PINTO CAR CLUB of AMERICA
Shiny is Good! => Your Project => Topic started by: Dylan on February 14, 2013, 10:11:23 PM
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I recently bought a 71 Pinto for $500! It's in fairly good condition has a 2.0l with a 4 speed trans. It is mostly stock other than a few things like a new regulator, new points and battery cables. It supposedly runs, but they put too much oil in it (2 quarts too much!) Maybe because they thought it was going to sit for a while I don't really know. I plan to restore the car to look as original as possible( or customizing it to my liking. I'm very torn between the two ) after fixing the right quarter panel which looks like it took a hit some years back and welding in new floor pans. May keep it red how it rolled out the factory or paint it black and removing emblems and chrome side strips. I have plans for the engine and the stock heads need to go if anybody has some NOS aftermarket headers for sale or can make me some I would really appreciate it. It needs a new carburetor the autolite it has is OK it desperately needs a rebuild, but I think its time for a new one I found a NOS carb to replace it. Let me know what you think, any advice you might have and parts you have for sale. Thanks!
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WELCOME Dylan!
Dwayne :)
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I bought my first car/pinto last spring, its a 78. i'm rebuilding mine even though it ran too. I decided to go with the custom route. its taking longer than i had expected but its an awesome project and I'm learning a lot along the way.
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first car i ever bought with my own money was a 72 pinto in 1977.. i think a former electric company car cause of some of the stickers it had on it .. i really cant remember .. drove it for 5 years or so then switched to V8 power for a few years .. sold it .. bought it back from a different person 3 years later as he thought the motor was bad .. had a knock in it .. the crank was hitting the oil pan .. i already knew that ... beat the pan back out .. dragged raced it a couple years .. proceded to pro street it .. wheel tubs .. rear sub frame .. red white and blue bob glidden paint job ... built a killer 289 .. then divorce happened in 91 ..sold it again .. but i know that car is still around and i hunt for it every chance i get .. as well as my 460 pinto beast i replaced it with .. it`s still out there somewhere ...
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Hi Dylan! Welcome to the Pinto site! ;D
My own '71 sedan looks just like yours (from what the avatar shows) but my Ruby RedHot has the 1600 and 4-speed with factory tinted windows and deluxe interior. Ultimately you have to follow your heart but if you asked me I vote keep it stock. Some people call that "boring" but for one thing, truly stock Pintos are getting rarer and rarer, and another thing is if you plan to take yours to car shows or just cruise around you get so much great feedback and smiles from people like me who remember when Pintos were all over the place or they have memories of a Pinto in their youth. Of course, if you do use it for a daily driver the money you save on fuel might also make it worthwhile to keep it as is. Your new Pinto looks like it neesd a little wasah and a good wax and it'll look amazing. When I brought mine home in March of 2010 she was pink with dust and oxidation from her original red paint. The next morning, before I even had my breakfast I was out there in my driveway washing her and applying Turtle Wax (by hand) lol and after I buffed the last of the wax haze off I stepped back to admire my "new" car... only she wasn't the red I was expecting. I was going to name her Cherry Baby but her Bright Red color wasn't cherry-like... but it WAS the shade of those Ferrara Pan candies Red-Hots. I added the Ruby because it just sounds neat to me and the rest is history. With her baby engine she's no speed demon, but she's no slouch, either! I took this then-40 year old car on a cross-country trip with other Pinto enthusiasts (the Pinto Stampede) from Oceanside California (where I live) to Denver-then to Pennsylvania.. . then Virginia- then back to California without stepping once on a trailer! Not bad for a lil' old car with stock original engine and tranny! ;D
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Amen Becky! To Dylan: Do with the car as you wish. Just seen too many big plans die hard. set some realistic goals and work towards them. Trust me I know! One thing I've found helpful is a running car is much easier to work on. Drive the car, enjoy it, work on it as you can, and can afford. Seen too many cars get disassembled and forgotten because of $$$. Advice is def available here. 1st is I'll refund that $500 if youre having any 2nd thoughts! Haha! JT
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JT I might have to arm-wrestle you for dibs! lol That car looks like my Ruby! (like I need YET another Pinto... lol) ::)
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For those who don't know it, my house was Becky's (and Ruby Red Hot's) Virginia destination on the trip she mentioned. That is one awesome little car and every inch of her is pure stock!
Dwayne :)
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Awww shucks... (blushes)
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:o
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Thank you all for the advice. The more I learn about this car the more I love it. I just replaced the fuel pump cause the old one was trashed and carb is fine. I got it to fire up the other day and it runs very well. As far as cleaning her and shining her up.... The rusty bare metal on the right quarter panel says otherwise fore now it was rear ended and the bumper was rolled into it. The passenger inside door Handel snapped in half when I opened it and the entire trunk is just rust and the floor pans have rust in two small spots on both sides only thing stopping my foot from hitting the ground is the carpet. The seat brackets have rusted away on the passenger seat and the bolt on the drive seat have rust through to the floor pan. But given all that the interior is immaculate! It doesn't have a single rip or tear anywhere! I see allot of sheet metal work in her future.
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OK gas tank is almost completely cleaned out. thanks to my friend for helping me get the tank out in the first place. I've bought a new sending unit, but I need a filler tube seal/gromet ? The old one is OK for now but it has cracks on the outside of it they haven't reached the tank wall yet. if you have one for sale please pm me thank you. And with further inspection of my exhaust manifold... I need a new one. So if you have aftermarket headers or OEM NOS anything for sale that will fit with no modification to the motor mounts, firewall or car in general please pm me. Thank you all for any and all help and advice!
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For the tank filler grommet, this company advertises one. I tried fitting a 79 grommet into a 72 tank and it seemed to fit fine, but it is not in service so no guarantee.
http://www.sscenterprises.net/4images/details.php?image_id=83 (http://www.sscenterprises.net/4images/details.php?image_id=83)
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I have a stock 2.0L exh. manifold you can have, just pay for shipping.
Walt
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Gas tank is cleaned out. just put it back in yesterday, poured some tank cleaner in it and turned the engine over to purge the fuel line. let it sit over night til earlier this afternoon put a few gallons of super premium and pumped the line till it came out clean and put a clear fuel filter in and she fire right up! :D and thank you very much Walt that offer sounds to good to be true! Because the exhaust manifold is leaking.