Pinto Car Club of America

If this site has a links page already (by the way, great new look and functionality; A+++) my apologies; otherwise, here's a starter with more specs:

http://pintopage.fordpinto.com/

Queries:

Firstly:  in the V6 models (75-79) are the FRAME engine mounting brackets the same as for the 2.3?  I.e., if I'm doing a 2.3T transplant, can I /should I include the V6 models in my search (for the 8" axle)?

Secondly:  Pinto specs list both the C3 and C4 trans; I hate to admit I don't know the difference unless it's the number of forward speeds (?)(!); but which models came with which?

Thirdly:  I believe it was with the 74s that the front suspension was changed?  And to what benefit?

Thanks.

1) Yes. According to my '75-'80 Haynes Pinto shop manual.

2) Not a tranny person, but while chatting with Brad F. I kind of gather that the C4 was an outgrowth of the C3. The C3 had plastic parts and the C4 is better. (My absolute apologies in advance because I'm probably dead wrong.)

3) '73 or '74. The earlier ones had drum brakes, the later ones disk brakes. I also think the newer ones got a bit beefier as the earlier ones were set up for 1600 and 2000 engines and the later ones were able to carry 2300 and 2800 engines.

Thanks for the info!  Answer 3 is not quite on the money, yet; the 2.0 Pintos had disc brakes on the front, too (including my 1972 sedan); so adding discs wasn't the reason for, or the benefit of, the changes to the front suspension.  Wasn't the change made around the same time as the M II was introduced, and the front suspensions are the same for both cars?  Perhaps it was directly related to the switch to the 2.3 motor, i.e., some kind of clearance problems.  I doubt there's any material difference in weights between the 2.3 and the 2.0 (indeed there's a web page that has all the weights of all the engines sold throughout the world; I'll see if I can track it down again).

I think you're probably close on relating the Pinto/MII platforms. My '74 has the newer front suspension, and to tell you the truth, I haven't "gotten into" my '72 at all. I can't even tell you if it has disks or drums on the front (2.0 engine) as I sit here typing this.