I have a fully loaded '78 Pinto Runabout glassback. It has the original 2.8L V6, auto tranny, power steering, power brakes, wood grain interior, luxury seats, rear window defogger, and factory airconditioning. According to the research I have done, the glass back was an option in '78 for the Runabout. Also the V6 was a pretty common option for the wagons, but not the Runabouts. The first V6 was offered in '75 for wagons only. In '77 or '78 Ford offered the V6 option in the Runabouts as a sport model option to boost sales. Most people didn't buy that option unless it was a wagon. Mine runs and drives pretty good. It needs quite a bit of cosmetic done though.
My question to everyone is this. Will this car EVER be worth any money? I want to do a lot of things to the car to make a really cool head turner, but I don't want to cut any sheet metal or interior plastic if this car will be on the collector's market down the road. With the options my Pinto has, it would be worth a lot more as a stock Pinto than a highly customized Pinto if the cars were to make it on the collectability markets.
Does anyone have any insight on this? Jay Leno posted on his site that cars like the Pintos are climbing the collector's car market now.
With all due respect, that's sort of like asking if the stock market is going to go up in the future... there is no real definitive answer. Jay Leno is correct in that prices have been rising. Interest in these cars is on the rise also; note the 6000+ members on this site! In almost any car, first and last years of production will be more valuable, and yours does not fit that criteria. On the other hand, highly optioned cars also tend to retain value better, so your car definitely qualifies on that count. Stock vs Custom can be argued either way, but I personally prefer stock. Your Pinto is destined to become somewhat more valuable as time goes on, simply because of its rarity. Jay Leno is a definite car guy and he's absolutely right that these cars are just beginning to come into their own on the collector market. If I were you, I'd invest my money in a high quality restoration rather than a bunch of personal modifications that a prospective investor/purchaser may or may not want. Whatever you decide, have fun with your Pinto!!!
Dwayne :smile:
I agree with dga57. They will continue to rise in value but the cars that will be worth the most are the original ones. Not just the low mile ones, but the original restored ones. Little BS mods, in my opinion, make the car worth less. You do have a rare-ish car. The non-wagon V6 is a rare beast and the fully loaded nature of your car is also a nice touch. I am an option whore; I love them. My advise? Clean it up little by little, park it in the garage and cover it, put some miles on it and enjoy it. If you are concerned with value, you are in the wrong hobby. If you want to have fun, drive through the country with the wind in your hair, go on a road trip, meet people and enjoy your life, then do it. Cars are meant to be driven (which is why I don't like trailer queens).
Have fun!
To Alberto's point.......
"but the cars that will be worth the most are the original ones".
Absolutely. This is why I am approaching my own restoration the way I am. I certainly ENJOY seeing the cars that have the big V8's, the radical drivetrains, the paint and body changes. After considering all of it, and the amount of time/money/effort I would be investing, to me it makes the most sense to keep mine very close to original, because:
1) It makes the car that much more unique (there are few cars that have been restored to near original spec)
2) It respects the vintage
3) It reflects the original character (from a styling and era standpoint)
4) It provides an opportunity for the general public to see the car "the way it was, when it was".
The more I get accomplished, the more excited I get about it being done.....
TO THE OP: If your car is mechanically sound, and just needs cosmetic freshening, pay time and attention to getting it refreshed, and enjoy it for what it is. People appreciate vintage, and our precious 70's vehicles will be some of the last to ever be restored. Nobody's gonna pull 1985 Zephyrs out of the junkyards 20 years from now for restoration....
Chris
Thanks for the replies everyone. I do know a lot about these cars. I just wanted to see if my opinion was along the same lines as other Pinto enthusiasts. This Pinto is my third. I am a '70s baby. My father has owned a couple when I was young. I had a '77 coupe at 17, a '74 Runabout at 19, and now in my 30's I have this '78 Runabout V6. I have never owned a V6, and surprisingly it has a lot more power than the 2.3. The factory HP ratings though don't really reflect that much horsepower raise on paper.
I have been around classic cars for many years. I don't care for newer, tighter, plastic cars much. My daily driver is a '73 3/4 ton Chevy Suburban. It too is fully optioned out. As I have researched that truck, I found out that it was worth more as a restored original than a butchered up aftermarket beast like "every other classic chevy truck out there". I was thinking the same would ring true on this Pinto as well. The problem is I have to put aftermarket gauges in the car because I can't find an original gauge cluster anywhere. When I pulled the cluser out to replase the light bulbs in the dash, the white plastic backing came out in peices. After searching all of Dallas and Fort Worth junk yards, I finally found one in a tiny town 60 miles north east of Fort Worth. He had two pintos. I pulled the cluster out of both, and they did the exact same thing. So I am putting some aftermarket gauges for now, but I won't cut the original wire harness.
Pattywagon:
Sent you a PM. Did not realize you are close by, thought I'd drop you a line. Let's go junkyarding sometime - Rob (78TXPONY) and I stripped out a '78 last year in South Dallas, got plenty of good parts off of it. I know of some more Pinto "stashes", let's go dig.
Chris
Quote from: popbumper on November 23, 2010, 10:06:45 AM
Pattywagon:
Sent you a PM. Did not realize you are close by, thought I'd drop you a line. Let's go junkyarding sometime - Rob (78TXPONY) and I stripped out a '78 last year in South Dallas, got plenty of good parts off of it. I know of some more Pinto "stashes", let's go dig.
Chris
I need to move :)
I have a 1976 just like yours...all the options, looks brand new, V6, 40K orignal miles. I paid $2,100 on EBAY. With about $2,000 in restoration costs, I'd guess it's worth $4,500 - $6,500. Top end for a Pinto I've seen: $12,100 for a perfect (and I do mean perfect as in like brand new) Squire wagon. If you want a great guide to values, get a copy of the most recent Pinto Times (available on this website). This is the most comprehensive guide to values I've seen.
Hope that helps!