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Yee Haa! 1972 Ford Pinto Off Roader

From the ridiculous to the sublime, we got it all going on right here! Two weeks ago we featured this 1998 Mercedes off-roader and now we have uncovered a lowly 1972 Ford Pinto station wagon that’s gotten the same “here, hold my beer” treatment. What a sight! This Pinto mashup is located in Kiousville, Ohio and is available, here on craigslist for $4,500. Thanks to Chuck F. for this most unusual discovery.

While not quite as outrageous as the M-B, this wagon is two-wheel drive only, it still has still had some impressive work performed upon it. While the body is a’72 Pinto, the underpinnings are from a 1987 Ford Bronco II – and the seller has the titles for both! Which one do you use for registration? The visible VIN will be in the body’s driver side lower windshield area so it seems that would be the representative identifier for titling – assuming this thing can be titled for highway use in the acquirer’s state. Anyway, the station wagon body shows well, I even like the copper/orange paint hue. There is no collision evidence that this wagon has bit off more than it can chew while out on the trail. Of course, being a two-wheel driver limits its range roaming capability. Love it or hate it, you have to appreciate the sense of adventure, as well as the skills, that lead to this surprising creation.

Where things get really interesting is under the hood as there’s a 351 CI “Cleveland” V8 engine, exhausting through side pipes, with an automatic transmission helping to sling mud – take that Mercedes mudder! The seller adds, “It still drives and maneuvers great the way it is. There is a fuel cell, so no need to fear the Pinto gas tank mishaps of yore“. There actually is a front differential in place, there’s just no transfer case to attach it to.

Unlike the Benz, the interior here is pretty standard Ford Pinto fare. Other than some auxiliary gauges and a tachometer, it’s a very stock-looking environment that is in fair shape showing just a little wear. There’s even a backseat of some sort in place but it doesn’t look like what Ford originally supplied.

So, this kitbashed Ford is well documented and the seller states, “It needs some tuning and a nice building to work on it and get it the way that you like. I have buildings, but they’re not nice enough for this“. Hmmm – nice buildings, but not nice enough. Well, OK then. It would seem that this Pinto’s true functionality is limited without four-wheel drive capability but a combination Ford auto transmission/transfer case from a regular big Bronco should do the trick. Sure, this Ford is a bit of a novelty, but you have to appreciate the imagination right?

Comments

  1. Avatar My Lil Pony 😮

    Okay is this a feeder to the responses going 😉

    Let me the first to say not to bad..

    But i would never build it.

    For the negatives.
    Looks like this pinto is getting cut from the herd 😂

    Like 1
  2. Avatar Terrry

    There might not be enough room under the Pinto body to squeeze a transfer case in. There must be a good reason why they left it out, since the donor car was most likely a 4wd Bronco. If I had this, I’d forget about 4-wheeling, lower it as much as I could and use it as a pavement pounder.

    Like 1
  3. Avatar R S Hodag

    Not a Cleveland… its a Windsor and the add clearly states that. Interesting that it has a GM HEI distributor setup

    Like 0
    • Avatar Terrry

      Ford used “coil-in-cap” ignition on their late 70s engines up until they made distributorless systems. .

      Like 0
    • Avatar Adam1966 Member

      it is an aftermarket distributor, they make them for almost any engine now.

      Like 0
  4. Avatar Bakyrdhero Member

    I do like the rear bumper treatment.

    Like 0
  5. HoA Howard A Member

    Well, it IS an improvement from some of the abominations we’ve seen, even though a trooper would have a field day with citations, it looks relatively driveable, not that you’d want to. As with all these “creations”, there’s no plan, or factory prototype for testing, and many times, “home” engineering has it’s flaws. This is still just back yard fun stuff, and I haven’t taken a one of these seriously. Needs bigger tires, for one.

    Like 2
  6. Avatar George Mattar

    Too much time on his hands to waste it on this pile of horse manure.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Vance

    This is probably the only conversion that I have ever truly enjoyed, it must be the hillbilly in me from my south of the Manson-Nixon line heritage. Pabst Blue Ribbon and good BBQ can make anything look good and this goes together like peas and carrots. Sorry if I offended any of my Southern brethren, that was not my intent. I feel the farther south I drive (I live in Michigan), the kinder the people are even though Michigan is a beautiful state. Hats off to the builder, you did a great job, cheers.

    Like 4
    • HoA Howard A Member

      What line? Got a chuckle out of that, only folks from there can get away saying that. I found, people from the south don’t care to be reminded of the “Mason-Dixon Line”. It’s the weather, Vance. I’m from Wisconsin, and people are generally pixxed off most of the time. It’s why drinking is still the #1 past time. “PBR me, ASAP”( before the “just letters” thing), was the cry. It helps pass the 364 days of cloudy, depressing skies. Now take Colorado, for example. Here, we have over 300 days of sunshine, and everybody has big smiles, “Hello, neighbor” Sesame Street stuff, and people are here because they want to be, not “stuck” somewhere with no hope of change. I’ve done a lot of trucking and travelling in the central US, and I can say, the south has gotten a bad rap for a long time. Hollywood capitalized on it, cartoons, it just isn’t so. I agree, people up north can be total jerks, especially if their favorite sports team loses ( Packers) The nicest people I dealt with were without a doubt, people from Ohio, then Kentucky, Alabama too, but not TOO far south, like Georgia, or Florida, awful places, Mississippi or Louisiana, never been. I’m a Yooper fan, and when, not if, the whole world goes down the crapper, and don’t say it won’t, we’re almost “there” now, I know some pretty desolate places in the UP, and that’s my “ace in the hole”. Heck, maybe I’ll even buy a welder,, :)

      Like 2
      • Avatar Jim ODonnell Staff

        You’re from Wisconsin and you’re referring to GA and FL as “awful” places?! Wow, that says a lot by saying very little.

        JO

        Like 0
  8. Avatar bobk

    Why did the image of Larry the Cable Guy just flash across my brain pan?

    Like 1
    • Avatar Popawfox

      Larry is from Nebraska.

      Like 0
  9. Avatar Troy

    This is a real head Turner. Unfortunately this is a family site so I can’t say what they are thinking after they turn their head

    Like 1
    • Avatar Joe

      They probably turn their head to throw up.

      Like 0
  10. Avatar BRIAN KINNNARD

    My local Junkyard has one also.
    Used for part chasing . Has torches mounted in rear.

    Like 2
  11. Avatar Steve

    Back in the 80s a neighbor had a Pinto wagon and a first gen Bronco with a rusty body. I came home one evening and he had the Pinto body on the Bronco frame. It turned out pretty nice and definitely turned heads.

    Like 2
  12. Avatar Howie Mueler

    What a chick magnet!! NOT!!

    Like 1
  13. Avatar Dan H

    For the man that needs room to take the whole family to Dollywood, but also wants to go out muddin’ with Bubba and Skeeter.

    Like 2
  14. Avatar That Guy

    Yup, this is peak redneck, and I mean that in the best possible way. Hilarious good fun, of the “hold my beer” variety.

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Peter k

    Built in Ohio where there is no inspection.

    Like 0
  16. Avatar dogwater

    Any one seen my front tooth

    Like 0
  17. Avatar Chase07

    It won’t explode when rear ended, right? But will it?

    Like 0

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