PINTO CAR CLUB of AMERICA
Shiny is Good! => General Pinto Talk => Topic started by: Original74 on November 07, 2012, 12:52:00 AM
-
For those who know the story behind my Jade Pinto, I am quite certain I just put a full tank of gas in this car for the very first time EVER!
I bought Jade 6 years ago, rolled it over from 399 to 400 miles as I test drove it a few blocks. Verified that the original owner placed her in a barn, sat for 20 years, had 123 miles on the odometer when sold in 1999. I seriously doubt he stored the car for 20 years with a full tank of gas. A few guys between the original owner and myself, just no way anyone would have ever burned a tank of gas in this car.
Cars rot away when they sit. Had to replace the rag joint last winter, then a fuel pump, then just completed carburetor rebuild and gas tank replacement. Filled her up this weekend and betting it is the firsat time the fuel gauge has hit FULL. She starts and runs like new.
Dave
-
Hi Dave!
You're probably right! I never heard whether you were successful in your efforts to sell Jade or not. Have you decided to drive her now? You mentioned that once. Even if you do, I believe you'll probably always be able to lay claim to the lowest mileage Pinto in existance!
Dwayne
-
Hey Dwayne!
Good to hear from you. Yeah, I decided that if the market would only bear about 8K for this car, that is about half of what I could sink into a complete rebuild of another car, getting one to as close to new as possible. So I am going to drive her. Maybe some hot pants, a stripe, wheels, A/C. I don't think I could put too many miles on her in say the next 10 years to hurt her value too much. As much as I wish a 400 mile 34 year old Pinto is worth say 20K today, or 40K at 50 years old, it just isn't going to happen.
So, I am going to do what I did 38 years ago, get in the seat of a brand new Pinto and enjoy her. In '74 I had to, today I choose to, and what a good feeling that is.
Dave
-
Dave's riding in a 'sparkly' pinto... Rollin around in his automobile.- but it's a NEW pinto... How many folks can say that!! It's like a time machine, all you need is long gas lines... Wait that's happening now but not in ok.
What fun, you are the envy of the club... :)
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
Scott's right, Dave... you ARE the envy of the PCCA! Look at it this way: what you're doing with Jade now is a heck of a lot more fun than you'd have had with the money if you'd sold her! ENJOY!!!
Dwayne
-
Wow, what a dream come true! Very cool, please post more pictures!
-
I second Reddog! Let's see some more!
-Steve
-
Scott, Dwayne, thank you for the kind words. I keep having, not really second thoughts, but just hoping I am doing the right thing with Jade. I do realize that 'the right thing' is whatever I choose to do with her, but I keep thinking about is it selfish to take the lowest mileage Pinto known, and start driving it. Jade will soon become just another low mileage Pinto, as there are many out there, but I am OK with that. I had my fun holding off from driving her until I found out all the history on the car, and if I had never put her up on eBay, I never would have met the fellow who saw the car in a barn in 1999 with 100 miles on it.
I think I am good with closing that chapter of Jade's life, and opening a new one, one I do with pride. If you had told me in 1974 when I bought my first new Pinto that I would be able to get my hands on a brand new Pinto in 2012, I would not have believed you. I am almost 55 years old. If I drive this car when I want to, enjoy her, even in 10 years I doubt I would put 10,000 miles on her. Just think of this, she will only sit in the sun at an outdoor car show; probably never be washed with a hose and water, just wiped down; never driven in the rain; never hitting a wet road; never hitting sanded and salted winter roads. This is how I can treat this car for the rest of my life, and I know she will appreciate it.
One thing I want to do, hit my local Ford dealer and see if they have any interest in using Jade in advertising in any way. Maybe just park her on the showroom floor and let her draw interest to the dealership. Maybe just a dream, but there are a few folks out there with blue blood, if you know what I mean.
To Reddog and Alpine615, there are pics all over this site of this car. As I personalize her, I will post more pics. My dream is the American Racing aluminum mags, a hotpants kit in a shade of gold that will contrast well with Jade green, and some type of spoiler off the lip of the trunk. I also want some kind of stripe, not sure which, but I always liked the stripe that comes down the side, up around the back window over the top, such a classic Pinto stripe from the day. I also am thinking about vintage air, but I just might not drive her in the heat. Oklahoma heat was brutal on my Pinto's in the 70's and early 80's.
Well, this post is too long, don't want to bore anyone, more to come.
Dave