I was approached at a Malt Shop today about my car. Older fellow didn't know that Ford even put a V6 in a Pinto. I was asked about the car while paying for my water bill by the ladies behind the counter breaking thier necks to have a look at it throught the window. I was walking out of O'Relly's and a CHERRY '73 Runabout was backing out of the parking spot next to mine. He pulled back in to chat with me on my car. He poped the hood and there was a beautifully done Turbo 2.3 under the hood. He had the original Pinto slot mags, and even a vinyl roof. I took pictures and got his email address. While we were standing there chatting about our cars, another gentleman pulled up in a giant truck with trailer, stopped, and rolled down his window to tell us that it's rare to see just one Pinto in a parking lot. But to see 2 Runabouts side by side is even more rare. So apparently there are 2 Pinto Runabouts in Springtown, TX running around. I directed him to this website, and encourage him to join up.
Please everyone, share your stories about people asking about your ride.
The family and I were at our local Grocery store(fry's) and a father and his daughter were walking by, the little Girl made the comment, "daddy when I get to be able to drive can I have one of those, they are pretty") Girl was about 12 years old. the dad said i dont think by that time Id be able to afford one =D
My Automotive teacher in Engine Performance stated that he use to have a Runabout with Bronco 4x4 and a 289 Hi-Po. Sounds like a fairy tale to me but he's a total gear head. One day when I was out crusing in my 75 Bobcat, somone rolled up to me and asked what was done to my car? I lied my pants off and said it was stock, I've never felt like laughing so hard in my life. When teenagers get sight of an old piece of american history, they either hate or appreciate it seems like. Bobcat for life
It's not necessarily a fairytale. There is a '79-'80 Pinto Runabout in the San Diego (CA) area that has one that fits that description. He had it for sale here for awhile but you might find it on craigslist (San Diego). It's gold-colored and is HUGE! lol.
I get lots of great comments- and propositions (for the car, not me! lol)- whenever I drive my '71 red sedan around. "I love your car!", " I had one of those!", "How much are you selling that car for?" are among the statements I hear. I'd be in 7th heaven if I saw another Pinto that didn't belong to me around here. That's so cool you found a '73 with vinyl-top to boot! ;D
I didn't even know they put vinyl tops on these cars. I had never seen one till that day. He said he bought it for a dailer commuter with good gas mileage. The Turbo was already in it, but not finished. So he completed it. He said the white and green paint was original, and the slot mags were also on the car already when he bought it. I didn't think they offered the slot mags for Pinto until the late 70s when Ford was trying to boost sales with offering sport models.
That sounds like it was a Sport Accent Pinto... they had white with avocado vinyl-tops, lower body panels, and interior... green with white VT, lower panels (don't know about interior... orange with white VT, lower body panels, interior (and the white with orange VT, etc. ... and yellow with white (see previous schemes). I believe the Sport Accent Pintos all came with deluxe interior and forged aluminum wheels. Yes, early Pintos had those aluminum mags but had different center caps (smaller than the red-centered ones) that are black-centered with the requisite kicking filly. I would so love a Sport Accent Pinto. Oh... they were always Runabouts. At least in '73 they were.
This is exactly what you just described. The vinyl top was white to match the paint, but it did have that "Avacado" color interior, and the rear plate that the tail lights bolt too was avacato as well. It was fully optioned, and was a Runabout.
Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't my '78 the only year that the glass back was an option? I believe '79 and '80 when the body style was changed for the last time the glass back was made standard on all Runabouts, and '77 still had frames around the windows on the Runabouts. Does anyone know this for sure?
Becky,
I'll take your word on it for the 1973 model year, but in 1974 the Sport Accent Pinto was also available as a sedan. Geraldine (Original74's beautiful orange/white one) is a perfect example! Don't know about any other years.
Dwayne :smile:
Pat - that is way cool... I do not get much attention around here in my Pinto. Of course it usually takes something big to make them say something.
Yea, I want a set of those slotted mag wheels for my car. I need tires soon, so that would be a good time to swap.
Chris needs to get his done so there can be a pair of Pintos in Dallas!
(I also still have the urge to go to his house in the night and swap my wheels with his slots!)
Dwayne, you're right... they did come in trunk models. Somehow I missed that. It doesn't say in my '73 brochure whether the Sport Accent came in only Runabouts. I have never seen a trunk model Sport Accent, and I could've sworn Geraldine was a Runabout. lol. :amazed:
Becky,
I had never seen a trunk model Sport Accent either until I saw Geraldine and Jade in Tulsa OK a couple of years ago. Geraldine is one gorgeous Pinto!
Dwayne :smile:
Yes she is! ;D
Happy to hear there are some Pintos in Tulsa. I lived in Wellston OK a couple years ago and drove all over OKC, Edmond, and Guthrie and never even saw 1 Pinto. The funny thing is, I grew up in Guthrie OK, and there were Pintos EVERYWHERE in the mid 1990s. They are almost non existant around Dallas/Fort Worth any more. It's like all the Pintos vanished. You can definately find an old Chevy truck in DFW though. LOL
I have friends in Plano TX and I noticed the "old Chevy truck" thing the last time we were there! :lol:
Dwayne :smile:
my 77 hatch is all glass trying to find a new seal for it anyone have a clue?
Today I stopped at KMart on my way home from work (OT for Carlisle! ;D ) and while walking back to Ruby with my purchases a guy said, "This is your car? My Grandma had one! I haven't seen a Pinto in like 20 years!" After a minute of Pinto chit-chat he mentioned he DID see one recently (in the last couple years) at Escondido's Cruising Grand event. He said the license plate said "MR PINTO" and the car was baby blue. Is this someone we here know?
BTW, the guy who stopped me in the KMart parking lot said his Grandma's was a '74 red Squire model. ;D
DFW is a fad city where everyone tries to either "fit in" or "beat the Joneses".
Driving a Pinto is viewed as 'lowly' here, so most have disappeared. Howerver, I think driving a new little kia shouts 'cheap' much louder.
I like my Pony, as it is different and reliable. I also have fun driving through the yuppie neighborhoods.
I drove to the tax office yesterday to get YOM lic plates registered on my Olds vert and an older fellow told me he liked my 'classic'. I was confused for a moment and was wondering if he knew about my old plates for my Olds. THEN he said - "your Pinto!"
I drive it everyday, so i am not used to getting comments on it. The Olds stirs up conversation like wildfire and horn honks as if I had "honk if you're horny" bumper stickers all over it...
Had my Parents 1977 Squire Wagon at the repair shop the other day, and my mechanic said he probably had 10 people stop wanting to buy it. I always get a thumbs up ;D when I drive any of my Pintos. What use to be just a little economy car, is now something everyone admires. Even the teenagers love :-* my cars. Have a safe and happy holiday season. Larry :police:
I have had my Pinto in storage for quite a few years because I was restoring my 67 Fairlanes. I have finally got the Pinto out and had it for sale. However after working on it and driving it I found I was getting more comments on the Pinto then the Fairlanes so I think we will keep it. We are even giving it a much needed repaint.
sorry about the hijack but; Moonman. your profile pic, is that an Ardun conversion for a flathead?
i live in central oregon, and get lots of pointing and thumbs up when i drive my little orange 78 pony. its all stock except the 13 inch appliance mags on it.(see my avatar pic) i just lowered it using drop spindles and blocks. cant wait till spring and the weather clears. its gonna snap necks!!
Quote from: blupinto on December 08, 2010, 10:01:35 PM
It's not necessarily a fairytale. There is a '79-'80 Pinto Runabout in the San Diego (CA) area that has one that fits that description. He had it for sale here for awhile but you might find it on craigslist (San Diego). It's gold-colored and is HUGE! lol.
It seems interesting and is it sold or still available??If it is available then please share some pictures of it and also do let me know the asking price for it..I was looking for 79-80's Pinto for a long time and finally found one now.I hope this time i will get it...
Took mine out new years day, nuthin but waves and thumbs up. Cant belive I've had it 7 years already
Quote from: Angus on January 06, 2011, 03:37:04 AM
It seems interesting and is it sold or still available??If it is available then please share some pictures of it and also do let me know the asking price for it..I was looking for 79-80's Pinto for a long time and finally found one now.I hope this time i will get it...
If I can find it I'll be happy to forward the pic and info. It sits on a Bronco chassis and is Bigfoot-esque in size (well, the tires).
I've taken mine out before only to have people swear up & down that its a Gremlin or a Vega :mad:
I tell ya, I also have a 1973 Chevy Suburban 3/4 ton, and I get more head turns, comments, and thumbs up on my old green bean Pinto than I do in my old truck. I agree with the gentleman who called DFW a "FAD" metroplex. When I drive through fort worth, there aren't very many cars from the 80's or older anywhere. So to see me driving through in my old Suburban was one think that turns head, but not as much as the Pinto, and the Pinto is in worse shape. Then again, as I said earlier, there are TONS of old trucks in Texas.
Sadly, my old Pinto has to take a back seat and get stored. The tranny is slipping now, and I discovered the engine tap is actually piston knock. When my garage gets completed, the Pinto will get a total tear down and rebuild. Maybe next summer I can hit the famous cruise spots with my freshly built Runabout.
Pat, when did you go through FW?
The shuttle bus driver here at work saw a blue Pinto there recently and I figured it had to be you!
i get more attention from my pinto than my torino! a lot of people at school think its awesome i drive it instead of a nice car by choice. i wouldn't trade my pinto for anything. it has been called a hobo car numerous times. i love the attention even if its negative! most of it is oh i used to have a pinto! or my mom used to have a pinto! seems like everybody had one but now they arn't very common
http://beammark.net
What's funny is, I went to a San Diego County casino to play bingo Saturday andone of my so-called good luck charms was my Fresh Cherries blue Runabout. A lady sat across from me and saw the car and said her parents had one... an early red Squire wagon. Carbomb, yours looks like the one she described.
I had a woman tell me she lost her virginity at her senior prom in the back of her parents 72 wagon. :lol: Memories like that will never go away! I've owned many Pinto's over the years but the memories of my parents wagons is the reason I love and keep collecting THE PINTO... There was a time when my truck was broken and I needed to get to a motocross race I was entered in. I removed the seat,fuel tank complete front end slid the bike in the parents 72 wagon and went racing. I love these cars.