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Welcome to FordPinto.com, The home of the PCCA => General Help- Ask the Experts... => Topic started by: fromcal on February 27, 2014, 05:39:36 PM

Title: 289
Post by: fromcal on February 27, 2014, 05:39:36 PM
My wife just bought me a 29 mercedes gazelle kit car. The body is sitting on a ford chassis and there is a pinto motor in it. It has not been run, it has the motor transmission and rear end. Basically its a rolling chassis. I was thinking about putting ford 289 in it. In my younger days Ive built mustangs, a Fairlane and a ford truck. Never a kit car. Are there any manuals, etc. for putting a 289 on a pinto frame? Im certainly not a master mechanic, but I have rebuilt several motors. I dont really know where to start. Any Ideas?
Title: Re: 289
Post by: Cookieboystoys on February 27, 2014, 06:57:02 PM
hello fromcal, welcome to Ford Pinto... Pinto's don't have frames, they are unibody. The kit car you have is likely only using pinto drive line parts... and the frame is part of the kit? I don't know anything about the kit you have but just making a guess as to where the frame came from.


Title: Re: 289
Post by: Wittsend on February 27, 2014, 08:20:19 PM
I mean this as no insult to anyone posting, but this is the second or third person this week that has assumed the Pinto has a (separate) frame under the body.  Perhaps it is the significant use of the Pinto drivetrain used in other cars that brings about that assumption???
Title: Re: 289
Post by: amc49 on February 27, 2014, 08:36:23 PM
It just reflects how most don't know about how much unibody has taken over the world.

I too would suggest to OP that he first verify the 'ford chassis' there, he might well be looking at wrong type, may not even be Ford. Kit cars usually include their own frame.

The really popular use at one time of Pinto/ Mustang II front suspension on homemade rods probably figures in there too. Easy leap to make.
Title: Re: 289
Post by: dianne on February 28, 2014, 09:51:27 AM
It just reflects how most don't know about how much unibody has taken over the world.

I too would suggest to OP that he first verify the 'ford chassis' there, he might well be looking at wrong type, may not even be Ford. Kit cars usually include their own frame.

The really popular use at one time of Pinto/ Mustang II front suspension on homemade rods probably figures in there too. Easy leap to make.

Yeah, looking for parts for my Mustang II King always brings up other hot rods or when searching for cars on Craigslist.
Title: Re: 289
Post by: Wittsend on February 28, 2014, 04:38:56 PM
I did some looking around and I actually did find a number of these cars on line.  There seems to be two types.  The VW variant and one that uses the Pinto engine, trans., rearend and seemingly the Pinto (Mustang II) front suspension. So, that is likely why the poster said "Ford frame."  I couldn't find enough about the frame itself to state if it was purpose built, or actually used from some (other) type of Ford.

That said, if he is looking at using a 289 then it basically means replacing everything "Pinto" in the drivetrain (assuming a 6-3/4" rear) because it is not strong enough in the long run.  I'd recommend just getting it running with what it has.  Enjoy it for what it is.  Otherwise they would be better off at a "hot rod" site with more general experience in this area.
Title: Re: 289
Post by: dianne on February 28, 2014, 04:43:18 PM
I did some looking around and I actually did find a number of these cars on line.  There seems to be two types.  The VW variant and one that uses the Pinto engine, trans., rearend and seemingly the Pinto (Mustang II) front suspension. So, that is likely why the poster said "Ford frame."  I couldn't find enough about the frame itself to state if it was purpose built, or actually used from some (other) type of Ford.

That said, if he is looking at using a 289 then it basically means replacing everything "Pinto" in the drivetrain (assuming a 6-3/4" rear) because it is not strong enough in the long run.  I'd recommend just getting it running with what it has.  Enjoy it for what it is.  Otherwise they would be better off at a "hot rod" site with more general experience in this area.

WOW Wittsend, I gotta tell you that was pretty nice of you to do that for him!!! Thumbs up!
Title: Re: 289
Post by: Wittsend on February 28, 2014, 04:53:32 PM
I would have provided links, but they were basically "cars for sale". Well.., anyway, here is one showing the front suspension and describing the Pinto drivetrain. http://cars.yakaz.com/1929-mercedes-gazelle-kit-car#lo=4&docid=000a4e2n3qj72o3i

UPDATE: I found a full frame of the car! When I try and go to the link it is a dead end. But, if you go to this Google image link, go down 4 rows and over 4 images (as of 2-28-14) you will see it.
 https://www.google.com/search?q=29+mercedes+gazelle+kit+car+ford+chassis&num=100&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=5gsRU4fuMsHgoAT6z4I4&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAg&biw=1440&bih=783#imgdii=_

AND YET MORE: This is a hilarious promo video.  They mention Ford, Chevy or VW drivetrain so the body kit must be very versatile. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOvn-YcVUeU
Title: Re: 289
Post by: dholvrsn on March 10, 2014, 06:19:15 PM
I just had the wonderfully bad idea of dropping a 289 Studebaker V8 into a Pinto.


It's probably too much boat-anchor for some poor Pinto to stand....
Title: Re: 289
Post by: dianne on March 10, 2014, 06:41:50 PM
That video was awesome, I was waiting for the Beaver to come out! LOL
Title: Re: 289
Post by: cromcru on March 10, 2014, 08:39:09 PM
im king of putting a 47 thru 49 front model studebaker champion 6 into my pinto. measurements from the motor that i have says its possible
Title: Re: 289
Post by: Wittsend on March 10, 2014, 09:47:28 PM
I'm a bit confounded as to why one would put an archaic, flathead, (too long) six cylinder, off brand motor into a Pinto???  The parts are hard to come by and more expensive than any of the Pinto motors. Either you will have to use the Studebaker transmission or have an expensive "one-off" adapter built. It will require a custom driveshaft.

 In the end the Studebaker engine will have less power than any Pinto engine. It will get less gas mileage. And all that..., - only if the engine fits.  At least keep it "in the family" and use a Ford flathead four cylinder engine.  While still an odd idea, I guess there is some kind of "old meets new" charm.
Title: Re: 289
Post by: amc49 on March 11, 2014, 03:40:51 AM
Hey, they climb a mountain 'because it's there'.............. ....LOL

I too would not do a heavy swap like that just on a whim, it's got to be supportable by some sort of logic to justify the work. Maybe he has a garage full of Studebaker parts. Wow, someone more warped than me with all the AMC stuff. LOL.
Title: Re: 289
Post by: Wittsend on March 11, 2014, 12:33:46 PM
"Wow, someone more warped than me with all the AMC stuff. LOL."

AMC 49,
Yea, I seem to have "one of each" in the stable and "ideas" too. My '63 AMC American Hardtop (which I'm sure you know has the one year only roof) I want to drop in a Jeep 4.0.  Everyone says it is too long, but I see "ways." I saw a Corvair Station Wagon (I have one of those too) on "My Classic Car" that was set on an '87 Buick Regal frame. It was really nice and got me to thinking... ..  Then there is my '64 Studebaker Daytona I did a SBC 350/700R4 swap on.  BTW, I find it ironic that this post is titled "289" and while most people think Ford, Studebaker had one too. And of course my Turbo Pinto swap. 

So, I'm all for swaps, but like you I just found the one proposed lacking for a reason other than like you said, "because it's there."  I mean at one time I contemplated the 2.0 out of the Pinto into the '63 American - just because it was there. So, I guess it happens to all of us.
Title: Re: 289
Post by: rbabel123 on March 19, 2014, 09:08:12 AM
I have a 86 29 gazelle.  It has a 2.8 v-6 out of a 74 Pinto wagon.  The frame is from Classic Motor Cars in Miami, Fl.  You can get parts from MG magic.  Just about anything exterior.  You can put a 302 V8 and understand that's it pretty well bolts up.