They were basically disposable cars. Who thought they’d ever be collectible?”

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The 1974-78 Mustang II series is arguably the most controversial generation in the Mustang’s 50-year history, but most enthusiasts are willing to concede a model or two with a spark of excitement.

In hindsight, the downsized II platform did one thing very well; it kept the Mustang name alive at a time when other bloated marques were dying off. Gorging itself on market success, Ford allowed the once-fit pony car to balloon in size and weight until by 1973 it was as heavy as some mid-size family sedans. With input from marketing clinics and thousands of vocal fans, Ford designed a smaller vehicle with styling cues from the original and a somewhat modern four-cylinder engine for better economy. Many factors were taken into account during the creation process — government-imposed emissions restrictions, rising insurance premiums for performance cars, and a market that suddenly seemed smitten by small, sporty cars from Japan and Germany were three of the most dominant.

Gone forever were big-block V-8 engines from the Mustang’s option list; in fact, there were no V-8s offered in the 1974 model year. Only two powerplants were available for ’74 — the base 2.3-liter “Lima” four-cylinder with a single overhead camshaft and an optional 2.8-liter V-6 from Ford of Germany’s Mercury Capri. The two body styles — a two-door coupe and three-door hatchback — each measured 11.8 inches less than the ’73 they replaced.

Although it has often been derisively called the “Pinto Mustang,” the ’74 shared fewer parts with its cheaper Ford cousin than people realize. Ford wanted a big-car luxury ride in its small package, so interior noise was greatly reduced by melting rubber sheets into the floorpan during assembly. Powertrain noises were addressed by the use of a larger-diameter driveshaft. A U-shaped, isolated subframe (known to Ford engineers as the “toilet seat”) killed much road noise before it could get to the passenger compartment. The new suspension was independent in the front and a Hotchkiss-type in the rear.

The look of the Mustang II would remain, for better or worse, unchanged throughout its five-year run. Body design details included separate FORD block letters above the grille, facing upward; single round headlamps recessed into squarish housings; a front bumper that protruded forward in the center, matching the width of the grille; rub strips wrapped only slightly onto the bumper sides; door sheetmetal with a sculptured, depressed area that began near the back and extended for a short distance on the quarter panel, following the contour of the wheel opening; a curvaceous bodyside crease that ran below the door handle; B-pillars and conventional quarter windows on notchbacks; sharply tapered quarter windows that came to a point at the rear on hatchbacks; European-style tail lamps consisting of three side-by-side sections with a small backup lens at the bottom of each center section and larger amber turn signal lenses; large FORD block letters on the panel between the tail lamps above the license plate housing; one-piece fiberglass-reinforced front ends and color-keyed urethane-coated bumpers; wheel lip moldings; side marker lights with die-cast bezels; recessed door handles; and slim high-luster exterior trim moldings.

Bridging the gap between old and new were some features considered essential to the Mustang package, such as a floor-mounted shifter, low-back bucket seats, vinyl upholstery, and full carpeting. Separating the first-generation from the II were such standard niceties as solid-state ignition, front disc brakes, a tachometer, steel-belted whitewalls and — in the 2+2 hatchback models — a folding rear seat.

“Hot” Mustang II models included the Rallye and Mach 1, both of which were equipped with the 2.8-liter V‑6 engine. The Rallye came with a limited-slip differential; raised white-letter steel-belted tires; an extra-cooling package; a competition suspension; dual color-keyed; remote-control door mirrors; styled steel wheels; a Sport exhaust system; a digital clock; and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

Base prices that first year ran from $3,081 to $3,621 for the Mach 1 package, but showroom stickers initially crossed the $4,500 mark because of long options lists. With some adjustments by the factory, prices quickly lowered and the new Mustang experienced the line’s highest sales records in nearly a decade—385,993 cars (or 4.75 percent of the industry’s total output) compared to the 134,817 Ford sold of the ’73 model. Although promoted as a sporty or luxury vehicle, the Mustang II’s real audience was looking for a low base price and economy of operation, which explains why 252,470 of the first-year sales were for the base hardtop and 2+2.

Giving in to market pressure, Ford made some structural modifications to the Mustang II for 1975 to make way for a 5.0-liter V-8 engine. Wearing primitive smog controls and struggling with unleaded gasoline, the ’75 Mustang II’s 302-cid powerplant was a distant cousin to the Boss engine of the same size. Output ranged from 122 to 139 hp during its four years in the II series, but the V-8 could be had in coupe or hatchback models at a time when most car companies were phasing out anything larger than a V-6.

In 1976 Ford gave the Mustang an appearance package to match the performance potential of the 5.0-liter: the Cobra II package —

a hatchback-only option with the “show,” but not the “go,” of a Shelby Mustang. “Cobra strikes again,” said the Free Wheelin’ catalog, a youth-oriented, 24‑page color booklet produced by Ford. “New Cobra II. Ford’s Mustang II wrapped in an appearance package that does justice to the Cobra name. So striking, it’s already a sales success.” It was hard to believe from a piece of literature printed in October 1975, that the exciting‑looking Cobra option was “already a sales success;” however, the Cobra II was on its way to reaching an approving audience, since the package was available on all 2+2s with any engine.

For $325, a Mustang II buyer could order a hatchback with any of the three powerplants and have it decked out with bold racing stripes; a blacked‑out grille; racing mirrors; rear quarter window louvers; a front air dam; a non‑functional hood scoop; a rear deck lid spoiler; a brushed aluminum instrument panel and door panel appliques; Cobra insignias on the front fenders; styled steel wheels and BR70 steel‑belted tires with raised white letters. The 1976 Cobra II came in white with blue stripes, blue with white stripes, or black with gold stripes

The Cobra II marked the first time since the Boss 429 and Shelbys that Ford shipped a Mustang away for final assembly. Jim Wangers, who is often credited with the success of Pontiac’s original GTO, designed and installed the ’76 Cobra II graphics and aerodynamic pieces at his small Motortown plant near Ford’s Dearborn factory. As a nod to Mustang history, Carroll Shelby even appeared in the sales catalog to promote the
Cobra II.

So popular was the Cobra II package that Ford moved its production in-house at the start of the 1977 model year, but otherwise left it unchanged.

The Mustang II entered its final model year in October of 1977 as supreme ruler of the crowded domestic sporty subcompact class, even though there were very few improvements or changes to the basic product. New graphics for the Cobra II would have been the extent of Mustang II news had it not been for the release of a truly over-the-top limited edition performance package — the King Cobra.

Advertised as the “Boss of the Mustang stable,” the King Cobra (or “KC”) was built around a 2+2 body with 5.0-liter engine, standard four-speed manual transmission, power brakes and power steering. The $1,253 KC treatment did without the customary bodyside striping of the Cobra II/GT-350, but sported a unique tape layout including a giant snake decal on the hood and pinstriping on the greenhouse, decklid, wheel lips, rocker panels, belt, over‑the‑roof area, and around the side windows. Up front was a tough‑looking airdam. A “King Cobra” nameplate went on each door and the back spoiler and a “5.0L” badge appeared on the rear-facing hood scoop. The King Cobra also had rear quarter flares, a black grille and moldings, and color‑keyed dual sport mirrors. Raised‑white‑letter tires rode lacy‑spoke aluminum wheels with twin rings and a Cobra symbol on the hubs.

To make the KC a complete “look at me” special, many buyers paid the extra $587 for the T-top option, bringing the sticker price to $5,638 before any other accessories were ordered. Simply adding the $225 automatic transmission put the KC at the $6K mark with tag, taxes and title figured in. Despite its high purchase price, enthusiasts recognized the KC as one of the only Mustang IIs with collector potential and snapped up 4,318 of them.

{This story was exerpted from the book “Mustang Special Editions” by Brad Bowling and Jerry Heasley. It is available through www.Amazon.com and other online retailers.}

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