A brand new Pinto in 2011!
For the second time in my life, I own a brand new Pinto. In August, 1974, I took delivery of a shiney new 1974 sedan. Fast forward 37 years to 2011, and once again, I own a brand new Pinto!
Allow me to introduce you to Jade. Jade is a shiney jade green 1979 sedan I acquired 5 years ago. The story she came with was that her original owner died soon after delivery. I have a copy of the DMV record where she was sold by the family 20 years later, in 1999, with a certified odometer reading of 00123. That is not a typo, that is a mere 123 miles at 20 years old! A couple of trades later she landed in my garage. She now has an odometer reading of 00438.
How can I call Jade a brand new Pinto? Follow me for a bit and you will understand. A few years ago while reading 'Legendary Ford' magazine, I kept seeing '60's Fords featured with 12 miles on the odometer, 18 miles, 21 miles. I spoke with the owner of these cars to see if by chance he had a low mileage Pinto. This fellows name is Rick Schmidt, owner of National Parts Depot (NPD), a very successful restoration parts dealer. He shared with me that during the 1960's, a Ford dealer in Nebraska set back one car or truck that was his best selling model for that year. The dealer lost his dealership in 1970 when Ford downsized their dealer network. Rick was able to acquire about 5 of the 10 cars that were set back and never driven by this dealer. Rick shared that he had approximately 150 cars in his collection. Based on that, I consider Rick a very knowledgeable and trustworthy informant in the area of low mileage cars.
After sharing my story of Jade with Rick, here is what he suggested to me: If you want to drive a Pinto today, go find another daily driver (which I have). Rick shared that if I drove Jade and rolled her up to say 3,000 to 6,000 miles, she would always be respected as a very low mileage used car. BUT, if I kept her under 1,000 miles, preferably below 600 miles, she would truly be respected as a brand new car! So there you have it! When I test drove this car, I rolled it over from 399 to 400 miles. I have respectfully heeded Rick's suggestion of keeping Jade 'new', and very much appreciate and believe his words of encouragement.
Many of my Pinto enthusiasts on this site have had the opportunity to see Jade. Only one of you have driven her, and I wish I had a video recording of that 3 mile drive. Alberto 'Pintopower' in CA has performed many high quality ground-up restorations of Pinto's and knows how many new parts go into the suspension to make these cars ride like new. Alberto was truly in awe as we drove over speed bumps and normal road bumps, saying nothing but "Oh my God....oh my God".
Having purchased a Pinto new in 1974, I can truly support the claim that Jade is a brand new Pinto! Based on my history with the 7000 member Pinto Car Club of America, I also make the claim with confidence that Jade is the lowest mileage Pinto know to exist.
Original74
Dave
Very cool !
I'm one of the priviledged PCCA members who has actually gotten to see Jade and I can affirm that she's every bit as awesome as Dave describes! It's almost as if she's stuck in a time warp!
Dwayne :smile:
I'm not jealous......naaaaa :smile:
It has been one of my dreams, since I found out about the PCCA, just to SEE this car in PERSON, much less take it for a single mile drive! I hope one day I am lucky enough to see it up close. I could take a hundred pictures!
Dave, I had to replace the steering coupler because the original rubber one got hard and cracked from just sitting. I just laid under the car looking at how clean everything is. Back when I bought a new Pinto in 1974, I NEVER did such a thing, it was just a good inexpensive car. But now that I have one that is 33 years old, it is really therapeutic just to look and touch. Like Duane said, it is like a time warp. I put 400 miles on my new Pinto in 1974 in the first few days, 2 tanks of gas! You wouldn't believe it, but Jade still smells new. No dirt or grime to taint that fresh 'vinyl' smell, LOL.
Thanks for the comments.
Dave
Yes truly a incredable specimen... it baffles me every time I see it.
FrankBoss
I want pics!! Same color as my car!
Here is an old thread with some pictures:
http://www.fordpinto.com/your-pintos/dave%27s-%27new%27-1979-sedan/msg38661/#msg38661
Great story Dave,
Hope you have a nice trailer to take the car to shows and cruise nights. That is what I do with mine but for other obvious reasons.
The BEAST has less than 3300 miles because 90% of those miles are at the drag strip.
What a great find you have and I hope many get to see it.
Dick
I love that car.
Here I am driving Jade (thank you so much Dave!), that is a look of Fear and Elation:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3374/3656447460_5d66e1129e_b.jpg)
Looking under Jade:
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2478/3655614839_92ef4e6b2e_b.jpg)
Here I am in Jade:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3302/3656446970_024271b11c_b.jpg)
Noooo! Don't drive it! :P
Congrats on your purchase. I assume Jade will not be on a Stampede unless trailered. I hope to see this car somewhere down the road.
Enjoy and take care of her.
Alberto, did you buy Jade... and when did you go back east!?! lol ;D
Norm and Becky, I think thoes pics that Alberto posted are from 2007, I was there when he got to drive Jade.