Here’s a good story about an ignorant hillbilly kid from Pennsylvania with his first Pinto…

First off, you should know that I was born stupid.  I was so stupid, it was three or four years until I knew anything, and that wasn’t much because I can’t remember any of it to this day.  But by age nineteen I bought my first Pinto – a well-used ‘74 Runabout.  Paid $800.  It was one of the finest cars on the mountain where I grew up.  Naturally, I was proud.

But within six months it began burning oil and leaving clouds of blue smoke.  I wasn’t sure exactly what was wrong, but had a brilliant plan to solve it.  Thicker oil!  Problem is, my brilliant solution coincided with a February cold snap in the Pennsylvania back hills where I still lived with my parents.  But still, "cold snap" or no, I figured I’d give that clever idea a try.

So I bought five quarts of straight 50 weight oil, and changed out that "thin" oil for the better stuff.  That’ll do ‘er.  She won’t smoke now.  Next day was minus 10 degrees.  Uh-oh!

Yes, this is a true story!

Needless to say, I could not start the car.  The engine was seized by reason of the new oil.  But I had a solution for that too.  Turns out, we lived at the top of big mountain on a mile-long dirt road.  I figured I’d just coast down that hill and pop the clutch.  Nope.  No dice.  I swear I popped that clutch twenty times, but that seized-up engine would not budge an inch.  After swearing and yelling all the way down the mountain, the engine reluctantly came to life within fifty feet of the bottom.  Wheeuh, just in time!

I say "reluctantly" because that little banger bucked and fought for death for another two more miles before it finally gave up the ghost.  I walked home and cried.  My dad finally came out with some 10W-30 and revived it.  I never figured out how to stop that blue smoke and eventually had to get rid of it.

The good news is that I bought another Pinto to replace it!

I wish you better luck with this one. And that's a nice A ya got there.That has to be a lot of fun.

Hi newshirt!  I like your writing style!  My first Pinto was a '74 Runabout also, purchased brand new when I was 16 years old.  It was orange with black interior and I dearly loved it.  If you happen to change your mind about giving away the Model A, I'm always open to forming new friendships and accepting gifts from my friends!!!  LOL
Dwayne

I got you beat....My 1st car was a Honda AN600....It had an aircooled motor cycle engine in the car....One day it would not start,so I had my dad check it out. I said well it won't say running and he said did you check the oil ? I said check what ? I fried the motor because it used the oil and air to cool it.....From  day than on I'm a bit of a check the oil at least once a week freak....The Honda like most cars did not have an oil pressure gauge just an idiot light...As I have had allot of older cars that mark their spot I still check the oil, coolant etc.....Preven t a break down or you will walk.....allot .