Hey everyone,
I'm 20 years old, just got this Pinto off my parents (finally).
It's a 1978 Orange Pinto Runabout Project.
My plans are to make it a sleeper. Put in a carb'ed 302, and repaint it.
This one was my moms new car when she went to college. I have always had an avid interest and intimate love for Pinto's and now I finally have my dream car.
It was a daily driver from 78-89. In winter of '89 the head gasket went on the 2.3 and it was parked in the garage from the until summer of 2006. when my parents gave it to me.
I have just looked it all over recently to see what needs to be done.
When it was in the garage some fieldmice got into it the driver and passenger seats have 1 mouse hole each in the plaid material and there is a couple holes in the headliner. The back seat is in mint coniditon, looks like it was never sat on at all. The plastic panels below the glass have faded. The floor is in mint condition NO HOLES! NO RUST! NO ROT! I stripped the interior out of it and have it in the garage safely stored away. And it is under a tarp in the driveway beside the garage for the winter. When the snow melts I will work my A$$ off to complete this beautiful car. I live in Ontario and this Pinto will be at Southern and Central Ontario car shows in 2008.
I want to post some pictures of it but how do you downsize them so they are under 100KB? right now they are jsut over 300KB.
Does anyone know how what you do to get the sun faded plastic panels to look like new again? Dye them or repaint? And I have inquired around the front seats . Does anyone know where the orange plaid material is available for them? If I cant get it anymore I will just have to get them custom made back to original.
Hope to figure out how to get the pics on here soon.
Here are a couple pictures of my project...
Here are a couple more pics...
If anyone knows how to make the panels look like new please tell me...
Or of anywhere that repairs or reproduces the seats to original..
Thanks guys.. you are a wonderful bunch.
My rear panels on my crusing wagon are faded as well. I found some orange paint that I will try and see how they look. The paint is flat and should be a close match. It will be a couple months before I will get to it but I will let you know.
78PintoProject,
That is not just a car,it is part of the family. Your moms college car???? Wow!!!! See???????????
Take your time. Don't try to get ahead of yourself and ask plenty of questions. This is not just a project it is a commitment. A plan/proceedure it to do a little every day(unless it is really cold) and it wont sit there unfinished. Plan the work and work the plan. Although you said that you want to make it a sleeper, and I can certainly understand that, you can get what you have there working right again and plan down the road (after some research has been done) to begin the sleeper thing. Good luck young man, and welcome.
High_Horse
TIGGER
Thanks for the paint idea.. let me know if it works well.
High_Horse
Thank you for the advice. I promise I won't rush it, because putting in the serious time really pays off at the end. My dad told me the same thing when he gave it to me. I have a garage attic of parts that I got from my father also. I think he gave me the car to fix because he hasn't got the time since he is restoring is '55 Oldsmobile 88. I will definately put both time and money into the car as not to ruin it. I sincerely hope you guys have a Pinto meet in the future around PA, NY, or michigan when it is restored with the 2.3 motor all back to original. There is 1 other 78 ford pinto in my town, but I would love to show it off some day with many other Pinto's somewhere in the US. :D
***ESPECIALLY RIGHT BESIDE YOUR 78 ORANGE CRUISER WAGON ;)