People of FordPinto.com, I have been a happy member of this site since it's inception. A few years ago I read about a "Mustang Love Story." It was about a guy that met a girl that drove a mustang. So did he. They fell in love and birds sang, blenders were purchased, tuxedos were rented and contracts were signed. Sure that's a nice story. Let me tell you a better one. I love the Ford Pinto. I will take on any neigh sayers any time. It helps that I am a 6'-3" football player that wrote a twenty page paper on the ethics, the engineering & the propaganda of the Ford Pinto case. No one talks bad about a Pinto on my watch. Why do I love the car? Well it was my grandfathers 1974 Pinto that made me fall in love with the little horse. When I was 16 I went out and by accident found my own. A complete an utter turd of a '79 Pinto Squire that spat a pine needle in my eye, stalled in an intersection, started to smoke and broke down...all on the test drive. So of course I bought it. I drove it all through highschool looking, well, like this:
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3117/2590459967_d1926be920_z.jpg)
I knew that she would eventually be perfect. You just had to look at her 4th dimensionally. Finally I did restore her and drove her all through college looking like this:
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3256/2590459575_e2980cce10_z.jpg)
While in college, everyone knew of the bright red Pinto running around the school. One day in 1999, a friend of mine called me. He had literally chased down a restored purple 1979 Pinto wagon full of girls and called me to come meet the owner. I didn't believe him but drove over anyway. I happened to have a camera with me:
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2625/3970708733_323f822e55_z.jpg)
This was the moment we met. We talked for many years after that but all the while, we were both seeing people. In fact, we even met up once in northern California at a car show. I posted that on here 7 years ago (thanks Cookieboy)
http://www.fordpinto.com/local-meets-car-shows-and-cruses/remember-what-i-said-about-girls-and-pintos/ (http://www.fordpinto.com/local-meets-car-shows-and-cruses/remember-what-i-said-about-girls-and-pintos/)
The event that finally brought us together was our mutual love of Harrison Ford and the Indiana Jones movie franchise. I promised her I would drive up so that we could see the movie together. Well, I drove up and never left. Now we are getting married. Take a look at our save the date post card we made (C.O. RacerX):
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5331/7051123371_cbebca08ae_z.jpg)
I have said for many years now, the Pinto has made me more close friends than anything before. These cars (as with many lesser known brethren) have a mystique about them. Everyone you meet that owns one is real; they aren't living under a facade of happiness about their car. Most truly love their cars and are always thrilled to meet a fellow Pinto owner.
As for the two little '79 wagons that brought us together, let it be known that without those cars, who knows where we would be. One thing is for certain, we would never have met.
Now that's a story.
P.S. Our wedding website has a great version of this story:
http://www.weddingwire.com/kristinandalberto (http://www.weddingwire.com/kristinandalberto)
CONGRATULATIONS to you and Kristin on your upcoming wedding! Thanks for sharing your story!
Dwayne :)
REALLY COOL!!!! Congratulations!!! My wife and I had a mini car show (5-6) at our wedding complete with dash plaques for some of the guest
Great Story Alberto! and Congrats! to you and Kristin!
great story alberto i also posted on your weddind website. love the kissing wagons all the best chris :)
Alberto!!! How cool is this!!!
Congratulations. I love the Pinto connection.
My wife and I have a "car story" romance as well. Though quite different than yours. I picked her up for our first date and five minutes later... (see picture)!!! Some jokingly stated she fell "head over heels" for me.
The good news was that neither of us were injured. This July 10th we celebrate our 30th
Anniversary.
It only goes to show that no matter how you got there (to the alter), - there was likely a car involved.
Tom
Thank you guys!
Wittsend, glad you guys were safe! Starting off with a bang!
Great story Alberto!
I met my wife while out dancin with her niece ( they are the same age) . She was moving away the next day to a town 150 miles away. I didn't think much of it , and went my own way that evening . Later, in about 8 months I took a transfer to the same town with my job, but I was still in a roomate/girlfriend situation. That situation blew up in spectacular fashion as my roomate took me to the cleaners with our landlord. My wife to be was aware that I was in town and we met at her company Christmas party.. ( It was a competing retailer , what guts!) And She was driving a tired and poorly maintained 74 Runabout. Well , She couldn't get the car to stay running, and had just put a rebuilt auto trans in it. I offered to help out and rebuilt the carb and replaced the outer rack tie rod ends so she wouldn't wind up in a ditch on the snow. The rest was a really Long term steady engagement until we wed in 95.. Don't have her 74 , but our 72 racer took it's place for a couple years while it was street legal.
Moral of this story... if you ride in on the right horse, make sure it's your best saddle your sittin on! ;D
Pintosopher, Sage of a painted philosophy with hard ridin behind me!
An update. We are now Married! Hope you like the wedding pictures:
My Groomsmen Photo:
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8462/8048766131_5a6eaa453f_z.jpg)
My mom asked me the day before the wedding "Are you sure it is important for you to be cleaning the engine bay of your car?" Obviously:
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8182/8048771162_1eeb0c4671_z.jpg)
Better side of the guys:
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8035/8048765277_680dfd53af_z.jpg)
Entry table with directions to the after party:
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8172/8048680709_a64840cef2_z.jpg)
Our rings:
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8310/8048735791_3d146f5bbe_z.jpg)
This was a surprise. The photographer did this:
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8314/8048736213_8fff242968_z.jpg)
My mom decorating Veronica:
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8318/8048767455_7cd5631fb3_z.jpg)
Some more:
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8452/8048767355_7490d03032_z.jpg)
Me telling everyone how we met:
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8315/8048712553_77bb0c0f9e_z.jpg)
The Family:
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8178/8048707992_cb97017f17_z.jpg)
The happy couple:
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8315/8048752610_09438e8224_z.jpg)
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8449/8048745585_7f312cf096_z.jpg)
Pulling up to the reception in style:
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8456/8048741785_1d1a542f0d_z.jpg)
Now that's how you arrive to a wedding. Limo my butt.
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8038/8048741151_8fb5dc1037_z.jpg)
My best man (left, Lovepants72) and the man that got him to the wedding "Boucher" on the right. My best man missed the rehearsal. >:( Boucher was the one that got him here so as not to miss the wedding.
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8320/8048730245_9083ca0fbd_z.jpg)
Our table names cards for the reception:
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7099/7397131806_85de22d25c_z.jpg)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7085/7397130228_13e0bb8794_z.jpg)
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8008/7397129792_9c3053c390_z.jpg)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7222/7397129296_54d417d8cb_z.jpg)
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8161/7397127224_8fe5b0a9f5_z.jpg)
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8017/7397128228_48a3c8b724_z.jpg)
Some of the engagement photos. I restored my Dad's Vespa (1977 Rally 200) in two weeks for this. I finished it that morning. Who need's to sleep?
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8319/8048645584_a63a7c8eef_z.jpg)
One last one:
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8457/8048648342_09173a9642_z.jpg)
Remember, if not for the Ford Pinto, we would never have even met. Like I always say, "A Pinto never leads you wrong."
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5299/5466501933_24da0c6cbc_z.jpg)
VERY COOL AND GREAT STORY!!!!
Alberto, glad to hear everything was wonderful...
You guys are great, Good Pinto folks! I envy all the CA folks who have Alberto & Kristin around, all you guys ROCK.
Be glad to assist you in any way-
Scott
Awesome!! 8) I hope you have many happy years & miles together.
great pictures alberto,the rings on the fuel cap looked good, never any worry on want to drive just have to pick which color. good luck with everything chris :)
Congratulations, Alberto and Kristin! May the road ahead always be smooth!
Dwayne :)