The Ford Pinto is one of those cars that went through the school of hard knocks in its early days of production. However, despite some safety issues, it proved to be an economical offering to own and operate, with more than three million finding homes during the subcompact’s ten-year run. More exciting than the base car was the station wagon, which arrived on the scene for the Pinto’s second year of production. This 1979 model here on Facebook Marketplace looks like a fun project from the passenger side, but a closer inspection reveals that it will require extensive work to get back on the road. However, the low asking price of $2,000 should leave some cash left over for the needed repairs. This mini wagon is in Danville, Indiana, and we’d like to thank reader Sam61 for bringing it to our attention!
Unfortunately, this little wagon has been involved in an accident that’s wreaked havoc on some of the front components. One fender has been removed, and the hood and driver’s side door aren’t looking too good either. Hopefully, most of the damage here was limited to just the body and one fenderwell, but I’d make sure nothing too deep got bent before getting too excited about this one.
From the back, all appears OK, and it’s nice that this one’s got a rear window louver, a popular accessory in the seventies and eighties. Some of the other photos show what appears to be rust underneath the doors, on the rocker panels, and in the quarters. It’s hard to tell how much is just on the surface, versus the amount that’s already penetrated through the sheet metal. A positive is that the side panels and portholes appear in good enough condition to retain during the restoration.
There’s both good news and bad when it comes to the engine. On the plus side, the lower part is still inside the bay, and the seller confirms that the four-cylinder will still turn freely. Not so great is that the removed components are sitting outside on a trailer, making it unknown which of these items will be of much value during the rebuild. On another good note, the owner mentions that the 23,400 miles showing on the odometer are actual, and this one’s also got a manual transmission.
The inside isn’t too bad overall, with the seats possibly decent enough if it’s just a fun cruiser you’re going for. The carpet is about as faded as I’ve seen lately, but just replacing this one item first would vastly improve the appearance inside, with a new dash pad to follow soon after. This would be a cool mini wagon with some work, and might be a worthwhile endeavor if you’ve got the do-it-yourself skills. Is this 1979 Ford Pinto Cruising Wagon worth the effort?
Anything gets extra marks ✔️ for a stick shift and portholes Stephens 👍
There are a few plusses here: the red striped upholstery looks pretty good and is very cool; the sport steering wheel (though the spokes are rusty); the instrumentation group; manual transmission. But otherwise, it would be a tough project: engine rebuild/reassembly, body work/rust, etc.
Who would have predicted that the color of (badly) faded red carpet would be a sickly yellowish green.
Thanks Mike.
It should be noted, the Pinto “Cruisin’ Wagon” was the last of the panel express wagons, but let’s call a spade a spade, it was a “shaggin’ wagon” for those that couldn’t afford a van. I worked with a chap that had one, the most unlikely guy to have a shaggin’ wagon, but was a fun little cruiser.
I read, only about 10K cars sold in ’77, 5K in ’78., and unknown in ’79, but couldn’t have been many. While not much more than a standard Pinto wagon, that sold millions, apparently a Pinto shaggin’ wagon was not what the public wanted. I think it’s certainly rare enough to be saved.
We had one with a 4 speed back when. I remember that it used to explode with depressing regularity. Might have been due to the flogging it got. Great engine though. wasn’t it used in some formula racing?
No, that would be the 1.6L “Kent” engine used in Formula Ford racing. The 2.3L showed up in the SVO Mustang sporting a turbocharger, with suitable internal modifications (oil jets under the pistons, reduced compression ratio, forged crank, stiffer valve springs, sodium-filled exhaust valves) to keep the little four-banger from doing a passable imitation of a hand grenade when forced induction was added, LOL!
I bought a ’71 Pinto ‘new’, a demonstrator, off the lot.
It was before they even offered a hatchback.
Anyway, mine had a 1.6L Kent and 4-speed.
Eighteenth birhday present was the gifted down-payment.
Loved that car!
Fun cruiser? Yes. Remember my 1972 automatic Pinto wagon fondly in teal blue. Not a hippie wagon like this as wrap around windows on sides and back. Picked up a girl in Ashland one night and we spent the night in it in a desolate spot. She strung her bra along the back window left and right. Loved that wagon and wish I still had it.
My 71 4-speed Pinto wagon hauled my bass amp to gigs, and on other occasions besides hauling kegs, also enabled numerous, spontaneous get togethers as you described above.
I’m sorry to say. No frame to work on. These are a unibody car and if twisted is almost impossible to get back right. I sent him an offer on it and we’ll see but there’s a TON of work here and if you look the passenger door is rotted at the bottom too. Hard to tell what the rest of it will be.
I have a parts car out here though so I’m interested at my price but no more. Hope I hear from him.
So, they got in a wreck, figured the unit body was toast, and then tore the engine apart. Strange.
The brown example that appeared here in Barn Finds earlier in the week was more expensive, but in much better shape. The best advice I’ve still ever heard about buying collector cars is particularly useful here. Buy the best example you can afford! This one is far from the best example available, and will need a parts car and lots of time, money and skill to fix, if it doesn’t become a parts donor for another example in better shape!
I’ll call it a parts car for converting your Pinto wagon into a Pinto Cruising Wagon.
I have vague rememberance of a wagon like that one in my old.stompin grounds in the very early 80’s. Had some sorta orange or dark red stripping i think near the bottom. Although this one seems to far gone, a nice examp!e would make nice conversation art the local car meet
That would be a fun little car. But 23K actual miles? No way. Look at the wear on the clutch pedal.
That aside, stuffing in a 302 with a 5-speed would make this thing a real hoot.
My mind goes to a mustang 2 front end being grafted on since it needs nose work. Then go find an SVO 4 to slip in between the front fenders …. It is a project. 2k seems about right, $1,500 is better.
Nosing around the internet a bit, it appears Pintos got the good front end in 1974 when the Mustang II came out.
Ok so I went this morning to buy it but……
Know that all this is MHO nothing more. From a 67 year old man that has owned atleast 100 old cougars, mavericks, pinto and the like s take that as you will.
This is NOT a 26000 mile car. The damage to it is worse than the guy thinks and let it be known, I like the guy. The top rail where the fender is off is bowed in the center, the opposite fender at the cowl has a half inch gap or better, the back of the fender on the right side is away from the door and the back of the passenger door is in some.
I BELIEVE and remember this is a humble opinion, that the whole front of the car is pushed over and will be tuff to straighten.
There are good parts on this car. The portal pieces are good bit the passenger side a rusted through part about 6 to 8 inches long by whats going to be approximately 2 inches high by the time it’s cut out but the other ones fine.
It has a front dam that’s good and extremely hard to find, it is bent but it’s rubber and with a little heat can be stratified but out. It has disk brakes in the front that would all be good.
The interior looks decent but the dash is crap. It smells of mold but all old cars smell like that that have been closed up and thats a pretty easy fix.
I didn’t buy it. It was just to much for me and didn’t fit what I needed it for. Good luck to the buyer.
Excellent reminder, even though we all seem to know this, that buyers need an eye on the prize to understand a vehicles real condition. Pictures get you close but there is nothing like up close and personal.