Will it run? 1978 Ford Pinto party cruising wagon!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ส.ค. 2024
- One of our viewers reached out about a car he needed help in getting running. He called it a Pinto Porthole. A what? Turns out this old car has been sitting for a very long time, but is really cool.Will we be able to get this unique old car started? Will it start?
Im a Big Fan of your wife!!! Gorgeous, funny, cute yet Humble. Great!
I have a fan! Thanks for watching Michael!
@@christinarust6957 Yep, hot, real, and down to earth. and you like hubcaps and hammers!
I learned how to drive a 4 speed manual in a Pinto wagon. With the same little round window in the side. Fun little car.
Putting something down for a second and it dissappears that's most of my life lol 😂
I used to see Pintos all over the place, but you hardly ever see them now. They got a bad reputation in the 70s for rear end collision fires, which led to their discontinuation in 1980, to be replaced by the Escort. Good to see one again. Great job getting it running Richard and Christina! 👍😎
Thanks David! True, these have pretty much disappeared. I don't see them on the road, in car shows, or in junkyards. It seems nearly all of them are gone, yet there were millions made.
@@whattherust im from the UK enjoying your show, i have to say the American version of the Escort, was not a very pretty car it certainly wasnt better looking than the Pinto. the british escort was definately the better looking car
I wish I could get my wife to help me fix my car ,you're a lucky man !!!
Christina seems to know one heck of a lot about the engines. She asked Richard if he did certain things which he hadn't and needed to do. They work well together and Richard brings a lot of knowledge to the table. The little Pinto will run on with a few minor additional fixes.
The Pinto wagon was not only fun to drive,
(with the 4 speed) that 2300 4 banger was also rock solid dependable.
I've owned Three, including a 77 'Cruising Wagon'.
I'm a retired sign painter/installer and these little ponies were my early work trucks. With the hatch open, you could carry a stack of 4'x8' plywood or drywall ! You can't even do that with most of the modern SUVs & crossovers.
I'd love to find a decent driver to toss around on weekends...👍🏁
My first car was a 1973 pinto wagon by far one of the best cars I ever owned
Cool old Pinto Richard! I remember those well! I also remember the van craze from
The seventies and into the early eighties. Fords, Chevys and Dodges with beautiful mural works of art painted along the sides. Tinted windows and chrome side pipes! That really dated me but I remember like it was yesterday. I admire you and your determination in getting lost and forgotten cars and trucks breathing life and hopefully back on the road. You’re a fortune man to have your beautiful Christina along side you. I wish my woman was into old cars like I am. I have two beautiful classic cars that my woman
Thinks are wastes of time and money. I just keep doing what I enjoy lol
on the very rear of the carb/intake there is a large vacuum hose that tends to crack and break. I once bought a pinto of this age because the dealer couldn't get it to idle and sold it to me as is. I took it home found the broken hose and BAM! it ran like a top and idled just fine... I loved that little car....
Owned a 76 pinto drove it in Germany for 3yrs was a good car for me.
I bought a 73 Pinto used in 1978. I loved this car, a 2.0 4 cylinder with the german 4 speed. The cam was ground round so I wen to our local auto chain, Gratiot Auto, and bought a 3/4 race cam for $19.95. I also recurved the distributor, rejetted the carb, and this little hot rod left the small V8's crying. It was a real handler also. It was rusted bad when I got it, and i drove it 3 years, sold it to a kid around the corner for $300 (paid $700), who did the body work, painted it orange, and drove it with a smile on his face. He honked and waved whenever I was out in the yard when he drove by. Pintos were much maligned because of the gas tank issue, but they were great little cars. Most don't realize the Mustang II was just a Pinto with different skin. I always wanted the little wagon like you are working on. The 2.3 L was basically a larger version of the engine I had, with more torque. I think you will be surprised when you drive it.
Great story Dave. I remember Gratiot Auto. It was like Summit Racing, but in the 80s.
Hey Richard and Christina great job on the the Pinto, You knowing Richard was very right in saying about back in the 80's he never thought it would be cool to work on a car like this but I noticed as time goes by we learn to appreciate cars from all years and makes! But again great job to you two for getting the old girl a second chance!!😊
Thanks Kat. You are spot on about older cars being cool no matter how uncool they were when new.
Man. nice when I working parts at a auto dealership back in the 80's the Bowman sales rep, drove one of these with the round port window and it had the hockey stripes on the side !
I had a SW Pinto, I loved it.
Big 4 banger, 4 speed stnd trans, got good mileage.
I loved that I could lay the seats down and sleep very nicely in the back. Made for great fishing trips.
Right on! It is interesting that you used yours for fishing trips. The owner bought this one for hunting trips.
Not a mechanic? So you say. Most I know won’t give these projects the time day. Appreciate you both and enjoy your videos!
Thank you Steve!
I had one of those little Pinto station wagons. Loved it.
You find the best cars/trucks/vans to resurrect. I love Pintos. A pinto Runabout was my very first car. I bought it for $50 and drove the wheels off the poor thing.
My grandmother's '76 Mercury Comet had this combo: seat belt on, parking brake on, clutch in, and in reverse
Never had the wagon, but I had the 1980 Pinto-Pony in my teens. Loved that thing! 1980 would be the last year of that car, replaced by the Escort. My parents bought an 82 Escort, while I still owned my Pinto-Pony. Everybody has their preferences, of course, but I liked my car more than that frikkin Escort. I drove it once and said, "Yeah, whatever." Blah-blah.
wow a pinto went to my 1ST drive in theater in that 😁 Went to see the movie the car👍 nice 1
I remember the 1978 Ford Pinto Party Cruising Wagon,pretty classy back in the day,Now A Classic. Getting the Pinto back on the road would be great.Another Great Video Richard and Christina!Take Care, Your Oregon Friend ☮️
Thanks Charles!
@@whattherust You Are Welcome Richard and Christina!
When I was young growing up in the 70s these where every where ! Very seldom see these now ! Love the pinto, Vega,mustang 11, monza, ect.... Never see them today ! 😔
Right, they are quite rare today.
Just watched this great video and really enjoyed it. My first car I bought myself my first year working after college was a bright red 79 Ford Pinto with a full glass hatch. It was a good running car and fun to drive and I had it 11 years before trading it in. My two biggest problems with it were the electronic control module which I ended up replacing at least twice (that you replaced on that one) and the front brakes that had a sliding caliper that would rust up and not slide. Wished I had kept it but had no place to store it. Keep the videos coming.
Wil do! Thanks for watching.
I remember those! I don't remember the florescent lights though. Most times you had guests inthe back you didn't want brite lights. Maybe some candles and incense. 😀 Far Out man.
Haha!
That's rare , haven't seen one for many years , thanks to you both ! enjoyed it to the end !
Thank you Steve. I don't recall ever having seen on of these before. How many can be left?
A friend of mine had one of these. It was silver with stripes running down the sides (purple and orange maybe? It's been a long time). I remember riding in the back for an hour and a half when we went to see The Who in 1982 LOL. We fogged it up pretty good in there ;)
That is a great story. Glad the video brought back some memories.
Hey guys , loving the videos more and more! Really great stuff 🙂 love the pinto wagon, wish we had junkyards like you do in the USA, here in New Zealand they're just full of 90s Japanese cars 😐 looking forward to the next one!
Thanks Bruce! The good junkyards are very scarce here now too.
I used to have a Pinto Wagon that year but not the porthole windows. It was really nice copper paint with lots of metalflake in it and tan int. Great little car, my late wife loved it. Bought it near new, it was 2 yrs old at the time. Yeah they weren't fast but they did well as long as you kept them maintained. Great commuter/daily driver, cheap on gas. lots of room for groceries.
I've got one of those shifter knobs. Its never been used. I also had a 76 pinto that I bought in 1978.
Cool. Where did you find that knob?
Great vid Richard...I myself still have my Dad's 1978 Jade Green Pinto Runabout. Same engine but automatic trans. Fun car to drive, good on gas. The back cargo hatch is a one piece glass, not like some of them with the metal frame that holds the glass. Very delicate looking when it's opened, lol. Like this one you are working on, good luck with it, like the fact that it's stick...once drove one with a V-6, 2.8. Great power train combo as it was very peppy.
Thanks, Mike. It is unfortunate this car was so rusty. It is cool you still have your Dad's car.
@@whattherust yes and the 68 Ford Ranch Wagon as well, in the family since new. Should see if you can do something with that Pinto wagon...three plus million made and only about ten thousand left. Will only become more valuable as time goes on. Wagons are coming into their own as earlier they weren't fetching a lot. Think about it, you never know. Thanks for the reply, will be looking out for more of your vids, excellent work ✔️👌👍🤗
Another classic runs again! I enjoy watching the thought process that goes into the troubleshooting. I enjoy watching your channel very much, you two!
You're welcome Jeff. Thanks for the support.
Another great video.
I believe in that year Ford also made the Cruising Van with the same bubble windows. I believe they both had multicolored hockey stick Stripes and same wheel design. The comedian Jeff Dunham has both the van and the Pinto fully restored.
The videos with you and Christina just keep getting better.
Rock on brother.
Thanks for the feedback Gary!
The production versions didn't have the fishbowl windows, Jeff had his made
@@treyjohnson4035 that's interesting because the advertising material from Ford shows both vehicles with the bubble windows. Going to have to do a little more research on that one. Thanks
He had the van and pinto made to look just like the ones in the ad
Man that's a neat wagon. Never seen the porthole one. I've seen vans with portholes, but not a wagon. Very cool. Oh, and I don't know where the guy lives, but he posted on Tik Tok a 1930 Ford that he's thinking about Tesla swapping it. I commented to not do that, and watch your TH-cam channel. Maybe if he lives close enough, he'll contact you about it. I'd LOVE to see that run. Apparently his great grandfather bought it brand new off the lot. Still has all the paperwork to it too including the sales sheet.
Wow, that must be quite a car! Where is it located?
SUPER 💎 that thing is pretty slick and awesome good job crew much ♥
Thanks Tanner!
My very first car when I turned sixteen was a Pinto Cruising Wagon. I wish I had kept it!
1988 i owned same car.boy i miss this car.i know these cars were not made right.but I love them.
My friends and I have built quite a few hot rod Pinto's. The one we've always wanted to lay our hands on but have yet to is the port window Pinto. My dad had one, it was pretty cool. It even had an Incredible Hulk hood ornament on it 😋 ..
My 1st new car was a special order 77 cruising wagon loved that car
Cool car! I've had several Pintos, but not this one.
My family had a gorgeous Dodge Van. So awesome.
The notorious Pinto, great job!
Thank you!
hi there richard and christina awesome video she looks in great nick sounds very dam good your content is allways spot on you do a great job the both of you love your work all the best
Thank you as always Paul. Your comments are much appreciated.
I would really love to have a car like that one. They were really cool. I was 10 years old when that car was new.
They certainly are unique.
I had a Chevy Vega panel wagon. What workhorse that thing was. Floor boards rotted out and the rubber floor padding melted. Had that same trouble with the ignition box on a Fairmount I owned. Used to keep a spare one in the glove box. Good fix guys.👍🇨🇦
man i hate those ford duraspark units, oofta..what a pain
I hear that a lot about those ignition boxes.
That heater hose was pinched shut and I still say Richard is one lucky guy having such a beautiful wife
You are correct John!
@@whattherust Can't wait until next video
She's definitely worth saving them pinto cruising wagons were so cool they came in a variety of colors from simple like this to some seriously outrageous metallic paint jobs LOL yeah this one deserves a new home
My friend had one with silver paint with rainbow stripes
@@dougtodd305 that's the one that I just took out about a week ago from my friends junkyard silver with the orange black and purple stripes and it had a beautiful red interior motor was blowing and it been sitting for about 30 years but overall the whole vehicle is in good shape
My uncle owned one.He used to carry an extra ignition box with him.Sears sold them back in the 80's.
Those neon light rings were often used in caraudio installs to hi light the subs 😂
Greetings from The Netherlands 🇳🇱
O boy is that a blast from the past o my god I worked on them check the timing belt awesome 👌
I feel for you! These little cars are not easy to work on. I am so glad I did not have to change that starter. It looked crazy difficult.
Well done guys, yet another happy customer 😊
Thank you Andy
Thanks for another guys !!
You're welcome Michael.
Ford guy here. This should be good!
Enjoyed the video! I was working at a Ford dealership when these Pintos were being sold. Some people were even fabricating the hell out of them to run 302’s.
Nice! A V8 Pinto is something I would like to see.
@@whattherust I never did see one in person, but did read articles about them in hot rod magazines back then. Looked like fun, but probably dangerous.
I had a '74 Pinto with the 2300 engine. That engine was tough! Several of my coworkers and I had set our cars up with water injection and it worked great on my car. I could tell when my water had ran out because the gas mileage would drop along with the power. I don't think any of today's plastic computers on wheels would work with that.
I had a 74 wagon my parents bought bran new. It got me half way thru college, it was a trupper no less
Hey Richard your a lucky man to have such a lovely assistant your ol lady is beautiful
I really am fortunate.
@@whattherust not to mention your great with cars my friend
@@billyhensley7770 Thank you Billy.
If this van is rocking don't come a knocking 😊
Yeah I've had three or four pintos the last one I had was a baby blue wagon with the wood vinyl sides what a wonderful car that was I bought it from an older couple it was loaded to the gills with extras and it only had 40,000 miles with a V6 let me tell you that car ran like a scalded ape. I can tell you the other ones that I had they all had a mission very little Emissions on them but without the pump and everything hooked up they never would run right if you had everything hooked up right good vacuum lines and everything they ran top of the line. Without everything like it was supposed to be you would have all kinds of problems, so I always made sure that all that was squared away actually I never had much problems out of any of my pintos. Many blessings to you guys keep up the great work. By the way Richard I do believe those carburetors are Weber type carburetor.
Thanks for the feedback Joseph. You are correct, that carb is a Weber.
I was 14 years old and I bought my first car. A 1973 PINTO Hatch Back! Poop Brown But with a 4 speed manual! I LOVED IT! It had a Cassette player that sounded pretty good so I would sit in it for hours rocking to my tunes while Tempting fate with a drive to the end of the dead end road I was p[arked on while I waited until I could get my full Driver License when I turned 16! I could drive it as long as I had someone that had their full DRL with me as I had my learners lisence which we could get at 14 back then where I lived!
That is a great story Greg.
Hello Richard and Christina, a helpful tip for your jump wire, go to a dollar tree and get some magnetic clamps for like a dollar twenty five. They work great under the hood.
Through the years, I've owned 3 Pinto Cruising wagons - loved every one of them! One was a badly wrecked project that eventually went away, I was talked into the sale of another (mistake) and the third was traded on another car that I did not really want (yet another mistake.) Ahh... but I have something in the works again!
Wow! It's a very unique automobile!
Almost original front seats have been replaced with later model ones stripes missing and no roof racks. I have a 77 been replacing parts on for years towed van into junkyard and brought pinto home. Rubber stripe covers screws on side panels have been obsolete since 1980 from Ford, so much for the 10 year rule for replacement parts.
My dad's friend had one with a400 m sounded really nice and it was cherry
YES,!!!! Trun it over again etc etc etc sounds great thank U🇨🇷🐺🌕
Keep looking, maybe you'll find the owners stash. Those porthole lights are a give away.
Good job, good video!
Thank you James!
🎉🎉🎉🎉 another one from the dead. Excellent job. Keep up the good work guys and girls.
Thank you Dave!
I was just going to comment about the engine bay was packed tight .😊
Well done - there were so many little issues to work through - but you got it - cheers
Thank you Lance! Yes, a lot of small things adding together to make the rescue take all day.
I still have my 76 Pinto street cruiser! 2.8 auto, 9 inch posi from the factory!
Nice!
Greetings from Scotland guys. Another cool video that provided some diagnostic challenges.
At least you had a relatively spacious and clean environment to work in for this one.
So, what’s up next?. Back into the cramped, dirty, shacks to bring life to another piece of Americana?
Nice job folks….looking forward to the next one.
Ciao …
Hi John. Yes, I am yearning for another out in the wild rescue. I am sure one will come our way!
Great job Christina and Richard!
Thank you Paul!
Hi guys I'm a big fan of you I watch every video that you make Christina you are very beautiful both of you do a great job keep up doing the same work I follow you from Kansas City Missouri and I wish all the best for both of you
Thank you Alfredo!
I'm definitely sharing this.
Great to hear! Thank you!
@@whattherust You're welcome
Ive owned several Pintos in the past. Anywhere from total beater to a 1974 that had 33000 miles on it when i got it from a friends mother who bought it new. I paid $1000 for it ! Good little cars they were , very dependable too ! That one looks to have all the options. PB PS and gauge package and wheels. Sounds pretty good once the oil pressure built up but she is a smoker ! lol Cool !
Another great video you two, you’re an awesome team! 👍
Thanks very much Rich.
Strange "porthole Pinto" 😲 and for the case, I would say "less cylinders, less easy to start".
Also interesting what you told about the EGR valve at the time ... Most probably a component coming from
"clean air act" application.
Nice job with some difficult to find / to solve issues but What The Rust team still stays cool & calm 👏 !
Thanks Christophe. This one had some problems we don't often see, but it worked out well.
My first real job was a lot attendant at a Ford dealership at 18, in 1978.bi drove those cars and trucks
Just found this video. In Australia we called them panel vans built by Ford and Holden. They were big in the 70s and 80s as work vans plus decking them out with carpets, lights cushions etc etc.. No passenger seats in the back.
I did not know those were available in Australia. This one was decked out with carpet and special lighting too. Years ago it must have been quite a car. Thanks for watching!
It’s jumped time I had a 350 Chevy van and it did the same thing! I went crazy to see why and it jumped time the chain stretched!
Oh wow I used to have one of those mine had the silver and black stripes down the side and the optional 2.8 V6 engine with an automatic transmission factory gauge pack and factory air had it back in 1990 ran across it at a small local country car lot sure wish I'd kept it
Excellent video Richard :) & Christine :) also funny part never work on Pinto vechiles ever but saw lots when growing up and In Junk Yard lots ! But one school friends of mine parents had in 1974 Black Interior also Pink body mother would not drive it but Father did lots ! Remember ask mother one day was at groceries store she said not Pink Rose and never like Pink on vechiles but I wear in clothes Lol! Yes she is funny person for sure 👍! But yes remember one Pinto car not wagon was person first car drove till got different vechiles want by had horrible time with Pinto stay running! But seen lots a vechiles shows too amazing me and did know Richard & Christine that up hear in Ontario Canada there brokers insurance company called Pinto of company not do with Ford for one have been driving vehicles made before 1988 have it and Lol my oldest brother had them for a insurance company deal till 2012 then went out! business!
it helps to plug in the coil wire
Good video I love all your videos you all do a grate job
Thanks for the support David.
You didnt say but I think it is the 2600, 4 cylinder? I drove a 79 mercury bobcat which is basically a pinto back in high school. It was a very dependable engine as long as I kept oil in it lol! Anyway that makes me feel really old cause it was only 10yrs old when I had mine!
2.3
Those modules were always bad back in the early Fords my 74 LTD had that problem too
Great to see such a rare (both then and moreover now) wagon coming alive again, can't be many left now?
How about some updates on say, the 76 Granada, and the Rover 3500, hopefully the Rover at least is progressing well. Keep up the great work.
Thanks for the feedback John. I will have an update video of all the past and present projects soon!
Hi y’all from west Alabama
The engine looks very similar to that in my 1972 Ford Cortina. It has a 1.6 Pinto engine. The carb on that car looks very much like my twin Weber.
I love those Cortinas. Many years ago there was a 64 Cortina being used as a sign for a pizza shop in the center of Prague. A couple of years later it disappeared.
@@whattherust My friend filmed a car like that, Cortina City TH-cam channel.
You do good work and also wife is beautiful
Thanks Edward
Hi y’all from west Alabama love ya
Hi Jamie! Thanks for watching!
@@christinarust6957 Yqe y’all
Vans were cool in the 60's and 70's. Hippie mobiles!
Great video guys as usual
Thank you Paul.
I enjoyed another video !
Thanks Brent!
The Accel coil probably wasn't there because someone wanted to race it. We had a Bobcat hatchback, which was just a Merc version of a Pinto. They had a design flaw. The hood seal where it met the fenders would leak, especially in car washes this was a problem for ours which plagued both our 74 and 79. Water would leak down onto the coil and it wouldn't start after rolling through the car wash. Replacing it with an Accel coil which was more water resistant solved this problem. In fact, for all the Fords of the 70s and 80s I owned I replaced the wires as well with Accel wires as wet weather was a problem with the factory wires after they were like 6 months old. I wasn't interested in making them faster, they just had to start and with the Accels they did no matter how foul the weather.
Well done both of you,great video cool car not my deal but beats the little pinto feeding the crushers. The wife and I just rescued a 79 trans am it's so dang awesome k code y84 car
Thanks. It is a cooler car than I would have thought. Love those Trans AMs. I had a 1981 with a 4 speed many years ago.
@@whattherust this one is a full starlight black gold pinstripes t tops k code 403 4bbr y84 special addition
Sounds ok richard wow a nut missing unbelievable
My mom had an orange one. I didn't realize they were that rare. I drug it out of the woods last year and it ran with just gas and a battery, but I sold it cheap
They are more rare than people think. So many were discarded along with a lot of other 70s economy cars.
One minute in and I already love that car... (All your videos are amazing, btw)...
Thanks Bill! Much appreciated!
awesome video it was great to see the pinto running again great job
Thanks! It was fun.
I remember those old Shagging wagons and vans. The fiberglass patch on the roof wasn't from a vinyl top as they didn't put them on those wagons. I would say something was set on the roof for an extended period and caused rust.
I think you're right.
Happy Halloween - maybe we can make it to Leiper's Fork.
We hope you can make it as well! Thanks for watching!
Great content, I love old cars. Ps. You have a beautiful wife.
Thanks very much.
Always want to swap oddball vehicles engines but always good to hear the original engine running
Get a length of garden hose. Keep one end to your ear. Move other end around engines. You'll hear hisses and knocks and be able to pin point them.