Pinto Car Club of America

WARNING: PLEASE forgive the following rants. This is the first Pinto I have owned since 1993 and you guys are gonna have to endure my excitement for a while. It's like finding your first love. Good grief, I already see the bills mounting as I mentally plan for this baby. Does the excitement end?

Delivered today. Spent the evening "going over it" after making a run to the local Auto Zone for some goodies (lubricant spray, chrome polish, rags, etc.). Pulled out the hose and gave it a good scrubbing. Paint is faded, would probably rub out, but the problem is obvious - the car sat near or under a tree for a long time (sap spots in the paint).

After pulling out a good bit of leaves and grime in and behind the various rubber seals (hey, HOW do you get buncjhes of dead leaves out of the cowl???), I went over them with Armor All. Good grief, the rubber drank that stuff up. The car really needs new rubber seals (especially in the popout side windows - they both leak). However, here is what I found out tonite:

1) There is a neat rust hole INSIDE the rear door at the lower part of the window near the rubber seal. There's also plenty of crap in there (makes lots of noise when moving the door), I gotta clean it out.

2) All lamps work except the marker front on the driver's side (blown up bulb - WHAT DOES IT TAKE? It's a "wedge" bulb) and the rear passenger brake light.

3) Car drives REALLY nice - my 8 year old and I tooled around the neighborhood after washing it, nice bright white walls and clean hub caps  :lol:

4) There is NO windshield/cowl leak as I had suspected, so the floor was wet just from the rain and an open window.

5) ALL the floor pans and complete underside are SOLID, the only things rusty underneath are the axle, backing plates and springs. Everything else is solid. Did I mention solid? Sorry - I'm totally amazed. That's a Texas car for ya!

6) I also ordered new radiator hoses for it today, they'll be here in two days. The seller told me they were soft, and they are, so I figured it's a good idea.

7) This weekend I am going to degrease the oil pan - it's a bit cruddy underneath, so I want to clean it all up.

Work work work. It's all gonna be work. I love it. It's also gonna be $$. I love it.

Chris

  Sounds's like your lil'pony found a loving home, good luck and have fun!!

Congratulations!  And the nice thing is that the more you do to clean it up the more you will love it!  Have fun!!!

You mean it gets worse? I'll love it more? Good grief.... :hypno:

Chris