The seller is listing this 1977 Mercury Bobcat wagon for a friend who bought it in Maine in 2012, drove it 11,500 miles, and has had it stored at the seller’s house since 2016. He says it was a Maine barn find when his friend bought it, and it now has just 35,698 miles on it. They have it posted here on craigslist in Billerica, Massachusetts, and they’re asking $5,000. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Rocco B. for the tip!
Some of the photos are out of focus, so my apologies for that. Not that I took the photos. The “fancy” Mercury version of the Ford Pinto wagon was offered starting in 1974 in Canada and from 1975 through 1980 in the U.S., which is when the Pinto, in general, including the Bobcat, pulled out of the market. We saw this car last fall here on Barn Finds when the seller was asking $6,500.
The bumpers are always a distraction, at least design-wise, maybe not parking lot demo derby-wise. The peace sign bumper sticker is a nice Maine touch. The seller says this car was a Maine barn find, but then they say that they think it was left outside in Maine, and that may have fried the interior. I’m not sure which one it was, maybe half in a barn and half outside, who knows? In any case, it looks pretty good to me for a $5,000 Bobcat wagon. There is some light rust in the cracks, but they say there is no major rust.
The first thing most of us noticed, other than the covered seats and steering wheel, is that this one doesn’t have a four-speed manual. That’s always a bummer for those of us who like to shift for ourselves. The front seats, dash, and steering wheel must be beyond help, and that’s unfortunate. It won’t be inexpensive to fix those areas. The back seat looks like new, so that’s good.
The 2.3-liter OHC inline-four is said to have been rebuilt, and it has 89 horsepower and 120 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent through a three-speed automatic to the rear wheels. Are any of you takers at $5,000?
Funny how Mercury would take a car from Ford and class it up with some minor cosmetic touches, grills mostly. But I like this Bobcat. If I could afford a third car and it had a four speed this would be it. Bumpers? Meh. They’re fine, all the better for pushing shopping carts out of the way at the local Walmart.
If you’re local, and can put your eyes on this Bobcat? $5000 is a good deal, considering the nutty prices that people are asking for anything that is 40 years old, or more.
A nice, gussied up Pinto. You’re right Scotty, too bad there’s no 4spd. My first roommate in college had a pinto with an automatic, one of the slowest cars I ever drove. Though I was always thankful he let me use his car.
Love that it’s a wagon, and price seems reasonable, but not w/out a stick shift.
I had a 1972 pinto for 4 years and put 100 k miles on it. I just saw a video on youtube of a crash test with a ford galaxie. Yikes! I’m glad I survived that car ! The galaxie crushed the front end all the way to the back seat! And if you got hit in the rear you would be incinerated!
I bet the gas tank is in the same position on this wagon as was on your Pinto. Yikes!
It isn’t. The wagon was never vulnerable to that. And was not part of that recall
Leaned to drive on a 74 Pinto wagon. I did like that car.
Just think what would have happened if you drove it off a cliff? Double Yikes!
I like these, just wish they were not so heavy (for the size, 94 inch WB)). Lima motor (X-flow design), weber progressive carb, all big pluses.
Would only go w/the wagon (well, ok, may B the hatch) just if they werent so heavy. I could see if a ladder frame under it, no such luck~
1st change… 5 speed or 4 auto (ie w/OD) depending. Later? may B smooth the bumpers in a lill…
Ahh, 5 pieces of chrome on a Pinto and it’s a Bobcat. I had a friend with a ’76 Pinto that was pretty awful mechanically but maybe Ford had their act together later. That 4 cylinder engine actually saw use in industrial applications.
I absolutely love pinto’s and bobcats. My problem is when the seller stretches the truth by 100,000 miles and knows it. Just be upfront with it. The seats are wore put, the paint on the inside drivers door tells a story of 135,000 miles. How many 2300 engines have you ever heard of being rebuilt before 35,000 miles?
Over my 50 plus years of driving I’ve owned a couple of dozen and never had problems with them and if your in the know you can pep them up relatively easy. The auto sucks but changes the gears and that to with make it better.
This is a decent looking bobcat but I’m always leary of people that stretch the truth. I would pay someone to look at it before I bought it.
neat but not at 5k. i would want to see the underside being from up in Boston and Maine
At least the price isn’t stupid ridiculous for this glorified pinto, I would question why the engine needed to be rebuilt with such low miles. I would like to say it will make a nice dependable ride for someone but with the rebuilt engine it all depends on the quality of the workmanship of whoever did the work.
Thank you for covering a car in the northeast!!! But I’ll take a hard pass on this one: bitter memories with Pintos, Mavericks, Comets and Bobcats: NO thanks!
Had a ’77 Pinto. It had the 2300 motor in it. Car ran fine, put many miles on it. It did have a “soft” cam shaft in it that the lobes got wiped out. Replaced it and had the head done. Never had any other problems with it. Easy car to work on. Like any car, change the oil regularly and there should be no problems. (The cam was a Ford defect)