On the heels of the successful launch of the Maverick, Ford introduced an even smaller car in 1971, the Pinto. It was designed to compete against the sub-compact imports from Germany and Japan. Over 10 model years, the Pinto, too, would be a hit, selling more than three million copies. This 1974 station wagon, one of three body styles offered, has not been driven since 1987 and is being sold out of an estate in Denver, Colorado. The “small family car” is available here on craigslist for $7,500. Thanks for this FOMOCO tip, Gunter Kramer!
A station wagon version of the Pinto joined the line-up in the middle of the car’s second year, 1972. It would be Ford’s first 2-door wagon since the 1965 Falcon and offered more than 60 cubic feet of cargo space. The 1974 model year would bring the Pinto’s largest production numbers at more than 544,000 units, thanks to the big demand for economy cars that had been created by the ’73 OPEC oil embargo. Perhaps the most notable feature of the Pinto by that time was its picnic table-sized bumpers on both ends that were required to meet enhanced Federal safety standards.
We’re told this little wagon has been off the road for 35 years and garaged during this time. No mention is made if the vehicle actually runs and one of two engines is the likely source of propulsion, either a 2.0 or 2.3-liter inline-4 paired with a 4-speed manual transmission. The body and red paint look good, but all we get to see is from the passenger side and no photos of the interior are offered.
The seller says the car is complete, but if you have to invest a lot of time and money in getting the Pinto back on the road, this will be a five-figure automobile that cost less than $3,000 new. 77,000 miles on a machine that’s been dormant for many years could lead to a rebuild of the drivetrain. The Pinto was old school by comparison to some of the Ford cars that would follow. By 1978, it was no longer the smallest Ford sold in the U.S., as they began to import the Fiesta which was two feet shorter and the first front-wheel-drive car sold by Ford on these shores.
With the ultra-rare Ducted (duck tape) Air Intake.
How many rattle-cans did it take to cover everything up?
Typically poor Craigslist ad, dark pictures and no information. Based on what we can see, it might be a decent Pinto. The base hub caps do suggest a stripper, which wasn’t that uncommon given its place in the automotive hierarchy of the day. Perhaps, a car which is “workable” and could be taken forward however the new owner desires.
Ahh, got a Pinto thing going. Not sure where the engine picture came from, I don’t see it in the ad, but typical of most Pinto engine compartments, oily, greasy, cobbled messes, and this one does not disappoint. I shudder to think what the inside looks like. Pinto wagons are my choice, just because they are so much more useful. I’m sure many “slept” in “Cruisin’ Wagons”, basically, the same car. It’s an okay find, for maybe 1/3 of what they’re asking, but that’s just me.
Cue “Ride of the Valkyries”…
“I’ve always loved you…”
Ha! The eternal “Pinto wagon” reference. That scene was shot in Milwaukee on the then unfinished I-794,,the Hoan Bridge to nowhere.
You know, as time grinds away, it’s entirely possible some folks may not know the reference,,well, here it is, great catch, I hadn’t seen the movie in years and thought it was a fancier one, but you guys nailed it, Good show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD9N7v5qGig
You guys beat me to it!
Last driven by a couple of Illinois Nazis
The chase scene in Milwaukee ends, and the Pinto was dropped from a helicopter at 1,000 feet in Chicago.
I hate Illinois Nazis !
Rwd ✔️
Manual ✔️
Wagon ✔️
As a kid in the Smokey and the Bandit/ Dukes of Hazzard late 70s I didn’t get it back then about rising gas prices and the need for economical cars.I was infatuated with the aforementioned cars and asked my dad why we couldn’t have a fast car like that lol. Oh the innocence of youth!! And yes my parents both drove Pintos then.
I recall my ’74 pinto wagon like this going to work running late on the highway, as soon as I approached about 60mph with that 4-banger, a rocker arm would pop off the damn pushrod. I’d have to pull over, pop the valve cover off, use a flathead to pop it back on & go! All in less than about 7 minutes lol, pretty comical when I had a passenger & broke down, I must have looked like a NASCAR mechanic, lol!
1974 Pinto engines were OHC engines. No pushrods.
Rebuilding a 2.0 or 2.3 is easy and about the same or less cash than an VW flat four.
And that’d include a machine shop cost for 0.020” over bore.
Just went through a Cologne 2.0 last fall…
Plus: I’ve owned three Ford vehicles with 2.0 or 2.3 engines nine of which were purchased or owned with a “dirty” or “greasy” engine compartment.
That’s generally found in Chevrolet products.
That should have read ‘without’ not ‘with’. iPhone
well it was def a ’74, I popped that rocker arm onto something & it worked lol
I think I know what you did. On those, the cam rode directly on the rocker arm, and may have slipped off the valve stem. I never heard of that before.
Are you sure you weren’t driving an AMC Gremlin? Had 6 Pintos, and had one timing belt break, at 100,000+ miles.
I’ve owned a couple Pinto Wagons, including an orange ‘74. Really enjoyed owning them. Fun to drive, easy on fuel, and lots of cargo to space. Pushed mine to full-tilt several times. ( just shy of 100mph), never had any mechanical problems, like a “rocker arm” (cam follower?) coming loose. 🤷♂️
In the ad only 4 photos, so where did these other ones come from?
daily it as is. 1st wk, up on the lift for safety ck, get busy. Later pressure wash engine bay, may B interior on sunny day?
Decide on more wrk &/or sale.
Wish these were a lill lighter, larger.
Love the Lima (change to ranger’s D shaped port head, 2.5?) and Weber 32/36 they came with. No complaints but too small like Japanese waggys. Fox wagon, the GM A bodied (esp the AWD one) 105 inch WB more for me…
These did not have pushrods, they were over head cam, they had cam followers that were under the cam
Like it or not, these and the Bobcat wagons are getting popular. I have a 78 Bobcat wagon 2.3L manual.trans and factory air that I’m working on right now. I’m amazed the amount of interest in it people have.
These cars got a lot of bad press, I was a Ford dealership mechanic back then and they were actually a pretty good vehicle. They were easy to repair the 4 cylinder was a good engine as long as the timing belt was replaced before it snapped, the V6 was ok but kinda a pain to work on.
I just looked at the CL ad. No interior pics, no underside pics. The old saying, “If ya wanna sell it, ya gotta show it”, applies here. Ad for that price, I think the owner is dreaming.
On Mecum last night they had a Pinto, not a wagon that sold for $27k.
I almost bought one of these new in ’72 or 3. I ended up with a ’73 Mach 1 Q code 4 sp (how did that happen??? lol), but do think about the wagon esp when I see one.
The ad on this one is suspect. Looks decent on the body, but gawd knows what’s up with the interior and engine condition. As said above, BF pics do not match the ones in the ad linked.
I’d be interested in it but would have to be a personal inspection and I’m no where near it. Plus negotiating in person with cash would be in order too IMO.
Hopefully someone here will go look at it and report back.