Go on…mention the “humble” or “lowly” Ford Pinto. Go ahead…make you “ka-boom!” jokes, hide your lighters just in case, and “accidentally” thump the rear bumper to see if it really is gonna blow up or not. For years, the Ford Pinto was the scourge of jokes, some earned, some not. But this 1972 Pinto doesn’t look like it’s ready to hear any of it. Honestly, it looks ready to kick some ass. A lot of it, in fact.
The seller is straight up about the car’s condition: it’s rude and crude, though surprisingly fine for public use, owing to a quiet enough exhaust. Something tells us that really, he either has really tolerant neighbors or he isn’t going out of his way to piss off the neighborhood. Though, looking at the spec sheet, we wonder how that’s possible: a .040 over 351 Cleveland, a TopLoader four-speed, a Mustang II front rack with 11″ brakes up front, a Ford 9-inch with a Detroit Locker, 3.89 gears and Cadillac Eldorado rear brakes out back, most of a roll cage (the driver’s door bar was removed for the “senior gentleman” who owned the car prior to the seller), and plenty of other bits.
Rude and crude? Potentially violent and unstable? Short wheelbase and torquey? Sign us up right freaking now. And keep your jokes to yourself.
Craigslist Link: 1972 Ford Pinto hatchback
Holy fireball, Batman! Ass-end me RIGHT NOW! This makes me wanna go out in a burst of flames! AWESOME LITTLE DEATHTRAP!!!
Holy fireball, Batman!
Insertion of said lighter in a handy orifice will cause instant self immolation and leave us regular folk to marvel at this orphan Ford’s rebirth as a a crude and brutal road rocket….
(Sigh). Pinto fireball jokes from car guys, huh? I’d expect it from the ignorant non automotive public.
I’d love to have this! I had a ’72 with the big banger (2.0) with a Sig Erson cam, Offy intake, mildly home-ported head, headers and a Mallory coil.
I took it to Lebanon Valley Dragway the day after I rebuilt the engine, and three weeks before I went active duty in the Air Force. I won bracket eliminator with it twice, and runner upped the third week.
I would drive this, although I would ditch the Goofy Mechanics distributor and corvette master cylinder. better still make it a wagon.
Rude & Crude? nah, just a “show don’t go” kinda car. I always leaned towards GM stuff but I have an appreciation for anything old & cool, ’cause they don’t make them anymore
Looks like a fun little street brawler. I’d be tempted to play up the Pinto jokes for all they’re worth if I owned it – maybe with a flame paint job. Just to rub it in.
I’ve seen a Pinto with a “reverse” flame job,the fire started in the back.
Good one. It sounds like something I’d want to do.
haha that’s awesome… never been a fan of flames but that would be perfect…
this Pinto tocks btw, All Go and No Show! a real hot rod
done with restraint – suggest some planning here- this thing could put the crap to some high dollar mp3 crowd
Novi Mich is about 20 mins up the road from me anybody wants eyes on this I would be glad to go test drive it and report back
Just go,we are waiting for the report!
you’ll need the roll bar .the engine sits too far forward in these cars.A friend of mine had one and rolled it going into a corner.
this. is. freaking. AWESOME…
but im partial to the big motor/small car thing
as the wife has a V8 astre (think vega) that
will scare the living crepe out of even seasoned
hot rodders.
i bet this guy is the same way, since its basically
the same recipe–too much power in a lightweight,
short wheelbase makes for a rollerskate from hell….
Let me re-phrase in language Geordie can understand: Very well-done sub-compact. All jokes aside.
Love those Pintos! Had me an ’80…
Any compacts from the early 70’s are awesome, doesn’t matter what brand! I would add some swing arms for the side bars and melt them tires!
Brother in-law had a Pinto drag car w/a 460 – got it into the tens …
but this thing has it’s own mystique
Pretty cool little car and it’s probably a handful to drive . The scariest ( most fun) ride I have ever experienced was with a buddy of mine who built a early 70s Dodge Colt with a serious 340 and a 4 speed . It was super quick , but you never really knew if you were driving it or it was driving you because when you got on it , you were basically just along for the ride . Big power + short wheel base + 4 speed + dodgy suspension + locker = uncontrollable . I still can’t believe he wasn’t killed driving that car .
Somebody had way to much free time. A buddy of mine and me dropped a 352 into a Falcon once. That car was an idiot.
Those headers dump past the spindles, low and exposed. I guess that’s why the front is so high though I’ll bet the builder explored many options before making a compromise. I’m all for this Pinto … but I don’t dig the overly high front suspension.