Slots, stripes, louvers, and a porthole: The 1979 Ford Pinto Cruising Wagon
- Thread starter zebra03
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We had a Pinto back in the seventies...made a road trip from San Antonio to Taos, New Mexico for skiing...HATED that car...it didn't break down, but the thing just sucked...we went in two cars, the Pinto and a Toyota Corolla, both cars had automatic transmissions...the Corolla was a superior car to the Pinto.
I learned to drive a stick on the street in my families 1974 Pinto wagon. I had driven my grandfather's 1969 International Scout offroad but learning manual driving on the street was in the Pinto. Ours was old man gold with the vinyl Country Squire woodgrain faux wood sides. Eck!
The big 3 had rested on their laurels for too long. We have W. Edward Deming and the Japanese to thank for the massive improvement in design and quality that eventually came to domestic autos. It didn't happen overnight, as the 80's were still very dark days for American cars and their quality. By the 90's we began catching up.
That said, the Pinto and the Vega were monuments to the sad state of domestic cars being produced at that time.
cgutz
AK Member
Loved the looks of those sporty Pinto wagons. Very 70's.
Never drove a Pinto, but my 1980 Honda Accord beat any contemporary US compact car 6 ways to Sunday .
In 1977 I almost rear ended a stopped Pinto with my 1962 Impala wagon during a snow storm - no braking action on the snow. I had a flash of flames shooting over my Impala. Drove the Impala onto the center boulevard to high center it to a stop. Catastrophe avoided.
Never drove a Pinto, but my 1980 Honda Accord beat any contemporary US compact car 6 ways to Sunday .
In 1977 I almost rear ended a stopped Pinto with my 1962 Impala wagon during a snow storm - no braking action on the snow. I had a flash of flames shooting over my Impala. Drove the Impala onto the center boulevard to high center it to a stop. Catastrophe avoided.
mfrench
Addicted Member
We had a "Woody", a "Vinyly"; base yellow with vinyl wood grain side applique.
We lived in a steep hill area, and had six kids to haul in it. We slowed a lot of traffic.
I drove it from SoCal, to Utah, and back, several times.
It also had one of the tightest, hardest to get to, pita starter motor locations. ugh.
We lived in a steep hill area, and had six kids to haul in it. We slowed a lot of traffic.
I drove it from SoCal, to Utah, and back, several times.
It also had one of the tightest, hardest to get to, pita starter motor locations. ugh.
I drove my family's 2 liter Pinto w/automatic, a friend's 1.6L Pinto with 4-spd and NOTHING in the way of creature comforts (which sucks in Texas during the summer), and an early Vega with automatic...if anybody in the future thinks those cars are desirable collector cars, well, they are fricking retards...I lived with Triumphs, MGs, & Austin Healeys that were small and low powered but they were at least fun to drive and I knew how to keep them reliable, the run of the mill Pinto or Vega's driving experience blew chunks...a Cosworth Vega or one that had a small block transplant might be interesting, but there are so many other better cars you'd have to ask yourself: "Why?"
screams 1970s econo love machine !
econo love ... that's a shame
Used to party in the parents pea green 72 pinto.
Put in an 8 track player,
Reo speed wagon, Aerosmith,Boston, and the Charlie Daniel's band.
Windows down to air it out before going home, if it was winter it was freeze out.
My brother bought it from my folks.
He put a 302 v8 in it.
We did burnouts on the country roads.
Ahh, good times,
Put in an 8 track player,
Reo speed wagon, Aerosmith,Boston, and the Charlie Daniel's band.
Windows down to air it out before going home, if it was winter it was freeze out.
My brother bought it from my folks.
He put a 302 v8 in it.
We did burnouts on the country roads.
Ahh, good times,
Mystic
We're all born mad
Exactly the vehicle I was driving, and the question I was asking myself, in 1977.
No no disrespect intended groovy looking car !
sorry . I was focused on the literal meaning of econo love .
We had a Pinto hatchback - the red/whit/blue special edition that I learned to drive a manual on.
My dad asked me to get it from the dealer and drive to New York to pick him up (90 miles away).
I'd only driven a 3 on the tree pick-up in a parking lot (poorly) previous to that.
When I picked up the car the dealer had it parked on a hill - I stalled it once and then never again!
I figured it out.
Back in the day the old man wouldn’t consider anything less than 400 cid vehicle so when my mom put her foot down to get a family vehicle my pops bought a new 1972 kingswood estate wagon with a 402 big block engine he tried but couldn’t find the 454 one at the time but none around , that car was fun to drive embarrassed many camaros at the time !
My older brother taught me to drive.. 1952 chevy truck.. inline 6, 3 on the tree, 6v electrical system(with a generator, not an alternator)..
Everytime I stalled it, I got out to push start it.. it didn't take long to learn.. (the hard way)
