The Pinto was Ford’s first subcompact car, on the U.S. market from 1971 to 1980 (along with Mercury’s mini-me, the Bobcat, for half that time). It was ordinary in terms of its engineering with rear-wheel-drive. More than three million copies left the assembly line with nearly 200,000 units in 1979 alone, including this brightly colored hatchback. Located in San Antonio, Texas, this project Ford is available here on eBay. The current bid is $1,075 and the seller felt it necessary to enact a reserve.
Ford went with rectangular headlights in 1979, perhaps the most identifiable feature of the year-to-year Pinto changes. About a third of buyers took home a hatchback with or without Custom trim like this one. This example is loaded with glass accented by a sunroof. We assume this Pinto has Ford’s basic inline-4 engine instead of the optional V6 and it’s supported by a 4-speed manual transmission at less than 74,000 miles.
We’re told the body is solid though there is a bit of rust brewing. The front floors have been patched, and the once-vivid paint needs help. If you like loud plaid upholstery, this Ford might only be bested by an AMC Gremlin from the same decade. This Pinto has power steering and air conditioning, not common on a lot of these subcompacts.
Here we have a running project that already has new tires and a new starter. The title is unencumbered, but is a Ford Pinto a car you’d spend a lot of time and money on restoring? It might catch some second glances at Cars & Coffee, but you’re likely to snag a better return with a Ford Mustang (the 1960s version, not the 1970s Mustang II).
Flashy Pinto in its day. If that loud orange plaid upholstery doesn’t catch your attention, nothing will. This example looks well-used. Hope someone will buy it and give it some love.
I always thought it was interesting that the orange interior was toned down with a black dash and carpet. Only the orange though. If you got this plaid in a tan, blue, red or green interior those were fully color-keyed.
Uh…no.
These are by far the ugliest Pintos Ford produced, with those huge bumpers, squared off front end and see-through hatch. And this car’s loud motif is the true definition of “lipstick on a pig”.Fortunately Ford would put the Pinto out of its misery (and ours) the next year by replacing it with their much-better Escort. As far as comparing the Pinto to the Gremlin, the AMC was better in that it offered more room and also had a far superior drive train. The Pinto was superior to the Vega at least, I’ll give it that. For those who want to restore a Pinto, start with one of the first ones, ’71-73.
Vega maybe wasn’t as good, but at least you didn’t have the rear end collision fuel tank issue in a Vega. There is also that in 1979, the Vega was gone and the Pinto would have been competing with the Monza and Sunbird. I’d say the GM versions were much better than the Pinto and could be had in Town Couple (notchback) and hatchback configuration. The Iron Duke 4 cylinder was a good engine with it being used by racers for Midget car racing and also there was a v8 option. I had a town coupe 4 cyl. and my brother bought a new Monza Spyder v8 hatchback. V8 was a bear to change plugs (especially after headers were installed). But either way I’d prefer the Monza over the Pinto any day. P.S. I bought my town coupe for $1200, put 100,000 miles on it and sold if for $1000. Not bad for a first car.
Give it up with the exploding Pinto nonsense already. If you crash a semi truck into a peanut wagon, bad things are going to happen. I have owned Pintos and a Vega with a factory replacement engine. The Pintos gave me good service. The Vega was hopeless. The new and improved factory replacement engine overheated consistently. Ironically, Ford went to an aluminum head on the Escort for ‘81, which made them arguably as bad as the Vega. I bought a new ‘88 Escort Wagon, believing that the problems had been rectified- they had not.
I’ll take my chances in a Pinto. I like this one, giant plaid upholstery and all- as long as it’s not a V6.
Ford spent a surprising amount of money on that square front, in a vain attempt to make the aging Pinto look like a modern Rabbit clone. At least the wagon pulled it off reasonably well.
Why does everyone hate those large bumpers? You guys keep spouting off about that and it now has turned into truth. True truth of the matter is that they are practical and save you a fortune in a low speed crash and I find saving money very appealing. Do you not? Besides, I think on this car they actually look quite good, certainly better then the skinny ones that came before them. I like sitting on them, can’t do that with an old one.
It’s a trade off. They save money at low speeds, but cost more to fix in a high-speed crash, and most of us agree that the early versions weren’t well thought out, and looked like the afterthoughts they were, large and ugly add-ons that were an eyesore. Later models looked better as the designers got more comfortable with the rules, combined with the Feds rolling back the standard to 2.5 mph to reduce the cost in high-speed crashes and reduce the weight of the car to meet the then new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards that became law in 1980. The early versions were heavy, later models had to be lighter to meet the CAFE rules.
Five pieces of chrome and you’ve got a Bobcat
The flippin’ gas cap is rusting on this Pinto. The current bid is the right price for this one.
In the late 80’s had a (shop) client that had a ‘70 Mercury Bobcat Country Squire Wagon, in the same colours plus the mactack wood trim, the four hole alloys in a polished finish, and orange carpet to go with the orange plaid seats. He kept it immaculate, along with his XJ12 and Mercury Grand Marquis County Squire lol
Would love to find that Bobcat again, so out there it was kinda cool.
I think they called them Villagers and they came maybe around 1975. I don’t think they made Bobcats in ’70
@JCA lol, didn’t catch it in time, – was a ‘79 (big thumb, small phone)
Could fix it, install an Olds Tornado transaxle & Mondello built 455 in the rear (visible through the rear hatch).
Very interesting that these little guys got a power steering option but the Falcons of the previous decade never got one to my knowledge.
Props for the Marti report though. That’s appreciated
Well, it’s kinda refreshing to see an interior that isn’t some shade of grey. Good to have the modern drivetrains that we have now, but the available colors are just “dull”.
Many good times I had in the two I owned–a red car and blue wagon. One date night in my wagon the girl strung her bra side to side over the rear window. Loved that car. Yet 4 cylinders is 4 cylinders.
By ’79 the gas tank issues were in the rear view mirror, but this one looks well used, with no pictures of the underside, engine compartment or dashboard to show displayed mileage. Well optioned, with the sunroof and all-glass hatch and air conditioning. Yes, the paint has flaked off of the gas cap, but replacements are cheap and readily available. the interior could stand some love and the paint, while solid, has some oxidation that could be buffed out (maybe). The wheels could be refinished or aftermarket replacements are always an option. Can you say restomod? Sure you can!
BTW, the bidding now stands at $1350 and the reserve is still unmet, with just under three (3) days left in the auction.
Yup. That exploding business is old news. Loved my 71 wagon. One of my favorite cars.
LOL is it rear bumper or balcony :D
The bidding is up to $1500, with 1-1/2 days left in the auction. No word about whether this bad boy has the optional instrument package.