I cant seem to find my current dream car. I have a yard fulla musclecars and one 76 Pinto MPG. The Pinto has popped a frost plug behind the engine (i think... i HOPE... otherwise its a cracked block). I need a good on gas commuter that will let me commute a 100mile round trip thrice a week for less than $8000 a month. A 71 Runabout 2L 4speed hatchback sounds about PERFECT... and i cannot find one (that doesn't cost thousands ov dollars anyway).
SOOO... i know a guy that is selling a clapped-out 71 Pinto ex-race car, that used to have a smallbock Chevy in it (ugh). Its missing a lot ov parts, but seems to have all the stuff i want to convert my rusty as hell 76 to a cooler, better, LIGHTER car. Its got (by the looks ov it) decent 71 full front clip, doors, rear bumper and valence, trunk (which will at least replace my rustier, heavier one), and probably a few other lighter parts to swap. I can get it fairly cheap. Hell, i could probably just throw all my rusty 76 stuff back on the parted 71, mount a SBC between the rails and sell it for what i paid for it when i'm done.
My 76 was a great car for the $300 i paid for it. It never let me down and i still cannot figure out why it was so goddamn fun to drive. I want another. This looks like the easiest, quickest, cheapest way to get close until i can find the one i'm looking for. Then all i'd need is to figure out whats wrong with the engine and we're off.... maybe even trade the rest ov the race car for the labor to fix it... Hmmm...
Sound like a reasonable plan...? ? ? I'm REALLY not looking forward to daily driving my 8MPG 72 440 Charger this summer...
Motorcycle..... 8)
I'm working on a 73 2.0L manual car right now to see if i can get it to get 30+ MPG, I just installed a 5 speed in it for the overdrive and will do the exhaust this weekend including a header and larger exhaust. way to nice of a car to use as a commuter but I am....
Quote from: RSM on May 18, 2011, 08:12:46 AM
Motorcycle.... . 8)
Giving me a crotch-rocket would be tantamount to giving Al-Qaida a truckload ov suitcase nukes... Just a baaaaaaaad idea. I'm just gonna go ahead and skip that idea.
Quote from: fast64ranchero on May 18, 2011, 04:02:39 PM
I'm working on a 73 2.0L manual car right now to see if i can get it to get 30+ MPG, I just installed a 5 speed in it for the overdrive and will do the exhaust this weekend including a header and larger exhaust. way to nice of a car to use as a commuter but I am....
My 76 MPG actually got some pretty goddamn ridiculous mileage... And it was about 400lbs heavier than i'd like. I also plan to stuff a T-5 in there and some gears to keep it ahead ov the Hondas (well, the slower ones anyways), plus header and full exhaust... which happens to be my specialty. I dont see any reason why they cant get 30... I know my 96GT gets mileage well into the 20's, and it burns way more gas than this rusty little Pinto ever did...
The MPG was rated at 30+ Highway MPG it's the gearing that changes things. BTW the 1976 had 110 horsepower as well...This of course is based on the EPA testing done during 1976 etc...
Here are a couple things you can do at very low cost to increase the mileage of your Pinto if you are freeway driving and not stop & go driving.
1. Install 15 inch rims in the back and then add taller tires. This acts as a gear ratio change. You will need to calculate the speedo change to figure out your correct speed and gas mileage. This link will help you;
http://www.differentials.com/calc.html (http://www.differentials.com/calc.html)
2. Replace your mechanical fan with an electric fan. The electric fan should turn on when actually need it. It should only come on when caught at a traffic light or heavy slow traffic. When moving it should be off.
3. Add a front & rear spoiler.
4. Remove any junk from the car to lighten it. Even the spare and jack.
I bet you pick up 5 miles per gallon.
My 1973 1600 stick shift gets 33-42 miles per gallon. 33mpg at 75mph and 40mpg at 55mph!