A 1977 Ford Pinto Cruising Wagon for $2,500?! Yes, please, all day long. Sadly, this example needs a lot of work even though it looks great in a few of the many photos that the seller has provided. Kudos to them for posting a full range of photos, even if they are small, grainy, and from over two years ago. The Cruising Wagon is the one to have if a person is looking for a Pinto, am I right? Hello?
So far so good! I’ve gotten burned many times by buying a car online and regretting it immensely when it shows up on a trailer and is a paint-over-rust junk bomb. I’m not saying that’s the case here because this seller says this is a project car and it needs work, so thanks to them for being honest about its condition. Is that a Ford Cruising Van in the background?! I like this collection. A couple of graphics packages were available on the Cruising Wagon, as well as colors other than silver.
A Pinto wagon is only 15 feet long and this car appears to be doable for someone with a one-car garage if they’re dedicated to it. Ford offered the Cruising Wagon as a part of their Free Wheelin’ line of trucks, vans, and even a Pinto Wagon. They were made for young people who had no money worries or any other worries, were models, and lived in a house near or on a beach in southern California that their mega-rich parents bought for them, according to the brochure photos. I’m kidding, of course, but I guess that’s what advertising is for, showing what kind of incredible life you can have if you buy a certain product, like a Free Wheelin’ Ford.
It’s hard to gauge the real condition of this Pinto wagon, parts of it look really nice and others show how much work will be involved in bringing it back to its former glory. The seats both front and rear look great from what I can see and that’s a start. The rear cargo area is filled so it’s hard to get a peek in there, but this car also comes with the original wheels, so that’s nice.
The engine is a Ford 2.3-liter OHC inline-four with 85 horsepower and 117 lb-ft of torque. It sends power through a four-speed manual to the rear wheels. Sadly, this one isn’t running but it turns so that’s good. It comes with a new gas tank (remember, Pinto wagons never had the fire issue that the early sedans had!) and at $2,500 I think this is a very worthy project. It’s posted here on craigslist in Monroe, Ohio and they’re asking $2,500. Here is the original listing. A nice example can easily top $10,000 – how much is this one worth?
The Pinto, van and even the ladders share the same paint colors.
Hahah, the ladders!
It just needs the 5.0 H.O fuel injection V8 and 5 speed running gear from the car that those wheels came from.Its already got 3 pedals
Are we going to just ignore that it needs floor pans and quarters?
We aren’t now, Buffstang, you just mentioned it! Wait until you see the next Pinto, you’ll think this one is brand new.
I happen to like this for whatever reason, perhaps I’m losing it? I would slap some metal in the floors, doesnt have to be oem, just patch er up. I like the silver and I would strip and repaint solid silver. Then I am inclined to go oldschool. HP 289 with 4 speed, wide cragars in rear, narrow up front. Fill the rear with shag carpet and a couple lava lamps. A front plate reading “I’m the only hell my mama ever raised” Would be a fun lil cruiser and you wont pull up beside one like it at cars n coffee!
I rather like these Cruising Wagons. Definitely a 70’s vibe. This one needs work but is cheap. Has a few nice touches: sport steering wheel, instrumentation package, manual transmission. Might be fun for someone to bring back.
Thanks for the good write-up Scotty. And thanks for the link to the Free Wheelin’ brochure. I rather well remember it….
Smoking deal
These were cool from a van life perspective. This appears to be all there. Too much of the Freewheeling lifestyle might change your obligations.
The “fancy” wheels have 4 lugs. I have a 62 Skylark with 14” stock wheels that I’d like to change out to something fancier but can’t find much in a 4 bolt. Any ideas will be appreciated. Thx.
In the mid 80s, I worked with a younger, single guy, that had a car like this, only red interior. I don’t recall the stick, but was pretty new at the time, and was really just a wagon with “you can see out, ain’t nobody can see in” back windows. Fact is, I believe it’s the last rendition of the sedan delivery for Ford. The back seats folded down, made a haphazard bed, and was clearly intended for shaggin’, it was the go-go 80s. Not much info on these, one site said they cost around $3500 new with a V6,( $350 more than the 4cyl) and a regular Pinto wagon was about $2700. What is evident, people collect all sorts of things, and a great addition to a Pinto collection,,,if any.
Hey Howard, that haphazard bed didn’t have much head (butt) room for shagging. Something I heard in passing. ;-)
Not to sure but I think there are pontoon boats out there that beat that 85 HP rating.
You weren’t around in the mid to late 70’s, were you?
I wanted one these when they came out until I dove a girlfriend’s pinto and bought a 71 El Camino
These are still cool and unique
I watched a very forgettable movie the other day The Royal Hotel that took place in the Australian wilderness and the wife of the bar owner drove a vehicle that looked like this but was a pinto pack Ute with a camper shell on the pack
I can’t unsee a recent picture I saw online of one of these pinto wagons with a mustang 2 nose. Pretty cool in my book. Which leads me to wonder if that mustang 2 front suspension is a bolt-in or easy enough swap. Drop in a 302 with an appropriate 4 or 5 spd. Upgrade the suspension and brakes accordingly and have at it!
That’s a wagon I’d want.
There was a guy in school that was into those an the Vega wagon,he put V-8s in both,they were little rocket cars
I keep forwarding these to my little brother when you post them… he had one that ran over him while he was working on it back in his high school days…. he always remains silent on responding…. me and his other brother have too much fun reminding him how that whole time frame was very entertaining to us….. [I was a power lifter then, and I could pick it up and dangle the wheels so he couldn’t drive off,,, it used to irritate the heck outta him, but we weren’t handy when it rolled over him, so, he had to wait until our step-dad came home to get his butt out from under it].
We all laugh about it now but it took him a while to join us….. pride and all….
Needs the Pro Street treatment, or turn it into a little pickup, with a 351.
Scotty, that’s the first thing I noticed when I saw that first picture – a cruising van in the background. An ambitious person could restore both and have quite a collection to bring to shows.