In 1977, Ford Pinto wagon buyers had three choices for what a Ford brochure calls the “World’s best-selling wagon”: the regular Pinto Wagon, the fancy Pinto Squire Wagon with woodgrain body panels and other “luxury” features, and the new Cruising Wagon, as seen here. The seller has this 1977 Ford Pinto Cruising Wagon posted here on craigslist in Alpine, California, and they’re asking $5,500. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Tony P. for sending in this tip!
Plain Wrapper isn’t the name of a boring rap star, it’s a Pinto Cruising Wagon without graphics. Yes, buyers could get the Cruising Wagon without graphics, but they all came with the porthole windows in the back. They made decent sedan delivery vehicles, perfect for inner-city deliveries being small and easy to drive and park. There is some rust on this car that’ll need to be taken care of, but you probably already knew that. The seller provides underside photos, well done!
The seller says that this example is an “all-original silver car”, but this one looks white to me. Is that the San Diego sun playing tricks with the white balance? Just to get it out of the way, the infamous flaming-Pinto references aren’t applicable here as Ford had corrected the problem by this point, and the station wagons were never a part of the problem anyway. You could get a Cruising Wagon with or without graphics and this one really looks, well, like a plain wrapper without graphics.
Mechanically, the seller says that this Pinto wagon has been gone through from front to back and it’s ready to go, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t cosmetic things to work on inside, and the rust outside and underneath. The front seats have a great pattern but they need help. The back seat looks great, and the cargo area looks fantastic and ready for your weekend camping trips or hauling duties.
The engine is Ford’s 2.3-liter OHC inline-four, which put out 89 horsepower and 118 lb-ft of torque when new. This one pushes that power through a four-speed manual transmission to the rear wheels and it runs and drives smooth and strong. If a person can tackle the body issues, whatever they end up being, this car would have a crowd around it at every car show. Any thoughts on this Pinto Cruising Wagon?
I like it, I googled to see what the decals package (s) looked like, a few I liked, the closest we got to this in Aus, was the Ford Escort sundowner Panel Van, and the Holden Gemini (Isuzu) Gypsy p/v.
If Ford had brought this to Aus, any Pinto, it would have been a hit.
Let’s see, which would you prefer?
An English small 4, a Japanese/Aus small 4, or an American small 4?
I pick American, lol
Is this the same one used in mad max?
Mad max was an Australian version of the Vega wagon with a V8 stuffed in it
Scotty has done a good job describing this Pinto Cruising Wagon. There are several items in its favor: mechanical updates done, manual transmission, sport steering wheel, rare instrumentation group. It would be good to see it back in silver with the graphics. As he concludes, after some body work this could be a unique and fun car.
Agree about changing the colour back. A thought on it being white, over here it was (not anymore ) mandatory for vehicles doing courier work to be white.
I love the mags
Saw one of these at a show at Moosehaven in Jacksonville a few years ago. Had a flathead Ford V8 with 3 carbs and a 4 speed. Orange, but with no graphics. Very neat conversion, and unexpected!
Totally agree with Bob. Patch up any body work that may need it and definitely make it silver again. And as for me personally these Pinto wagons just dont look right without the graffics, I’d definitely invest in an auhentic graphics kit. It would really make it pop.
I had this model in Red with woody panel from the factory in about 2001, All my friends as well as the Snooty in the Booty N.Dallas folks, It had no exhaust system from manifold back, I got tired of walking when.an old Toyota I owned died, This was on the way back from work so I stopped & asked owner if he had title & he did not, In my tired state of body I offered 270.$ and my Toyota trade, He said yes so I drove it till I got A Real Car and
Sold it for 250$ with glee! I hated that dumb thing!!!
That “Classic” chrome script on the tailgate is a bit over the top.
Purloined from an old Rambler, maybe?
Rambler for sure…
I always liked the porthole Pintos, sporty little wagons, but whatever color that is, there’s way too much of it. This needs the flashy paint and graphics which most came with. Someone will grab this, not many of these around anymore
Well price is ok for what it is unlike some others in this thread I would keep it white with a silver pin stripes
As a teen I thought it was ugly. After 44 years that’s still my opinion.
Like….
1 sorta trivia bum here just answrd a Q abt the Pinto (v Vega) on “Who’s bigger?” Wheel base of 94 to 97 inches, in respective order. But…
this is the 1 I like due to Lima engine & carb (cross flow, Weber progressive). Never the sedan tho (as important same distinction in a pacer choice). S.D. even better (as here) – put the bubbles in storage’n mig the port holes over w/a sheet. Tie dwns back there (no rear seats, tough floor) like true SD. Get barn doors in back & see how you do w/o windows in back (cardboard covers till ur sure, then mig them over if decidin to remove). May B one behind the frnt passenger’s head for intersection traffic?
Never knew there’sa “plain wrapper” model. Still, toughen up the ‘floor’ & remove back seats for more storage’n (under floor)
Huh?
Gotta be a kid, they speak a different language!
I must need a course in either cryptosiphering or homemade short-hand for all but impossible to figure out homemade abbreviations. I could not make out even 1/4 of what you were trying to say….. invest In a phone that has the “ talk to text” feature……
Did you know, the Pinto Cruisin'( no “g”) Wagon was the last of the panel delivery wagons? Yep, Vega stopped making the panel express wagon in ’75. I worked with a guy that had a Cruisin’ Wagon, looked like a cheap “shaggin’ wagon” to me, but any port in the storm, eh? You know, something like this could be the ticket as an alternative to that mini motorhome. More on that later.
This sold on Friday, 15 December, 2023, after an auction in Hemmings Motor News. The sale price was $5500. I thought about buying it, because I’ve always liked these, but the shipping cost from CA to MA was about 50% of the sale price. Here’s a link to the original ad:
https://www.hemmings.com/auction/1977-ford-pinto-alpine-ca-556487/sold
The Good: 2.3L engine, four-speed stick and optional gage package (including tach). The Bad: repaint, cosmetics. The Ugly: The rust could be more than skin deep. This one has been repainted from the original silver, and the repaint could stand a refresh. The dry CA air and warm temperatures have helped preserve it, since all of these from the snow belt have long since been recycled into razor blades after being eaten by road salt.
An engine upgrade from a wrecked T-Bird Turbo Coupe or SVO Mustang with the same engine but turbocharged would work, or an Ecoboost 2.3L would make it scream. On Art Morrison Enterprises web page someone put an Art Morrison Chassis under one, with an Ecoboost 2.3L, a Tremec five-speed gearbox and a full IRS setup! Nice, if you can afford it!
A late 80’s early 90’s FI 5.0 5 speed would be awesome. When I was much younger I seen one with a V8 with a tunnel ram with dual 4’S sticking out of the hood. Dark metallic brown with tru-spokes. Man that was nice.