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New to me 79 Pinto glass hatch ESS
russosborne:
ETA: I'M BA_ACK. ;)
This is the one I posted about being for sale in Tucson.
Bought it today. Will be getting it delivered in the next week.
Don't really have any pictures of it yet. Got some on my phone, but can't get them on this computer. Besides, I want to get some good ones once it is here.
It's a mess, really. But a promising mess. ::)
The below is pretty much from memory from a very long day today. :-[
Some of this will be much clearer once I get some pictures up. He already took down his CL ad.
Oh, speaking of the seller. His parents were the original owners. He got the car when he was about 17 after his first car died. Or something like that. New York car for the first 2 years, then they moved to Arizona. No rust. Really. He put the turbo 2.3 in it and did lots of other work (some mentioned below) then decided to go crazy with it. That was probably his mistake. It was running with a turbo 2.3 and T5, but then he decided he wanted a "race car for the street"with a full cage etc.
It's now been sitting about 20 years. Guy put a lot of money into the full roll cage, sub frame connectors, and some other stuff (he didn't do the welding, had a local oval track race car shop do it)and then it got put to the rear. Been garaged the whole time. And this is Tucson, so low humidity. It's setup for a fox Mustang 2.3 rear sump oil pan. Makes my life easier to put my Mustang 2.3 in it. Although for now I am stuck with the A4LD auto trans.
Recently had a brother pass away and he got his brother's 78 Mustang II. Decided it was finally time to let the Pinto go.
Rolls, full suspension and steering. Although the seller had put an 89 Mustang tilt column in it. Steers but no wiring done. Bare column, no plastic bits. I like the tilt, but not sure at this point. Has a quick ratio rack and pinion. Can't remember the name, starts with an S. I'll be putting the tubular upper control arms on it.
Comes with most stuff except engine/trans/seats. But in a lot of storage bins.
Dash is apart, will be a challenge if I want to use it with the cage. But it's all there except for the stock radio.
Full factory harness, but we all know what I think of those. :D
He shaved the door handles off, it's setup to use the door key to open the door. One side needs some work, hadn't been used for the 20 years or so.
Frenched power radio antenna on the passenger rear quarter.
Homemade (but he is really good, he makes rear seat deletes now for Fox bodied Mustangs) door panels.
Dual remote sport mirrors. I have them on the 74, will see which are in better shape.
Rear facing Citation X (remember those cars?) hood scoop riveted/glassed in. Only has a small hole cut in the hood for where his turbo something went, but simple enough to cut the hood to fully utilize the scoop for clearance for EFI assuming I keep that on my 2.3. The rear of the scoop is open.
8 inch rear with 4:10 gears. Something I've always wanted. Really means I need the overdrive transmission.
Grill and front lights all there somewhere. I saw most of the front end stuff. Mounting it all might be another challenge.
Honestly, I'd love to make this a tilt front end. Preferably with fiberglass, but don't know if there is a one piece 79 front end made. Could end up doing it with steel. Oh, the cage is run all the way to the front of the front subframe. Which is the cause of the challenge in getting it all together.
I will need to locate a windshield. All the other glass is there and good, including the Moon Roof and the hatch. Speaking of which I need the hydraulic supports for the hatch.
Has both bumpers, but not on the car. At least I should be able to do the tucked in mod with this car. Although if I remember right, the 77/78 came with aluminum bumpers. Something to look for later on.
I will make a vow here that I will NOT be tearing this thing down for the fun of it. Heck, it's already pretty much tore down. I will take stuff off if I am replacing them, but only when I am ready to actually replace it.
I need/want to go through the interior with a grinder to clean up some surface rust, and paint it. I am not getting the cage certified, so I don't have to worry about not painting the welds.
Have to see if the power seats from the 97/8 Mustang I had bought for the 89 Fox Mustang will fit. Hope so, would be nice not to have to pay for seats right now. I could use the factory seats from the 74, but at this point they need a full reupholster job.
And yes, some buyer's remorse already. I can't tell anyone in my family about this, it would cause some hurt feelings that I spent money on another car right now. Plus I have doubts about my ability to do the work on this. Not from a mechanical point of view, this is all well within my skills. But more of a physical "can I get out there and really do the work" sort of thing. I mean I have a really bad track record lately of not getting anything done other than spending money. :-[
I really need to pull the engine/trans/radiator/computer/wiring from the 89 like tomorrow. Or at least this week so I can get that car gone. It would be easier if I could just buy all new stuff, but that isn't happening. It's here, it's paid for, so I need to use it. Until I put a Cleveland in this sooner or later. ;D
But for now I need to get it on the road asap, and the Mustang stuff will pretty much do that.
Anybody in Phoenix/Glendale who is bored and wants to help let me know. ;D
I really hope this doesn't end up like my other two Pintos here did. Or the Mustang either. I haven't given up on the Ranchero.
Thanks,
Russ
dga57:
Congratulation s, Russ! It actually sounds pretty good and, as you pointed out, you have plenty of parts! Don't let self doubt get in your way; you CAN do this! Can't wait to see pictures!
Happy Easter!
Dwayne :)
russosborne:
I'm trying, but the " I think I can" keeps coming out "I think I can't" ::)
I just read the thread on my Ohio 79 Pinto. Maybe it is having this new car, but it wasn't as depressing as it was last time I read it not too long ago. Looking at that poor car and all the rust I don't know what I was thinking. Yet my Ranchero might have more rust than it did.
Going back and forth on pulling the engine/trans stuff from the Mustang. The seller has a friend up here who actually runs a Fox Mustang parts/salvage yard/shop (don't remember the name, but I had heard of it before this weekend) who the seller says may be interested in buying the leftovers. I had to send him some pictures and told him if his friend wanted to, I would take a different 2.3 along with a T5 trans for the whole car. Be MUCH easier on me. Haven't heard back if he has even seen the text yet. In that case I would most likely put a carb on the engine and have no need for the computer. Or save up and buy a stand alone EFI computer like a Stinger.
Hey, Phil, if you are reading this, I might have another complete 79 dash for you. ;D ;D ;D :P
Seriously, it is coming with a decent dash(pad even looked usable) , but with the cage I would have to really do some modifying. I am thinking about just buying a generic aluminum race car dash that you cut to fit and install gauges in. Depends on how much I would have to modify the stock dash. I like the idea of having the stock dash, but ...
Speaking of the Mustang, I actually went out and looked at it. I think the wiring is less than I had thought would need pulled. Tried to start it, battery was dead. Charged it up, think the car is too low on gas. Wife asked what did the gas gauge say. Doh. I didn't look at it, was just reaching in and turning the key. Maybe tomorrow. It was cranking fine when the battery was charged. I also may have hit the inertia switch in the trunk that turns off the fuel pump. I've done that before. But really think it is just out of gas, like it's owner. Or it knows what I am going to do to it and it won't go easy. Honestly, if I had a good transferable title to it I would just sell it, but I don't.
I also got the Ranchero moved about a foot to the side so I can get the engine hoist out. Poor Ranchero. I really do need to get it done first so I can really work on the Pinto in the back behind the fence where the Ranchero is now. Don't know if I can do two cars at once(little Ranchero, little Pinto). I need to get it rolling at least. Just when I was planning on taking it apart. :-\
But at least I got SOMETHING positive done today. I have tomorrow off as well, have a cardiologist appointment at 10, then grocery shopping and nothing else planned. If I don't here from the seller I guess I need to get the Mustang running enough to move to the side out of the way and then start prepping for the big operation. I am hoping to have it ready to be taken away by whomever before Sunday when the Pinto is supposed to be here. I am hoping that with the Pinto against the gate and fully tarped except when I am working on it no one will complain to the city. I need to make sure to keep the weeds in check to help with that. Seems the city will drive around looking for things like that. I'm just not good at yard work stuff.
My primary care doctor visit today went better than I had expected. Mainly adding a couple of meds, and tweaking some others. He did a circulation test on my legs, a breathing test, and an ekg. All were ok. He wants me to have an echocardiogram done at the cardiologist's office (they do all sorts of tests, pretty big place). Upshot being I am not going to drop dead doing stuff, I just need to start doing it and get some stamina going. The way I've been feeling I was worried something was wrong with my heart/bypass stuff.
I'm really anxious to get the Pinto here. It's not really mine til then.
Thanks,
Russ
dga57:
Russ,
Glad to hear you got a good checkup from your doctor! I suspect once you really delve into these projects and work through the initial exhaustion, you'll start feeling better really soon!
Dwayne :)
russosborne:
I don't know. See my post in the off topic area.
Thanks,
Russ
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