Author Topic: My first car is a 78 Pinto (Read 4053 times)

78_starsky · « **Reply #30 on:** July 13, 2012, 10:42:12 AM »

seeing what you are doing has put me back to a time about 2&half years back. full steam ahead... same style car minus the 2.8. Have fun, learn lots and keep us informed. (pics)

cheers

Clydesdale80 · « **Reply #31 on:** July 17, 2012, 08:02:38 PM »

full steam ahead is right, i feel like ive gotten alot done in the last few days. i've got the car almost emptied out. I still need to remove all the brake stuff, the headliner, the hatch and the headlights and bezels. It's gonna take me a while to finish this project but I'm still moving forward.

does anybody know how to remove the chrome trim around the quarter windows?
is it possible to remove the headliner and replace it without removing the quarter windows? if not, how do i remove the windows without damaging the gasket and glass?

Pinto5.0 · « **Reply #32 on:** July 17, 2012, 08:58:06 PM »

By pushing the inside of the quarter windows with 1 hand as you flip up the rubber seal lip with your fingers of your other hand the windows should come right out. I can get them out in 2 minutes with no damage.

Clydesdale80 · « **Reply #33 on:** July 17, 2012, 09:03:25 PM »

sounds easy enough, how do i get the chrome trim off so i can do that?

78_starsky · « **Reply #34 on:** July 18, 2012, 09:37:40 AM »

No idea how you remove trim, except that I am guessing you have to unclip it from the clips that are on the body. but it has to to be asked... why? what is your final plan and what is your road map to get there? ripping everything out is easy, putting it all back is challenging and can become very expensive if you have to farm out the work. You might want to start budgeting what you can do yourself and what you need to pay to get fixed. just giving words of caution. (from the pics you started with all the chrome on the body looks great) why would you want to chance taking it off and getting all bent out of shape).

cheers

Clydesdale80 · « **Reply #35 on:** July 18, 2012, 03:11:09 PM »

I'm taking all the trim off because the car needs body work and reprinted. It doesn't really show in the pictures but the car has alot of scratches and dings, the paint has also been touched up with atleast 3 different shades of green. I'm removing the interior because all the seats were shredded and there have been mice living in the all the cars insulation. Once I took the carpet out I found that the floor has rusted through in several places. The trim I'm taking off already had dents that I plan to straighten while it's off. I'm asking specifically about the quarter window trim because I need to remove it to remove the window and I need to remove the window to replace the headliner(which has rotted seams that are falling apart). I'm planning on doing as much of this project as I can myself. The project is going to take a long time because it is a tear down and rebuild. I'm just trying to make a car I'll like to drive and learn as much as I can in the process.

78_starsky · « **Reply #36 on:** July 18, 2012, 03:26:38 PM »

Good deal

i wasn't trying to beat you up, i was just asking to caution you and your project is all. you will learn lots

i guess i didn't fully understand the complete tear down and then rebuild part. I was just thinking back to all the expense and time we have put into our build, then seeing your pics and your car looks in real nice shape (except the seats), this i guess is why i tossed out the caution.

cheers

Clydesdale80 · « **Reply #37 on:** July 18, 2012, 04:13:41 PM »

Structurally the car is great besides the holes in the floor. The car does still have alot of problems that I would like to fix before driving it daily. I am aware that there will be more expenses to come but I believe I can make something that I really enjoy driving. My friend just bought a 2009 chrysler Concorde for $4,000. The way I see it I can make a much sportier and fuel efficient car for that or less. I understand ur concern and am a little nervous myself being this deep into a project as a beginner but I have many friends and family members that are experienced with mechanics and restorations that are helping me. I hope with help from them and some pinto specific help from people on this site I can make a great car for myself.

Pinto5.0 · « **Reply #38 on:** July 18, 2012, 05:48:02 PM »

As far as the trim goes I need to remove mine to anodize it black but I haven't pulled it yet. I think it will come off with a bottle opener. Try wrapping a couple layers of duct tape over the rounded end(to prevent scratching the aluminum), not the pointy one & hook the part that pops up the cap under the edge of the trim & gently pull up & see if it starts to move.

If it does move along the edge slowly until it's loose. This is an old trick for pulling gutter trim on Mopars. It looked like the way to go when I was contemplating getting mine off. Don't force it whatever you do.

Clydesdale80 · « **Reply #39 on:** July 23, 2012, 04:33:56 PM »

The windows came out today just like Pinto5.0 had said except that I had to soak the rubber in wd40 for a night to make it flexible enough to pull out. the front and top trim pieces come out after the window is out, they are in a channel in the rubber. the bottom piece of trim is held on by four nuts inside the quarter panel.

Pinto5.0 · « **Reply #40 on:** July 23, 2012, 08:59:53 PM »

I got lucky & always had pliable rubber the few times I've pulled them out. Glad to hear you got them out & how the chrome attaches. I never had to remove it until this build so I never looked.

Clydesdale80 · « **Reply #41 on:** July 23, 2012, 09:15:29 PM »

i was glad i found those nuts on the inside of the quarter panel before i pried on the trim too hard. only six of the eight total studs had nuts on them. it seems to be a trend with this car that everything is missing a couple screws or nuts. this probly explains all the rattles that the car made when I did drive it.

Pinto5.0 · « **Reply #42 on:** July 23, 2012, 09:34:55 PM »

I forgot about that bolt on trim, I was just thinking of the window surrounds. I still need to figure out how to remove the ones on the door window frame as well when the time comes.

Clydesdale80 · « **Reply #43 on:** July 23, 2012, 09:45:24 PM »

the door trim is just popped into place, start at the front of the door and slide a small flatbar under the top edge of the trim. once you get the end popped off, hold it with one end and pull gently away from the car with one hand and slowly work the flatbar along the trim until the trim comes off. I used a small 4'' flatbar but i'm sure something else would work too.

Clydesdale80 · « **Reply #44 on:** July 28, 2012, 05:29:51 PM »

I tore the car down a little further this week and decided that I needed to reorganize my pile of pinto parts in the corner of the garage. Dad didn't want me to use up any floor space outside my stall of the garage but i needed to spread things out so i could find everything. i think i found a pretty good solution.

shouldn't have problems finding anything now. I took the fenders off the car along with the brake lines and fuel lines. I then power washed the body to get rid of loose dirt,grease, rust,and insulation.

now that its clean i can show more clearly the rust damage that i found. luckily i'm a kirkwood certified welder

(the program was kind of a joke, some of my classmates couldn't even make a consistent bead on flat steel) I think i can manage to make functional patches in the fairly hidden places.

front passenger floor

rear passenger floor

rear driver floor

front floor

spare tire holder

both corners of the hatch underneath the plastic piece.

this is the reason that i'm taking the car all the way down to the body, i'd like this car to last a long time and i knew a thirtyfour year old car couldn't be perfect after how long it sat.

78_starsky · « **Reply #45 on:** July 28, 2012, 10:41:38 PM »

i like the way you used the space saving technique!!! Good thing you can weld. cheers

r4pinto · « **Reply #46 on:** July 29, 2012, 10:15:57 AM »

Wowsers!!!! Nice way to store the parts. I'm with 78Starsky. Good thing you can weld. There any rust in the rear quarters or anything or are they solid?

Clydesdale80 · « **Reply #47 on:** July 29, 2012, 10:31:18 AM »

everything is solid except the spots i posted pictures of. Thats why I decided this car was worth the 4 hour drive to pick it up, all the hard to fix steel is in good shape. there is some surface rust under where the trim was but i cleaned a couple spots up and there is solid steel underneath. All the patching should be easy to hide.

Clydesdale80 · « **Reply #48 on:** July 30, 2012, 04:28:52 PM »

i was looking through all my newly organized parts and found a few things that I probly won't be needing.

Since I'll be using my holley carb and esslinger manifold(top), I dont have a use for this carb and intake(bottom) that was attached to the "ranger" engine my uncle gave me.

I'll also be using my pacesetter header(top) and wont need the ranger manifold(bottom)

i'm upgrading to a 5speed(left) and wont the the 4speed(right)

does anybody have any use for a ranger oil pan(top)? its rear sump

i've got an extra valve cover

here is the block that all the ranger parts came from, I also have the head but both are heavily rusted.

since the car is changing colors i wont be using the green side stripe trim, its in good shape and would be a shame to go to waste.

the cruisin wagon panels have been listed in the classifieds for awhile now, they were saved from my uncle's highschool car. I have no use for them but they would also be a shame to waste. the pieces below the panels are the filler pieces for both bumpers, I plan to use joebob's "simple fat bumper fix" so i wont need these pieces.

the windshield has 2 or 3 rock chips and it looks like someone ran the wipers without blades. scratches from the wipers cover most the windshield and wake it hard to see through. none of the scratches are deep just alot of small ones making it cloudy. there might be a way to polish it out but idk, i'm just gonna order a new one.

if anyone is interested in any of these parts let me know, shipping will probly be expensive since im in Iowa and almost no one else is anywhere near me. I'd like to make a little money for my project but it'd be nice just to know these parts were being used.

Clydesdale80 · « **Reply #49 on:** August 11, 2012, 12:27:42 PM »

This last week has been fairly productive, my dad helped me build a cart to support whats left of the car. Once it was off the ground I was able to unbolt just about everything left on the car. I left the bumper mounts on because my dad and I plan on building a "cradle" or "tip-over jig" similar to the one built by spyville in this his thread- http://www.fordpinto.com/general-help/body-cart/

The car is pretty much ready for me to start bodywork but i'm heading back to college on thursday. I will be back home for a weekend or two every month so I should be able to slowly work at it.

The cart my dad and i built

car on the cart

basically just the body

Clydesdale80 · « **Reply #50 on:** September 05, 2012, 06:03:28 PM »

I think I made a pretty good find this last weekend. I bought a pile of pinto stuff that a guy had sitting in his shed for the last 20 years. I bought it for the slot rims but he wanted to get rid of the whole pile. it turns out There was some pretty good stuff.

These are the rims i bought it for, I took some time and cleaned one of them(bottom left). Once they are all cleaned and polished I think they'll look alot better than my steel rims and hubcaps.

These are the center caps that were with the rims, i guess i'll be looking for a couple more pinto caps. does anybody need one mustang cap?

I'm gonna clean these up and post them in the classifieds in the next few weeks(they arent really the look im goin for). I'll know better once they are clean but it appears that two of the rims have the webbing painted black.

six brake rotors and two drums. If anybody wants to buy some of these let me know, otherwise I guess they might save me some money someday.

Underneath all the rusty rotors i found something a little more interesting

An offenhauser 4barrel dual port intake for the 2.3l

.

I've done some reading about this manifold and I think I'm probly gonna keep it. I'll plan on using my esslinger manifold and holley two barrel when i get the car together but keep this just incase I get bored

.

bbobcat75 · « **Reply #51 on:** September 06, 2012, 10:58:21 AM »

what a great find!!

Clydesdale80 · « **Reply #52 on:** November 17, 2012, 11:18:25 PM »

brought home some metal and planning on patching the floor over thanksgiving break.

cabecho · « **Reply #53 on:** November 18, 2012, 04:00:33 PM »

it looks awesome, and is a awesome project congrats. it reminds me of me 10 years ago but i when in a completely opposite direction.
btw that intake is awesome. i have one of thous that i use to run on my ministock pinto and they work grate.
good luck.

Clydesdale80 · « **Reply #54 on:** November 18, 2012, 07:26:43 PM »

thanks I am really enjoying the project and hate having to leave it at home when i go to ISU. Are you talking about the four barrel Offenhauser or the Edelbrock intake? I have been looking at carbs for the offenhauser on ebay but I've decided that since i already have a carb for the other intake I should wait and spend my money on more necessary things.

cabecho · « **Reply #55 on:** November 18, 2012, 07:55:19 PM »

the four barrel Offenhauser. is a grate intake i had it polish. i dont know it out of the top of my head what carb i use in it but i still have the complete set up i will look it up tomorrow when i get to the shop and i will send it to you.

johnbigman2011 · « **Reply #56 on:** November 18, 2012, 08:15:49 PM »

I'm going to be running that set up on my 2.0 powered 23 T- Bucket. I also have the pony ram set up, and decided to go with the offy with the 390 cfm holley.

Clydesdale80 · « **Reply #57 on:** November 19, 2012, 12:18:51 PM »

I was looking at 390cfm Holleys to put on that intake, either the 8007 or the older one with manual choke. From what I read people that take the time to retune everything love the offy intake but people that expect it to be a bolt on actually lose horsepower. I read on another site that some guy was planning to use a dremel tool to make the end of the divider tapered instead of a flat square end. I would think that would eliminate some turbulence but the guy never posted results.

cabecho · « **Reply #58 on:** November 19, 2012, 04:15:09 PM »

my have some work done in the end, i didnt fine it today i have a big mess since im moving the shop but as soon as i fine it i will take some pictures and the carb specs, i also have the flow chart for it after all the work i did to it. when i put it on the car and tuned it, it was a day and night difference, but nothing like the deuces side draft webers that i have now. a pain on the butt to tune but once you get them tune. it is sweet.

Clydesdale80 · « **Reply #59 on:** November 19, 2012, 05:18:07 PM »

I think it would be awesome to put a holley 6895 on it but mechanical secondaries would make it near impossible to avoid bog. From what I've read, the vacuum secondaries is what makes a four barrel carb streetable on these small engines. I am looking at sending my roller cam out to get a custom grind but it's still gonna be more torque oriented than high rpm. I'm not sure that with my setup the engine will draw enough air to fully utilize the secondaries. I have a big list of stuff to do before i worry about buying a new carb but It's something that i will probably end up playing with once the project is on the road.

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Author Topic: My first car is a 78 Pinto (Read 4053 times)