Ford Pinto - The Car That Changed Safety Standards Forever!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 ม.ค. 2023
- The Ford Pinto: A Look Back at the Controversial Compact Car
In the early 1960s, Ford Motor Company released the Pinto. It was a relatively cheap, small car that quickly gained a reputation for its dangerous design.
In this video, we're exploring what went wrong with the Ford Pinto. We'll look at the history of the car, its design flaws, and the public outcry that followed its release. If you're interested in car history, or you're just curious about the Ford Pinto, this video is a great place to start!
THIS IS THE STORY OF THE FORD PINTO
The Ford Pinto went on sale on September 11, 1970, in one body style, a fastback sedan with an enclosed trunk. A hatchback became available on February 20, 1971, debuting at the Chicago Auto Show.[19] In 1971, the Pinto brochure came with a paper cutout Pinto that one could fold to make a 3D model.
Marketed as the Runabout, the hatchback went on sale five days later, priced at $2,062 ($13,797 in 2021 dollars ]).[19] The hatch itself featured exposed chrome hinges for the liftgate and five decorative chrome strips, sprung scissor struts to assist in opening the hatch, a rear window approximately as large as the sedan's, and a fold-down seat - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
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It's 2023 and I got my first car, believe it or not its a 79 Pinto, that I chose to be my first car but also my project car, it still runs great and doesn't have high mileage, I love it!
I just got a 79 pinto to be my daily
My mother was given a Ford Pinto as a high school graduation gift in 1974. One day, my uncle not only took the car without asking my mom, but wrecked it. Thankfully it didn't explode.
Agreed Chris! The pinto also did not blow up anymore than any of the small cars of the era. I had a 73 with the 1600 cc engine. It was a great car! I could not hurt that car.
Back when I was in high school I bought a brand new 1980 blue pinto and had that car over 15 years and not one problem.
Loved my 71 Pinto! between by brother and I we had 4 Pinto's over the course of a few years when we were teenagers.
First brand new car I bought was a 77 Pinto. Good gas mileage, handling. I loved it. Sadly, it was totaled on Interstate 95 by a driver who lost control and hit me with her 78 Town Car.
I owned a 1980 Ford Pint from1982 to 1988, I had no complaints, and it never went up in flames. Thank you,
Betty here.... my very first car was a brand new red 1977 Pinto Pony. I loved my little 'Freddie Ford.' It never needed snow tires....my Dad threw some cinder blocks in the trunk and I went everywhere. I still miss that little car!
I owned a 74 Pinto- 2door, 4 speed, it had a dealer installed custom paint job. I drove that car until it died in August 1989 with a seized engine- 285,000 miles at that time. All I ever did was drive it with routine maintenance. Never exploded!!
I had two of them and they were both great little cars
Hey Fellas , I don't think that the Pinto was any kind of EMBARRASSMENT! You're about the same age as me, you remember how "many" of those darned things were around. The sold tons of them! The "Vega" was an "embarrassment", the Pinto was just a booboo,,,, the gas tank problem, I mean.
I'm 44. You could buy these for a song in the 90s
Exactly. The pinto reputation for fires wasn't widespread until its production was nearing its end anyway. But people still bought them used for years afterwards. Few people even cared. On the other hand, people avoided the Vegas. They disappeared off the road much faster than the pinto. Their engines failed or they rusted out. The Pinto's just soldiered along for a natural lifespan .
Yup at the end of it all, they were no more dangerous than any other compact car at the time. Thanks for watching and commenting guys!
Pinto was a great car and the fire problem was determined to exist in the vega as well however the bad press was dumped on the Pinto. The vega turned out to have a rust problem and an engine that was done in 50,000 miles if it lasted that long. The Ford 2.3 engine kept going like the Energizer bunny. I had 2 Pintos and a Mustang ll. While they were not fire breathers they were very dependable and much safer than they were given credit for.
FORD DID LIE ABOUT IT. THEY COULD HAVE FIXED IT BUT CHOSE NOT TO...SHAME
@@mikelldaley9078 however in the end Ford recalled and corrected said problem. Fast forward to gm making ignition switches that were not strong enough to support the weight of the ignition key. Gm was forced to recall how many millions of cars across multiple makes and years. Gm didn't fix or replace any of the affected vehicles, rather parked them in fields and abandoned parking lots until the owners moved on. That incident killed many more people and gm was aware of the problem and refused to take action. There is the shame.
@@coolbreeze5561 Jesus guys. This not a ford vs Chevy issue. Of all the 3 million vehicles sold , the amount that blew up was like 9 cars over a 10 years period. Odds like that , anyone would play. Vegas was a nice compact car but you had to change the oil every month just to control engine wear.
I've owned 12 and still have a 77 cal cruiser locked in a storage shed . wagon s didn't have the explosion issue and the cars was because lame ford engineers designed with a ubolt pointing very close to gasbtank car gets hot gets shoved into u- bolts and tjen all crucified it. great car cheap easy to work on and run and run and run..people of society are minnions and are clueless
Bad press also ended the corvair. Gm worked out all the kinks
My mother had a Ford Pinto. It was my grandfather’s car that he gotten in the early 70’s. At first that I thought it was purple in color when I was very little. My parents bought it from my grandmother just shorty after my grandfather’s death. The car was at my aunt’s house when my parents got the car. My mother had the car a little bit over 3 years. The car was brown with tan interior. I kind of remembered that little car. My parents traded it for a 1980 Ford Escort station wagon in brown with rusty orange interior.
I drove a 1972 run about for several years. Finally after a quarter million miles, I traded for a 69 cougar. That little runabout was an amazingly durable vehicle. I loved it and it did get rear ended and did not burst into flames. It was a great car. And brand new, $1700.👍🏻
My first car was a 1972 Ford Pinto. It was my mother's car for 8 years and when I turned 16, I drove, along side my dad, in my mom's Pinto to the DMV for my drivers test. After I got my license, I drove my dad home and he handed me the keys and told me to go to school. When I got home, there was a shiny new Caddy in the driveway for my mom. The Pinto was mine. I was Free!!
Cool story
My first car was a 1972 Pinto hatchback. I loved that car...It was always clean & polished! It was my independence and it ran and ran and ran!
I feel ya freedom at 16 was glorious in thise days now I'm afraid to let my kids outta the hous
I had a '73 Runabout. I loved that little car. Traded it in for more than I paid originally.
Pintos were good reliable inexpensive cars . Back in the 80s all us kids had a used one as a first car.
A good, concise review of the Pinto.
Not a bad car at all. Significantly better than the Vega. The Gremlin was a better choice for highway driving. My favorite Pinto was the wagon.
Here in NE Ohio Pinto's biggest problem was RUST.
Hey, hey! Whats wrong with the vega? Lol
@@Tom-cz9op Lordstown OH was a great place to work and they did put out great cars.
@@honestone490 i modified a 74 vega, i could get 3rd gear rubber with it 😀
Problem was the suspension wasnt designed for the extra HP and i tore the rear control arm out.
The Pinto was very popular in its day. Dad bought a brand new 77 Pinto sedan. It was Wimbledon White, red interior, had the Lima Four, and 4 speed. Air conditioning was one of the few options it came with. It seemed to be a good car, but Dad traded it in the following year for a new Fairmont Futura. The reason was there was a recall involving the 2.3 engine, and the service advisor told Dad they had "engines all over the floor". So it was decided swapping it would be easier.
I agree Michael.
im 62 and i still have and own a 1978 pinto runabout its a great little car and i laugh when people say it was a fire bomb
Jeff, if you get a chance post it on our Facebook Group Page. Boca Brothers. We want to see it! Thanks for watching and commenting.
@@ThisOldCarChannel sorry i dont do fakebook
@@jeffleishman1553 lol...I understand.
My first car in HS. Mom insisted I get the gas tank fix. The dealer put a half inch thick piece of plastic between the rear bumper and the gas tank.. ha. It almost killed me when the drivers seat snaped and I fell into the back seat at 60 mph.. Then the hood lock popped off on a hill and the hood snapped back and smashed the windshield. A death trap on wheels. My dad sold it for $500.00 and bought me a Celica that lasted to 370,000 miles.
I bought a brand new one in 1975..Loved it ❤..My spouse bought a mercury bobcat..Looked just like my pinto but had a 6 cylinder..That thing was fast..Liked them both..Drove the Pinto for 14 years..Only thing I didn't like was it didn't have a good heater in it.
Very cool!
@@ThisOldCarChannel Yeah mine was Silver with black trim..Hatchback and hood had some silver and black..Also the sides had the Pinto Decal and black trim..It was the BOMB 💣 💥💥💥💥💥 LOL...Did get great gas mileage.
I totally recall that car, it was EVERYWHERE!!
Was a huge success in Canada too!
My uncle had one for his first car and the grounds keeper at our trailer park drove an orange late runabout with the all glass hatch. Canada as well.
How can you call it an embarrassment Ralph Nader was the embarrassment I had a 74 Pinto wagon I loved that car I would drive one today if I had it
The Pinto was much better than it's reputation we still have one and everywhere we take it people are excited to see it ,we think it is the most dependable old car in the stable here.
Awesome Bob. We want to see it! Post it on our Boca Brothers Facebook Group! Thanks for watching. A neat little car!
Less maintence on a pinto would have put mechanics out of business. that is why they said it was bad car.. Even propaganda back then. lol. lgb.
Cool that you have one! 👍
I drove a 78 Pinto wagon for a while & it was dependable & gave me no trouble!!! 👍🙂👍
I had 2 of the station wagon models with the 2000CC engine and manual transmission. I enjoyed driving them and loved the simplicity of the hand cranked windows and the AM radio. There was a lot less to go wrong than today's cars. I had the most trouble with the rear leaf springs breaking. Minnesota rust ultimately destroyed my Pintos. The rear springs came up through the floor on one of them due to the brackets rusting out and failing. They were fun cars to drive with that 4 speed shifter, and I would have bought another new one if they hadn't have discontinued it. The gas tank issue was never a deterrent for me, and I don't think the station wagon model had that issue.
I had a red 77 with the trunk 2.3l ,2bbl holley and aluminum slots . Drove and loved it for 2 years.Drove all over the great northwest from tacoma to ocean shores wa. My first ticket to freedom.
In 1979, My girlfriend had a 79 Pinto. Great car , Automatic with A/C 26 MPG with the A/C on, 30 with A/C off.
My first car was a 1977.5 pinto cruising wagon. Loved that car. Had a 6 cylinder engine. It was fun to drive. 🚗
I bought a new Pinto with a standard transmission and it was a very good economy car that Nader falsely condensed. He falsely claimed that any rear end collision would case the Pinto to explode. This was in fact solved early on by Ford with a 10 cent plastic shield over the rear end that prevented gas tank punctures. if Nader did that today, he would be sued Nader did the exact same thing....the same lies about a Chevy Corvair which i also had.
My uncle (dad's brother-in-law) had one for his first car, and the groundskeeper at the trailer park where we summered over 20 years ago drove a late model orange two door hatchback (with the all glass rear hatch)
That's quite a misconception Sir.
I'm a Engineer involved in Motorsports Racing my entire life. For the Era, for the price point, for its purpose, it was a excellent car. Yes, may they Rest in Peace, some lost their lives to the fire/explosion situation until it was remedied.
Several innocent people burned alive recently in Florida, with what should have only been a fender bender in that all to popular E.V. vehicle we hear so much about. Funny how the same isn't being said about that deadly car or its company. I can state the facts regarding their, not IF but WHEN they will self ignite when subjected to deep and continuous water. I had a Mercury Capri while going to college. The timing belt broke going appropriately 65 m.p.h. I came back a few hours later with a new belt, 7 wrenches, and a hour later, I was driving home. Try that with 99 percent of every other vehicle. God bless 🙏
Pintos were everywhere when I was growing up. I always thought that "explosion" issue was way overblown (Thanks Ralph Nader🙄) And those little fastbacks were great to soup up.
Ford Pinto wagon is the one we had, nice wagon but it lacked the get up and go power. All in All! a dependable around town runner.
I had a Pinto Squire , and transformed it into a Camper. Drove it across country, and lived in it for a couple years, until finally settling down.
Not a bad car [ for the time]. I also later had a Mustang II. Both 1974 models.
The Pinto was more of a success, because of the Vega which was a total disaster, and AMC Gremlin, which was nothing more than a Hornet with the back sliced off.
📻🚗🙂
I had 2 small bumper early ones. I had a Squier Wagon that I put Mustang alloy wheels on, it was perfect to toss my guitars and amp in the back and go. The other was an old IHRA race car that was tubbed and had a killer 351-W motor! I Love your videos, Thanks!!
Appreciate you watching and commenting!
I guess as a musician, you could call it "Billy Squire". 😊
A 1974 Pinto was my first new car. I had a '68 full size Chevy with a V-8 and hated always being in a line at the gas station, and paying a ridiculous $.55/gal for gas, if you could find it. I really wanted a Mustang II but it was out of my price range, so I settled for a lime green coupe with a tiny trunk and huge bumpers big enough to sit on. 4 cyl and 4 speed it was pretty quick with creative shifting. I had 3 part-time jobs to pay the $97 a month to Ford. My parents had it shipped to Calif. when I went into the USAF and I found Cal was HOT and with no A/C, I traded it for a car with A/C...a Pontiac Grand Prix with a huge V-8, just in time for the next gas crisis! I had another Pinto in 1981 when I moved to Florida(with A/C) this was a wagon with automatic and slower than a 90 year old running. But I liked them both, and if I could find one in good condition now I'd consider buying it. I'm unafraid of the gas tank issue, because my very first car was a 1961 Corvair. I never "flipped" and never "exploded" so I'm good.
I had an '81 (or 80?) Pinto wagon and loved it. Simple and efficient.
Selling over 3 million cars in a 10 year period is anything but an embarrassment 🙄
Thanks for watching and the comment Chris!
Exactly!! I stand a better chance of winning a million in the lottery than blowing up in a pinto
@@foreverinteriors so few understand that
I THOUGHT THE FALCON WAS AMUCH BETTER CAR
It got woked
My first car was a 1971 Ford Pinto. It was a great car. Easy to work on, easy on gas, and easy to drive. I will say that the window defrost was terrible. I was usually halfway to school before my windshield was completely defrosted!
I loved and love my 1972 hatchback Pinto. I had a Ford Continental crash into the back with no fire. The unibody folded infront of the rear passenger seat. The insurance company straightened the body and I drove it another 50,000 miles. Toward the end of its life around 1978 the rubber gas line connection between the body and engine developed small cracks that when climbing mountains caused air to cut off the gasoline flow. I drove the Pinto with the starter motor in gear to get it back to Durango CO and replaced the line parked infront of the Ford Dealership. My college transportation. From Omaha I drove it to Washington DC, the Grand Canyon, Central Canada and Texas.
If I could find one with a fuel cell I'd get one. They were fun to drive with the manual transmission and more HP could be had with some modifications.
The Pinto Runabout hatchback was launched five *months* after the trunk coupe, not 5 days! It was early enough to have been part of the original plan, though, while the wagon was probably the result of a crash development program after the early sales success of the Chevy Vega Kammback and (slightly larger 4-door) AMC Hornet Sportabout caught the self-styled "Wagonmaster" Ford flat-footed.
I back in 86. I had bought my buddies 78 pinto for $100 and i loved it.
$100.00 BUCKS? Awesome. Thanks for watching!
@@ThisOldCarChannel oh dont get me wrong, it was a pile of rust but i drove it for about a year or so adding in my own spit and duct tapes fixes along the way. I ended up donating it to our local fire department for one of their rescue demo parties enjoying the BBQ and watching them rip the roof off with the jaws of life. But hey, i got my $100 worth out of it.
9/11/1970. The cost-benefit analysis for the Ford Pinto was that they were required to fix the fuel tanks so that they would not explode or leak during a 30mph collision. Ford calculated that they would need to spend $11 per vehicle, with 12.5 million vehicles that would need the repair, it would cost them nearly $137 million
I wanted a Pinto wagon back in the day. I thought they were a very nice little car. My brother got a Pintocat. It was a salvaged Pinto and Mercury Bobcat cut in half and welded together. To say the original Pinto was unsafe was a joke compared to his Pintocat lol.
I had 2, 74 wagon and 79 with a trunk lid. I liked them because they were wide and you sat low in the car. The tranny hump was level with the seat and it made it feel sporty.
Ha, Judy Tenuda, "The Pinto Blowabout".
Sorta sad,,,part of my 'learning to drive' exp in the mid '70s was on a manual shift Pinto a friend bought new.
Cool little car. heck, almost forgot a wagon family bought new and loved. Even got it repainted (west coast Ca elements).
When the time came to sell it, they were 'low balled' because of the Pinto's history. They learned the construction was different but it didn't seem to matter. Sold to the highest bidder ;)
Nice offering and thanx again for the memories :)
I Was 7 or 8 years old when they came out. I grew up seeing the small hatchbacks and wagons and hearing the drone of the little 4 cylinder engines. They were semi smooth riding for their size because the front suspension was mostly a small version of the suspension found on their leave cars with an upper and lower A-frame . They were everywhere. My oldest sister had a 1973 wagon with a 2.0 she bought it used in around 1979. I passed my drivers test in a 1974 station wagon in around 1980. I think we had about 3 or 4 of them in our family over the years. Good experience with all of them. I'll never forget the drone of the 4 cylinder in a world where the V8 was still king
But even back then, the V6 was starting to challenge the V8 for that crown. At some point between the 80s and 90s, the V6 won it. Today, the turbocharged Four is the new V6.
@@MisterMikeTexas during the early to mid 1970’s 6 cyls were pretty much limited to compacts such as the Maverick, Valiant, Nova, Hornet and their stable mates. Even then the v8 was a common option. Mis sized cars had virtually abandoned the 6 cyl. As for v6’s , the only one i remember was the v6 used in. The pinto , Mustang II, and Capri. In the mid-late 1970’s the Buick V6 returned for use as an option in the sub compact Monza and Co. and the mid sized skylark and RWD phoenix. It was the base engine in the Century and Cutlass in the just before they downsized. But i could count them on one hand. It finally started becoming somewhat common in the 1978 downsized GM mid sized as well as the option for the X body cars. I think the 3.8 in the 1983 Small LTD was the turning point for Making them common in Fords. But during the pinto’s life, especially the early years, the V8 was still king.
@@MisterMikeTexas also, the pinto 4 cyl seemed to have a more distinct sound than the imports and Vega. I guess it was the exhaust system they used.
@@dmandman9 I remember that. My 97 Ranger had the modernized for the times 2.3 (multiport EFI), and a decent sounding factory exhaust. At the front, you knew it was a Four. At the tailpipe though, it almost sounded like a straight 6.
@@MisterMikeTexas Yes, the first rangers used the same carbureted engine. And the latter ones added fuel injection and eventually distributorless ignition. I think the Pintos exhaust was more distinct. But it may have been the muffler location, size, or short exhaust length or a combination of all the above. I just remember being able to tell it was a pinto driving away even if I didn't see it. It wasn't loud, just distinct. It's the same way I could tell an Oldsmobile from any other V8 in the 70s and early 80s
My dad had one and he put a built 302 and some fat tires out back with a shorten 9 inch in 1988 that pinto of his was wild
I bought a 1979 model new, at which point most of the problems had been solved. $3439 with no radio and four-speed. It got no better than 24 MPG, although that was better than my duster.
I had a 72 sprint decor first new car I ever had Loved that little thing
Great vid!!!!!!!
I think the Pinto was a little beauty. It was a shame Ford never sold it herein Britain through their dealers. It would have been the perfect size for UK roads and really cool.
Early to mid 90s you could pick up a running driving Ford Pinto for $200 - $300, every day of the week.
$300-$500 would get you a Granada.
Classifieds were full of em
Cash for Clunkers pretty much got rid of a lot of classics! Thanks for watching Drew!
I didn’t like my Pinto back in 75 but I would enjoy it now.
I've had several pintos and 2 bobcats. Great cars. Especially if you got the April of '71 edition runabout. 2.0 ltr. 122hp. Instead of the '72 having the 2.3 ltr Mazda engine. At only 99hp .Later '73-77 models finally got the ford 2.3ltr Lima engine. Which that engine made it's way into the new for '79 mustang LX and eventually the ranger and Mazda b2300. The Lima engine was ok at 119hp but was better than the Mazda engine. I had 2 rangers with that engine also. Good trucks.
Loved my red Pinto. Sunroof, glass hatch, racing stripe
The LIMA engine developed for this car ended it’s run in 2000. Easily one of Fords most reliable engines in company history.
I drove and abused 2 Rangers to 300000 on that engine with nearly no mechanical issues.
My first car was an Orange '74 Pinto Sedan . I think the only option on it was the AM Radio. Wish I had the time and money to find and restore one .
I bought mine from a buddy. It was solid black, he called it the widow.
The 1976 grille and chrome headlights were inherited from the 1974-5 Mercury Bobcat which was Canada-only. When the Bobcat came into the US market for '76 it got the upright grille and distinct hood. The final, flat-hood facelift is surprisingly thorough and expensive for what by that time was putting lipstick on the pig of a fundamentally obsolete design with the market moving to taller FWD Rabbit clones.
My mom had a Pinto Wagon when I was too young to remember. I saw pictures and I liked it. Orange Wagon with the bubble windows. I'd love to find another one
I almost bought a Pinto in 1980. I ended up with a base model 79 Mercury Capri used. I think I did the right thing there. I knew a lot of people that had them or the Mercury version of the car.
I liked the Pinto, reliable and Decent gas mileage and affordable.😊
Sad indeed.. I do appreciate you doing the video and putting the same effort as the other videos. The interesting thing is the Mercury version the Bobcat was used on the tv series Charlie's Angels.
I have been driving a 1972 Pinto Squire wagon for nearly 30 years. It had 64,000 miles on it when I got it, and was rust free. Unfortunately the reason the mileage was so low is because it sat for 20 years. The engine was locked up solid. I did wind up having to replace the engine and the clutch. But ever since I got it back on the road, it has been a very reliable car. It is maintained properly. Many people who bought new Pintos never maintained them. I am a mechanic, and I know the value of maintenance. As for safety, I really don't care. I ride motorcycles. I'm a lot safer in that car than I am on a motorcycle.
My dad had a brown 1979 wagon that he joked only ran on three cylinders. It was old by the time he owned it, since this back in the early '90s. I do remember it was really slow and noisy going up hills, but it made up the Interstate 5 "Grapevine" in the slow lane.
A lot of people unfortunately know The Ford Pinto was as the little car that explodes when you hit the bumper of one. If Ford re engineered the gas tank in front of the rear wheels if might have been remember as the best small car in the 1970s and I like them but I wouldn't be interested in purchasing one.
That's the day my oldest brother died. I was 15 years old on the 4th of that month. September, 1970.
Had a bunch of Pinto's back in the day
I bought a Country Squire model station wagon and really liked it. Unfortunately the camshaft went bad and I traded it for a Toyota Tercel. We drove the Toyota until it rusted out.
The Mustang now is a stretched Pinto!!? I had a Pinto I stalled a 351 Windsor. My Pinto was crazy fast and I install good brakes
My wife's 1980 Pinto was a great car.
In 1977 I purchased a Ford Pinto but I had the Cruising Wagon I love it so much I wish I still had it today but I don't
I still like the Ford pinto, despite the fuel problem, I would outfit it with new rubber polyurethane, instead of the OEM tank &, reinforce the back bumper. I love this insanely informative, history of the Ford pinto I love so much. Thanks for posting/sharing.
My aunt drove a pinto then a Maverick. We like to hit nerves with a few viewers that tell it like it is. The pinto was actually a nice car. Thats why they sold so well.
I had a 74 and 1980 models, both where good cars, no problems.
Awesome! Thanks for watching!
My sister had a 72 Pinto and it was actually a pretty good car.
I owned a 75 Mercury Bobcat wagon squire. Yellow with woodgrain, 2.3 and 4 speed. It was a great running car and I'd love to find a Pinto wagon to make a Poison Pinto hot rod.
The safe model year of Pinto is extensively rare, as far as I know.
Reason: The damage had been already done beyond repair.
My first manual car I learned to drive in was a pinto was a fun car to drive I'm looking for a project and I'm thinking of getting a pinto
awesome video this car always makes me think of cujo
Appreciate you watching Owen! Thank you for being a subscriber!!
@@ThisOldCarChannel your welcome hope you keep making them
I owned a 73 hatchback,wush I still had it.Cars are to complicated nowadays.😢
i owned 2 ford pintos. a 1971 first year and a 72. i never had any issues with these automobiles. just general maintenance which a lot of owners of pintos neglected to perform. if you do not maintain any type of machine it will surely fail. and as far as the fuel tank bursting into flames. there are many vehicles that will do the same thing if you hit it in the correct area. including many expensive european vehicles. the pinto was an excellent vehicle but most of their owners were not. YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.
It was about the only small car I could fit in (6'8"). Lots of room for two people and luggage. The fire hazard was overplayed, I believe, because of GM's problems with the aluminum engine in the Vega. There is a minor fix for the fire hazard in cars of that era. Just about every car used a drop in fuel tank that opened into the passenger compartment. A plate is installed over the drop in fuel tank to close it off from the passenger compartment providing more protection against fire.
The 2.3L engine became a standard in Fords for years and can be rebuilt into a variety of configurations including turbo charged. With a little work the Pinto can be a nice little 2+2 sports car you can drive anywhere.
That 2.3l was nigh indestructible. My grandfather had a Ranger with one, put over 300,000 miles on it before he bought a newer truck. Gave it to a cousin, and he drove it until he wrapped it around a tree while drunk. It was knocking on 400k by that point.
You forgot to mention the Super Cobra Jet 429 V8 engine option in 1971 😄 !
My first car was a Pinto. I would like another one.
Rumour has it was a *HRH* (hot rear hatch) LOL
It's an unmistakably American car, it doesn't look Japanese or European, and an unusually elegant at that. The station wagon is especially nice. I like the delivery van with a boat-like porthole on the side as well. Gremlins, like all AMC vehicles, are also nice.
My sisters boyfriend at the time had gotten one of the first 71 Pintos in the NYC area. Not a bad car for the price but slow as all hell. I outran it up a small incline down my block……with my bicycle!! 😂😂
I had a 70 pinto and it was a good little car bought a 71 Vega and at 50000 miles the block warped, I got one hundred and fifty thousand miles on the pinto.
Fire ball, waiting to happen. I was there, history tells all. That car was a deathtrap.😢
Wasn't the Pinto also one of the first American sub compact cars ever to offer an optional factory installed sunroof?
Good stuff
Thanks Peter!
I don't know where the "embarrassment" comes from. They sold a lot of them. They were good cars.
one of the best cars made
It was a good looking little car. Too bad about the people that died in the car. Lee could have done better by adding time to its engineering phase. Can you please do a video on 1970s Chrysler/Plymouth/Dodge sedans ?
It was a good looking car Peter. We had a neighbor back in the 70's that bought one brand new. Pretty cool! Thanks for watching!
They HAD a fix from day one and CHOSE not to use it because they wanted to save $11.00/car. They decided that it would be cheaper to pay any impending lawsuits resulting from the possible injuries or deaths than to spend the extra money on each car. They wanted to keep the base price below 2,000 . The fact that the documents were leaked that exposed their decision was the only reason they issued the recall and paid a huge fine. In fact, the cars met the crash standards in place at the time of manufacturing
Gas tank aside, they weren't bad vehicles at all! The later 2.3 I4 (Lima) overhead cam, cast iron powerplant teamed with a 4 Speed was an unbeatable combination for an everyday driver that could take quite a bit of punishment! As long as you kept them maintained on a regular basis, they really went a long way! They weren't that hard to repair when something needed replacement and many of those parts could be easily gotten via the discount auto supply, or even the junkyard! I'd take the Pinto over the Chevy Vega any day!