Looking back, way back. My most recent Pinto has really gotten me to think about cars I have owned, and those of friends and neighbors. This may be a long read, so lets see where this goes.
During my growing up years, my father had a 30 Model A Ford 4 door, and our neighbors had a 31 Model A Tudor and 37 Packard Roadster. They were not car collectors, these were work cars and they were just poor folk. Growing up with Model A Fords, being in and around them just stuck with me.
When I was in the Army, we were often called for mutual aid to assist a local fire agency, and one major fire was a warehouse filled with cars. The warehouse was a gonner, but there was time to salvage most of the cars inside. One car I remember to this day, and would later turn out to be significant, was a Model A Pickup we rescued.
After the Army and after college I was at work one day, still thinking about the A PU I helped rescue, reading the want ads, came across a 29 Model A Ford Pickup. That evening, it followed me home in tow behind my brothers 55 Chevy Stepside. This was 1967, and the Model A was all of 38 years old, a really old car at the time. Today, a 38 year old car is a 1972. What I always wonder, does a 1972 Pinto look as old today to folk as that 1929 Model A looked to me back then? Right now, 2010, Pintos are about the same age as Model A's in my day.
In high school, I had a 10 year old 53 Chevy, and in 1963, it was an OLD car. My daily driver now is a 99 Alero and its 11 years old, a year older than my 53 in was 63. To me it looks like a new car? What happened? Have cars stopped aging? I sure have not!
Back to Pintos. In 1973, with two young kids and a Mrs, time for my very first family car. My days of Corvettes and Novas were over (well for a little while anyway). In 1973, the Pinto wagon was in its second year, and I really liked how they looked and drove. It was really a fun car, and we went for a 73 Squire over a Vega Kamback wagon. Was that ever a smart move!!!!!. Once we opted for the Pinto, next came finding one we liked.
My wife is a real car gal I met while I was working for the Sports Car Club Of American, and she could really drive. She liked hot guys who could drive, and had a hot car (I guess I qualified for two fo the three). She had a 59 Plymouth station wagon, could really wheel that tank around. No automatic for her or me, so that really limited our choices of Pintos on dealer lots. . Most non Squires we saw were sticks, and most Squires were automatics. I sure wish I had taken photos of the dealer lots we looked at, probably 10 different dealers here in Northern California. Can you guys (and gals) imagine a dealer lot with 25+ Pinto station wagons, 1/2 of them Squires, and another 50 to 100 trunk and hatches? I was in heaven and did not even know it. Where is Mr. Peabodys Way Back Machine when I really need it!
For our Pinto number one, it had to be a Squire, a 4 speed, with air and no roof rack. Well, not one existed in dealer inventory in any color at the time, so we ended up as a factory order. We then had to make a decision as to color, and after another week looking at Squires, chose lime green metallic.
About six weeks later we took delivery of our 73 Pinto Squire, lime green metallic, 4 speed, air, w/w's, am/fm, rear window defroster, no roof rack, all vinyl interior, and convenience light group.
That Pinto served our family well, and many years and 160,000 miles later, it went to a new home. We were Pinto-less for the first time in years, and missed it from day one.
That is our story of Pinto number one. I'll continue later with #2 and #3.
...to be continued.
You make an interesting point about the ageless appearance of today's cars. The automobile, in general, evolved through some very distinct styles from the 1920's on up through the 1960's. Then, about 1970, something happened... the metamorphosis slowed a bit. Cars looked newer longer. In the next decade, minivans and the "upscaling" of trucks paved the way for the SUV's and crossover vehicles of today. You're right; my 12-year-old Durango fits in wherever I go today, whereas a 12-year-old vehicle when I got my driver's license 37 years ago looked ancient and totally out of style. I can't help but ponder whether this may have helped contribute to the decline of the automotive industry - without obvious planned obsolescence, customers had less reason to replace their aging vehicles. Just a thought...
Dwayne :smile:
Great story! I can't wait to hear more! :D
My 78 Sedan seems to fit in better than the 73 wagon does. Just don't see wagons made by any companies anymore except for Volkswagon and maybe Subaru. Other than that, not many cars have a "station wagon" appearance anymore.
I think the reason cars stay looking so new today is, and as already stated. There is basically minimal changes in their appearance now from year to year. It's funny, I had a 1999 Ford Mustang and until 2005, there was minimal change. I can't just look at a Mustang now and tell you the year. When I was growing up in the 70's, you could just look at a car and belt out the year without any kind of forethought at all. That was because each year, there was a significant change in the car's appearance. I can still go to car shows and point cars out to my kids and tell them the years, and they think that's amazing. I recall when I was younger, back in the late 60's and early 70's, there was a local Ford dealer in my neighborhood. My Dad would take my brothers and I there at the beginning of each new model year. At that time, prior to their release, the cars had to be stored inside and covered. The dealer would remove the covers for us so we could get a preview of the new model year, prior to their release. He would then take us to his office and give each of us a Ford Promo car of our choice. This was a great time for us boys...and something I'll always remember doing with my Dad. Gee....I'm really ready for a car show....I miss my early years.....Larry :police:
I like this thread, the poster really has a great story, and it brings up alot of interesting points.
As a manufacturing engineer, I see the changes in automotive evolution in a different light: technology. Fact is, back in the 50's and 60's, cars for any particular model year were actually designed several years BEFORE their release (ex: the 1955 Chevy was on the drawing board at least three years before it came out). Why? The technology of the time did not allow for rapid prototyping, so the process for capturing drawings and developing machine tools to build parts was done primarily BY HAND - meaning many, many people taking thousands of man hours across several years.
Take into account as well, the idea of car design. "Stylists" at the time like Harley Earl (again, Chevrolet), had to "imagine" what the public would embrace from a design perspective, and once a design was chosen, a manufacturer really had to "hope" the public would embrace it. Think of all the "bad examples" of poor design cues from Chrysler, Edsel, etc. Much of the uniqueness of early car design was because of the unique designers that inspired them. I am sure the designers had no idea some of their cars would be so hated, but they had to take a chance.
As technology "caught up", the 1980's saw more and more use of computers - however slow at first (but industry ALWAYS embraces technology before consumers), which allowed the man hours to drop significantly. No longer did you need to have large groups of men with mechanical drawing boards, hoardes of paper scrolls, and lots of "hand translation" of tooling. Nowadays, especially, all of the work is done within the computer, where 3d images are easily and quickly transferred electronically to machines that cut and shape parts, with less waste and better efficiency.
Todays' cars are generally designed by "committee", where public opinion polls and data drive design, NOT the clever ingenuity of crafted designers. THis is why they change little, and are more "boring" than their early counterparts. The most effective way to keep profits up is to build universal platforms, make small changes, and not "reinvent the wheel". Look what happened when Chevrolet changed the awesome, forever inspiring '57 Chevy into the '58 model BOAT with gaudy chrome and excess design. Can you imagine the amount of time and money that went into that change? Good thing the '59 model year was better :P.
Cars no longer define eras, they "fit in" - which is why old cars are collectable. They take us back to a "better time". They reflect crafty designers, and pride in manufacturing. Today's vehicles are watered down, mass produced, machine built, generic. Aside from a handful of automobiles, the year 2050 will not find many of todays young people wanting to restore vehicles from the 1990's on up.
Chris
Before the late 80's car styles changed drastically. Many and most before the mid 80's were VERY attractive and distictive. During the mid 80's and beyond, manufacturers were forced to raise mpg and one big factor was aerodynamics. By being able to use smaller motors in the same size car, this worked. The eurobubble designs came and will most likely never leave. This limits the different designs that can be built and restricted free styling of a car's exterior. Therefore, most look the same and a kia can look shockingly similar to a mercedes at a distance. Take off the badges and let others wonder! Trucks & suvs are heading that way, too due to tighting mpgs on them too.
The 57 Chevy shoebox is a GREAT looking car, but has all the aerodynamics of a brick.
It might roast its tires effortlessly, but top speed and economy was limited by wind drag.
Another limited styling issue is the ability to form plastic so easily and cheaply to save weight. Metal bumpers had to be replaced with plastic and styrofoam! Trucks even have plastic bumpers now (no longer worthy of their name, as you cannot bump anything with them anymore without tearing the paint off!)
The extra weight of more and more safety features, emission controls, and needless doo-dads requires that more weight be saved from other areas. I see this never reversing either.
The Pinto has that bubble shape that I disliked long ago, but makes it fit in with the modern bubbles. Of course those mileage robbing headlights are now taboo!
Rob, I have to disagree... IMO the Pintos look WAY better than today's eurobubbles! I do think they kind of fit in with today's cars, but I look at a modern car and its lines... then I look at my Pinto's lines... and my Pinto is more appealing in my eyes, because it has style than no computer made. Even my Rodeo has style... but the bodystyle changed a tear or two after mine was born... :-\ Huh... Rob, maybe I don't even know what I'm talking about... maybe I didn't disagree with you... ???
Blu, Note that I said "fit in" and not 'look like' or 'look better'.
When i was younger, i hated any rounded car. I loved the square 78 T-birds and early 80s Delta 88s and Cutlasses.
As i got more used to the modern crap back in the 90s, the Pinto fit in a bit due to its rounded back and did not look so different and 'old'.
Now days, I agree with you 100% - the Pinto does look better. It is rounded but NOT a bubble.
I like rain gutters, sealed beam headlights, chrome door handles that stick out, windows that are in-set, side trim, real metal bumpers, different color parts, etc. It gives character, though some give some wind noise...
I do not like euro headlights and everything so flush. Most everything now days is too monochromatic and plain, much like a shiney Easter egg.
I do like the look of my Pinto - so much I would have to say its cute......
I feel it has more class than any new car in its class, just because it is old and different, and stands out from the crowd. It has proven Ford's point on "economical to operate"!
The cost to repair a geo metro costs about 250% more than the Pinto. Rockauto has a calculator to figure that...
Quote from: 78txpony on April 22, 2010, 08:40:34 PM
Blu, Note that I said "fit in" and not 'look like' or 'look better'.
When i was younger, i hated any rounded car. I loved the square 78 T-birds and early 80s Delta 88s and Cutlasses.
As i got more used to the modern crap back in the 90s, the Pinto fit in a bit due to its rounded back and did not look so different and 'old'.
Now days, I agree with you 100% - the Pinto does look better. It is rounded but NOT a bubble.
I like rain gutters, sealed beam headlights, chrome door handles that stick out, windows that are in-set, side trim, real metal bumpers, different color parts, etc. It gives character, though some give some wind noise...
I do not like euro headlights and everything so flush. Most everything now days is too monochromatic and plain, much like a shiney Easter egg.
I do like the look of my Pinto - so much I would have to say its cute......
I feel it has more class than any new car in its class, just because it is old and different, and stands out from the crowd. It has proven Ford's point on "economical to operate"!
The cost to repair a geo metro costs about 250% more than the Pinto. Rockauto has a calculator to figure that...
Well said, Rob!
Dwayne :smile:
Rob, while reading through your reply I couldn't help to think about the differences in my Pintos (and all other classic cars for that matter) and my saturn ion (and all other modern cars). Now I finally can explain why I LOVE to drive my Pintos! They have character, just like me! :D
Is it just me or are we getting off topic? :P