Pinto Car Club of America

I was out in my pinto today (its my daily driver, it goes with me everywhere) and i went and got lunch. I stopped at the gas station and got something to drink. When i came out i just sat there listening to the radio while i ate my lunch. I had noticed a few months back tha the carpet on the passengers side up front was rotting away. Id keep removing the loose stuff from it but it would always rot away more. Seems like just a year or two ago my carpet, while very dirty, was all there. Its been raining alot the last week or so, including today. Anyways while i was sitting there today and looked over for some reason and noticed that water was leaking inside thru the bottom of the dash on the passengers side. I could see that some had dripped down the kick panel while the rest was leaking from under the fresh air vent and underneath the glove box door. Ive heard that pintos have a problem with rusting out around the cowl panel, but i would think if it was that, tht it would drip down the firewall on the inside, or dri from the heater box......you know, somewhere towards the back instead of out by the front of the dash. My windshield seal doesnt look just real healthy and from time to time ive seen it drip a time or two on my side. Anyways theres cracks in the windshield seal in a few places. Im thinking and hoping that its just the windshield seal that is leaking. Does it sound like the windshield seal or does it sound like the cowl panel has rusted? This car has some rust but not very much. My other pinto that i sold a few years ago was rusted to the ground and it didnt have the cowl panel leaking inside..anyways, id like to get this fixed, im tired of my carpet rotting and after i get the floor pan fixed on the other side, im going to put fresh carpet in it. But not until this leak is fixed, it wont do me any good otherwise. What do you guys think?

That's what mine did.  You can find new windsheild seals on eBAY, I paid 72.00 plus shipping.  Also check up by where your wiper motor bolts on,(Left side under dash), and see if there is any paint flaking or rust developing.

both of my later cars have the glued in style of window seal for the front window. those being a 78 pinto station wagon and 79 bobcat. my leaks came from the cold air vents.

Pour some water in the cowl vent, if it stays dry inside the car, pour water on the windsheild. That should give you an idea where to start.

Bill