You know late model used car prices have been going through the roof along with classic car prices. However the Pinto has remained a low cost option. You can have your classic car and drive it too. (So this really is one time when you can have your cake and eat it too!)
In addition Pinto's are reliable, easy to work on, and can get good gas mileage.
So again the question:
Do you use your Pinto as a regular "driver" ? What's your reason either way?
Nope... 2004 Malibu Maxx: just about every option in the book- heated seats, electronic steering, automatic climate control with digital readout, cd player, power driver seat, trunk space, auto-dimm mirror, a/c.. The list goes on & on
1977 Ford Pinto : No options from the same book (no a/c, 8 track radio, manual steering, crank windows.. What was okay in 1977 just isn't okay for me in 2011.
Yes,because for one,the transmission in my lincoln ent out :( but mostly because,even thiough I had it for 25 years and it doesnt look so great anymore,its till the most reliable car I ever owned.In those 26 years,it only failed to arrive home under its own power maybe 3 times (once a clutch cable,once a timing belt). It generally has the dignity of waiting until its home to let me know its having a problem :) Its more like an old friend now. I do have a more modrgn stereo with a usb port for a flash drive and 4 speakers now.Other than that its original,except the master cylinder and a few body parts.
I still get a smile from driving it.Although with the price of gas I tend to try to keep that second barrel closed. My other one I had was a 79 with a 4spd too,and it went from 0 to 45 in about 4 secomnds,but 45 to 60 took a bit.Once you hit 80 it got a second wind :)
i have a 74 wagon...2.3 auto.. i drive it to work frequently... if it s not too hot and not going to rain..i don't like driving it in the rain .. it gets tons of looks and is just fun... rest of the time my beater 95 jetta gets me there... roy
driving in the rain seems tog et wagons in trouble lol. Ive found myself going side ways a couple times. I dont use mine for Daily driving. but I do drive her when I can
Yes, My 78 is my daily driver, its the most reliable car I've ever owned, drove it every day for 6 years and still driving it most every day while living 40 miles from work, it gets just a little less mileage than my 91 Cavalier so not too bad for a worn out 2.3. When I'm not driving it I'm probably in my 74 Mustang II. The 71 gets worse mileage than a v8 and its only a n/a 78 2.3 in it so I'm not sure what the problem is there, I'm guessing its in the carb since it won't idle.
The only "modern" car I drive is the Cavalier and it overheats bad in warm weather so its only a winter car, got a great heater though lol, only reason I keep it.
I figure cars are made to be driven.. so I drive it, Why have an awesome car you love just sitting there doing nothing for 9 months in a year?
If only I had a/c in my Pinto I would drive her more. I drove her to the home my grandma was at to celebrate her 93rd b-day & was sweating like a pig. I just gotta have my a/c. Too used to it lol
I agree with 2.3stangii, cars are meant to be driven. Which is part of the reason my 78 Sedan is my daily driver. I also LOVE driving my 78 sedan, it was my first car and a huge hobby of mine.
Previously I used to build and modify computer cases as a hobby, but I couldn't really take pride and show my work to anyone except for those online. Driving my Pinto(s) is one way I can show my work!
Finally, my wife drives my 07 Saturn Ion since it is easier to get the kids in and out of. My 78 Sedan is just as reliable (if not more due to no computers) and keeps a car at home in case of an incident (none yet, knock on wood).
no the bobcat gets to rest . but i do drive the 77 maverick as my everyday car
Quote from: phils toys on May 31, 2011, 09:41:00 PM
no the bobcat gets to rest . but i do drive the 77 maverick as my everyday car
I like that Maverick. Is it still needing smogged out in your area or is it exempt?
what they call smog check unless it is driven les than 5000 miles a year.
it basicly has to have all the polution stuff under the hood and the gas cap get checked for leaks. as fo now the do not check emissions.
That's cool. Much better than areas that do normal smog checks
Some counties in Pa you do not need an emissions check at all. In my county, Luzerne, you do. Only the gas cap and examination check, though. It's a big fine if you take the cat off and get nabbed, (unless you drive less than 5000 miles a year)
First off great thread.
Yes I drive two of mine daily the 72 Runabout and the 72 Wagon both get great fuel mileage they have 2.0's with T-9's.
Here in Kaliforniastien, we must smog our cars from 1976-on.
The 72's are exempt from the smog laws and are cheap to insure due to collector car insurance. I live in the Bay Area, we have no snow or adverse weather to deal with so I'm able to drive them year round. :fastcar:
I have driven ine daily to work until this week. As someone else has said, she waits until she is home to let me know she does not want to go well until something is fixed. Bought it for $900 in February with 73,000 on her. She was parked three days ago because of a loud clatter. I believe I have two bad lifters. She made it home fine, but when I thought I would try to push her and drive her to work another day, she told me "NO"! LOL. So right now it is the gas guzzling van with a hobo in the back drinking the gas behind my back. Needless to say, she has 81,000 on her already. So thats has been 8,000 miles in 3 months. Not bad for a $900 car! LOL.
Bought mine as fairly low mileage one to just drive sometimes. But with gas prices have used it lot more plus when I took to the next town shopping two weeks ago I got two thumbs up and was in about 7 little conversations about pintos. People love 'em. Plus as the trucker that delivered mine from Tuscon said "who woulda thought a pinto was a babe magnet?"
I do drive Ruby RedHot to work because she gets way better gas mileage than my '97 Rodeo. The Isuzu is now primarily the dog-mobile for going to the dog park. When I get the green wagon fixed she'll be more the daily driver-dogmobile. lol. Again it's because of her superior gas mileage. ;D
Quote from: tinkerman73 on June 04, 2011, 04:37:24 AM
I have driven ine daily to work until this week. As someone else has said, she waits until she is home to let me know she does not want to go well until something is fixed. Bought it for $900 in February with 73,000 on her. She was parked three days ago because of a loud clatter. I believe I have two bad lifters. She made it home fine, but when I thought I would try to push her and drive her to work another day, she told me "NO"! LOL. So right now it is the gas guzzling van with a hobo in the back drinking the gas behind my back. Needless to say, she has 81,000 on her already. So thats has been 8,000 miles in 3 months. Not bad for a $900 car! LOL.
That was me and you know what,every time it just needed some love I never regretted spending the money to fix it.It took me a while to find the transmission I wanted when mine was going out,I didnt want just one from a junkyard.And I finally found the deal a guy who had his rebuilt and never used it.He said his saint of a wife allowed him to buy the one he wanted for it,a Quaiffe Rocket.I looked it up and after I saw how much that transmission cost I agreed she must be a saint lol.
Give that one some love and get her fixed you wont regret it. After the transmission was changed in mine and I drove it home it reminded me of all the good years it gave me and made me smile again.
YES !!! Regular daily driver for sure! Our wagon now has 330,400 miles on it, original engine and all.
We still drive it daily, along with an occasional trip in Idaho or Montana.
No A/C, no power steering, no power brakes. Who cares? It's cheap, reliable, and the best car I've ever owned.
And, with about 26 mpg in town... 32 highway; what's not to love?
I use mine ( 1976 Wagon) as a daily driver because I like it. It has a nice patina to it as well (been in the China Lake area till April 11). Will I paint it ? Guess I'm going to channel my inner Riff and say I donno......How ever I really need to change the fuse box out because it's getting hot in Pensacola FL.I have A/C but the 30 amp fuse holder is toast.....And Painless Wiring doesn't make a fuse block with a 30 amp circuit....And no the El cheapo add a circuit will not cut it...The fuses are near my legs...
drove mine as much as i could during the year. between a turbo 2.3 swap, winter in montana, and paint i sometimes have to drive my torino or ranger. Right now its getting ready for a nice coat of synergy green! been sandblasting wood grain for the last week and it is not very fun!
Easier to belt sand that crap off lol
Yes,No,Yes. First off,No Pinto I own has working A/C. I drove my 80 for awhile until I got the 76. Then the 76 became my daily driver. On my way home the friday before leaving for the stampede, the brakes went out on the 76. So now I am in the 80 again and loving every minute of it since it is finished. Trying to decide if the 76 or the wifes 79 is next to be reborn.
Saddle up!
Hey Tommy--flip a coin--Sherry won't mind im sure, maybe?
I drive my 83.762 mph 'Postal Unit' when ever I get the urge,
because as not having anywhere to be at any given time, &
being an 'Old Fart' I can do it. And I damn well enjoy every
minute of the whole deal!!!
My best to ALL----Dick Mathias
I put about 600 kilometers a year on mine, and store it for the winter. I basically just take it to car shows and as a spare during the summer if my daily driver is off the road for some reason (repair, insurance lapse, etc.)
HELL YES!!!!! i drive her like she was ment to be driven.. i bought my 72 trunk for a mere $500, and have since put more than i care to count into it, ie all new front breaks, u joints, tires allignment, head gasket kit, lapped the valves, slight intake and exhaust porting, header and exhaust, offenhauser with holley 390, stereo, carpet, etc... hahaha. anywho, the rear end was a bit smashed in, (tied her to a tree with a tow strap and went to work.) now the front was perfect. i say was, because on my way home from my first pinto social gathering, i got cut off and rear ended a car on the highway, so now im missing a bunch of my grill and turn signal lense. and my fender and headlight bezel is smashed in.. but thats life i guess.. good thing i wasnt in my baja, because that honda would have been under me!!!
i drive her daily because shes a fun car, very reliable, i can fix anyting under the hood with a crescent wrench, screw driver and/or a hammer, she gets good mpg when i have a light foot, but still can take off the line like a bottle rocket (goodbye mpg's) i get a ton of compliments, even with the dented rear quarter pannel, its a great conversation piece, did i mention fun to drive? she is my little pony!!!!
I do when I can but with 8! "fricker-fracker" months of winter.... nice ones come out on good days, have drivers for the rest of the weather we get, I do have 1 with a block heater and little rusty, last winter I was using my 84 escort for a backup beater, seriously thinking about the rusty Pinto this year, that early escort is just to scary to drive on ice and snow.
Time to move to Cali. ;D
Quote from: Cookieboystoys on June 23, 2011, 08:11:00 PM
I do when I can but with 8! "fricker-fracker" months of winter.... nice ones come out on good days, have drivers for the rest of the weather we get, I do have 1 with a block heater and little rusty, last winter I was using my 84 escort for a backup beater, seriously thinking about the rusty Pinto this year, that early escort is just to scary to drive on ice and snow.
You have a rusty Pinto??
The Pinto is now my daily driver. I know I am gonna hear about this but I don't like it. Here I have a 1977 Pinto with major work needed to the suspension & I am driving it because the fuel pump in my 2004 Malibu went out. It will cost me about $300 for the pump & I already got the parts for the Pinto, so the Pinto won out. It is a crappy drive & I feel cramped compared to my roomy midsize Malibu. I thought about trying to drive it to work today but if that fuel pump goes out on the road I'm screwed, so I continue to drive the Pinto for now.
I drive mine about a hundred miles a day with a slightly built 2.3 it gets about 28mpg on premium. ive had a few breakdowns but not leaving me stranded
I drive my sedandelivery at least once a week to the store, etc. and love driving it. I hate to put it away again, it's so much fun to drive. Has issues but I am working them out.
Well, my 73 Station Wagon was my weekend driver. Need to rebuild the rear brakes, change the rear transmission seal again, and do a drive-shaft swap to kill the transmission leak going on, which is keeping me from driving it. I drive it short distance to work and back as long as I know I won't have to go anywhere, since it starts to burn the trans fluid that sprays on the exhaust after it's hot. It's embarassing driving a car that smokes and smells bad due to it.
Quote from: dave1987 on August 04, 2011, 11:51:43 PM
Well, my 73 Station Wagon was my weekend driver. Need to rebuild the rear brakes, change the rear transmission seal again, and do a drive-shaft swap to kill the transmission leak going on, which is keeping me from driving it. I drive it short distance to work and back as long as I know I won't have to go anywhere, since it starts to burn the trans fluid that sprays on the exhaust after it's hot. It's embarassing driving a car that smokes and smells bad due to it.
I hear ya Dave, I have been behind a car that leaked & burned tranny fluid & it wasn't pretty. What sucked for me was the fact it was a friend of mine I was following home due to the tranny issue. Yuck! lol
I'm 16 and I got my pinto for a daily driver because it was the only car that seemed worth the price at the time but I love it!
Quote from: taco003 on August 25, 2011, 12:57:52 PM
I'm 16 and I got my pinto for a daily driver because it was the only car that seemed worth the price at the time but I love it!
See that.. you Are living the dream!
FrankBoss
I use my 73 to ship Pinto parts out ! Fred :)
... and to show off your Pony Express. lol :lol:
I use my Pinto to piss off the neighbor's son by parking it in front of my house on the street so he can't. So far so good, since the car hasn't moved from its spot for about a week or two. That's what the jerk gets for preventing us from putting the trashcan out in front of the house on trash day.
For me, obviously NOT and I am sure everyone can understand. This one of a kind Pinto is two seats and a steering wheel wedged between a very large motor and very large tires. Behind the seats and between the roll cage and the front of those enormous tubs there is barely room for two folding fabric chairs. As for the trunk, there is room for two loaves of bread behind the the rear of the enormous tubs and the 12 gallon JAZ fuel cell.
But I sure do appreciate those that do use their Pinto as a daily driver. Fun wow.
Dick
Ours is not drivin right now. it is in the process of going through body work, I haev to get it ready for paint. Then i have to find a booth that i can rent out to bring the car in and spray her Deja Blue. even after that she will be a weekend car. i plan on her being Bone stock engine wise =D the rest is up for grabs lol. our DD is a mini Van
Mine is a daily driver and has been since shortly after I bought it at the beginning of the summer. Aside from a couple minor issues I had that would've been prevented if I looked over it well enough, it's never left me stranded. I do 55 on the highway with a 65mph speed limit but I don't mind it. I'd much rather drive it over my '99 Ranger. I made a 300 mile round trip in one day on one tank of gas and the car had no problems whatsoever. The trip didn't go as planned though...
Nock on wood , still driving my desert rat Pinto Wagon....BTW the wood was the only real wood I could find, My M-1 Garands stock...