It’s usually exciting to find a one owner original survivor car for $1500, like this one here on craigslist, but it is a Pinto. Who can blame someone for walking away from it in 1985. It looks complete and original on the outside. It’s here in Sacramento, so it might not be too rusty. It even has the hubcaps. There’s no word on if it runs and no pictures of the interior.
There’s rust showing on the tailgate for some reason. Perhaps something was mounted there, like a bike rack, that wore away the paint. The bumper has an interesting bend.
The engine looks complete and not too messy. That is a 2 litre 4 cylinder with 86 horsepower mated to a 3 speed manual transmission. Some claim these are 14 second cars, 14 seconds to 60 mph anyway.
The right hand side looks like it’s made close friends with at least one stationary object. If this runs, could it be a fun little driver? What do you think it might be worth?
It is either a 3sp auto or a 4sp manual.Strange places for some of the rust.But it was hit in the right rear.2 liter motor was a good one.
Daily driver in rough country, or a parts car.. this one was used and abused.. I’d walk away and buy something newer with less damage.. The exterior shows how bad this car really is.. None of the owners took care of it.. It’s a beater at best..
If that were true, then it wouldn’t still be here. Over 4 decades is a dann long time for a car to survive, especially for something like a Pinto
I had an orange one just like this, biggest piece of junk I ever owned.
Being a 73 it’s the last year with the small bumpers. (just a minor extension on the front with the rubber bumper guards for 73 impact standards)
I like the yellow which was a factory color on this one.
Back in the day I had a 73 Vega GT Kammback that was better looking, and even better driving. That is after I installed a Buick 215 aluminum V8 in it……….
I might have been interested for a v8 swap until I saw the passengerside pic. PASS !!!
Geez. Looks all nice and shiny until you see the guy hosing it down and realize it is just wet. I would guess it needs a lot of work.
shame it is so beat up. would be a ok for doing shows and cruises.but then I like unusual stuff.
It’s main attraction is it’s year. ’73 makes it smog exempt in CA and while I am partial to the later ’77-80 models you could easily turn this into one of them with a nose and bumper swap (which it appears to need anyway).
A turbo 2.3 and 5 speed out of a T-bird Turbo Coupe would make this a fun economical driver.
To each his own. But that’s the first time I can recall anyone saying that they liked 70s-era crash bumpers better than the original design. On anything.
I agree with others that this is a little too beat up to take on, unless you’re studying autobody repair and need a test mule.
I like big bumpers and I cannot lie.
(it’s not because of the bumpers, it’s the headlight bucket design I like – just happens to come with the big booties)
A beater. Parts car or pass on it, unfortunately. These were not that well assembled to begin with. They were uncomfortable with a poor, very low seating position and unsupportive seats. The steering wheel was impossibly thin. The steering itself was OK. The shifter was OK but got loose with age. The brakes were fine and the suspension was crude at best, very crashy over bumps though the handling and cornering were actually quite stable. The engines were good, very durable, as were the manual transmissions. Despite the car’s obvious build-to-price contemptuous-of-the-customer design and assembly, somehow I grew to like my sister’s ’71 sedan which was stolen, to be replaced by a ’73 4-speed wagon. Pintos were no match for the Japanese cars and VWs they were intended to slaughter in the U.S. market. But a lot of them ran quite well for a long time. Sis’ wagon did, until it was double-ended on an interstate highway one dark night. Yeah, a taxi was going the wrong way on an interstate. I stopped safely, then got rammed from behind into the taxi’s front. I walked away with a minor concussion after my head hit the steering wheel. No airbags then. Checked that the radiator hadn’t been pierced and that the fan was clear, then drove the thing home. Those were the days. And nights.
You guys afraid of a couple of little dents on this car yet you go all googaa over a car that has 40-50% of it rusted out? This is a strange new world to me. I have driven cars with 20 time the damage this Pinto has on it for years. Wish I had a picture of my bent up 65 Chrysler that I drove for years. People laughed at it but I made 20 times the purchase price of $100.00 from people’s insurance co when they ran into it, like 5 different people.
I gotta agree with Loco.. Dent repair is much easier than rot repair. If you’re gonna drive a beater, body dents are much safer than rotted out frames and floor pans.
These are strange cars to people in that they have the same design format as one of the most desirable cars ever the Chevrolet Nomad being that it is a two door station wagon. I like them and I have rented them on occasion with the manual trans with the big engine or better the V6 they are a lot of fun. The air-conditioning could handle Dallas late summer afternoon heat and keep you cool while keeping up with traffic even with a load.
They had issues but in good condition and even making this one into a good car would not be that difficult. Even the interiors are relatively simple if the Dash is OK
Some work but for the right person worth it. And the chances are pretty good you can drive this classic and use it for the job intended and still have fun. Not a bad bargain.
These cars did not survive in the rust belt. We had a 74 when I was a kid. My color blind father ordered it with forest green paint and desert sand interior, no air, like an oven. We lived in Michigan, so the salt in winter took its toll. One day in the late 70’s while on his way to work, my dad was pulling away from a stop light when the floor pan under the driver seat let go, pitching dad backwards into the backseat, never saw that car again. I live in Sacramento now, I have only seen one pinto in the 15 years I have lived here, but not this one. Even if you wanted to fix this up, where are you going to find parts.
* Lima motor – unbeatable (still in adapted-form production thru the duratec I believe),
* great carb – (holley-webber 2 stage – 2ndV opens only when ‘floored’),
* good handling, rest – a bit lower grade,
but I’d have a DD from it (stop @ $2 – 2.5K).
Seller just reposted it and dropped it to $800. Now we’re getting more in the range where this should be.
http://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/5787545467.html