PINTO CAR CLUB of AMERICA

Shiny is Good! => General Pinto Talk => Topic started by: flash041 on August 23, 2009, 08:46:20 PM

Title: pinto convertible
Post by: flash041 on August 23, 2009, 08:46:20 PM
Hi all

           I remeber seeing a pic on the web of a Pinto convertible.Do es any one know of one that exists?
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: pintogirl on August 23, 2009, 08:52:43 PM
This is the only one I have ever seen!!

(http://www.fordpinto.com/tp-images/15uidpintomotortrend.gif)

 ;D ;D
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: 71pintoracer on August 23, 2009, 09:15:57 PM
There was a prototype that never went into production, along with some other styles. They were crushed. Apparently all prototypes are crushed so they don't get away.
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: douglasskemp on August 23, 2009, 09:33:05 PM
Perhaps you are thinking of the 'Sportiva' concept car which had a targa style top on it (like a Honda DelSol)
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/emt471/CONCEPT%20CARS/1973FORDPINTOSPORTIVA.jpg)
I thought about doing this once, but that is a LOT of sheetmetal work, and I have no experience in that area.
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: dholvrsn on August 23, 2009, 09:33:22 PM
How many different prototypes were produced?

Any Pincheros or four doors?
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: 71pintoracer on August 23, 2009, 09:40:53 PM
How many different prototypes were produced?

Any Pincheros or four doors?
Don't really remember, it was years ago but I think about five. The convertable, something similar to the Pangra, one with a grill that looked like a Vega. Don't remember the targa but it looks cool!
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: Wittsend on August 23, 2009, 10:24:16 PM
Think of what it would look like.  The sloping tail of the trunk and nowhere to stow away the top.  It would look like a "wail tai"l Porshe made of an Erector set and fabric. No thanks.
However, the Sportiva looked like a good idea.  Open the back up like a Ranchero.  The Subaru Brat before its time.
Tom
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: jwise12345 on August 23, 2009, 10:26:13 PM
Haha, when i bought my 74' my brother said I should make it a convertible. :fastcar:
Silly idea but that one is kinda cool lookin  :coolrasta:
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: 75bobcatv6 on August 23, 2009, 10:33:06 PM
the only one i have seen was in the Movie Friday with Ice cube. it had a convertible top as well.
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: blupinto on August 23, 2009, 11:08:41 PM
All right Kim and Douglasskemp.. . where'd you get those pictures!? lol. The Sportiva actually looks kinda cool. When did that prototype come out?
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: pintogirl on August 23, 2009, 11:16:24 PM
All right Kim and Douglasskemp.. . where'd you get those pictures!? lol. The Sportiva actually looks kinda cool. When did that prototype come out?

I got it off the home page!! LOL  ;D  It's also in the magazine Motor Trends. I had to go buy it because I saw the pic here and had to have the magazine! LOL ;D
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: douglasskemp on August 24, 2009, 12:13:31 AM
All right Kim and Douglasskemp.. .
Just 'Doug' is fine ;D

where'd you get those pictures!?
I saw that pic a long time ago, and I don't remember where originally.  It was a book, but don't remember which one.  I found that one from a Google photo search of "Ford Pinto sportiva"
The Sportiva actually looks kinda cool. When did that prototype come out?
It was a '73 model if I remember correctly, and I think they had a '74 Mustang II version too, but maybe that was a dream  :surprised:
--Doug
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: blupinto on August 24, 2009, 12:32:11 AM
Thank you Doug! I never know just what to call people sometimes! lol. I would so love to have a book specifically about the Ford Pinto. I have soooo many questions.  ;D  When the Sportiva was loading (the picture) it almost looked like a Mustang II (the picture started from the top). That looked like something fun to drive, but then it IS a Pinto... ;)
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: dga57 on August 24, 2009, 12:37:09 AM
Hey guys and gals,
It occurs to me that if we want a Pinto convertible, there are enough Pinto geniuses (myself excluded) in residence here that we should be able to put our heads together and build one!  Could probably have it ready to "unveil" in Carlisle in 2011.
What d'ya think?
Dwayne :smile:
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: phils toys on August 24, 2009, 12:46:25 AM
there was apic of one in the calander 2 yrs ago.  when i get time i can scan it.
phil
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: douglasskemp on August 24, 2009, 12:46:38 AM
One of the 'ideas' that I had way back when was to take a wagon, chop the roof right between the first and second set of rear windows, graft on a Mustang II deck lid using the lower part of the rear door as part of it, and have a sedan with a huge trunk.  But, then I realized it would make the car rather square-ish, and would probably only look good as a 79-80.  This would make it look much like a two door Fairmont, though somewhat smaller.  You could base a convertible on something like that, but the issue would be getting the 1/4 windows to roll down or something.  There have been conversions of the Mustang II, but they usually omit the 1/4 windows, which I think makes the side of the convert top look fricken HUGE.  On a regular Pinto sedan, this would be even further exaggerated due to the length of the 1/4 windows in relation to the overall length of the car.
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: dga57 on August 24, 2009, 12:54:37 AM
Every custom-built convertible I've ever seen looks atrocious with the top up!  Very cool with the top down, though!  The rear windows would probably have to be eliminated.

Dwayne :)
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: Useless on August 24, 2009, 04:09:03 AM
Poor photo, but it's the only thing I could find.

(http://www.boklab.com/~jeynes/cars/images/pintofront.jpeg)

I think the back end would look weird with the way it slopes down.
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: 72pair on August 24, 2009, 11:28:45 AM
Reminds me of going to a "convertible party" back in my college days. Drank lots of beer and cheered as some schmuck took a quickie saw to the roof of his four door maverick. Rolled the windows down and off it went. That car roamed the streets of Clemson, SC for years. Not exactly a class act though.
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: flash041 on August 24, 2009, 03:05:29 PM
the photo I saw on the web was an early body style.It had the person's name and e-mail link.It was probaly a few years ago.I emaied the person , but got no response.I just got back from a once a year convertible tour,the "Openair Classic", that is held once a year in Wisconsin. Its open to any and all convertibles.I thought it would be neat to have a Pinto convertible there.
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: dga57 on August 25, 2009, 08:13:44 AM
Poor photo, but it's the only thing I could find.

(http://www.boklab.com/~jeynes/cars/images/pintofront.jpeg)

I think the back end would look weird with the way it slopes down.

It couldn't look much worse in the back end than a Chrysler PT Cruiser convertible!

Dwayne :)
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: crossy on August 25, 2009, 10:32:09 AM
This is the only one I have ever seen!!

(http://www.fordpinto.com/tp-images/15uidpintomotortrend.gif)

Pintogirl, i loved that pic and saved it also.  have it on my locker at work. amazing how the rag(magazine), while picking on GM, touted the Pinto as being horrible, but never mentioning GM's own disastrous Vega that was out at the same time. crossy
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: dholvrsn on August 25, 2009, 01:47:08 PM
I'm wondering if something like the Sportiva could be mimicked with cut-down Mustang II notchback parts. Plus frame connecters and stiffeners.
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: phils toys on August 26, 2009, 02:23:18 PM
from  pcca 2007 calander
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: Alrobot on August 26, 2009, 05:41:48 PM
I have seen a few wagons made into convertibles, but can't imagine too much structural strength left.

Al...
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: pintoman2.0 on August 26, 2009, 11:54:54 PM
About 25 years ago a friend and I started to make one out of a coupe. We cut it right above the package shelf and were working on making a wing that would blend nicely about 6-8 inches above the shelf. Our design wasn't really a "Convertable" because the only way we could think to make it look GOOD was to not have a top at all and use it only as a fair weather car. Sadly, he moved away and I lost touch with him.

As far as the Ranchero theme, apintonut has an 80 wagon that got crushed by a tree last winter on the for sale board and on Craigslist. He was going to try to get the back of a Ranger cab to graft on to the open part of teh wagon.

P
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: flash041 on August 28, 2009, 12:09:58 PM
yea that looks like the one I rember seeing.Does any one know if it still exists ?
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: osiyo59 on August 31, 2009, 02:55:54 AM
If I can get these pics to load, here are a few Pinto "Proyotypes from Ford that never saw Production. Including a convertible.
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: osiyo59 on August 31, 2009, 02:59:12 AM
Here are a cppuple more.
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: popbumper on August 31, 2009, 09:40:09 AM
If I can get these pics to load, here are a few Pinto "Proyotypes from Ford that never saw Production. Including a convertible.

Very nice, thanks for sharing. It looks like a junior Camaro, circa 1971!!

Chris
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: blupinto on August 31, 2009, 05:02:49 PM
The rear quarter windows have a 'cuda look on the red hard-top. Thank you Osiyo59.
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: 71pintoracer on August 31, 2009, 09:55:35 PM
Good job Osiyo59! Those are the pics I was referring to. Lots of different styles there, Mustang II,(trunk) Cuda,(c-pillars) Vega, Camaro (front grill area).
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: osiyo59 on September 04, 2009, 01:00:35 PM
If I had seen these before I finished all the body work on my Wagon, I would have incorporated that front end into the build. I just think it looks awesome! I will be doing it on the next one though.
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: beegle55 on September 04, 2009, 02:17:49 PM
How Ford is so good at teasing us with other Pinto models. Gotta to love what we do have though  :afro:

    -beegle55
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: dholvrsn on September 16, 2009, 02:03:35 PM
It's kind of odd seeing some Chebbie-like and Mopar-like motifs on those prototypes.

But I was wondering if the original '60s Ford Allegro concept car influenced those early styling studies any.
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: popbumper on September 17, 2009, 09:10:31 AM
Looking at the pics again, what I like is the lack of front bumper (the integral "molded in" front end) that is so common today. That appearance was somewhat ahead of it's time. I would love to see someone pull off this look on a Pinto in fiberglass, perhaps. Map351? Where are you?

Chris
Title: Re: pinto convertible
Post by: mytxplode on September 24, 2009, 09:13:41 PM
Every custom-built convertible I've ever seen looks atrocious with the top up!  Very cool with the top down, though!  The rear windows would probably have to be eliminated.

Dwayne :)
Hi, I'm new here. Mike in Arizona. I saw one! At a bank in Palmdale CA. around 1987. It looked really good!... We didn't have digital cameras yet!