Ford introduced two cars back-to-back to do battle with both imports and domestic competitors. One was the compact Maverick for 1970, while the other was the subcompact Pinto for 1971. The Pinto would be a sales success at more than three million units in 10 years. Production may have been higher had it not been for some negative publicity about gas tanks catching fire in rear-end accidents. This 1977 3-door hatchback looks to be a nice survivor. It can be found in Princeton, Minnesota, and here on eBay where the bidding stands at $3,050.
Like so many small cars of the era, the Pinto had a front-mounted water-cooled engine with rear-wheel-drive. It started as a 2-door sedan, but a station wagon and hatchback would quickly follow. The car was well-received in its first outing, selling more than 352,000 copies in 1971. Production would steadily increase to more than 544,000 units in 1974, its peak year and the one following the OPEC oil embargo which sent buyers scurrying for smaller cars. The output would drop by more than half in 1975 as the earlier cars’ safety record became widely known.
This ’77 hatchback is a nice survivor that still wears its original paint. The car has 107,000 miles on the odometer, but we’re told that much of that was accumulated while being towed behind a motorhome. It then retired for a bit, and more recently the seller pulled it out of storage to drive to local car shows. It’s said to run well and has new brakes to help it stop. Everything is said to be in working order other than the gas gauge and the turn signal off switch.
The body and paint look good, including the vinyl top, and the Pinto is “almost” rust-free, according to the seller. The area below where the spare tire is stored has service rust and a couple of holes. And something light fell on the car below the windshield. The interior has held up well, though spartan, and no work is likely needed there. The Cragar wheels are a recent addition, but the seller still has the originals and their covers. If you stick with the aftermarkets, you’d need to put on a new set of tires. The seller will consider a trade as his goal is to move to a car made before 1972. You could tow the car home, but it should easily handle a road trip.
Doesn’t look bad. Those Cragars and the (homegrown?) steering wheel do give it a bit of a different look. One could have some simple fun for not much money.
Looks to be a deluxe model with the body side mounding and vinyl top. Nice to see a 4-speed seems most of the barn finds on here have been automatic transmission cars. Take note of the original top radiator hose and the rattle can engine paint. I assume this to be the 2.3 engine. Not a cream puff but descent looking nonetheless.
The stick ties back to it having been towed behind a motorhome. Automatics, or at least old-school ones, don’t like being flat-towed long distances, gotta disconnect the driveshaft U-joint first.
Manual, just double-check you’re in neutral as a last step before setting off and you’re good to go.
A few years ago I was at a friend’s auto repair garage when he was replacing an engine in a small SUV (sorry but I can’t remember make/model) that had been a motor home tow behind vehicle. Seems the owners forgot to put it in neutral and left it in first gear before proceeding down the highway at 65-70 mph. The bin of scrap metal had no pieces bigger than a large marble.
When I was 16 and bagging groceries (when they had paper sacks) a neighbor of my uncles drag raced a heavily modified Opel GT. He owned a Sprint Decor Group (Red, White and Blue) ’72 Pinto 3-Door Runabout with the 2300 cc motor and a four-speed transmission that was for sale. He had added a Weber 2 barrel, Hedman header and Thrush muffler. It ran and sounded awesome so I bought it and having only driven VW Beetles up to that point I thought I was in high cotton driving that Pinto.
We have similar taste…Opel GT for first car, followed by VW’s…now have a fleet of Pinto’s!
Interestingly, I had a ‘69 Opel GT that I took to Atco Dragway in NJ in 1974. I raced a hopped-up Pinto and barely lost. I believe we turned around 17.1 times.
Paper sacks! I remember getting in trouble because I would snap the bag to open it. Darn near gave an old lady a heart attack!
I did the same thing bagging groceries at my first job !
The 2300 didn’t come out until ’74.
Probably a 2000cc.
@angliagt-yes thank you, that is the motor that mine had.
We have similar taste…Opel GT for first car, followed by VW’s…now have a fleet of Pinto’s!
Sweet ride! My second Pinto was my favorite, and it had spent most of its life being towed behind a motor home. A 1973 Runabout, metallic gold, 1600cc, 4spd, consistently got better than 30 mpg. Achilles heel was its 4 wheel drum brakes. Was a much better car than the 2000cc ‘73 that had preceded it.
In pretty decent shape. I’d have it resprayed in the brightest red made. Get rid of the “Old ManTan.”
My parents had a ’77 in red. Wasn’t a bad looking car in that color.
What’s up with the 2 rotary switches and the extra air vent just to the right of the heater controls? It almost looks like add-on A/C but the engine compartment is void of any other A/C components.
I don’t know Pintos – at all – but was wondering if that was an AC compressor to the left of the valve cover?? And how gutless the car would be if the compressor kicked on.
Pretty sure that’s a smog pump (part of the emissions system). An AC compressor would have a clutch with a smaller pully. And there is no condenser in front of the radiator, no refrigerant hoses going back to the heater box. I looked at all the other Pinto eBay auctions and none of them have this.
Abi,
You are correct, those are A/C fan speed and temp controls for the ARA brand of A/C aftermarket kit. I installed a few of them when I worked in the new car department of a local Ford dealership in the early ’70s. The compressor mounted under the smog pump on this version of the Pinto. Problems with this A/C system was that you lost all but about 1 inch depth of the glove box, barely enough room for the owner’s manual, and the fan was very noisy. I never liked the cheap ARA A/C setupps.
Those rotary dials are dealer installed air conditioning. Ford dealers used that type of A/C for cars that did not come from the factory with air. The customer could have the dealer install this Ford approved A/C. I’ve had two 72 Pintos. One factory A/C, one non air. When I bought my second one I test drove a Sprint optioned Pinto that had dealer air in it. At the time the car was ten years old and was like a freezer inside. My factory A/C Pinto from New would stall at traffic lights with the A/C on. Why my parents didn’t take it into the dealer to fix that is beyond me. In their defense they bought the car in November of 1972 so probably didn’t notice till they tried to use it in the summer of 1973.
The Pinto is a 1977 so the 2.3 ltr is quite possible.
2.3 was the base engine for ’77 with the 2.8 V6 an option.
really lub da Lima motor, and the Weber 32/36 progressive it had. Put the later head w/ “D” shaped ports & a waggy w/ auto OD & I’d call it (or fox wagon) “my last car” (70 y/o now).
We towed a 96 Ford Aspire behind our Motor home for years finally gave it to our daughter who was in need of a dependable car odometer showed about 70k but reality it probably was only 30k driving it around. The deal in most states is if the car is under 2000lbs you don’t need to get the break away tow buddy that applies the brakes if it comes loose
It’s not a creampuff
My ‘74 “Squinto” had the 2300 c.c. Motor and a 4 speed tranny. The throwout bearing went out at 20,000 miles so I ditched it for a brand new ‘77 Camaro.
My dating life skyrocketed. 🚀
Chicks NEVER liked Pinto’s.
Don’t buy one even on the cheap!
Another example of a car design destroyed by government regulations.
My Dad loved the Pintos in 1973 when were shopping for my 1st car. He really wanted me to buy one but I liked the ’73 Capri much better. Finally got him to test drive a new Capri and he wholeheartedly agreed. Bought a new Capri with my paper route and boxboy earnings…loved that car!🤓🚘
Bought a ‘72 Pinto Wagon OHC 2000cc/4 speed in ‘74. Great car! Fun to drive and 34/37 mpg on the highway. Also owned a ‘74 wagon. 2300/4speed. More power, lower mpg, still fun to drive.
A friend back when I was in high school had 2 of these, twins of this one. The first one he turned into an “art car”. He glued all sorts of things to it and attacked it with a bunch of different paint colors. The clutch went & he bought a second one then. He kept that one looking normal.
Had a lot of great times in those cars. He had a cute sister too. I wonder what she’s up to now lol…..
Two questions. Why ? And Why ?
Two questions. Why? & Why ?
My folks had three Pintos a dark green ’72 coupe, a ’76 hatch (with similar paint and interior to this posting, but no vinyl roof), and a dark (s***) brown ’78 hatch for mom to use as economical daily drivers. All with automatics per Mom’s preference. I can still here the distinctive sound of those inline 4’s clattery valves in my memory. I learned to drive on the later two and the ’78 became my daily driver in high school/college. Mom moved up to Regals and Cutlasses.
I bought a new 1973 pinto with a 2300 cc engine. That was the first year.