Look at this survivor! Pinto content.

[bullwinkle]

Two manufacturers introduced cars that were stunning successes, as a result of the fuel shortages - Ford's Pinto-based Mustang II, and Honda's Civic.

One of these 2 was slightly better than the other!

 

[K-Man]

You guys laugh at the Pinto today, but it was in the Ford lineup for 10 model years (1971–1980). The original US–spec 1981 Ford Escort was its replacement in the Ford line. I was seeing Pintos still in regular use well into the 1990s.

Except for the fuel problem, the Pinto was generally reliable and not prone to rust. The Chevrolet Vega was neither.

 

[MrkofXcellence]

Very few people actually died due to the gas tank. The biggest thing that nailed Ford was when execs and the ceo were caught on tape saying it was cheaper to pay out death claims than it was to redesign the gas tank.

Yeah, but they were bad ones if I recall reading correctly. Like doors stuck shut being burned to death because not able to get door open after a not-uncommon rear ender. My neighbor had a Pinto. I remember as a kid (if my memory is right) a rather intrusive hump down the middle of the cabin for the drive shaft.

 

[JimPghPA]

The local scout troop had an adult who drove a Pinto. He totally overloaded it with camping equiptment and boy-scouts and a few miles before entering Camp Heritage ( South of Uniontown ) he was stopped and fined for unsafe overloading his vehicle. He was not a happy camper for the remaining of that day. I can understand where that police officer was coming from, the big long hill by Uniontown is not someplace to drive an overloaded vehicle down on a hot summer day.

 

[Kira]

Sad reminder every time I see a Pinto. My female cousin was married to a real jerk and was 8 months pregnant when she discovered he was cheating on her. She drove her 1969 Shelby Mustang 500 to a Ford dealership and traded it for a brand new 1970 Pinto. She regretted that later but was revenge I guess. She also said the Pinto was harder on gas than that 428 Shelby….I remember my dad was in shock…..

Several big ouches there. I assume she got no money in the deal. .....such a painful turn of events.

 

[Number_35]

Thanks for the correction. Facts get distorted in my old age.

I forgot the Vega and Pinto came before the oil crises, our attempt to counter the small car imports attempting a foot-hold in our huge-size car culture. My memory of the oil crisis is that we were "caught with our pants down" regarding fuel supplies and quality efficient U.S. made cars while the Japanese and Europeans were poised to take advantage of it. I also remember a stigma associated with owning non U.S. made cars in the early 70's, at least in my blue collar upbringing.

You've reminded me of a Dave Berg cartoon in MAD magazine back in the time of the 1973/74 gas crisis.

This older man smoking a cigar is driving a big black upscale domestic sedan - based on the square corners, it's probably supposed to be a Lincoln. There's a small American flag flying from the antenna.

A long-haired hippie pulls up at a light, driving a VW Beetle covered with Mactac flowers and peace symbols.

The hippie says, "Hey man, there's a fuel shortage on. The President has asked us to conserve gas. Are you unpatriotic or something?"

 

[Number_35]

I always liked the orphaned Cortina. Lived 3 blocks from a Ford dealership when I was young.

I think the Cortina was last sold for MY 1973. Sometime after that a Ford dealer in Edmonton still had a big plastic marque along the front of the building listing the brands: FORD MERCURY LINCOLN CORTINA.

My friend had a green '70 4-door. It was known as The Green Box. We rebuilt the engine in the summer of 1977. Two young guys who didn't have a clue. Somehow we blundered through it successfully.

I think the Capri replaced the Cortina.

 

[earlyre]

Don't you blasphemy the K-Car, L-Bodies (think Omni)and G-Bodies(Daytona, Lebaron).

Some had the Mitsubishi 2.6 hemi. The early L-bodies had a VW 1.9.

The rest were all Ma MoPar unless the turbo car had a Mitsubishi turbo. The Early ones and intercooled ones had a Garrett turbo.
in 88ish non-intercooled ones had the smaller Mitsubishi turbo.

There you go. Some useless information you or no one else on the planet needs.

after Renting for nearly 18 years and raising 3 kids My parents bought their first house in the summer of '84.. (I turned 5 in that house, and it was like the 6th place I'd lived...we moved out of there the fall of '96 (my Junior year of HS), to the house we're still in today)
not long after, Dad changed jobs, and needed something with better economy than his (brown and fake wood vinyl) late 70's Dodge Aspen Wagon.
He bought an '85 Dodge Omni...the Basest of Base Models, for $5k. no power anything, no radio, no A/C. Dad had an AM only head unit installed, single speaker in the dash. it had a 4 speed manual, and what the salesman told Dad was a "puegot engine"
from wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Omni

Peugeot/Simca 6J I4

1,592 cc (1.6 L; 97.1 cu in) OHV I4

1983–1986

62 hp (46 kW)

85 lb⋅ft (115 N⋅m)

Simca-designed engine supplied by Peugeot; alternator added by Chrysler 4/5-speed manual only

as i said, ours had a 4 speed manual, but the dash thought it had a 5... you'd be cruising along in top gear (4th), and the upshift light would flash on the dash ( no Tach)
Dad drove it for a couple years, until he got promoted and got a company car, then mom got the Omni, then in 1990, my brother's '79 grand Prix got stolen at college, Dad bought his Company car when it was time to turn it in, that car('89? Chevy Celebrity 2.8l Auto) went to Mom, and The Omni went to My brother.
a year or so later he Moved to TX in it, Towing a Small uhaul trailer. (yes, My brother Moved to Dallas in a car without A/C)
year or so later, he bought his First Mustang ('93 LX, 2.3 Lima, 5 speed) and Sold the Omni to our Cousin in Toledo.
within a year or two of our cousin having it, the Floors Rusted out, and it went to the scrap yard.
3 owners in 1 family and 150k or so miles in 10-12 years before it was too rusty to keep.

and now I'm driving a 13 year old car that still looks almost brand new....

 

[Escape08]

I just remembered that in the 1970s my uncle won a brand new Pinto in a contest! He didn’t keep it though, he had a Ford Granada back then that he didn’t want to part with

Let me guess, your uncle won the Pinto on the Price is Right

 

[Kira]

I think the Capri replaced the Cortina.

A pal built and raced Cortinas at Road Atlanta.
When the Capri came out he called them "Crapi".

 

[paulo57509]

Runabout - 1.6L Kent?

 

[Corollaman]

My mom drove my brother and I around in a 1979 red pinto with black vinyl interior (no ac) this was 1980 so it was a pretty new car at the time. We lived in Yakima Wa and the summers were hot. My dad really liked the car for what it was, didn't give us too much trouble. When Mount St. Helen's blew we were driving around in that car at the time so the memories are pretty clear to us, red pinto and lots of ash to clean up.

 

[dishdude]

Neil Peart drove his mom's Pinto to the audition with Rush.

 

[jkasch]

I always liked the orphaned Cortina. Lived 3 blocks from a Ford dealership when I was young.

I own or have owned a supercharged ‘04 GTO and a Challenger Hellcat, but I think I had the most fun in my ‘68 Cortina GT. 1600cc Kent engine came with factory exhaust headers. I added a heavy rear sway bar, drove it in some parking lot gymkhanas and did other crazy stuff because I was young and stupid.
Not mine, but similar.