Author Topic: '74 Wagon Project (Now with link to photos) (Read 13874 times)

Poison Pinto · « **Reply #30 on:** June 05, 2004, 07:26:13 PM »

DAY 12 (June 5): Finished unbolting the rear door catch. I pulled out the lock, a simple procedure once the gate is open. Guess it's time to head to the salvage yard to get a working replacement lock with a key. I then pulled the chrome rear bumper shell so I can take it to work and put it on the press to straighten it out. I finished off my "work day" on the car by sanding down the rest of the rear 2/3 of the body work that's up on jackstands. I still need to sand the front fenders, hood and interior.

Poison Pinto · « **Reply #31 on:** June 07, 2004, 11:58:27 AM »

Took the day off work for a dentist appointment. In the mean time, I went out to the salvage yard to get price quotes on the drive train parts I need (T5 tranny and 8" M-II rear end).

The salvage yard had neither in stock or available through their car parts locating network.

Moreover, the salvage yard said a T5 would run $1200 with exchange!

I checked at the auto parts store. A reman T5 is $1252 with exchange. Hmmm...is it worth an extra $52 for a reman over a salvage yard pull?

Duh!

The salvage yard did have an 8.8" rear end, so I may wind up going that route.

The King Cobra motor mounts are $11 and change each from the parts store, so that's not bad.

I checked into having my seats done up in black leather at an upholstery shop. After the laughter subsided when I told him they were for a '74 Pinto wagon, he dropped a $800 to $900 bombshell. A bit more than I was expecting, but I want the car right. I'll do a bit more price shopping on those....

Glassman · « **Reply #32 on:** June 07, 2004, 07:48:49 PM »

Hmmmm.... the yard I bought a turbo engine from wanted $450.00 for a T-5.

Go here http://car-part.com/index.htm and search for yourself. Thats where I found the 8" Im going to install. Has 3.55 gears even.

78pinto · « **Reply #33 on:** June 07, 2004, 09:58:51 PM »

i just sold a 5 liter T5 for $400 Canadian, thats about all you get for them here used.

Poison Pinto · « **Reply #34 on:** June 07, 2004, 10:00:06 PM »

Hmmm...no T-5s close. I could get a rebuilt one in Springfield, MO., for $950. Add $150+ in expenses to go there and back and I *might* save $100. I'll just have to keep checking the site and jump as soon as I find one nearby.

Of course, if I could find a yard that would be willing to ship it to me, I could probably save a bundle, but I don't know if any salvage yards do that.

Oh, yeah, the rear ends on the search are running from $75 to $125. The local yard quoted me $325 to $350.

God, I miss being able to go to U-Wrench It in KC! Pay $1 to go in, you pull it yourself, parts are super cheap (i.e. $100 for a complete engine).

Thanks for the web addy.

straw boss · « **Reply #35 on:** June 08, 2004, 03:41:02 PM »

You might try stangparts.com . They are located in Georgia.
They have a few T5s that range from $300 for a four cylinder trans to $1250 for a brand new trans.

Poison Pinto · « **Reply #36 on:** June 09, 2004, 08:49:19 PM »

Here's the inspiration for my project: The Hot Wheels "Poison Pinto."

I have both the redline and blackwall versions of the original release casting.

Also, I have updated my photo website http://www.geocities.com/mopac_fan/poison_pinto/index.html. Just go to the bottom and click on the "Page Two" link.

Poison Pinto · « **Reply #37 on:** June 09, 2004, 08:49:58 PM »

Another view of the Hot Wheels cars.

Poison Pinto · « **Reply #38 on:** June 12, 2004, 03:43:28 PM »

(June 12) Not sure whether to count this as a "work" day on my Pinto or not.

Went to the salvage yard to get a starter for my '92 Tempo (with a remarkably familiar 2.3L engine). Casually asked about manual trannys that would bolt up to a 302 besides the T-5. Of course, the guy wanted to know what it was going in. Eventually I explained the project to him. He says, "Oh. We just got a Pinto wagon in a couple days ago. Want to look at it?"

Duh.

It's a '72 blue wagon with a 4-speed manual (I didn't pop the hood, so engine size = unknown). There's a tiny bit of surface rust bubbling, but nothing as major as what's on my car. The grille is shot, the interior's complete, but probably shot, there's a good-size crumple on the rear passenger's corner.

I bought the teardrop mirrors to put on my car. And they told me that I could buy the whole car for $200. They don't figure anyone will want to buy parts off it. In fact they said they joked about that when they picked it up.

Crap. I have the money, but no place to put it. I want the doors and fenders just to minimize the body work I'll have to do on mine. Those parts will cost more than the $200, so I'll probably wind up buying the car and parting what I want.

[Edit] Following the results of my poll (seeing as how the blue wagon's 2.0L engine runs quite nicely), I have decided *not* to part the blue wagon, but rather to keep it in mostly original trim. I'm planning to tint the windows and the interior work won't be NOS or restoration, but the body will maintain the stock wagon appearance...i ncluding the roof rack (shudder $:-\$ ). I'll repaint it its original metalic blue.

Poison Pinto · « **Reply #39 on:** July 26, 2004, 10:12:15 PM »

DAY 13 (June 24): After 2 weeks of bad weather followed by a month of a bad back, I finally got back to work on the Pintos. I did mostly cosmetic work on True Blue. I replaced the broken grille with the grille from the '74, put on a few interior knick-knacks such as an interior door latch handle from the '74 and rounded chrome lock caps from my '84 F150. I sprayed all the latches with penetrating spray. Now my doors shut with the flick of a finger and I don't have to do squats to pop the hood. Just a squeeze and it pops open. The "major" work was removing the tail light assembly and beating the dent out of the rear quarter panel. The only downside was that I knocked a Bondo patch loose just above the tailpipe.

But that's okay, I can reBondo that. In short, True is ready for a new paint job! Yay!

Next I moved to Poison Pinto. I removed most of the remaining trim pieces. My 2 youngest kids wanted to help, so they got the joyous task of sanding the hood and front fenders with 80 grit paper and sanding blocks (and yes, I did go back and (re)do the sanding after they decided they'd rather search my toolbox and use my tools to dig in the dirt. Good help is so hard to sire $:-\$ In the end, Poison is also ready for her new paint job.

I played around "test fitting" the 302 in the engine bay to see how much room I'd have for incidentals such as the A/C system. I think there will be plenty of room, especially if I move the battery location to the back. I do know that it won't go in as easily as the 2.3 came out. Specifically, I'll probably not be able to drop in the engine/tranny as an assembly and I'll have to remove the harmonic balancer. I was able to pull the 2.3 and tranny together and didn't have to remove any parts or accessories from the engine to lift it out. Of course, since I'm dealing with a larger engine, that's really no surprise.

While doing so, I took a good look at the engine mounts (the ones bolted to the car frame). With so much discussion of what to use and what's available, I thought I'd take a look at workaround possibilities. Here's what I've discerned: fabricating a bracket that would accept a 302 mount for a Ford F150 (with a "vertical" pin) would be a simple fabrication for those with the ability to cut, bend, drill, and weld metal stock or who know someone who can do those things. I will take some measurements and design a template as soon as I get a chance.

losin sux · « **Reply #40 on:** July 27, 2004, 02:07:11 PM »

....good help is hard to sire.........F unniest darn line I have heard in years!!!!!!!!

Poison Pinto · « **Reply #41 on:** August 03, 2004, 10:00:41 PM »

DAY 14 (August 2): Okay, had I worked "straight through" this would be the end of the second week of progress on my car (and I'd probably be farther along than I am, too

). As it is, it's been a couple months. Such is the nature of a hobby. I didn't do too much today since it was after a long, hot day at work, but I still did a little.

I disassembled the rear leaf springs so that all that is still hanging (

) is the central mounting spring. I found that one of the springs on the driver's side was broken (the "split" one that goes around the grease zerk). The rubber parts were junk. Looks like I'll need to order some new rear spring sets to get the rear end back together.

I sanded and filled the medallion mounting holes, antenna holes, and a few small rust spots with Bondo and then smoothed everything down. I'll use mesh backing on the larger rusted out areas when I Bondo those. I doubt I'll find "stock" panels, so the next step will be to have sheet metal panels fabricated to panel out the back of the wagon. And that'll be it on the body work!

So, "two weeks" in...how far to get back out on the road?

Body:
1) Locate grille (or cast a replica);
2) Bondo rust and mounting holes;
3) Fabricate panels for windows;
4) Sand, primer, and paint.

Interior:
1) Recarpet;
2) Replace small detail parts;
3) Reupholster front seats;
4) Install an aftermarket steering wheel.

Mechanical:
1) Locate transmission;
2) Install fuel cell and remote battery holder in rear of car;
3) Replace leaf springs;
4) Replace brake lines and pads;
5) Install 302, trannsmission; 8" rear end; exhaust.

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