Pat L. always keeps us updated with any Pinto worth having, and this root beer beauty is no exception! Though the wheels clearly aren’t original, most of the rest of the car is. Having covered only 37,000 miles since new, this Pinto is in fantastic shape for what it is and how old it is. Because it’s so nice, it would be a lot of fun to cruise in. Because it’s a Pinto, you wouldn’t have to feel bad about driving it! Find it here on Craigslist in Alabama for a reasonable $4,800.
In the case of most Pintos, one would simply assume that the odometer has rolled over and that this is really a 137,000 mile car. One look at the interior says otherwise. Though the front seats shows very minor signs of use, the interior is completely intact and about as nice as can be expected for a somewhat cheaply made 40 year old car. The dash pad cover is a little concerning, but I like to think that it is there to protect the dash from cracking and not to hide the cracks, though there is an equal chance of either being the case. The steering wheel is also clearly not original, but could easily be reverted back to factory.
The engine is the less common 2.8 liter Ford V6, which means from the factory this Pinto wagon was making as much power as a factory built Pinto could in 1977 (even if it was only four more horsepower than the four cylinder!). With a whopping 93 horsepower, this Pinto certainly isn’t a speed demon but you’ll find it has more pep than a four cylinder model! This Pinto is also equipped with power steering, power brakes, and factory air conditioning.
Pintos are possibly one of the most under-appreciated cars of the 1970s, with people frequently passing them up because for so long they were common disposable cars. I was once someone who wouldn’t have looked too hard at any Pinto, but lately I have seen enough nice examples to change my mind! This wagon is ripe for cruise night, and with the addition of the original steering wheel and wheels it could be a really attractive little survivor.
love it…but what size wheels are on it?? Fronts look to small and rears to big??
Not only the size – they’re 5 lugs so you’re not going to be bolting the stockers back on there.
Nicest one of these I’ve seen for awhile. I don’t know if 5K is good or not but, it’s a nice car.
I’m all about keeping it stock, but this would be an awesome brown Cruising Wagon.
I owned a OEM beige ’73 Pinto S/W. It was a great car to own. Metric and easy to work on. Gutless wonder little four banger. Good on gas. Fun to take camping with the fold down back seats and lift up back window lid (to attach a tent). Terrific for light hauling when moving between apartments off campus. Bought used for $1750, mine was a great car. Put 104K on it and sold it to a co-worker for the same amount I paid.
Love this car. Probably the best looking Pinto I’ve seen. Sir mike is right, wheel sizes are odd but I like the rims.
As an Aussie I don’t know as much about Pintos as I’d like to (apart from all the usual “exploding Pinto” jokes and stories). I actually really like this, but I have a question about the styling of the wagon that my American friends may be able to answer for me. Looking at the side glass I find it slightly strange and even a bit off-putting that there is chrome trim surrounding the rear side windows, but no chrome trim surrounding the glass in the doors. It just seems to unbalance the styling slightly. Is this normal, or is it just something unique to this particular car? Don’t get me wrong….I actually like this little car, but I’m just interested to know.
To give the illusion of being a hardtop style like a nomad wagon.
Adam – Also google a Pinto Cruising Wagon as another trim option that was more popular. As mentioned, look was perhaps meant to corral the Nomad gang that were looking for old style look in (at the time) a modern vehicle. For a few years, Ford (in my opinion) got it right and built the Cruising Wagon that combined the popular ’70s cruising van styling cues into the mini wagon. Either was a viable option – and this Barn Finds Share is certainly one I would love to call my own, having previously owned a ’70s era Pinto. However, only two of us at home now and 5 vehicles, have some explaining to do bumping that to 6. Plus, listing a bit thin on details for contacting seller for more info.
The Cruising Wagon wasn’t an attempt to attract the Nomad crowd. It was an attempt to bring in the custom van groupies.
Waiiiit. Isn’t this 1 of 5 Pinto’s worth 250,000 US American buckeroo dollars? I bet some ass could ebay this Pinto with some unsubstantiated claim like this was one of five Pinto’s that Colonel Saunders used during the week. This was the Tuesday car. Legend has it collecting all five and disassembling them will give you the original recipe.
Nawwwww… The Colonel would never ride in this Punt-o. Unless you have seen one of these being punted off the road by a semi… Obviously, I’m into slap stick comedy.
It was driven by the “Illinois Nazis” in the Blues Brothers movie. Priceless.
I like what whoever did to it. I would leave it like it is. The price isn’t horrible but if it was in the 3k range I would try to strike a deal on it instead of just posting a comment on it. Lol
You can buy 5 lug rotors that will slip right onto the Pinto spindles for both Ford and GM bolt patterns. Not sure how rear hubs were modified for 5 lug. I actually like the looks, steering wheel too. Looks better than the 13″ wheels/caps would.
Maverick rear end will bolt right in. Giving you a 5 lug bolt pattern and an 8 inch rear end.
I love it just the way it is but only $2500 worth of love.
Somebody jump on this car, leave it alone or bring it back to original, it’s a great driver.
Mecum auction sold a 74 Pinto wagon for $25,000 LOT F78 MONTEREY 2017.
I’ve got a 74 and the 77 shown above, bone stock, all original and 12,000 miles less than the one sold by Mecum. They share my garage with my 63 Sting, 78 Ferrari, Model A roadster pickup and others. Love the expression on visitors faces when they see the Pintos with their garagemates.
I like variety, and at shows the Pintos do get lots of positive attention.
We owned a 77pinto wagon and a 74 hatch back bought new wagon looked same color as this one . Wagon was a better car than hatch back
I had an orange one just like this but a 4 banger, biggest peice of junk i ever owned. $500 beater at best. Turned me off of Fords till last yr when i bought my Lincoln.
Sorry Pinto people, coming from someone that worked in the Pinto plant with a nice Ford pension…….there is nooooo pinto worth owning at any cost. Wagons look ok but they where very poor built gocarts even in those days with the low quality coming from car ALL companies. There are so many Ford products that are great cars and good investments. Why would anybody want a Pinto or a Mustang II is mind blowing to me. I feel bad for anybody that paid $25000 for a Pinto. I am sure they get looks at shows…..because people think really it’s a Pinto that still runs. These cars where starting to rust by the end on the assembly line.
They embarrassed Ford
That might have been your impression from the factory side, but from the owners side, you will find a lot of people that liked and even loved their Pintos.
I have had many of them and I love them for their simplicity.
I have not had any Pinto leave me stranded in the past 35 years.
Paul… Get over yourself. Nobody really cares for your personal thoughts. What do you drive? Hhmmm.
Well I drove both a Pinto and a Mustang II For many years and I know more about these cars then the average Joe.
I own a 69 Mustang convertible a 68 Mustang fastback a 2016 Silverado and 2014 Ford Edge.
Sorry to offend you Ponyman but Pinto’s and Mustang II’s are not sought after or very desired cars in the collector car world and that is a fact…….everything else is just my own stupid opinion.
I am sorry if you are the guy that paid $25000 for the Pinto or a guy that owns a Mustang II. I really don’t want to offend anybody and I do realize everybody likes different things.
A funny story.
I had a wagon like this back in 1990. It was more of a copper color though.
Cell phones were just starting to become available and I had a brick that I carried with me.
I went to California from Nevada with mine and went to pick up a friend that did not like Pintos very much.
Her comment to me was “It is funny to see you use a cell phone in a PINTO”.
She associated cell phones with the rich and the Pinto with the very poor.
I loved that car.
I put it up for sale and sold it quickly to a buyer from Minnesota. I guess they didn’t have many Pintos there even back in 1990.
Had a 77Pinto, panneled it to cruiser, swapped rear end with 302 must. 8 inch rear (tucked nice). bored 4 banger block 9:, went 2:02 valves with head work,attached Offenhouser 4bbl manifold and nitrous progressive fogger and predato carb. Paxton blower in A/C bracket. Dinoed at over 400HP and ate stang 5.0s for breakfast. Got ticket for grandtanding idleing out of parking lot. Cop never looked under hook, tore ticket up…(how to explain a pinto grandstanding!)