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Pinto Powered Mustang Roadster
rob289c:
About 10 years ago I dragged the rear half of a 67 Mustang coupe home with the intention of making a trailer out of it to tow behind my 67 Fastback. My kids were young and if we went anywhere for more than a day trip, there was no cargo space in the Fastback trunk. The trailer was to provide additional cargo space. I never made the trailer. I thought about making a smoker out of it but that never happened either. I work 60-70 hours a week so my project time is limited. About 7 years ago I decided I would make a trike out of it and wanted to use a 2.3 Pinto motor as the power plant. As I've stated, I had 3 Pintos between 1983-89 and always liked them and the 2.3 engine. I looked for a Pinto and as you know, they aren't cheap and aren't plentiful. I found the 1980 orange one 5 years ago but couldn't make the deal. I waited 2 years, called again and this time I got for less than I originally offered. I dragged it home but it had to wait its turn as I had other projects in front of it. Last Fall I started doing the body work on the Mustang. It was a rust bucket and should have gone to scrap but I like to make something useful out of junk. I cut both quarters off, welded in new rear frame rails, new trunk floor, wheel houses, quarter panel skins, taillight panel. When I got the Mustang to build the trailer, I didn't want the roof. Once I started on the trike project, I realized the roof would be nice. I contacted the guy I got it from and he still had the roof. I acquired it last November, cut it down, and welded it back onto its original body. That was a chore...the lead in that area made it challenging to weld it back on. After the roof was tacked on, I put it away for the Winter and resumed in the Spring. I sold the 82 EXP I restored between 2014-2017 that my son had no interest in so it freed up floor space now it was the Pinto's turn. I got it to run, now the engine is out. Next is to fab a frame and mount the Pinto Power Plant onto the frame, then resume body work. If I can fab the frame, get the engine/tranny on the frame and get the body in epoxy primer, I will feel that I got a lot done this year. My outdoor and garage projects end in November. I am in the heating business so it's 7 days a week/70 hours until late March. Here are a few pics so you can see what I'm up to...
rob289c:
The driveshaft is going to be quite short...18" at the most. Does anyone have any expertise in driveshaft lengths and what are the limits in shortness? I don't want this trike to be very long so it's got to be short. The aircraft tow tractors I worked on in the Navy had very short driveshafts but I don't remember the exact length. This is going to keep me awake at night until I find out what the limits are. Any advice on the driveshaft and anything else that pertains to my project will be appreciated. I hope no one is upset that the Pinto is a doner...it's too rotted to ever see the road. Sometimes you have to know when to say that something has seen its better days. It's getting a second life in a cool project that is going to be my retirement toy. My Mustang and Harley will stay in the stable but this trike ids going to be cool!
dga57:
I can't wait to see the finished product!!!
Dwayne :)
rob289c:
I will be sure to keep everyone update on my progress. I'll probably have a million questions as I design and build it.
rob289c:
Tomorrow I am planning to start fabbing the frame for my project. I have about 12" of Mustang frame from the parking brake cable mounts-forward to tie into. I plan to use the forward leaf spring eye bolt as the positioning connection and use a couple of other bolt/nut attachment points, but then weld and add extra brackets to really make a solid connection between my "new" frame and the existing, old Mustang frame. I am going to try to figure out a way to tie it rearward to the rear Mustang frame rails so it is completely solid. I will send updates and likely ask for advice.
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