You have to appreciate the eager beavers on eBay. This 1980 Ford Pinto looks like it was sunk up to its wheel wells in the Tennessee muck before being listed for sale. Surprisingly, it looks reasonably complete with the exception of missing rear window glass that has likely done the interior no favors. Find it here on eBay for a mere $895.
The seller claims the previous owner drove the Pinto to where it rests today, and they (surprisingly) have all of the vehicle’s paperwork. No mention of rust, but from what we can see, the body doesn’t display the type of corrosion you’d expect for a car that’s been resting on its belly in the weeds. The front has been backed into by a piece of heavy equipment, but the seller claims they can help source a replacement hood; no word on replacement glass.
As per the 2.3L four-cylinder, the seller uses one of our favorite words – should. As in, it should run. Well, it might run after you clear the remains of rodent infestation out of the air cleaner! This example is equipped with a floor-shift automatic, so while the later Pintos with the square headlights are a bit more unusual, the powertrain on this 1980 model is anything but exotic.
The seller does not have a replacement fender, but feels confident it can be repaired. Truth be told, if it isn’t rusty, the whole car looks like it’s worth saving, but I’d pay $500 – tops. While I appreciate the photos showing how the Pinto was stored, it does nothing to help open my wallet up further. But for a few hundred less, this looks like a heck of a parts car or a basic project car on the cheap. Just get to it before a backhoe whacks the rear end.
Really?
Junk with a capital J.
They could not pull the car out of the hillside, maybe using the same heavy equipment they used to partially crush the car, so the buyer maybe could see the whole car? Lazy seller….
I wouldn’t buy any car from someone so dumb that they parked it on dirt. The whole underside would be suspect. Not worth messing with even if it wasn’t a POS like a Pinto.
125.00 , take off What’s good, chop up , dump in my dump truck the rest for scrap.
I believe they forgot the decimal point! $8.95
A 1980 Pinto abandoned to a hedge with damage to the RF fender, hood, roof, broken rear window, interior and carb open to the elements for an unknow length of time and this has the makings of a decent basic project? No offense, but it probably won’t make a decent parts car.
Steve R
I’m wondering why the couldn’t at least pop a door open for an interior shot? Unless they were afraid of the snakes and other critters that are no doubt calling it home. Then again, after seeing that air breather, i would probably be a little reluctant to open it myself. At least they did finally decide to pull it out of weeds.
I guess they figured they might have to put forth just a wee tiny bit of effort if they think they are getting $895 out of it. (Now where was that decimal point suppose to be again?) They would also have to evacuate all the current residents before i would even think about looking at it.
80 bucks at the scrapper.
Oh, missing a zero; you meant $89.50? :-)
Ran when mulched.
A scrap yard will only pay $200 tops for it if that. I’ll pass.
Rule #1 don’t drink your moonshine while posting your ad on Ebay.
Rule # 2
don’t drink moonshine BEFORE posting your ad on Ebay.
Rule#3
Don’t drink
Rule #4- No poofters!
Maybe not a great car, but they make dandy Pony Stock racers. They’ll go like stink without any smog crud on them. And you have to take out the back window anyways,
One of the most dependable cars I ever had, and I’ve had a bunch. It got me through 4 years of college, there and back to Florida, about 150 concerts, a weekly visit to a girlfriend 200 miles away, and 4 years of Michigan weather. It only stranded me once when I ignored the rear diff and it locked up. Knock the Pinto all you want, mine was a helluva car. And yes, the 400 mile trip every weekend to get the girlfriend was worth every mile.
Nobody is knocking Pintos in general, just this car and the way it’s ad is put together.
Steve R
Bought one new in 1980, $4300 and the salesman pulled it off the showroom floor for me to drive home. I put that car through absolute 16 year old male driver hell! It survived and was sold to my non- clutch operating sister for her to try and destroy! Car survived that too… I always hated that car, but looking back, it gave me no reason too.
Very similar experience. Sister bought ’79 V6 new with dad the cosigner, then tried to back out. Dad took over and I got at 16 in ’81. Drove all through college.
like you, hated it but really had very few reasons to.
Ya’ll need to look at this sellers other items. Oh Lord – I be speechless.
Yeah, pretty unusual collection…
Compact demolition derby fodder.
This car has been for sale for at least four years if not longer. The seller has always been unrealistic on it and the damage has gotten worse.
I could fix that fender and the hood, about 895.00. ( I hope he gets enough to at least buy a nice pressure washer).
I see no one has recognized the significance of this car. Documented as one of the five Red Green special editions.
The rodent nest really bums me out. I hate rodents.
I’ve been wanting to do a frame up rotisserie concourse restoration on one of these beautiful pintos I think I found my car!ROTFLOL😄
Used to be you’d be LUCKY to get $100 from a junkyard for this. I blame the car flipping TV shows.