PINTO CAR CLUB of AMERICA

Shiny is Good! => General Pinto Talk => Topic started by: FordMavGirlLori on June 04, 2015, 06:40:08 PM

Title: "Sample" Radio? - maybe you can help me
Post by: FordMavGirlLori on June 04, 2015, 06:40:08 PM
My apologies, this is my first post in the forums. If this is in the wrong spot, please move me!

I aquired a bunch of boxes of car parts from my Grandfather who worked in the Ford Experimental Garage. I decided to go through tghe boxes this evening and came across this radio. I have no Pinto knowledge as of yet and google keeps letting me down. Does anyone know if this radio even came out in a Pinto or Bobcat? Any help would be appreciated and I will do my best to answer any questions. Thanks in advance!(https://www.dropbox.com/s/du16zugfnluihyj/2015-06-04%2018.48.41.jpg?dl=0)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/xnj21nrlilllwrc/2015-06-04%2018.49.04.jpg?dl=0)
Title: Re: "Sample" Radio? - maybe you can help me
Post by: FordMavGirlLori on June 04, 2015, 07:04:19 PM
Struggling with attachments on my phone.
Title: Re: "Sample" Radio? - maybe you can help me
Post by: Pintocrazed on June 04, 2015, 09:29:38 PM
I'm only 29 and only owned a pinto for a year but I've seen many interior pics with factory radios and I definetly never seen that in either one.not saying they didn't because my knowledge of pintos and bobcats aren't that vast.but your're in the right place.theirs lots of older older guys ( no offense) that know these cars like the back of their hand
Title: Re: "Sample" Radio? - maybe you can help me
Post by: 71HANTO on June 04, 2015, 10:40:41 PM
It looks like the display is digital but none of the Pintos came with anything digital. The only thing digital in a Pinto were your ten digits on the steering wheel. Yes I am one of the older, older guys...

71HANTO
Title: Re: "Sample" Radio? - maybe you can help me
Post by: 65ShelbyClone on June 04, 2015, 11:15:36 PM
That red LED style was used quite a bit from the early to mid 1980s, but not in a Pinto-based model that I know of. Being an engineering sample could easily mean that it was tested in a Pinto/Bobcat and never put in production.

That's the story of an engineering sample really. There may have been plans to keep the Pinto line going longer before it got axed and that radio was destined for '81 models that never were. Much like there were plans to replace the Fox3 Mustang chassis with what became the Probe (fortunately that didn't happen) or to build a 270hp 16v version of the Mustang SVO for '87 (unfortunately that didn't happen).
Title: Re: "Sample" Radio? - maybe you can help me
Post by: FordMavGirlLori on June 05, 2015, 03:41:06 PM
Thanks for the insight! The question now would be does it hold any value to anyone seeing as it was never actually put into use or is it a scrap of history that should be forgotten?
Title: Re: "Sample" Radio? - maybe you can help me
Post by: enzo on June 05, 2015, 04:52:53 PM
Looking at the part shown (XD8EF-) the first series indicates it was indeed 1978, and the "X" means it was experimental.  As far as value, well, almost anything that was one off is of some value. But, to who?, the person who designed and built it? Most certainly. Maybe a car museum. It just depends on how much time and effort you want make.
Title: Re: "Sample" Radio? - maybe you can help me
Post by: FordMavGirlLori on June 05, 2015, 07:18:22 PM
Those are the million dollar questions. Time is not an issue, i'm in no hurry. I just hate the fact that stuff like this is rotting away in my garage when there may be somebody somewhere who actually wants it. I need to figure out who to call.