I have not had a Pinto since about 1987. I guess I forgot how much fun they are and how much attention they draw!
The day I trailered it home with no front clip or doors it seemed that every car I passed was checking out my Prize. (a'71 sedan).
Now I have had it for about a month, I have added tail lights, both doors, and 1 front fender. I have washed it up nicely and scraped all the AAA stickers off the bumper and it really shines!
Anyway, it is still missing a hood and the other front fender and has some grey primer on the roof where the sun baked the original paint off, so it is still not looking like a real show car by any means, However I had it parked im my driveway this weekend and I could not believe how many people slowed down to check it out or even stopped to comment on it!
I even heard a couple kids about 15 years old saying, "wow a pinto!, Man that is so cool"
They were right! owning a Pinto IS cool!
Yep, I have to agree!
When I first brought the Green Machine home, I was outside washing it only owning it for 2 hours. A car stopped and one of the guy's asked if I wanted to sell it! I couldn't believe it. Then on the way to the FFForever show, we were trailering the Ghost there and got several thumbs up signals from passing drivers!! It was cool!!
I can't wait to drive the Ghost to the Fun Ford Sunday show on the 13th!! ;D
Somebody actually left a piece of paper on my antenna the other day, a note reading "want to sell" and the guys' name and phone number. Fun stuff!!
Chris
Owning a Pinto is cool!? Well DUH! lol. :D
yea I love driving mine around because so many people stare and do double takes its almost laughable.
Sooo,
as I mentioned earlier in this thread, my back bumper is really shiny. Well, today I thought I could pull my trailer full of ATV's out of the garage without moving my pinto. Man was I wrong!
My fender on my trailer caught the drivers side edge of the rear bumper where it points forward and bent the heck out of it!
So I lost my job last week, wrecked my rear bumper today, I am afraid to go outside for fear I will get run over or struck by lightening!
The lesson learned was, dont be lazy, move the car BEFORE you move the trailer. I hate myself!
But I still have a cooler car than anyone in my neighborhood!!
I started driving mine aroung this spring while I am restoring it.People , smile , stare, double takes,thumbs up ,and generaly are amazed to see one on the road.When I get out of it in a parking lot people come up to me and start saying they haven seen one in years, that they or there parents had one.
Quote from: kaboom on August 24, 2009, 02:40:28 PM
My fender on my trailer caught the drivers side edge of the rear bumper where it points forward and bent the heck out of it! So I wrecked my rear bumper today,
Haha, that bumper is obviously junk now. Send it to me! I dont mind ugly stuff...
And the fun ov Pintos is that not many people know what the hell they are these days. I de-badged mine and painted it flat black and now no one knows what the hell it is. I get kids coming up and asking me what kind ov 'old import' it is. One guy thought it was a European car...
Yeah owning a Pinto is cool. The neat thing is everyone has a story. I have had all types of people want to know if it is for sale. When it was up at my buddy's shop for some work he had 5 phone calls from people wanting to know if it was for sale.
The one thing I have to get used to is the thumbs up deal from people. it really comes from all sorts of people. As an example, harley guy on motorcycle, Pro Street duster and a guy in a big 4x 4....
yeah Pintos are cool.......... ;D
Quote from: popbumper on August 23, 2009, 10:55:22 PM
Somebody actually left a piece of paper on my antenna the other day, a note reading "want to sell" and the guys' name and phone number. Fun stuff!!
Chris
Did the antenna fall off when he touched it? :P ;D Its not even screwed down...
I had a new ladyfriend over at my place this past weekend and she said she liked older cars. She pulled part of the cover off of the resting Pinto and started exclaiming how cool it is. Of course once she saw my Olds convertible, she was very much glued to that one... :laugh:
The antenna was fine, but my rusty inner fender near collapsed from the weight of the paper on the antenna. I think it was 20lb stock 8.5 x 11; people really should be careful with how they treat cars. ::)
Chris
That is a lot of weight to put on such a classic piece of American metal! People have no respect, it is sad ;)
Yes, My back bumper is junk now. I spent the better part of last evening trying to bend it back and between my floor jack, a come-along, and an 8# rubber mallet, it at least points the correct direction but the kink in it is permanent :'(
I looked on the websites of a lot of Minnesota junk yards this morning, trying to find the bumper as well as a left fender and hood. Not a lot of parts around here to be had. I will have to save my money and try to get them from Fred or someone else out East.
I STILL have a cool car, even if the bumper looks bad.
I am working on getting some aluminum bumpers and when i do the old ones and the beams and the shocks will be looking for a new home. The bumpers are in excellent condition. So why am I switching? Because the removal of the steel bumpers and shocks and braces are worth about 100lbs of weight. I will fab new mounts with tube supports which will mount the bumpers in close to the body. It will really change the looks for the better.
BTW: Once that is done, the old 75 bumpers and stuff will be free to whoever wants it.
jim
jim your bumpers are getting closer to being picked up ;)
i will let you know when fred gets them.
Quote from: hellfirejim on August 26, 2009, 12:53:36 PM
BTW: Once that is done, the old 75 bumpers and stuff will be free to whoever wants it.
Dammit!!! Wrong year...
i love to take my pinto out on a sunday cruise. its a orange 78 trunk model, it has the rare 13" old staggered width appliance mags on it, and only 78k on the odometer. for all intents and purposes the car looks new, out of all the cars ive owned it gets the most smiles per gallon! i get thumbs up from nearly everyone!
:D ;D :D ;D
Oh My!! I am so excited, I may need medical help!
I had my pinto sitting in the driveway today, doing some putsy stuff, when another Pinto rolls up. It is an orange one with a turbo that I have seen around but have never been able to catch. We do the custumary look see on each other's car and then he proceeds to tell me he has a hood, left front fender, and headlight bezels that I need to complete my car, and they are all RUST FREE. That is all I need for body parts except a new back bumper and the front apron.
I am going to check them out tomorrow and if they are as clean as he says, they will be mine!!!!!
It pays to have your car out for others to enjoy, I guess. A GREAT DAY!!! :laugh:
Quote from: kaboom on September 08, 2009, 08:08:22 PM
:D ;D :D ;D
Oh My!! I am so excited, I may need medical help!
I had my pinto sitting in the driveway today, doing some putsy stuff, when another Pinto rolls up. It is an orange one with a turbo that I have seen around but have never been able to catch. We do the custumary look see on each other's car and then he proceeds to tell me he has a hood, left front fender, and headlight bezels that I need to complete my car, and they are all RUST FREE. That is all I need for body parts except a new back bumper and the front apron.
I am going to check them out tomorrow and if they are as clean as he says, they will be mine!!!!!
It pays to have your car out for others to enjoy, I guess. A GREAT DAY!!! :laugh:
Wow, what great news!!! How exciting too, I have had my cars out and no other Pinto has ever come by!! I had someone stop and ask if I wanted to sell it, but no Pintos!!
maybe bobcats are not as cool as no one ever ask me if it is for sale but then maybe the look on my face says NOT FOR SALE.
;D
i do get a lot of complements and great stories though.
phil