Hey all, just a little fun i wanted to share. A quick story about the car and its origins. My father gave it to me when i was 16. I didn't get to drive it right away, insurance and money in general was the issue. It was totally stock of course but from the get go, i wanted a V8 conversion. Well I started driving it in '88 after i started working for my Mom and Step dad in their Feed Store. All the while i just Drove and fixed, drove and fixed, with small "upgrades" along the way between 88 and 03. Uno, cam, header, straight pipe etc,etc. Nothing major. I had fun with it every now and again but really it was my only car so i had to keep it easy. Of course i get from just about everybody " why are you pouring so much time, effort, and cash into this car?" "cause i like the Car!" Nuff said!
So fast forward to these days. I started to swap a 302 back in 03 before my 1st Daughter was born. A great friend helped me out with a free place to do this and all the free electricity i could use.(grinder, welder, light etc.) That lasted over 3 years at his place.( yeah he's still my friend!!LOL) It wasn't even near finished but the major stuff was done there and the engine was sitting properly and the headers were in place just needed... well everything else! I'm a nit picky major pain in the butt to other people about that, but i don't like calling it done till its really done Uno? Moved it to the apartment parking complex and worked on it for about 6 months and then was told to move it till its running. Then off to the father in laws place. That lasted till the wife and i hada major fight. Everything calmed down and the Pinto found a home back here at the apartment closer to being done but yet so far. So i worked on it "illegally" for the last 2.5 years here off and on with sometimes major amounts of time of doing nothing at all. Finally got it turn key about 2-3 months ago and talked about a couple of times here on FP.com.
Well my father has been in IDAHO for just about all this time, as he moved there about 6 years ago. Id talk about the car to him occasionally and share some pics but I never really got a excited response. I love my Dad but sometimes hes just not very into car stuff. Hes a Model Airplane NUT and cars have come in a distant second to him for many, many years.
So i get a call from him about a month ago that hes finally coming down to see us all on Labor Day weekend! Great news! Hes going to be here about 10 am sat morning. I cant wait to see him and show him the car.
Well the car was in a state of dis-assembly with no front suspension at all under it. I was redoing the front suspension because it needed new lower bushings and a bump-steer kit cause it was all over the road. Ive spent the better part of a month blasting and painting everything i could in hopes that this would be the "last time" i do this. (yeah right) Since I'm a "procrastinator especial" i waited till last Thursday to start re-assembly. I give up at 2am Friday morning and start again after the kids go to bed at 10pm Friday night. I figure ill have it back together about 2am tops. Well I finished about 9:30am the next morning with 1 20 min nap in the car port about 2:30am ! LOL! I was running on pure adrenalin the whole rest of the day.
My dad shows up about 12:00 which was great. We left for lunch to go to BOBS BIG BOY (where he hasn't been in over 6 years!) And at first we thought "OK well all squeeze in the Focus. All 5 of us. ( the wife is thin and can squeeze between the car seats in the back. Its Really tight though. So we get down to the carport and I'm showing him the car. He's awestruck! He just kept telling me how great it looks and how sano the install is. I was soo happy to hear that. So he says "Ok lets go eat so we can get back and i can take a ride!" I say, "well why don't we take it!" DONE! Lets go!
I got the thumbs up a few times on the way to Bobs and we had and absolute Blast! Showin off and breaking a few laws in the process! hehehehe!
Just a great time even though it was too short. We even had the LAW follow us for a short stint. Good thing he didn't see me 5 min earlier!
We got to BOBS Had lunch and went to see the new place. Lets face it though, it was all about the car!! LOL! My Dad Loves the car. It reminds him of the 65 Mustang that he had back from 75 to 84. The same Idle, the same sound, the same smell! (gotta love a Holley and lumpy cam!)
So here is a pic at Bobs of my Father and I with the Car. Thanks for reading and letting me share!
(http://i352.photobucket.com/albums/r332/71hotrodpinto/th_IMG_6595.jpg) (http://s352.photobucket.com/albums/r332/71hotrodpinto/?action=view¤t=IMG_6595.jpg)
Man what a awesome story!!! So glad you got to share that with your father. I have a 22 year old son that loves cars he helped me with my pinto build. he came up thursday after work, hadnt seen it off the jack stands yet, he was so stoked. I asked him if he wanted a ride he was very ready. I hadnt really got on it yet but we went down the road i slowed to a slow roll in first and pulled the trigger, man what a rush. When we got back and he got out and i could see on his face he was proud of our work. I told him soon as we get he exhaust on and i got her legal he could drive her to work and show her off.
But really glad you were able to get her ready before your dad got in. thanks for sharing.
Hey thats kina funny, Your son is the rider and you the Dad are the builder! Cool! Yah i wish my Father would have been involved in the build. When i told him what i wanted to do 6 years ago he kinda was like "Hmmmmm..." He didnt like the idea because of a new child on the way etc. Really the only issues along the way was the wife/car issue and spending money on it. Hell ive just under 7000 in it. And over 6 years thats around 1100 a year! Dont know of car that is that cheap!
Anyways, Get some exaust on that thing! For cheap mandrel bends go JC whitney. Buy some 90s, 45s and some hangers and get it "muffled" Just a note i used the rear seat belt bolts for a mounting points. 7/16 20 nuts with some thread locker over the end of the bolts and i was done.
GL! And maybe get some vids of that beast goin up here.
Yep, I agree, awesome story!! That is so cool your Dad is likeing the car now!! Glad you guy's had a great day out in the Pinto!!! Bet your Dad loved all the attention it got!!! ;D
That really is a great story - with a happy ending!! Can't wait until mine is done, because I want my son (10 yo) to enjoy it also. He doesn't get it now, hopefully he will one day. I am very glad you and your dad could share those moments!!
Chris
That is great man! I love hitting up Bob's in burbank! You are in sun valley huh? I go there all the time! I'm in west covina! Email me your info and cell if you want and I'll keep you abreast of any events we do here!
Quick reply
WILL DO! that would be sweet.
I got to get off this computer right now and do some packing. Will get yoou the info very soon.
Later!
Robert
Wow, cool ride. All these builds on here are so inspiring, It make me just wanna run outside and work on my car. Damn i wish parts were free. anyway very nice car, loved the pictures and the story.
Congrads man, looks great,I know what it's like to build a car or cars with family. Keep it up hope to see it soon.
Paul
HI,i'm pow from Thailand I like your pinto very much could you please take more pinto pic.? many angle , thank you. :showback:
hey what type of oil pan did you use on your car. I looked all over for a baffled deep sump pan and i never found one.
great story. Bob's Big Boy in Whittier in the "60's was THE hot ticket.