Since no one seems to know this is on the Pinto Times thread, I thought you all might want to see it.
Pshop, prototype, or custom?
Tell me more about this Pinto Times thread.
Pinto Times is the forum for subscribers to the Pinto Times magazine. They get sneak peaks of goodies and what not, we've actually just started utilizing it. It is in the list of forums on the home page. The Sportina was a concept car from 1973, and featured different elements from cars in the Ford line. I'll be doing a photo spread on it in the next issue of the magazine.
I can't find it :lost:
Quote from: FlyerPinto on May 11, 2010, 10:55:08 AM
Pinto Times is the forum for subscribers to the Pinto Times magazine. They get sneak peaks of goodies and what not, we've actually just started utilizing it. It is in the list of forums on the home page.
It's two above General Pinto Talk, at the bottom of the grouping beneath PintoCryer.
I can't find it either. I'm very interested in this Sportina though!
Nope, can't find it. I am logged in and am a subscriber to the magazine, so......help!
Chris
Quote from: popbumper on May 11, 2010, 01:25:46 PM
Nope, can't find it. I am logged in and am a subscriber to the magazine, so......help!
me too, can't find, logged in and a subscriber...
this is all I see when looking where flyer pinto suggested :lost: :lost: :lost:
(http://i438.photobucket.com/albums/qq103/cookieboystoys/misc%20pics/fpmag.jpg)
Well I guess I need to drop Scott a line. When I log in it's there, and I picked up a message from a post there already, so someone can see it. Were you able to see the photo of the Sportina in this thread?
The BIG question!
Does it still exist??????
Not that I've been able to determine. However, my plan is to create one from my second Bobcat for the magazine. I have a lot of photos...
FYI - a few years ago Ford auctioned off a lot, if not most, of the concept cars they still had in house and gave the proceeds to the Juvenile Diabetes Association. This was because one of the current Ford family members (Edsel II if I remember correctly) has a child who is diabetic.
From what reading I've done over the net, it was the Ford Pinto Sportiva and was built as a one-off concept in 1973. It was displayed at the New York auto show that year and then the next year a similar concept named the Sportiva II was displayed in 1974 based on a Mustang II. I don't think it went into production either. The Pinto Sportiva used a integrated roll bar for structural support and some custom touches in the interior as well as the front grill was different than that of a current Pinto (resembled a '76 grill with Maverick parking lights). The car was a manual that was powered by what looked to be a 2.3 liter. I can post the pictures I found when I get ahold of who has the copyright to them...
I have info on the builder and am contacting him to see if I could get any more information on the car or its current state of being, as well as permission to share the pictures he has of the car.
-beegle55
Cool. The photos from the Ford archives call it the Sportina and it is included in the 1973 Concept Cars file. It was badged as a Pinto model, but they didn't have anything else on the car in the files as to when or where it was displayed. I do have photos of the interior, and photos of the Mustang variant as well.
I was thinking about this car when I came back from Dearborn. If it still existed it would be really cool, but I honestly don't know if it does. Beegle, if you can get in touch with the builder that would be awesome, but how on earth did you come up with it? If they have design notes or anything they would be great to see. I can say the interior was different - there was a chrome trim ring around the shifter that had the shift pattern etched into it, which was really neat looking. The odometer was vertical rather than horizontal, which I've never seen before, the console above the shift had different gauges as well, and the instruments (speedo and tach) gave the impression of high speeds and rpm's based on the numbers on the gauges themselves. The photos of the targa roof show only rudimentary mounting holes for a panel, nothing with latches or hooks that could be seen. There is a lip at the top of the windshield and at the top of the rear window structure, but nothing that looked other than a means of putting the roof panel on for looks. I could be wrong, but that's all that is visible in the photos.
Quote from: FlyerPinto on May 11, 2010, 04:05:57 PM
Well I guess I need to drop Scott a line. When I log in it's there, and I picked up a message from a post there already, so someone can see it. Were you able to see the photo of the Sportina in this thread?
Matt,
Need that list of subscribers from you so I can enable that part of the site for them...
I can get that turned on when that happens,
Really neat- I've see one photo in the past of this car but it looks like you found more info,, Great!!
I'll e-mail the list from home tonight, thanks, my fault for the foul-up everyone.
I just did some google-ing and sifted through page after page of nothing relevant until I found the online gallery of one of the designers. He is a deco artist who now lives in NC and is mostly retired, but he was on the build team of the car. He helped design the targa top and front grill, as well as delivered the car to Ford. He hasn't responded yet but if he does he has some good pictures and I'm sure will provide some great info and I will keep everyone updated.
-beegle55
That chrome ring that goes around the shifter sounds like one I saw in a 72/73 runabout/sedan at AutoWrex in Burley Idaho here.
In a couple of the photos I have you get a pretty good view of it. The design is actually rather elegant, I've not seen it done before.
I would so love to see more of this car. The wagon might not stay a wagon now! lol
I'm right there with you on that one. I've already earmarked my secondary Bobcat hatchback for the conversion, if conversion is the right word. A Pinchero and one of these in the same garage? My God we would be legends!
Here's a thread I found on the MII forums:
http://www.mustangii.net/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10729&whichpage=1 (http://www.mustangii.net/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10729&whichpage=1)
And a webpage with a photo of the rear:
http://www.automotivetraveler.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1008:automotive-photos-and-posters-now-available-from-automotive-traveler&catid=42:the-rear-view-mirror&Itemid=131 (http://www.automotivetraveler.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1008:automotive-photos-and-posters-now-available-from-automotive-traveler&catid=42:the-rear-view-mirror&Itemid=131)
Some photos here to, one of production!
http://www.pbase.com/czechman/asportiva (http://www.pbase.com/czechman/asportiva)
Those are really sharp. I think that is the guy beegle55 is trying to contact about the car. I found his website the other day after beegle posted where he had gone. Those Mustang II threads are nice, I have a version of that same photo with the kid in the backseat, and possibly a couple more. I really want to build this car; I think it would be eminently cool. In truth, other than front end modifications and the actual engine location, the car bears a strong resemblance to a Fiero. The trunk in the Sportina/Sportiva must be huge, though I've not found a photo of it open anywhere as of yet.
I agree with the huge trunk idea. From the look of the quarter panels and the one production picture, it appears the car was a wagon.
I fell asleep last night trying to think of what type of trunk off another Ford might fit. A Fairlane?
Yeah that last site was the one I found. I think I actually got his e-mail and mailing address off of a different site but I can't remember. I haven't got any reply yet but we can always hope...I'm sure he could add a lot of great information that would help anyone who wanted to build one. Fingers crossed...
-beegle55