Topic: 70's Gas Tank Explosions

[saltfevr]

Hello All;

Just came across this site,from a gentlemens webpage who's building a salt flat '80 Pinto Wagon. My 21 yr old stepdaughter is considering buying a nice looking 1975 Auto Pinto 4cyl hatchback for $800. I've researched the gas tank stories after a google search. I've read that Ford recalled the vehicles in 1978 to repair the flawed tank design. And that a shield was to be installed between the differential and tank,plus filler neck mods.

Can Ford tell me if that vehicle  through vin# check was repaired? I don't mean to dredge up past cans of worms. I once owned a '79 auto wagon,and it was great. Guess if the shield is in place,all is well? Thanks in advance folks.

Tom Shannon
Magna, Utah

[Pintony]

Hello Tom,
 Welcome to the Ford Pinto forum.
Yes, look under your prospective Pinto purchase to find out if it has a plastic shield between the tank and the rear axel.
You should also find the filler neck is held in place by torx head bolts NOT PHILLIPS SCREWS!!!!!
From Pintony
 

[kris kincaid]

Here is an interesting take on the Pinto's exploding:

http://www.car-forums.com/talk/showthread.php?t=2240

[saltfevr]

 :-*Thanks to those that responded so quickly. This site is newbie friendly and will try the vin decoder. Very nice feature. Also thanks for the gas tank explosion thread . Check out my cyberspace lsr friend,Gary Perkinson and his wild '80 Pinto Wagon coming to the salt flats soon. http://www.flatbushracing.com

Tom Shannon
Magna, Utah

[RAGINGPINTO]

My dad worked at a junkyard for 15-16 years and has owned pintos since they were first made he says that he can only remember of two pintos that came in that blew up from getting hit  but he said they were hit pretty hard, he said more mustngs and foreign cars
came in blew up and burnt than pintos. but thats just what he has seen.

[sagesunrise]

I am reading a book called "Ford's Pinto Trial - Reckless Homicide?" by Lee Patrick Strobel about the 3 teenage girls who burned to death in a 1971 pinto sedan due to the explosion.  It is a good book to read and become educated, although I find the legal battle part kind of boring.  I can see both sides of the situation.  Facts:  Only about 27 people had died (at the point the book came out, I imagine) in exploding pintos-same statistics for any other car.  It is just that the 3 girls who burned received so much publicity and it was a horrible thing.  They did not have the gas cap on at the time of explosion and the gas poured into the rear seat during impact.  It is suggested to have a barrier installed (on trunk models, which their beautiful pinto was) between the rear seat and trunk to help in this situation, but again, if any vehicle is struck just right it will explode.  Wasn't there a similar situation with Chevy trucks?  I am also very knowledgeable of fire and it is the fumes that ignite, not the liquid. Having the cap off probably did not help any.  And, there were no disabled vehicle lanes on the highway in question.  Their misfortune has made the highways a safer place for all.  They were actually stopping to retrieve the gas cap that they had set on top of the car and saw it roll across the highway.  The bummer is that they were struck by a Chevy van....hardly damaged the van at all....really a weird situation.  Especially interesting to me because I feel I was involved in a very similar situation and their car is just mangled whereas mine was damaged but did not get mangled-I was hit by a small sports car and not a van.  Interesting.  You may be able to find the book on eBay or your local library if interested.

[kris kincaid]

One interesting thing, the recall was for the Runabout and Sedan models. The station wagons were not affected.

[sagesunrise]

Also, it was 1971 to 1976 Pintos and 1975 and 1976 Mercury Bobcats that were recalled (I believe the recall happened 6/9/78)- 1.5 Million cars recalled.  "The recalled cars were to be modified by adding a polyethylene shield which would prevent the gas tank from being punctured by sharp bolts, and a longer and improved filler pipe and seal to lessen the chance of it being pulled out during a crash. Both species of safety improvements had been considered by Ford, and rejected, years earlier."

[ponyboy]

After doing a considerable amount of research,I don't believe any more Pintos exploded from collisions than any other car.Somehow,the story just got out of control,and we all know what the results were.I have a wagon,but the "exploding gas tank stories" would not keep me from driving any Pinto.The same thing happened with the Suzuki Samurai.Suppos edly all you had to do was look at one and it would roll over.I own an '88 Samurai,and not only has it been totally reliable for more than 6 years,it has never rolled over either,and I drive it very aggressively.T hen there was the Firestone tire/Ford explorer thing.And the Crown Vic thing.And on,and on,and on.Once a story gets out of control,theres no stopping it.Go ahead and get the Pinto.They are great cars,and in my opinion anyway,no more likely to explode in an accident than any other car.And they don't have killer air bags.I'll bet that air bags have killed more people than exploding Pintos.

[78pinto]

My wifes exhusband rolled his Suzuki Samurai after a minor accident at an intersection (lady went through a stop sign) i think that is what they were refering to when they talk about ease in rolling over.