Pinto Car Club of America

My father would like to give me my grandfather's 1976 Pinto Pony (Coupe) He will fix it up a little before handing it over to me. My main concern at the moment is the Safety recall. My grandfather lived in a mainly rural area and did not risk as high a chance as getting rear ended but I basically live in D.C. Metro traffic and rear-enders are pretty common.

I also read that 1976 was the last year that ford manufactured the pinto with the safety issue.

I heard there is a safety recall kit you can buy, I am wondering whether it is relatively easy to find the kit or whether it can be fixed for free at the ford dealership?

any information is much appreciated. thanks!

Some good reading:


http://www.fordpinto.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=31&topic=1928.0

http://www.fordpinto.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=31&topic=721.0

http://www.fordpinto.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=31&topic=4799.0

http://www.fordpinto.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=31&topic=5219.0

http://www.fordpinto.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=31&topic=5848.0

http://www.fordpinto.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=31&topic=2231.0

http://www.fordpinto.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=31&topic=5240.0

http://www.fordpinto.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=31&topic=449.0

http://www.fordpinto.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=31&topic=5283.0

http://www.fordpinto.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=31&topic=4321.0

http://www.fordpinto.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=31&topic=5859.0

http://www.fordpinto.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=31&topic=3882.0


Bill

Hello sunshineneko,
:welcome:
Look under your Pinto...
If it has a plastic shield at the front of the fuel tank it has already been converted with the re-call kit...
From Pintony

Both my 76s (the one i had in 2003 and the one i still have) have had the shield installed. I personally dont worry much about the gas tank issue, especially in the 76 i have now which has an 8inch rearend. The 8 inch rearend does not have the bolt heads in the rear cover of the axle to puncture holes in tank. That was one of the problems that caused the explosion.  Anyways, the way i look at it is if i get hit that hard in my pinto i might not want to live anyways. It takes a pretty good hit to get em to blow like that. Also, and please do forgive me if this is inappropriate for me to say, but, if i die because my car explodes, then it was just my time to go.  Anyways i would not worry about it. That 76 that i had in 2003 i got from my parents and they had had it for many many years (i am 21 now) and when i was little i was sitting in the back seat when we got rearended in it once. It wasnt a  pretty good hit, but the car held up well, it didnt even damage anything. It was only a bumper to bumper hit. Also the 76 i have now was rearended on the drivers side corner by a kid who was at a stop but gunned the throttle hard thinking i was taking off when i was really just pulling up a bit to see around another car at the stoplight. (i was in the right turn lane). Anyways he thought i was taking off and so he was in such a hurry he was gonna try and beat the car that he thought i was pulling out in front of, too. I didnt feel i had time so he d*mn sure didnt have time in his little S10. It wrinkled the 1/4 panel and took out a tail light but didnt come anywhere near the gas tank. Point is, it will take a GOOD hit to cause your car to explode or anything even if it hasnt got the shield installed.