The Pinto Pangra was a dealership built car sold at Huntington Ford in Arcadia, California. Ford Motor Company had no official involvement with the car. They were sold in 1973 and at least two 1974 models were sold, one being a station wagon. Every Pangra from Huntington Ford started life as your basic Pinto. To the Pinto was added and Ak Miller turbocharger kit to the stock 2 liter engine, a Spearco "Can-Am" suspension package, Koni shock absorbers, aluminum slot rims with 185/70x13 radial tires, Recaro bucket seats, revised dash with center console, full gauges with digital tachometer and of course the slant nose front end made in fiberglass. Total production is unknown because they were not built at the factory. The price of a Pangra was about $5,000.
This particular Pangra started life as a Pinto built June 12,1972 but was not sold until April 24, 1973. It was repainted black from it's original color, Gold Glow. This being the case we think this Pangra was either an early prototype and , or the press car for the automotive publications at that time. This is theoretical but we can't really come up with any other reason why the dealership would have keep the car for 10 months.
A close Pinto friend and I purchased the car in May 2004. The car for the most part is how they were sold at the time with the exception being the rims and tires form the 1980's. The car is complete, in good condition, the basic structure has never been hit and it's rust free. We have done a little work on the car but the goal is to someday do a full blown concourse type restoration and paint the car back to black.
Bob
Hello Bob,
Really Nice Pangra!
To do justice to your Pangra......
Please show everyone a shot of the Pangra interior.
Thank you for posting the photos and the great text too.
From Pintony
very nice! a friend of mine said he used to make the kits here in hayward CA. im not sure how true that is. but coming from him it probly is. but i have heard a few stories about the kits being stored in a warehouse then sent to LA to be installed. or something like that. We have been looking for any left over..  but no luck.
Hey Bob, does the car run better with out the imco valve in the crossover tube ? Also, I do like those wheels as well as the RodLites. ( good Job ) ;D
Quote from: turbopinto72 on October 31, 2005, 10:36:12 PM
Hey Bob, does the car run better with out the imco valve in the crossover tube ? Also, I do like those wheels as well as the RodLites. ( good Job ) ;D
Yes Bob,
Like Brad... I wondered how you were limiting the boost to your Turbo 2.0?
What happened to the impco valve?
OK Tony, here is a shot of the interior. Pretty standard except for the second picture. Notice the Pangra dash does not go all the way across to the door. I think all the others did. In the third picture the headlight door does not go all the way to the fender crease. I believe all other Pangras have the headlight door go all the way across the top of the fender ie. from the inside edge to the fender crease.
Boost control at the present is not an issue with the car. The engine has pretty good blow by so I don't push it hard at all. I have it running well, but power wise it runs about like a 2.0 with a little cam and header. The yellow car will blow the doors off it. I hope to build another engine over the winter. As well as valves and such to control boost pressure there is another way to do it. Restriction, either on the intake side or exhaust or both. Since I am not going for maximum HP in this application this is what I will try first and see how it goes. The stock Ak Miller kit has built in restrictions. On the intake side that being the 32-36 pinto carb. On the other end, the turbo exhaust housing id at the flange is 3". The id of the exhaust headpipe that bolts to the housing is 2". Another restriction. With these restrictions and water injection I may be able to get away with no boost control valves. If not I can put on the Impco valve.
Hey Bipper,
Thanks for the info on your Impco valve and the GREAT photos!
I'll have to look at my Pangra front to see if my headlights are the same as yours.
I know my fenders do not have the bump that you can see in your 2nd photo on the side under the bumper.
From Pintony
Also.. My headlight buckets are more square while yours are more rounded.
Pintony, the headlight buckets on your car sound like they are the same as the ones on my 74 pangra. Bobs pangra is a preproduction model so it is probably unique.
hi wayne here if you find a pangera kit let me know. at johisaree@yahoo.com
looks like i could be made 1 cutting the finder droping it and installing pontiac fiero lights.
could be done dont know if stock hood would fit. [in length]
i am building a 460 wagon with stock hood. kinda cut open in the middle
for the 2x4s. by the way i will be inventing reverse hood opening kits will be very simple
wayne