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Jet Mobile: Toasty 1973 Ford Pinto Wagon

The creator of this hot PintoJet had big ambitions for “flame shows” but has passed away and the car is now for sale. The big jet engine in the back was purchased from a railroad company that used it to de-ice railroad tracks in the winter! While it isn’t intended to propel the car, it would make for one heck of a cool show vehicle at most events! The Pinto has also had “jet exhaust looking fins” grafted to the side to give it that airplane style. This installation gives whole new meaning to the traditional fire from the rear that Pintos are known for! The only possible drawback to this car (short of burning yourself up) would be the never ending explosive Pinto jokes, though perhaps this car was intended to be a stab at Ford! Find it here on craigslist in Michigan with an asking price of $7,995. Thanks go to Mark T. for sending this one in. 

To keep with the aviation style, the dashboard of this Pinto was redesigned to fit and assortment of vintage aviation controls. For an extra $800, the seller will include $1,000 of these gauges for you to fit into the car as you complete it! Though the gauges were to be installed for show, it would be very cool to have them rigged up to appear or to be functional. It would be great if the interior were finished out to resemble the cockpit of an airplane!

Here we get a look at what actually powers the car, and while the Pinto would originally have had an inline 4 cylinder, it looks like this car has been swapped to a Ford V8. It is a little hard for me to tell from this picture, and there is no mention of it in the ad, so if anyone has a better idea of the engine please leave a comment! Jet engines typically weigh over 1,000 pounds, so I would be curious to know the weight of this particular engine and how the Pinto has been modified to accept such extra weight over the rear end. It would also be interesting to see how it moves with that much weight in the back!

This vehicle would be completely impractical as a daily vehicle, but for the purpose of having a good time on the weekends it certainly fits the bill. It will take a special kind of person to purchase and complete such a unique vehicle as this, but there is a buyer out there somewhere. The metal work looks decent and it looks nearly ready for paint, as claimed in the ad. I have no idea if the price is reasonable or not, as there is simply not anything to compare it to! At the end of the day, this unique creation is worth only what someone will pay for it.

Comments

  1. JACKinNWPA Jack in NW PA Member

    It still has the four bolt wheels so I don’t think the suspension has been upgraded but that could be done anytime. I think money could be made at county fairs and such. I can see it now after the monster truck show the announcer says ” What is a Pinto doing in the infield? Hey buddy you are backing up into that crushed car! Oh the humanity! ” Cool project

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  2. Steve R

    Seven thousand nine hundred and ninety five dollars and they are making you pay for the gauges seperately. On a good day it’s worth 50% of the value of its parts.

    Thin abomination will never be finished.

    Steve R

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  3. AF

    Trash.
    step 1. Call wrecker
    step 2. When they arrive, pay them to take anywhere else..you don’t care what
    happens next..just get it off your property
    step 3. Do something with that garage

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  4. AF

    Trash.
    step 1. Call wrecker
    step 2. When they arrive, pay them to take anywhere else..you don’t care what
    happens next..just get it off your property
    step 3. Do something with that garage/basement

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  5. john from ct

    There might be quite more than $8K of value in that turbine, sans car. Would be interesting to see what it is.

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  6. elrod

    “Gosh Wally, bet if we light this fuse, it will make a really loud noise!”
    “OK, Beave, here goes! Just remember – when the cops show up- it was Dad’s idea!”
    Giggles followed by KABOOM!

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  7. Larry Q

    Looks like a solid car…I’m seeing a double pumper four barrel on a 289 or 302 maybe. Take all the airplane crap out of it sell the airplane crap and make a street rod

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  8. jw454

    I don’t think the builder got far enough along for anyone to finish it as he intended. Running that jet engine brings with it a lot of liability.

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  9. Craig

    Yeah, that jet would suck you right out of the drivers seat and make dog food out of ya.

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  10. Rex Kahrs Rex Kahrs Member

    “Welcome to the County Fair! OK, kids, grab stick and a marshmallow and let’s do some roasting!”.

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  11. boxdin

    Don’t care for the galvanized sheet metal thrown on the sides.

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    • Nova Scotian

      …that’s the air intakes for the jet engine.

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  12. Nova Scotian

    I would just finish the car as is. Leave the jet pack out back, unusable. The looks would be otherworldly just tooling around town. Lol!

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  13. Russ

    Hold my beer and watch this!!

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  14. Jay E.
  15. American_Badaz

    Built by a man who was seriously sick of being tailgated. Or…… couldn’t take the booming stereo in the car behind him at the stoplight.

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  16. Allan

    Driving with the afterburner on would certainly prevent being rear-ended and the resultant Pinto gas tank explosion. Ha ha ha.

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  17. Lance L Walker

    Hey Y’all watch this!

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  18. Mark

    Part it out nothing adu about neicht.

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  19. charlie Member

    Just the vehicle for Burning Man. (look it up if you don’t know – lots of very modified vehicles). Drive it there, under the gasoline power front engine, and then fire up the jet out on the alkaline flats where there is nothing flammable except other weird vehicles and people dressed to match (or undressed as the case may be). There is LOTS of FIRE at Burning Man, as befits the title.

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  20. Douglas Lemmo

    If someone does try to complete this project, I have the perfect name for it: “Money Pit”. Anyone smart enough to finish this project would be smart enough not to try.

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  21. roundhouse

    Kids at home, pay attention to an important automotive lesson: if your dream is to build something strange, finish it, otherwise it will be sold as scrap.

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  22. Clay Bryant

    J34s………..6 to 7 grand.

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  23. RichS

    The front clip is from a 77-78 Pinto. No one cares.

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  24. Rex Kahrs Rex Kahrs Member

    RichS has just posted the best/funniest/most ironic comment on this site ever. Bravo, Sir.

    Like 0
  25. Loco Mikado

    After WW2 several US railroads experimented using surplus jet engines mounted on flatbed railroad cars for use in helper service. They were met with failure but found another use for them as stated in other replies as track and switch snow and ice removal machines.

    Like 0
  26. Murray Member

    This car is a joke so I might as well tell one:

    What is the definition of “mixed emotions”

    Answer:
    Your ex- wife driving your classic Corvette over a cliff…………..

    Like 0

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