Ford's Disaster: The Pinto
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 มิ.ย. 2024
- The history of how what was marketed as the “little carefree car” that was built to be as “indestructible as a Model T" became known as one of the most dangerous cars ever built deserves to be remembered.
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#history #thehistoryguy #FordPinto
At 19 years old I got a job at a Ford dealership July 3, 1978. I retired as the shop foreman of that dealership 42 years later in 2020. Pinto, Saved my career as a mechanic. The owner said he had to let me go due to lack of work. Then the Pinto recall went into effect. Being low man, I was assigned to do Pinto Recalls. I got really good at installing the safety features. At one point I was doing 10 a day. By the time the recall was over, management realized I had skills, and kept me on permanently as a mechanic. I retired as top dog at the dealership. Thanks Pinto!
Great story. Glad things turned out well for you.
@Rick Bria i was a mechanic for 32 years and repetition definitely helps in doing a lot of jobs faster i had a reputation of swapping 4 springs and four shocks in mid and full size fords and chevys in 30 minutes. blew my managers mind how fast i was at a lot of different jobs. could do 4 ball joints on ford E-150-250 vans and trucks in just over an hour. we had guys in the shop that would take 3 hours on that job...
I heard they exploded when rear ended.
Very cool; thanks for sharing your story!
What were the recall items put in to correct this? I’d love to see some sort of visual, if you know of one.
My Pinto story is that as a new 2LT walking to report in to my new Battalion, a pinto passed me on the street and stopped. A huge Command Sergeant Major got out of the Pinto and headed towards me. My first reaction was to laugh because it reminded me of impossible clown cars. Fortunately I squelched that and then got worried. I forgot about my commission and in my mind reverted to being a Staff Sergeant again. Fortunately, when he saluted me, I remembered who I was now. He offered me a ride but I explained that I was enjoying my last few minutes of freedom before I signed in. Besides, I told him that I didn't think we could both fit in that little car. He smiled and wished me a good day. We had a few encounters over the next few months. He was an excellent NCO. I was privileged to know him. Good Luck, Rick
Thanks for your service brother. Retired Navy Sailor here
Cool story! My friend had been a Drill Sergeant. He always got a kick when he walked out of AAFES, in his brown round, and saw Majors and Colonels furtively checking to see if their cargo pockets were buttoned!
We’re all in the same family.
Thanks for sharing this story! As a former Spec 4 I would have fainted upon seeing God get out of a pinto and approaching. I can't quit laughing at this one.
My father was a Sargent Major. They are a breed unto themselves. Thanks for sharing.
Great story... Reminds me of my early army days. During Basic training at Ft. Jackson (October 83) we were out on our overnight bivouac during a torrential downpour and were force marching to another site when the senior D.I. came running back getting volunteers for a mission. I was one of about 5 who followed him, only to find the company commander, reeking of whiskey, cursing his Pinto which had slid off the dirt road in a curve and stuck in the mud! We managed to get him unstuck and the senior drill instructor drove him home. I'll never forget that night. For the rest of our training cycle be was lovingly referred to as "Captain Pinto"... 😂 Good times.
I am 66. I have owned 3 pintos. Loved every one of them! Great little cars . 2 runabouts, 1 wagon.
My brother purchased a 1976 Pinto for $2,500. I went to another Ford dealer and the salesman told me they make $100 on each Pinto and would not sell it for less that $2,500.00.
This is my story exactly. I am 66, owned 3 Pintos (2 hatchbacks and a wagon)! Great little cars and so easy to work on.
I bought my first brand new car in 1981 when I was 15…a 1980 Ford Pinto (obviously my dad signed for it, but I made the payments!). 42 years and a couple of dozen vehicles later, that Pinto is one of the best I ever owned. Two engine rebuilds, 1 new transmission, about 20 clutches and about 650,000 miles later, I finally sold it to a kid down the street for $300. Loved that little car!!!
Man, your love affair with your Pinto, sounds just my love affair I had for my Chevette. 4 speed, 2 door hatch, NEVER let me down. One of my favorite cars of the many I’ve had over the years.
I have nothing but great things to say about Pintos. Mine was a 73' lowered, mild crane cam, header, and slicks. Lot's of mountain roads with twisties where I live (Rocky Point Road, scappoose oregon) that little car was a holy terror
My first car was a '75 station wagon with Candy Apple red paint, mag wheels and aluminum spoiler on the hatchback. By the time I was done, every corner had been smashed. Drove it like a mad man. It never blew up. Loved that car!
@@kevinbuja8105other than some quality control issues, the Chevette was actually a pretty damn good car, and actually quite hard to kill
In which universe you can affort a new car at the age of 15 ?
My 1971 Pinto was hit from behind at a red light in 1979, jamming the driver’s door closed, and crumpling the left rear up to the fuel tank. The safety upgrade had been performed a month earlier.
I love the depiction of the Pinto in the movie, "Top Secret!".
From memory, a leaf falls on the rear quarter near the fuel tank and the car explodes.
(EDIT - No, a big vehicle lightly tapped the rear.)
No in top secret a truck tapped the bumper.
@@535tony My mother did not think that was funny, at all. She had a Pinto and was still afraid to drive it after the 'fix'.
@@hardlyb I didn’t either my Sister had a 74 pinto that was a good car.
@@raypurchase801 th-cam.com/video/-9GGDOUDLhc/w-d-xo.html
My 72 Sedan was a fun little ride. When I bought it in 78 I took it to a dealer to pick up some parts for my dads truck. Two service guys looked underneath and told me the recall work on the tank had not been performed. I brought it back the next day and they did the work in about two hours. Being a car guy, I took before/after photos. They made quite a few changes in only a few hours. I had a bumper sticker that said "Stay back, I just refueled"
My '71 baby blue Pinto rendered good service for 25 years, with predictably constant service from its 2L engine and standard transmission. An urban car with real maneuverability, and so simple I learned to do basic maintenance, myself.
There is a huge market for affordable, reliable and safe cars. And, yes, its tank was safely modified by Ford at a local dealership.
your bumber sticker probably brightened the day of many a passing motorists.
@@bocadelcieloplaya3852 And made anyone behind him in an Audi 5000 nervous.
Thats a good story for the sticker, lol.
I'd like to get one of those magnetic ones that say " VEHICLE IS CARRYING VENOMOUS REPTILES" that would come in handy in DFW traffic..... even the ja(koffs would leave me alone.
@@tashalynn29 I'd give you a "High-5" if I could
Saw a Pinto on the road the other day.
It was in pretty rough shape, but it was still going.
Both me and my passenger stared at in in shock and amazement.
It was noteworthy, unusual and hilarious.
This was how I reacted to seeing a Trabant zooming down the highway once.
I see a few around Carlisle PA during car shows
Most old cars will outlast new ones. The old joke it takes a computer to really screw things up! How many early Mustangs and Camaros are still on the road almost 60 years old?
@@jimandersen3003 Yes! And are a ton easier to work on due to no onboard computer or gas-eating gadgets.
I saw one moving under its own power
My very first car was a 2000 cc 1971 Pinto in 1973. I've had a lot of nice vehicles but did I ever have fun with my little red Pinto. If I could find one today I'd grab it without hesitation if the price was right. I was 16 at the time and now 65 and I remember everything so clearly.So many fond memories. Thanks for taking me back.
I had a ‘71 that had a 1600 cc 4 banger engine !!! I could put 5 dollars worth of high test gas in it , and it would go about 400 miles on that much gas ( you can believe it or not !! As you say , If I could find one today ( a hatchback 1600 cc ) I’d buy it immediately !!!
If you can find one from Arizona, go for it. All of the rubber will be shot of course.
I called Richard Rawlings when I seen the yellow 1 in his lot on his show but it was gone, lol
❤️😞😞😞😁🤔
Yup. They were like a big roller skate on a rail.
When the state lottery was new in MO, lottery winners were regularly interviewed, probably part of a promotional campaign. This interview process was already well established when they interviewed a significant money winner. When asked how this enormous change would affect his life, he responded, "I think I will Bondo the Pinto.' That remains my favorite Pinto story.
I didn't have enough Pinto to bondo.
However I drove my 67 Mustang for 30 years and only, tearfully, sold it when the back seat would not take four child seats. I'm still kicking myself.
Funny thing relating to this is my father won a NY State lottery around that time. That was in the pre-lotto days, so I think he won $2000, and he took the money and bought-no, not a Pinto, but a Maverick.
There is no Pinto worth the price of the Bondo. Cut your losses.
Always thought the Pinto wagons were a cool looking car!!
We named our babyblue 1971 Pinto "Gypsy" becasue my wife and I drove it all over the United States and Canada back when I was in the US Navy and had 30 days of vacation per year. It never failed us and I installed a stereo/cb radio/stereo amp "stack" between the center consule and the dash. Looked great at night and sounded great. The front seats laid back so we often saved money by sleeping in the car. Great Memories. She died , cancer, 2001. I gave my life to Christ and will join her soon.
Bart you broke my heart. I was enjoying your memories and nearly cried when I read your partner in that memory had passed. Thank you for serving in the Navy and thank you for sharing such a personal story.
Thank you for your service.
God bless you and her and I bet she's waiting now 🙏 amen
God bless you
Thank you for your service. I am sorry for your loss, but I understand how you feel.
In 1972, a good friend of mine and I both bought new cars. I bought a Toyota Corona stationwagon and she bought a Ford Pinto stationwagon. I had my Toyota for 14 years after which I gave it to my son who had it for many years. My friend's Pinto was often in the shop for repairs and it was so undependable that she sold it several years later. I've only had 4 vehicles since 1972 - all Toyotas - and am still happily driving my 2006 Toyota Tacoma truck.
Truth be told, US automakers have always struggled with reliability. That is one of the reasons they focus so much on luxury and big... Practical cars are expected to be practical, and the more luxury market is not only more profitable but also more willing to put up with reliability problems (they also tend to trade out cars more frequently).
ford is the singular reason i switched to japanese cars. not a single regret to date. fords were the worst cars i have ever owned.
The 72 Corona was great with the six cylinder.
Same experience. I bought a 1981Toyota Corolla 3 door. 4 friends bought others. 2 Chevettes, Ford Escort 3 door, and a Dodge tourisamo. Their 4 cars were always in the shop. None lasted 4 yrs. My Corolla didn't hit the shop for 5 yrs. It had 4 round trips from Detroit to San Diego. 1987 it was traded for a 4 Runner. That lasted 15 yrs. Chevy Blazer only lasted 8 yrs. Honda Pilot going on 10 yrs.....
@@travcollier Slightly off topic, but, the same could be said about American motorcycles such as Harley Davidson, which was near bankruptcy due to Japanese motorcycle imports when AMF bought the company and kept it alive until Willie G could buy it back some years later.
Most Harley guys these days, if they even know about AMF, blame AMF for ruining H-D when in fact H-D ruined H-D and AMF saved H-D from extinction, but did next to nothing to improve them. "I'd rather ride my rice burner than push a Harley" was the motto of those days.
My '98 Ford Ranger, though a bit rusty these days, is still getting me from A to B and back again with no complaints whatsoever.
In 1982, after I moved to Washington from California, some relatives gave me a white 1976 pinto. It served its purpose, which was to get me and my mother
(the oldest sibling of a large family) around our rural area. It was a nice gesture, but after I got a job in Seattle and moved there, I was able to buy a nice new Mazda. I gave the Pinto back to a younger cousin who was happy to get it.
I purchased a 73' Pinto and loved that car. It was a Runabout with a hatch back and a 4 speed transmission. You could put the rear seat down and have enough room to sleep in the back of it. I drove it to Florida once. No problems, one of the best cars I ever had.
You are correct. I had two Pintos and got many thousands of carefree driving miles from each. Despite the gas tank woes, it was pretty ok' good car for me.
They had great engines. A place called Pinto Bean made all kinds of performance parts for them and they became popular engines in dune buggies for a while.
I had a Pinto for a short time while I was in college in the mid 80s. I bought it cheap and it worked well. Not to mention, it was the source of many, many jokes. Overall, I gotta say, it served it's purpose and I kinda liked it.
Had the same car. Very similar experience. I loved that littke hacthback. Great visibility out of that huge rear window
In 1986, I drove a 1974 Pinto Wagon "Woody" from Michigan to Florida.. and LIVED in it for 2 weeks, was GREAT ..(didn't blow up, but I never smoked in it ..)
@@shananagans5 I have to take exception on a "great engine". It was dependable, but was so very weak and under powered even for a four cylinder.
I owned, and drove over 100,000 miles, a 1973 Pinto Station Wagon. It was reliable, fuel efficient, and maintenance was a breeze. I often wish I could find one that was road worthy today.
We too had 73 Pinto Wagon. No problems.
@@lindaoreilly5728 Had a 76 Pinto Wagon and had no issues with it.
I had a 73 Pinto wagon, 4 speed, 2 litre engine. Steering and handling were great.
The wagon had a different rear design for the fuel filler and so did not have the same problem.
Mine a surf blue wagon. Excellent car. Sold it for more than I paid.
I owned an early pinto fastback, was in 2 rear end collisions, the first one was when my very young child was in the back seat. The only damage to my car was a broken rear window. The second accident was in the left turn lane in a small town when I was struct from behind. Other than a little dust from the accident. All together to me it was a great car, good gas millage, smooth ride, excellent handline because of the rack & pinon steering. No fires from either accident.
I had a 1974 2300cc Runabout hatchback with factory mag wheels. When rust finally forced it out to pasture, we had put 800,000 miles on the body. I rebuilt the engine at 300,000 miles twice and shortblocked it the final time. It was reliable like an old farm tractor. When jeeps were in ditches in snow storms, I was driving past them. 😅
That was an awesome motor mine was the same beat the hell out of it and it just kept on running loved that car very quick.
Oh man, this is great. As a small child I grew up with my parents owning an orange Pinto wagon and I have fond memories of riding in the back, facing the rear window with my sister and pretending it was a movie. Apparently sitting just above said fuel tank but hey, I never exploded so call that a victory.
I like your word/number muncher icon so much.
@@crystalwater505 Why thank you!
Selfish,😐
I would rather you had exploded for the entertainment value.
🤗😉🤗
Uhhhhhhhh, The wagon was never under recall -it was not considered part of the problem. I know, we had one and repeatedly checked back then
@@budsodalsky Spreading falsehoods? Give the world a great big hairy break.🙄 The worst he is doing is being wrong. That is hardly a falsehood. 😉😂😉
The Ford Pinto was and still is one of my most favorite car designs. Simple, sleek and utilitarian. I recall our joke at the time, the go-cart who grew up.
It was a great car! I bought one used with 17,000 miles and had to scrap it when someone hit it. Over 200.000 miles. I'd buy one today if a ran across a low mileage example in good shape.
I think it looks rather good.
We used to call my friend's Pinto a rolling barbecue.
It was better than the Vega, but that's not saying much.
@@totallyjonesin I had a '73 Pinto and a '74 Vega. In my opinion, the Vega was better built...but that was a long time ago.
I bought a 1971 sky blue( I called it) pinto in 1973 while in the AF. I drove it from Texas to Florida, back to Texas, and then to California. I learned how to change points, cap, plugs, oil and brake pads which made it easier on other cars I owned. Top speed was 85 to 87 mph. Did that on Hwy21 going down hill into Bastrop on my way to Austin Tx. I had some GREAT times in that car. I wish I had kept it.
My sister's 1st car was a 1980 Mauve Ford Pinto. Never had a rear end fireball, but she used to drive way too fast even during the winter and I remember her needing my dad's help getting the car out of many a ditches.
I drove a Pinto for years. Nice little car. Although in certain circumstances it may cause an issue, I thought the gas tank issue was waaaay overblown.
"I thought the gas tank issue was waaaay overblown." It was, read the court cases from the lawsuits. All the fires were from high-speed crashes. The one discussed in the video of three teenagers is a Pinto sitting still on a highway got rear-ended by a large van moving at 60+ mph. The Grimshaw one was also stalled on a highway and hit by a Ford Galaxie (a very large car) also at 60+. Those changes that Ford did not make that people gave them crap for would have been able to protect the fuel tank from puncture in rear end crashes up to 50mph. So, if they had made the changes, those accidents still would have resulted in the same way.
Same as the Corvair issue. They both have Ralph Nader traction.
Typical hysteria of the media, the public and government. Unfortunately, people never change. Especially the media, they’ll stir the pot as hard and as long as possible squeezing every dime they can.
Nice choice of words, there… 😮
I suppose, better overblown that overblown...... 🙂
I worked at a Ford dealer back then. The only problem was the fuel filler hose from the filler neck in the quarter panel to the bottom of the fuel tank. In a rear end collision, the quarter panel moved forward faster than the tank, pulling the hose out of the bottom of the tank and spilling it's contents. The recall was improving the clamp on the fuel tank and installing softer bolts on the filler in the quarter panel. Those would break but the hose was long enough little fuel would spill.
Mike I was a Ford Mechanic at that time in Canada. I don't recall the filler neck repair but we were putting a heavy plastic shield that attached to the tank straps at the front to help avoid the tank hitting the diff. if pushed forward.
@@johnready630 yes, I think I remember that too.
I thought it was long bolts at the bumper that would penetrate the tank
and not an issue with the Wagon models
A brown wagon Pinto is near us still, with side windows of cargo area solid metal except for dome-like round windows, like a 1970s
"Don't Come Knockin' If this Van's Rockin' " street van
@@markrossow6303 hey, it was almost 50 years ago. Pretty sure about the soft bolts at the fuel filler but that jogged my memory and I think John's reply was right and it was to protect from the bolts near the diff. I was a service writer so I never did the recall, but I wrote plenty of tickets for it.
The wagons had a different fuel fill neck and 4" more space between tank and differential. Both the adjustments to the runabout neck and the plastic shield to keep the tank from rupturing on the differential bolts were employed. The panel wagon with moon windows was a factory option in 1977 - 1980(? Maybe just 77-78) wagons.
I've had a pinto wagon and a bobcat. Loved them both. Never broke down. Fun to drive on back roads.
My parents bought a brand new Pinto in 1971, I remember how exciting it was when they bought it. My dad drove it to his work for years, he put over 200,000 miles on it. The only thing I remember is it needed a carburetor so we went to pick a part. We got lucky and found a Pinto with the same 2000 cc engine and 2bbl carb. Got the carb went home and changed them out. The car fired right up and ran great! Back in the days you could work on your own car. Oh yeah, my dad taught me to drive a manual transmission in that car! Great memories
My dad had a pinto and I drove it often in the 80s. It wasn't a great car but I remember during a bad winter freeze in Chicago, it was the only car on the block that started up right away
Same here!
Always started, had my 72 til 1985😊... junkyard used it to drive the torch tanks into the 1990s
This was my college speech coach, and I'm still learning from him. So proud of you Lance.
COM 101 here
@Robert Milz
You forgot your comma before "Lance."
He’s a natural. I’d stay awake in his class.
I think he's sexy! ☺
@@lisahinton9682 Grammar, nazi.
My aunt bought a Pinto in '96 and it finally clunked out in 2013. That baby was a lifesaver.
I owned a 3 year old Pinto Wagon with a 2000cc engine and 4 speed manual. Super dependable and easy to drive. It was a good car for its time.
I had 3 Pintos in the 70’s. First one was an orange 72 Runabout. Loved those cars. Drove well and easy to work on.
I had 3 Pintos. Learned how to drive a standard in one (my wife taught me!). We had them at first because we were broke. As we started to do better and look for a newer car, I shopped for another one. When they disappeared, we started driving Escorts. The Pintos never gave us trouble. They were easy to drive and repair. And great on gas.
I also had an orange runabout. It was a great little car.
Learned to drive in a bright green 4-speed Pinto. Was headed home one day, heard a clunk and then scraping. When I pulled over, I saw that one of the metal bands holding up the fuel tank had broken and the tank was being dragged along the road. I laughed, said a little prayer, tied the tank back up with a piece of rope and limped home.
Glad you mentioned the Chevy Vega, one of the first cars I owned. It was a disaster; burned more oil than gas. Wish I'd bought a Pinto instead!
th-cam.com/video/pN1uWf2_t_g/w-d-xo.html
I'm right with you there. I owned red '74 Vega for less than one year. What a disaster. I paid nearly $2,000 for it used, the engine blew on the expressway, a mechanic bought it from me for $200.00 . My one and only car buying mistake in 40 years, and it still hurts to think about it.
Top Quality Content, I really appreciate the effort that must have been put into this one.
Thank you!
Much about the Pinto is urban myth and muck racking "journalism".
The "ugly car" lists always have low status vehicles.
Automotive journalism (especially from the mainstream media) has always been extremely poor.
Lou, you are mischaracterizing (and mispelling) "muckraking" journalism: " muckraker: a person who searches for and tries to expose corruption, scandal, or other wrongdoing, especially in politics. The original muckrackers were journalists who exposed child labor, sweatshops, poor living and working conditions, and government inefficiency, in the early 1900's". In particular there was a group of about 15 muckraking journalists writing for McClure's magazine who made it their mission to expose societal problems and the people exacerbating or profiting from it. Teddy Roosevelt tried to turn the term into an insult, using it to denigrate journalists who covered him unfavorably, but overall, at least in those years, their influence was positive. We could use some altruistic, crusading, muckraking journalists nowadays; perhaps then, complete and utter liars like George Santos would not get elected to office. (BTW, there actually was a local Long Island newspaper, the North Shore Leader, that dug into Santos' background last October, before the election, and wrote about his sketchy financing and fake bio, but the story was never picked up by any larger papers or the wider news media. The publisher of the paper, a Republican, reluctantly endorsed a Democrat for that congressional seat. PBS posted an interview with the publisher on TH-cam yesterday).
I knew that- auto spell- but left it. Good point, but I was using muckraker ironically.
My first car was a ‘79 Pinto. It was also orange. But it didn’t have any wood grain.
I drove it for 156,000 miles. The only repair was a new clutch. I sold it to a friend who added 100,000 miles.
It was nice to drive. Often took long trips with groups of friends.
One of the best cars I ever owned.
That is pretty fly !
My wife had a '71 pinto, my mom a '72 and my grandfather a '76. We collectively put tons of miles on those cars. They were great cars. Ran good and ran cheap.
Most Pintos I remember were driven until they were rusted and worn out, I'd still take my chances with a Pinto before I'd take a chance on one of today's electric cars that might catch itself on fire parked in my garage and burn my home down.
I drove one for a few years and liked it a lot. Never had any real problems.
A lot of our childhood WAS a lie. But then, a lot of our adulthood, especially recently, has been a much larger and more dangerous lie.
Thanks for another great romp through history!
It's frightening, isn't it? One must make a concerted effort to not freak the crap out over it all. Even knowing that we are being lied to in all directions doesn't make us immune to some of it. I just keep telling myself "It's still not as bad as the year 536AD" lol
Everything the Liberal Democrats say is a lie.... always remember that.
@@pex_the_unalivedrunk6785 Dude, politicians will be politicians, and if you think that one group is better than another, then i really feel sorry for you. It's not rocket science here. They all lie.
Some "people" would not consider it lying just good creative marketing techniques. But alas, no... it's just good ole everyday lying.
A lie because of YOUR upbringing, parents, horseshit ignorance.
My mom drove my brother and I from California to Oklahoma and back in a pinto wagon. Dad’s biggest complaint was being passed by a bug going uphill
Text me on telegram ☝️✍️
Did the bug have 4 people in it? That counts, a lot! Because the bug was underpowered as hell.
My sister's first car was a brand new 1975 Pinto MPG 2-door sedan in dark blue. It was a rust pit in the burbs of Detroit. I spent a lot of time patching door bottoms with metal and bondo to keep it looking OK. She was rear-ended on a state highway in 1982 whcih caused the read end to push down, but not forward to the gas tank. By that time, Ford had installed the plastic gas tank shield and a new gas tube system to the tank. No blow up. She bought another car in the fall of 82, so I bought her Pinto. I had a 1977 Pinto Wagon, which I loved for the most part. I traded both Pintos for a Mercury Marquis Brougham mid-sized sedan in June 1983.
Both Pintos had issues with parts: the 75 blew a rear main seal, had severe EGR system issues, rotted radiator and had the recall done. My 77 had a engine head rebuild due to piston schuffing due to Ford's cheapout in installing bearing without oil holes, therby robbing the pistons of lubrication. That wagon blow through 3 ignition modules, transmission seals and gaskets and cheapouted headlight switch bezel nut made of plastic. I went to the dealer parts dept and found they went to plastic in 77, but prior to that used metal. I bought the metal one. Same price. Damned Ford cheapness. Here we are in 2024 and they lead the industry in recalls. They never learned...
I owned a '72 Pinto station wagon and a '76 Mercury Bobcat (Mercury's version of the Pinto). Both cars were admittedly pretty basic, but they both served me well for years and were pretty trouble free. I loved that little station wagon and which I had it now!! Hard to look cool in a Pinto station wagon but I am old enough to not care!
My first brand new car was a 1973 Pinto. I loved that car and would load it up with my friends to go out partying. I was involved in a rear end collision in it and it did not explode. It was great in winter. Although it got stuck in snow constantly, it was so light that I could put it in first gear, let out the clutch and push it out myself. Thank you for giving a fair view of the much maligned Pinto.
That is similar to my experience with the ‘73 Pinto we had. It was horrible in the Midwest snow. We had a couple of very snowy winters in a row in late 1970s. I got a little better traction by putting two 40 pound bags of sand in the rear hatch. The tires that came on the car were complete crap. The traction was so loose that you could put the car in first gear and get out to push on the A-pillar to try to get the car moving. There were several times I had to do that to try to get up the slight grade leading to the street my house was on. I never had that issue with any other car.
I will never forget getting a ride home after high school from my friend's mom in their family Pinto and she yelled at me when I began putting my seatbelt on. She said it was safer to get thrown out of the car than trapped inside and burned if there was a crash. By the time I got over the shock and thought through what she just said, we were on the way and I rode the entire 15 minutes that felt like a decade, fully believing that it was going to be the last ride of my life.
Crazy, thank you! I thought the (taxi) drivers in third world countries saying they dive safely and do not turn on the lights to save fuel were the craziest.
Mom needed her Quelude that day. They were all the rage on those days😏
I remember riding without seat belts and the “being thrown from the car is better” argument. Such baloney it was!
@@judydoyle1124
My cousin would have been killed if he'd been wearing seat belt when he wrecked his car. It was a one in million, He was thrown out though right side window. The steering wheel and column was pushed through driver's seat into back seat. That was in early 1990s he was driving a 1970s 2 door sedan. I do still wear my seat belt when in vehicles and don't drive under the influence.
She was probably suffering from RNDS (Ralph Nader Derangement Syndrone). To this day, many people still fly into a rage when hearing his name.
My brother had one and for him it was fine.
When he went to sell it there were three people in a bidding war for it !
In my engineering schooling days I recall a model of the Pinto had a lower drag coefficient going backward than forwards !
Great segment History Guy, made more so by your first hand knowledge. Glad you made it unscathed.
I’d like to thank you for not only a fair and unbiased view of the Pinto, but the fair and unbiased application to all of your videos. In a world where everything is politicized, it’s not I️ cant tell where you stand. Please don’t change this aspect of the channel.
the pinto was not a totally bad car. it has it issues but all cars do. i used to replace a lot of upper control arm bushings on those along with lower ball joints. the upper arms were supposed to be greased regularly but a lot of mechanics never did it when in for an oil change and they would eventually fail. the coil over setup was hard on them too.
My girlfriend in high school (1983) drove a 1971 nasal-infection-green, 4-speed Pinto. Her father told her to never use 4th gear so she could pull away from any car that was going to crash into the back of the car. Some personal history was made in that car…. Thanks for the flood of Pinto memories History Guy!
"nasal-infection-green"...lmfao! Mine was baby-shit brown...lol.
I drove a Gremlin. Kinda loved it. It broke down in the high school parking lot and got its wipers all bent up by hooligans overnight, but it, along with the the Dodge Gold Duster that saved my life, are up there in happy memories. (moved on to a '68 Le Mans convertible a few years later - not looking back)
Really enjoyed this episode. One thing I've never heard anyone mention is that the 1964 through at least 1966 Ford Mustang had exactly the same gas tank installation as the Ford Pinto. The floor of the trunk was the top of the gas tank and there was almost no crush room between the rear bumper and the tank. But I don't remember anyone mentioning an issue with the Mustangs.
and the 1932 Ford gas tank was BEHIND the body and frame and just ahead of the bumper. you never hear anyone whining about that one.
Same as Falcons, Fairlanes, Cougars, Cyclones, and so on........
I had a '75 Pinto Blue hatchback for 5 years. I loved that little car. I had no problems at all with it, and it went everywhere.I really liked the fact that it came with a set of tools and a comprehensive book to do your own maintenance and repairs.
My grandfather and mom both had 78 Pintos ... they were very reliable
It was fairly easy to work on - the engine compartment was pretty roomy, as I recall. My grad school roommate had a Pinto station wagon, and I help my dad install a cruise control from a junk-yard Cadillac in that Pinto. Made the drive from MA to CA much more enjoyable than the drive out from CA had been.
@@hardlyb the wagons are sweet
@@FirstLast-gv1zl Just a heads up, I can see your post as a highlighted reply in the preview section but when I open it under “View All Replies” it has apparently been ghosted by YT algorithms.
I would try reposting minus the first paragraph as it apparently offended YT’s censorship algorithms
I had a blue wagon for on the floor but I can’t remember what year. It might’ve been a 79 or 1980. I was very young then.
Thank you History Guy, one of your best episodes! My parents owned two Pintos at different times. One, a baby blue wagon with wood trim, that at the time as a young child I thought was the best car on the road. Later my mother got an orange hatchback (without wood trim), with a three speed and groovy plaid seats, that survived a rear end collision with only cosmetic damage.
I was much too young to drive, but from what my parents said, both cars were really solid.
It’s terrible how the Pinto was unfairly tarnished by lies and misrepresentation. I would love to own one today for Sunday afternoon “runabouts.”
Same here...
A far worse Ford disaster was the 'Ford Ka '. How this completely wierd and awful design concept ever got past board approval and actually put into production is a 20th century miracle. That said with Ford producing some of the most iconic designs in automotive history - aside from maybe the Edsel.
@@godfreyberry1599 I had to look up the Ka, I had never heard of it, apparently it was never available in the U.S. (we just had plain ol’ Ford Fiestas). With commercials in the U.K. of the car killing birds and beheading cats, what could possibly go wrong?
Dude. When the t.v. and magazine and newspapers went nuts over the Pinto story I suspected that there was a lot of hyperbole in popular data. Now 50 years later you clear it up, confirming my feelings about a car that I very much liked for no particular reason. It had that "La-de-da I'm chill" face. Thank you. Plus it got pretty good mileage.
Thank you for an honest analysis on the Pinto. My Dad traded in his 1970 GTO Judge for a Pinto when the fuel crisis hit and more children arrived in the family.
We owned several Pintos… they weren’t bad, and they never blew up!
You werent rear ended then
I actually backed mine into a cinderblock wall, and it didn't blow up either! It did take some light damage to the bumper.
@@derrickodyes1934 That was a fake complaint by "do gooders" that wanted to complain about everything. They didn't have a fire problem.
@@derrickodyes1934 BOVINE SCAT...VERY few 'flames' resulted (from mine, too, that was involved in a rear-ender...no flames). Read my above response...the 'tests' by the MSM failed to ignite/explode ANY of the multiple ones they wasted their money on, until someone put a pyrotechnic device in the headlamp of the colliding vehicle! THEN it blew up!
@@derrickodyes1934 I am sure many got rear ended and they didn't blow up. It was the media like today, that blows stories up to get advertising.
As a passenger, I got rear-ended in a 1976 Ford Pinto sedan in 1989, by a 1974 Monte Carlo SS going 55 miles per hour. I can still feel the effects of those injuries, because the interior was very poorly padded. We had later heard that the recalled 1975 model could explode if rear-ended while the left turn signal was on. Luckily, we were turning right! The car was totalled. Within a few weeks, he had that engine transplanted into a red hatchback.
Yea, that's the way we did things back then.
Turn signal had nothing to do with it. And as the video explained… it was all just media journalists try to make a name for theirselves. Almost ALL of the cars that made it in the news from the 60’s through the 90’s were falsely accused and later found to be ok, including the pinto
I loved mine! Deep green. I think it was a 72! Traded it in 1978 for a Ford Fairmont! So many trips in that Pinto and so many fun memories!
Really interesting information and points. Great job including legal opinions and the regulatory background with the NHTSA.
In 1974, my mom & I took a trip to Santa Cruz, California; she rented a car for the trip, which was a blue '72 Pinto Hatchback. She loved it so much that she later bought the 1976 Pinto Wagon - beige, with the "wood" trim. She loved that car, and we had it for well over a decade.
I was 16, had my driver's license, gas was .45 a gallon at a nearby convince store. One of my older brothers had a yellow 73 pinto, which he often gave to me because his then girlfriend had her car. $5 took me almost everywhere. What fun days!
@Sic Semper Mortem Tyrannis In 1930s, gas was more like 15 cents per gallon. 45 cents per gallon sounds about right for the mid 1970s.
@Sic Semper Mortem Tyrannis Around 45 cents a gallon for premium (high 30s for regular) was the price where I lived in the Midwest in the mid '70s, before the '79 oil crisis temporarily drove it up to around $1. I got my first car in '76 and it required at least 98 octane, and at that time Sunoco 260 was in the mid 40's. Adjusting for inflation, 45 cents in '76 is equal to around $2.30 now. Under $3 is pretty typical for regular right now in the Midwest.
@Sic Semper Mortem Tyrannis 1970s
@charlesivey100 My father bought a yellow ‘73 Pinto, and soon afterward moved out of state, leaving the Pinto behind with maddening vagueness about if/when he’d want it back. In addition to driving to school and work, I took my beloved gran and great-aunt anywhere they wanted to go (people did double-takes at the Taco Bell!).
Unfortunately, we were having altogether too much fun, so my parents abruptly demanded the return of the car over Xmas break. I got around on a bicycle after that, but the elderly joyriders were tragically out of luck.
@@ItBeThatWaySometimes I was going to say that "Nostalgia is remembering yesterday's prices and forgetting yesterday's wages," but it looks like there's less truth to that than I thought.
My second car was a 72 baby-blue Pinto (my first being a 63 Bug) and I drove that Pinto for many years. I did some body work on it and then had an Earl Schieb paint job sprayed on it which inspired me to keep it for more years. I loved that car. It was a hatchback which I put a roof rack on that carried my 17' canoe all over Missouri to all of our beautiful rivers for days of fishing. I traded the Pinto in for a new Ford Escort that I drove the wheels off of commuting to the city for my first real job. I loved the Escort too. At the same times of my Pinto my brother owned a Vega that was a REAL POS and I laughed at him every time I heard it was back in the shop. I'm still a Ford guy owning a Ford Edge Sport that I really like.
I remember the Pinto back in the 70's- every week it seemed there was a new story on the national news about one blowing up after being rear ended.
The father of a guy I knew in High School in the 80s bought 4 used Pintos at an auction. They drove them to death. Over the years the size of the fleet gradually dropped. The least viable member of the fleet was retired and used for spare parts to keep the remaining Pintos running. By the time my friend was given one to drive as a teenager I think only 2 remained. One was blue with a red door salvaged from another member of the fleet. Everybody loved the cars and the owner's family took great pride in them.
WOW that's crazy, my dad bought me one because my car I bought was always breaking down I couldn't believe it!!!.. it was the most ugly car I ever owned, all my friends made fun of me but I had a family & a job it turned out to be the most dependable car I ever owned !!!!???....
"drove them to death".....Freudian slip there? lol
I used to own a 1977 Ford Pinto. It was OK, but
because of its rear wheel drive, it slid all over the place every time it snowed. No traction whatsoever! It still looks terrible that Lee Iacocca and his toadies at Ford openly knew there was a design flaw in the Pinto’s gas tank that could (and DID!) cost lives…and just ignored it to save money! They got everything they deserved in court, however…👎👎
My soon to be wife apologized for her fingernails. A little dirt from Points, Plugs, Condenser, Filters & Oil change a few moments before our first date. She was accomplished in maintenance skills. Her "Little Pinto" pulled 30mpg on a trip to Oregon from mid California. Now that is two wonders found in diminutive stature. Great car and great partner in life.
Ps. I own a Ford. Wonderful episode!
man, thats how you knew you were gonna lock that one down wasn't it? i know for me it would be.
Your comments reads to me as if were a poem. I suggest that you submit everything, except the last line, to a poetry contest or community for feedback.
@@eugenetswong You're right it really does!
⚓️ Thanks THG 😎 I graduated HS in ‘73… a car watcher by default 😃 Malibu Mustang Vette GTO … the magazines never saw a car they didn’t like 😎
My mother had a Ford Pinto that she bought from my grandmother just shortly after my grandfather passed away. My mother was very good driver on that small car. She traded it on a 1980 Ford Escort wagon. I do remembered that car a little bit. I don’t know what year that my grandfather got it in. I know he had it when I was little but, I thought the car was purple in color not brown. The last time that I saw a Ford Pinto was about 2 or 3 years ago it was for sale. It was in blue color which I liked it.
My first car was a 1980 ford Pinto with a 2.3 liter engine, and manual transmission, forest green metal flake paint, bullet hole chrome rims, tinted windows and a great stereo. It looked great and was one of the best cars I ever owned. I would buy one and drive it if I came across one tomorrow.
Me Too
Me too also.
My '76 was shit...
A 71 Pinto was my first car - no problems. In 1980 I bought a new one with 4 miles on it. I owned it until 1997 when the engine finally went and it had gone a bit over 587,000 miles. Never had a major repair, only the expected. The trick to making a Pinto last was to change the oil every 3,000 miles. Everyone I knew that did that had a dependable long-lasting car.
This particular release from the history guy is an example of the manner in which properly curated words and sentences can take something to a level of thought in the listener beyond the common era
Excellent recap! Every small car has fuel cell concerns to some degree. Remember too that most cars of the 60’s had fuel fillers behind the rear license plate.
When this video began with exploding flames, I thought that was the Pinto blowing up!
Bahahahaha 🤣🤣
No, but that's all you're supposed to remember, sadly.
Now that I've watched the video, statistically speaking that was more likely to be a Beetle.
Bro this had me dead 💀
One of my favorite cars when I was a teenager was my pinto. I had bought it from a buddy who had had it previously rear-ended so it was already pre crashed safe. It had cragar mags all the way around and b50s and b-60s in the front. It was I love that car. Drove it all over hell and back
HaHa me too! I was a high strung teen-ager and I bet I put 100,000 miles on that car. My dad got it from a neighbor when it wasn't running. I don't remember what the problem was but he had it going in no time. That little 4 cyl was strong and mine had the 4 speed transmission. I loved that car.
As a former Pinto owner the only issues I ever had was the same issues pretty much all Ford's had up North, rust. One reason why they are more popular in the South. My Pinto was body putty about halfway up all around so the gas tank thang was the least of my worries. But it was mechanically sound and I had a killer stereo in it so there is that.
I got my Pinto in 1989, my first car as sober individual. I had no money and not much else.That car helped me get a start. I remember it fondly.
I am old enough to have been driving since the early 70s. In those days, I have friends that drove Gremlin, Vega and Maverick, all "crap" cars. The number of people I know that drove Pintos were order of magnitude higher than all those cars combined. A coworker of mine drive a Pinto Wagon to work (yes, wood panel and all) and his commute was over 100 miles a day, 6 days a week. Over the 4 years we worked together, he has zero problems, except for a bunch of speeding tickets. In the early 80s, I worked with somebody that was a street drag racer. His car was an old Pinto, he installed a jet fuel tank in the hatch back, did not concern him at all. Yes, that was a really fast car. My uncle's orange Pinto lasted 2 generations, until his daughter graduated from college and traded it in.
I haaaated my parents' maverick. They had that and an Olds Omega. Riding in the Maverick felt like a punishment.
The Pinto was my favorite car. For their size they were built well and was dependable.
🤦♂
Agree 100%!
I agree. I had two of them and my uncle drove them for 25 years.
I wish more modern car companies made compact and space efficient cars. I hate that modern cars have so little interior space yet on the outside they are larger than the biggest SUVs in the past.
Was my first car. A 72 hatchback, auto w/AC, bought in 73. Drove it for 5 years bringing it from Hawaii and drove it from Cali to Delaware. Only issue was water pump replacement. All the best! "The JJ" SW Penna.
Great summary. This issue was part of a case study for a class in business school a few years back. The focus was largely on the poor crisis response from Ford which fueled (pun intended) the public distrust.
Very good explanation of the Pinto story. Even at the time, I thought the danger was overstated. The lawyers smelled money and hyped up the story.
Exactly. Triumph GT6, MGB GT etc. were just as bad, or worse, but they were broke, and Ford was rich, so...
Just like Ralph Nader did about the Corvair.
...typical of the lawerly class...atbthe time there was a joke...how you could make murder look.like an accident...give you wife a Pinto with a set of Firestone 731 tires...
Tell that to the people with burns.
All the bad stuff said about Pintos are dumbass Leftist lies, similar to Upton Sinclair's book "The Jungle." THE PINTO WAS NO MORE DANGEROUS THAN ANY OTHER CAR. Socialists are always spreading lies They try to bring down corporations. It's time to speak out BACK. Socialists are either paid by Russia to hurt American companies, or they are misguided and trying to "help" the little guy.
My girlfriend back then had a Pinto. Aside from the fuel tank issues, and the horrible rust issues, the little car with rack and pinion steering and the top loader 4 speed transmission was fun to drive. Not fast, but it handled and drove like an MG sports car. It also got 3X better gas mileage than my Chevy Laguna SS 454 V8! And we survived it. The body's also made great Modified Stock Cars! 8)
My first car was a (1974) Ford Pinto, very similar to the one in Stranger Things, right down to the color, though I believe hers is a 1975! Thanks! I love your channel and have gone down the rabbit hole.
Great story I have a 1974 pinto today and love it
We're flattered that you included us in your research and quoted us appropriately. Thank you.
Thank you too!
I though he had said, "Victory in Reseda" and I what thinkin' .. "whooooaaa duuuuude! Duuuuhuuuude! What was WON in Reseda?" Whhhoooooah!
@@silasmarner7586 At first I thought he said "Victory and Reseda," two major thoroughfares that cut through the San Fernando Valley. Ha!
There is a scene in the move "Top Secret", where a Pinto is rear-ended by another vehicle. The vehicle just barely taps the Pinto and you hear a "ping" and then the Pinto explodes. Great movie and it was Val Kilmer's first movie.
th-cam.com/video/-9GGDOUDLhc/w-d-xo.html
Say what you want about the Germans, they do build good trucks! (After rearending and exploding the Pinto, and driving away in a Mercedes truck with flames all over it) great movie!😂😂😂
@@theboyisnotright6312 I took my wife to a drive-in, remember those, to see this. I thought is was great, but she did not like it. I think I will go make so flaming hog balls now. lmao
I took a 1971 pinto from the land fill in Kona Hawaii. Replaced the transmission from another junker and drove that thing for a couple years. That straight six was easy to work on and great on gas. Mine was the station wagon model. Loved that thing
Oh the Pinto! My brother had a Pinto, in which I sat in the back while crisscrossing the State of California. At the time, two great new albums had just come out and my brother had a stereo that was more valuable than the rest of the car. We listened to _Hotel California_ by the Eagles and _Rumours_ by Fleetwood Mac over and over. We even drove it on to the Naval base in Alameda and drove it right up to the dock where the USS Enterprise, then the only nuclear carrier in the fleet, was docked. We had a couple cases of beer and some other stuff in the trunk and we drove that Pinto right up to that ship. I have a photo of us standing by the Pinto with the Enterprise in the background. That was in 1976. I was 13. Ah the memories come flooding back. 😊
Our family had a 1977 Pinto Wagon, and I had a 1978 Pinto Coupe. They were tough little cars, easy to repair and extremely uncomfortable! :)
I remember fixing a Pinto wagon in the bodyshop that had woodgrain. The car owner couldn't afford those expensive woodgrain applications...so I used Mac Tac , and a heat gun to stretch it around and into the door handle recesses. Looked great! Not sure how long it lasted.
Thank you for giving a factual and unbiased story on the history of the Pinto. Too often the sensationalist of the main stream media skew the perceptions of the public.
Sensationalism sells.
@@jliller and we buy it, too often. It's on us, in a way.
Omg , i was 12 or 13 and we had a 72 orange pinto wagon, im thinking around 1978? we used it to take our garbage to a community dumpster 5 miles
away. I learned to drive on the road with it. Had a 76 mercury bobcat in 1983 right after boot camp.
Loved it, wreaked it,
Still here. Pinto frames are very popular with kit cars, AC cobras!
Rich uncle bought a pony pace car with a straight six and a fancy Nascar factory paint job and decals , spoilers, special edition! Hit any car hard enough, and it'll explode. Heck,
smart cars will run you into a block wall! Ah, thanks History Guy, that was fun reminiscing!! 😀 .
My first car was an orange '77 Pinto wagon. The one with the porthole on the side. Bought it from Cal Worthington in Bellflower, CA. for $7,100. brand new. Made some serious memories in the back of that car. ;O)
I learned to drive in a 79 pinto panel. With bubble windows and an orange rainbow down the side. My father purchased it in 1980 and still has it to this day. Thank you for the entertainment. Keep making, I'll keep watching.
You should do a video on your Dad's Pinto Wagon and post it on your channel. Those are pretty cool and rare.
Rust ?
@@shereesmazik5030 My '73 Pinto, given to me by my Dad in 1977 was completely rusted below the doors. This was partly due to a drain plug under the doors that were never removed and was full of water by 1977. I did the body work the summer of 1978 and got a $99 MAACO paint job, My dad paid $2,800 for it as a demo in 1973 and I sold it in 1980 with about 120,00 miles for $600. It was not a good car but got me around. The biggest and most expensive problem was the 4 speed manual trans would sometime get stuck between 3rd and 4th gears and costly to fix by a mechanic. The drivers seat frame also collapsed in 1978. Fortunately, my Uncle from Germany was visiting us and fixed the seat frame with scrap metal we found in the garage! Good Times! :)
I always wanted one of those panel cars
My father entered a sweepstakes drawing at Sears and Roebuck to win a new car. Well, he won that drawing
and the car was a gold 1970 Ford Pinto. Black interior and manual transmission,. It looked stylish, ran great, and was very reliable. Later on, I bought a silver 1976 Ford Pinto from my wife's friend. Another good looking car that never broke down. I ended up giving it to my father in law
at 186,000 miles. He loved it and drove it to work for two more years after that.
🦓
Yes, they were very reliable cars and were all over the road since they were so popular. My family had 2 of them a few years apart.
@@mikemondano3624 🦓
Mother Jones never met an American corporation that wasn't guilty or evil.
The small town in Illinois that I am from was also the town of an older girl in school who was one of the first if not the first person to win a large monetary award from Ford after the Pinto they were driving in was hit from behind. She was badly burned and never the same....
I bought a 79 Pinto in Dec 1978. Good little car.
The Pinto has the same reputation as the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland. I'm from Ohio and people in other states still ask me if our rivers catch on fire. It's been 53 years since that happened and the 1969 fire was out so fast, they use a photo from 1952.
I've heard that other rivers had burned too. The Cuyahoga got all the press. There've been fish in the Cuyahoga for a long time now, for heaven's sake!
@@eliscanfield3913 Trenton NJ used to had no smoking signs along the Delaware river.
If they use the 1952 picture, that does mean the river burned at least twice. It might be over blown, but most of us find a burning river a might unusual.
@@cdjhyoung , My understanding is that the Cuyahoga burned a number of times, more than twice for certain. If a river needs to burn more than twice in order for government to say we need to do something about it, then that looks pretty short sighted on the part of the people who watched it burn repeatedly, doesn't it? Where
@@cdjhyoung several times. It was the trash and factory runoff and such floating on top that caught.
The ford pinto was not a disaster! My mother won one back in 1972 ! It had a little 1600 cc motor and my family put 460000 miles on it and it was still running when i retired it ! That car was a jewell !!
i agree 10 million percent. I know someone who was rear ended in hers - NO BLOW UP! Such a dramatic time for the news - especially since other mfrs cars were blowing up but guess what - they paid to HIDE IT! shame on them
I had 2 1600s and both were flawless till I sold/ traded them on bigger cars.
The stories were overhyped but there were issues , but not as bad as made out to be
@@g.t.richardson6311
My friends mom had one and it was fine. From when I was 8 until I left the house at 18 she had that same car. It was good for 10 years anyway, I'd call that pretty darn good!
@@Skank_and_Gutterboy
Totally agree, never had one but friends did
It’s kind of like escapes now, 2012 or before
Have 2 of them , no issues , 140000, 150000 miles
Had a 2005 till 2019 too
Got my moneys worth out of it
I think your channel is awesome. I find myself binge-watching it. I have a suggestion for a subject: the car called the Chrysler Turbine. Anyway, thank you and keep up the good work 👍
I had a 73 pinto wagon amd that little car went where no man dares to tread. It was one of the hardiest cars ive had and I've had many over the years. My kids would lay down the seats and pretend it was their own little house. Many great memories. We packed kids dogs camping gear and more in there and on the top rack.
Yes they got a bad rap they were tough little cars for a cheap car 3x better than the germin or vega
I’m glad you straightened this out. My friend was a big Pinto guy. He could make them scream! One time in 1982 a guy on I44 St. Louis tried to race him in a Mercedes sports car and lost! That little 4 cylinder could be made to scream and my Citation with its V6 couldn’t catch him either!
How about a video on the despicable Citation. You could call it “The car that paint refused to adhere to!”
Pretty amazing for a tiny four banger to out run a fuel injected overhead cam v-8.
Could say the same about every Ford in the 80s! Especially if they were silvery grey!
My friend knows nothing about cars, so he sensibly had his mechanic inspect a used one. He said it was a good car! Of course, it was the worst decision he ever made, excepting getting married 🙄
A Citation was the worst car my family owned growing up. Even the radio was sideways in that piece of garbage. We were far happier with two Chevettes than having that Citation!
My Grandfather drove a gray 1980 V6 Citation for 20 years. The paint didn't seem to be a problem but he also always maintained his cars
My father gave me a used 1959 Nash Rambler for my graduation in 1966. It was small sleek and reliable. A great practical car.
And, I have heard, could overtake a Cadillac in SECOND GEAR!
Cool!!!
@@nathangreer8219 Mine was pale green. I don't know the color of the one in the song.
The Rambler front seats fold back so you could sleep in them
@@timothykeith1367 My rambler cross country wagon front seats folded back back seat folded forward wide open spaces from the dashboard to the tailgate
My dad gave me my first parking lot driving lesson in a Pinto runabout when I was 9 years old. Later I drove that same Pinto to high school. Pretty much every 1970s small car was a deathtrap and you would have still been better off in an accident with a Pinto than with a 1970s VW Beetle, Honda, or Toyota.
Chuck, in his mom's blue pinto. John (Shultzie),in the passenger seat, me in the back seat. Doing J marks on the back roads between Valley Falls and Tomhanic. Drunk, and laughing our asses off. Some things, you never forget. Thanks for the memories guys.