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Author Topic: Defending the Pinto  (Read 1809 times)

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Offline SeanP

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Defending the Pinto
« on: April 25, 2016, 12:00:29 AM »
Every now and then I get a crack about my Pinto's reputation of "exploding" and it pisses me off. I know the facts of total Pinto fire deaths, the Ford death memo etc. I've been on YouTube checking out videos of the Pintos history and documentaries of, you guessed it, gas tank fires. There's even video of high school and college students doing thesis on the subject. I guess it's a favorite and easy subject among professors. My big question is why does the Pinto come up as such a dangerous car when there have been way more deaths from runaway Toyotas, GM key switch failures and Jeep gas tank fires. No one is screaming about those death traps, yet the Pinto with it's 27 gas tank fire deaths is still the worst car. I get mad seeing on the lame worst car lists plaguing Facebook. Are there any video that defend the Pinto? It doesn't seem so bad in comparison to today's problem cars. I would like to make a YouTube video to put it all in prospective but alas, I'm no movie maker. I'm not even a registered member of YouTube. If I can help someone make a video let me know. Also let me know if others are already made.
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Offline dga57

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Re: Defending the Pinto
« Reply #1 on: April 25, 2016, 12:49:11 AM »
I'm not sure about the existence of any videos, but this site contains some very good information concerning the myth of Pinto's "exploding gas tanks".  In much the same way as any other urban legend, the story has gained an air of truth based simply on the fact that it has been around for so long and it was highly publicized at the time.  The PCCA has actively moved to educate and to correct that misconception but the old common knowledge still persists.  Sad to say, it probably always will. 


Dwayne :)
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Offline 76hotrodpinto

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Re: Defending the Pinto
« Reply #2 on: April 25, 2016, 09:34:31 AM »
People that believe that, just don't understand basic engineering. They just regurgitate some story they heard a long time ago. As far as I'm concerned, let them be scared of owning one. Leaves more for those who know and love these cars. One of the workers at the restaurant, that we had our Pinto meet at, asked if the legend was true, I smiled and said... Yep.
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Offline pinto_one

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Re: Defending the Pinto
« Reply #3 on: April 25, 2016, 02:15:50 PM »
when I go to a small car shows i am asked if I am afraid of getting blown up if I am hit , my reply is NO !, then I tell them the recall has been done and it was NOT the fuel tank , The plus side is that I did work for a ford dealer at the time installing the the (anti KaBoom ) kits (longer filler tube ), and why they at first had a problem , Yes I had been rear ended in my 72 , yep the fender spread out pulling the filler tube out of the tank , lucky I had only a 1/4 tank so no fire , then the next year in a new 73 I had a Bus slowly crush me in the back of another bus , (driver says his foot slipped off the brake pedeil ,) but full tank of gas , yep gas every where , lucky no spark , had to climb out of the window because the doors were jammed shut ,  very scary , but got a new 74 wagon after and later found out that the wagons did not have the tube problem , the mustang ii did not even though it had the same tank as the pinto , just a diferent fender layout like the wagon , yet I still hear it over and over , so I just tell them it could be worst , they could have a jeep with more than twice the people burned , or a chev truck that will carry you in the next after life or a runaway Toyota into a huge fuel truck ,   :o   

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Offline 72DutchWagon

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Re: Defending the Pinto
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2016, 02:44:23 PM »
Don't know if this will make you all feel better, but in recent years some 6 figure supercars have become well known for bursting in flames without being hit by something, for example the Ferrari 458 Italia and the Lamborghini Gallardo.
You can check out the pictures at www.wreckedexo tics.com/cat/wreck-fire .
The way I look at it, our (ahum, my) humble Pinto (speak for yourself) is up there with the best of them.

Offline dga57

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Re: Defending the Pinto
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2016, 06:51:46 PM »
One of the worst car fires I've ever seen happened with a (gulp) late model Jaguar XJL just like mine except in white.  It was Dick Van Dyke's car and he was pulled to safety by a passerby.  To my knowledge, they never found out what caused that one!


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Offline D1

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Re: Defending the Pinto
« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2016, 08:31:34 PM »
I hear it all the time during CTC and I have the wagon.(of course you know that Sean) Most people haven't done research and as stated just go off stories they've heard.
Thanks
May the Lord bless

Romans 14:11(KJV)

Offline Wittsend

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Re: Defending the Pinto
« Reply #7 on: April 25, 2016, 10:34:20 PM »
What years was the recall kit installed on?  I have a '73 wagon and the 6-3/4" has been swapped to a 8".

I'm a bit confused because I've heard two causes of the fires. One is that the filler neck is too short and the other that bolts/nuts on the 6-3/4" would puncture the tank. I've seen that "shield" and frankly it looks like if something can puncture a steel tank, it would surely go through that plastic too.

 And to add to the confusion I've heard that wagons never were part of the recall?  The said reason was that they are longer in the rear and did not collapse like a two door sedan did.  To save me from reading a plethora of info on the subject what is the (true) Readers Digest version - please.

BTW, when I tell them the Pinto has a turbo motor I joke that either I will outrun the flames or I'll consume fuel so fast it will quickly be exhausted of something to burn. :-)

Offline pinto_one

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Re: Defending the Pinto
« Reply #8 on: April 26, 2016, 06:56:11 AM »
The wagons were not in the recall , all of the sedans were , the reason was the fenders are straight and the surports inside were also , they did not spread out when hit , the back end would bend down some and not pull the tube out of the tank , but noticed later all pintos got the long filler tube so not to have two different part numbers , they are all the same ,

76 Pinto sedan V6 , 79 pinto cruiser wagon V6 soon to be diesel or 4.0

Offline D.R.Ball

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Re: Defending the Pinto
« Reply #9 on: April 27, 2016, 03:16:25 PM »
If you feel a need to defend the Pinto just as these people a good question . If the Pinto was such a fire trap why are so many on the road...Just how many Chevy Vega's , Dodge (Crickets?), Datsun, Toyota or other econo boxes from the time period are still on the road. Or the next generation (Anyone seen a Chevy or any Dodge econobox cars lately ? 1980's )...Nope! Not many. Having an mechanical design (engine , trans, rear end ,steering rack etc.) that was used for so long in so many other cars and trucks was an achievement in it self...List Mustang II and the 1979-89 Mustang , Ranger, Aerostar, etc. Yes why not a Pinto... At least you can find parts for it and drive it...

Offline sedandelivery

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Re: Defending the Pinto
« Reply #10 on: April 27, 2016, 09:20:07 PM »
Pontiac Fieros were noted for catching on fire, I have personally seen one in flames.

Offline 65ShelbyClone

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Re: Defending the Pinto
« Reply #11 on: April 29, 2016, 08:24:37 PM »
Media exposure and the internal memo leak probably did the most PR damage in my opinion. The public at large has an attention span shorter than a fruit fly's, so when a Pinto catches fire, everyone forgets about the prior decades of cars with lap belts or no belts, solid steering columns, trunk floors made out of gas tank, and the abundant fatalities that resulted from them.

Ask anyone who knows what a Suzuki Samurai is and they'll probably respond with something about them being dangerous and prone to rollovers in much the same way people think of Pintos catching fire (and the notion is about as [in]accurate). Consumer Reports had a lot to do with that one.

I have to defend my Pinto a bit at work, but I play it off by playing along. I say "that's why I made it fast; to not get hit from behind."  ;)
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