I wonder if there’s a YouTube detailing guru who would take on this 1980 Ford Pinto? I would love to see that because as you can see, it’s pretty far gone and is a project car by now, after having sat for the last 30+ years in what must have been a really unkind environment in which to store a car. I get it, though, life happens and things get left behind, even if they were bought new by a family member.
I can’t quite tell if this is an open storage spot or why there’s so much debris on and around this sad Pinto. This was once a fairly good car, the fire issue having been cured by the time 1980 rolled around. It sure isn’t a good car now and that’s depressing. I’m sure there are a lot of memories surrounding this car as the seller said their mother bought it in 1980.
Made for model years 1971 through 1980, we’ve seen a million (a few dozen at least) Pintos here on Barn Finds, even a few Pinto Ponys, which this model is. The Pony was the entry-level Pinto in the era when many special editions and trim levels were available. There may be $500 worth of parts on this car for anyone restoring a Pinto, but this car will never be restored, it’s too far gone and rust has taken this one over.
Uuufff. It’s painful to see any vehicle in this condition, but when it’s mom’s car?! Again, life happens and vehicles get left behind and sometimes they look like this after three decades. The seller says that this car has been sitting for over three decades and hasn’t run since 1989, which is 35 years now. I haven’t run in three or four years and I don’t look much better than this Pinto.
Speaking of not running, this is Ford’s 2.3-liter OHC inline-four that would have had 88 horsepower and 119 lb-ft of torque when Mom bought it back in 1980. It’s got a four-speed manual and rear-wheel drive, and the seller has it listed here on Facebook Marketplace in Woodbury, Minnesota for $500 or best offer. Here is the original listing. Any thoughts on this Pinto?
Yep, love the rear bumper sticker—escape to Wisconsin in anything and metal will begin to disappear! This will begin to crumble as you pull it outta its miserable little shed.
What a piece of junk!
$500 for the car and $750 for the doctors visits, copays, antibiotics, and rescue inhalers after touching anything inside the interior….
I need a tetanus shot just from looking at it !!!!
I hope his mom took better care of him than she did her Pinto.
It’ll buff out.
Had to say it.
Hurry before it’s gone!
Literally!!!
Waste of barnfinds space
It’s comedy!
Apparently,Wisconsin is not a good place for a car to escape to.
Be sure your tetanus shots are up-to-date before hauling away this junk.
Really Scotty? Anyone thinking about giving this “fell off of the scrap truck on the way to the crusher” has got no life, waaay too much money and time on their hands. And from the salt capital of the US also? Uff da.
I suppose this sort of situation happens often. Old car needs repair. Just park it in the garage (or under the carport, or by the oak tree, or back beside the creek), we’ll get to it later. Blink your eye, it’s 30 years later and of course the car is now nothing but junk. But it still has sentimental value. And maybe we can get a few hundred bucks out of it and don’t have to haul it off.
Just a donation of 5 dollars a week we can stop pintos having live in inhumane conditions..
But it’s baby blue of course!
They’d be lucky to find someone willing to take it for free, asking $500 is ridiculous especially since they are working against a deadline.
Steve R
To bad scrap prices are so low. That’s all it is now.
It’s just so sad looking…🙁
It’s got a Triple A sticker. Maybe THEY will tow it away for them!
Just here for the comments
This guy posted this as a joke, right?
Someone please be kind and just bury the poor thing.
88 HP? LMAO, I got higher HP stuff in the garage I start with a rope.
You can start a SBC with a rope? Didn’t know that.
No low ballers No tire kickers.
I know what I have. A classic.
Wow, Scotty. You drew the short straw on this one. I usually love even the sad vehicles you write about. The plate is Minnesota so the bumper sticker may have an underlying meaning.
LS swap.
A pressure washer would do miracles to this Pinto lol! 💨🌨️🌬️
The only thing this would be good for is one of those “will it start” YouTube videos.
88 HP? LMAO, I got higher HP stuff in the garage I start with a rope.
A friend of mine found Pinto that has been converted into a dog house. He bought it for $40 and drove it to Colorado. Used it to commute to work until the rusted floor pan fell down while driving in heavy slush. It pumped the slop into his face. Enuf was enuf. Off to the junk yard.
Clearly all this beautiful specimen needs is a battery and she’ll crank right up.
Don’t understand how this even got on Barn Finds, it’s a worthless, who cares piece of scrap metal.
What a joke, big Ole pile of junk
Great comments, folks!
This one was more about how a vehicle could have so much meaning at one time and then be forgotten about and put away only to dissolve into a pile of rust. I bet the seller still has fond memories of it and his mom, whether the car is currently worth any money or not. That was the whole point of this one, how vehicles can be incredible memory machines no matter what they are or how they look now.
I (Or should I say we) don’t get it Scotty. Memories are best preserved through photos of good times. It’s quite obvious this cars apathetic condition doesn’t demonstrate too much care or concern. And while it may possess great sentimental value to the heir to many others it’s viewed as a poop pile left behind by an owners deceased pet. No offense intended. There has been quite a few vehicles displayed and destroyed by the tin termites that has mostly returned to rust to ashes.
So true. One’s memory of people and places include the ride to get there. Every car is memorable to someone.
Point well taken, Scotty. Many folks want to buy a car like the one they had or wanted back in the day, and some hang on to a car/truck/whatever for what it represents/meant.
The problem often comes when the owner doesn’t the same prescription eyeglasses as viewed through the rest of the world.
Charlie Browns Christmas tree…
If it was closer I would give them $50 bucks for it then pull the engine and trans possibly the rear diff then scrap it. The Shay roadsters from about 1980 used the same engine so I might look at doing something similar if I can find a older car for it.
Good call on the Shay roadster’s Troy. I have a 2.3 turbo in one of my fox body Mustangs and can tell you that the manual transmission and bell housing in that car is becoming hard to find. Driveline parts and the manual steering rack would be worth salvaging.
This one’s gas tank won’t explode,
Again…
At least get the thing running so the new owner can drive it away. Does it have Firestone 500 radials?
I collect lic plates can I have this one
This THEE “Leapin Leena” light blue Pinto, though not a wagon, that my best dead friend’s father, the mail man, drove for over 200,000 miles. I will meditate and communicate with dead Curt on what to do. What can be done? I do like the Shay Model A comment above, not a bad idea. Good and plenty of comments, so why not here?
I remember those Escape Wisconsin stickers. I finally did 10 years ago. Can’t figure out what took me so long…Would you believe, upon graduating college and trying to decide whether to stay or go, I stayed in Wisconsin because of the Packers? Not making that up. Will never 4give myself for such a dumb decision. Never. Go Packers? Stupid!
Johnnybonnybimbam Dude! Cut yourself some slack. One bad decision doesn’t predicate your life trajectory. Dig out the tent pegs and head for greener pastures my man.
Exactly, Bub. Perspective is everything.
Johnnybonnybimbam, when Thomas A. Edison was asked how he felt about the failures he’d experienced with his light bulb experiments he said “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
Oh my goodness what a disaster. His mom’s heyday was a long time ago indeed.
It’s shot. Generated a lot of comments, though. But that’s what I like about Barn Finds.