On the surface level, daily driving a Ford Pinto wagon may not seem like a thrill. But any car, no matter how humble, can suddenly seem a bit more endearing when you consider its history. In the case of this Ford Pinto wagon, it previously lived on Martha’s Vineyard, an island off the coast of Massachusetts. Like any island community, cars take on a slightly different purpose: they have to be fairly resilient and not prone to constant break-down. Parts need to be somewhat affordable and accessible, too, because you can’t be stuck waiting for a brake caliper to show up. This Pinto has survived in incredible shape and is listed here on Facebook Marketplace in Exeter, New Hampshire, for $7,500.
The Pinto wagon is a sharp design, all these years later. I wish the three-door wagon configuration had taken off, since the final result is still quite attractive. The seller notes that this Pinto was purchased new and relocated to the Vineyard not long after, and it sounds like it remained there ever since. While the concept of living in a place like that now is immediately accompanied by images of private jets and spacious estates, it used to be far simpler. Ordinary people lived there while kids from the mainland tried to get summer jobs as life guards and camp counselors. That’s all changed now, obviously, but it doesn’t surprise me at all to see a Pinto wagon pop up as someone’s former daily driver who lived there year round.
And boy, did they keep it in mint condition. The Pinto was a wagon, yes, with loads of space behind the rear seat. It doesn’t surprise me, however, that the backseat is folded down, since it wasn’t a particularly nice place to spend time with the transmission hump cutting into usable seat space. So, seeing the rear seat collapsed in favor of showcasing the usable storage space in the wagon version of the Pinto makes sense. There are no cracks in the dash and seats appear to be in mint condition. The automatic wasn’t particularly efficient and the manual would have been a far better choice, in retrospect, but for something to putt around the island in, who cares?
Engine choices were limited to the 1.6L Kent 4-cylinder and the SOHC 2.0L 4-cylinder, the latter of which made around 86 horsepower and 102 lb.-ft. of torque. The 2.0L was an upgrade over the base model, so combined with the automatic transmission, someone clearly wanted to drive a loaded-up Pinto (that being said, it’s not a Cruising Wagon.) The seller notes that while it’s in outstanding condition, there are some flaws, and that if he can’t sell it now, he’ll bring it to the New England Dragway swap meet. Be sure to check out the photos in the listing of all the additional documentation that comes with it, too.
Very, very nice Pinto Wagon. The mint green/green colors are great. Not perfect, but one can tell it has been well-kept. It is not rusty or beat to death, the demise of most basic cars. I too would prefer a four-speed. The seller’s note that of all the cars he owns, this one gets the most smiles and attention (because “everyone has a story about a Pinto”) is probably not an exaggeration. That’s a fun part of the hobby.
Good job Jeff.
It’s so nice to see one of these w/o the park bench bumpers!
’71-72 have the smaller bumpers and make the car much more attractive.
Too bad it’s not a 4 speed,but I guess you can’t have everything.
These are very practical cars for daily use,& I don’t see it losing
value.
Another of those “IF I had the money & space for it” cars.
Very similar to my 71, same color interior. Mine had a third pedal and that car served me well.
These were pretty tuff, beaters, and could haul stuff’ on top of it. This one is in pretty amazing shape, kinda worth the asking price.
Looks like a great Pinto. I agree with Bob, the colors are great. I’m with 8banger, I preffer the early bumpers hands down. Even though I’d want a stick, I’d consider this one simply for the great condition.