Modern Vespa

Yes, two cylinder air cooled engine in the rear. My friend has access to one through his family when we were in High School in the early 60's. One memorable day, it broke it's motor mounts and the entire engine flipped up side down. It was replaced with a VW.

A brand new 1972 Pinto. The '71 had a 1600 English Ford engine. My '72 had a 2000 German Ford, with a progressive 2-bbl carb. Would cruise up the Grapevine doing 70 mph in top gear. Had two each Lucas Square 8 lamps, fog and pencils. Had co-phased CB whips, with a 100 watt linear amp:

Sold for a '77 GMC K2500.

Wife came with a '75 POS Pinto that her brother sold to her $300 after he had a collision in it. Passed SMOG. Two years, without any maintenance other that checking water and changing oil if we remembered, passed SMOG. Tires wore out, got the cheapest tires I could find figuring it would be dead before the tire wore out. Almost didn't. But three months after letting both oil and water low I lost an intake valve on the way to work. Was firing up the intake the car didn't run at all well, but made it to work. Managed to get it started after work and drove it home. Figured out which was the bad cylinder, ripped the spark wire which gave me enough power to go 20 mph. Drove it to/from work for a month, finally drove it to Pick-Your-Parts which gave me $110.

Pintos were great cars.

A brand new 1972 Pinto. The '71 had a 1600 English Ford engine. My '72 had a 2000 German Ford, with a progressive 2-bbl carb. Would cruise up the Grapevine doing 70 mph in top gear. Had two each Lucas Square 8 lamps, fog and pencils. Had co-phased CB whips, with a 100 watt linear amp:
Pintos were great cars.

Hey Paladin,

Love that photo - LOL- You look like you're expecting someone, like maybe a gang of the walking dead, to come over the hill and try to steal your Pinto.

Be prepared !!

Johnny

AMC Pacer. Period.

A brand new 1972 Pinto. The '71 had a 1600 English Ford engine. My '72 had a 2000 German Ford, with a progressive 2-bbl carb. Would cruise up the Grapevine doing 70 mph in top gear. Had two each Lucas Square 8 lamps, fog and pencils. Had co-phased CB whips, with a 100 watt linear amp:

Sold for a '77 GMC K2500.

Wife came with a '75 POS Pinto that her brother sold to her $300 after he had a collision in it. Passed SMOG. Two years, without any maintenance other that checking water and changing oil if we remembered, passed SMOG. Tires wore out, got the cheapest tires I could find figuring it would be dead before the tire wore out. Almost didn't. But three months after letting both oil and water low I lost an intake valve on the way to work. Was firing up the intake the car didn't run at all well, but made it to work. Managed to get it started after work and drove it home. Figured out which was the bad cylinder, ripped the spark wire which gave me enough power to go 20 mph. Drove it to/from work for a month, finally drove it to Pick-Your-Parts which gave me $110.

Pintos were great cars.

trotter, your comment had me look at Paladin's picture again... so many questions!

Why a sportcoat? Why do you have a rifle? Is a $10 tent a good investment? Can the Pinto go fast enough to need auxiliary lighting? Is the alternator large enough to run the CB and lights at the same time?

Thank you for sharing that photo!

Beat me to it. I owned one while living in FLA. (salt air) and it was just awful. Everything about that car was bad. Not one redeeming quality. OK, one. It could hold my fishing equipment to and fro the beach. Damn that car sucked. And God forbid you got into an accident. Glass everywhere. The fuel tank would probably explode.

But styling. It had styling.

Beat me to it. I owned one while living in FLA. (salt air) and it was just awful. Everything about that car was bad. Not one redeeming quality. OK, one. It could hold my fishing equipment to and fro the beach. Damn that car sucked. And God forbid you got into an accident. Glass everywhere. The fuel tank would probably explode.

I drove a Pacer Cross-country once. After a while I got to like the gentle rocking, like a boat on the water. I walked funny for a day or two though.

...Hell of a tent you have there Paladin. Might as well of slept in the damned car.

You get cool points for the pic, though. Reminds me of camping back in the day.

trotter, your comment had me look at Paladin's picture again... so many questions!

Why a sportcoat? Why do you have a rifle? Is a $10 tent a good investment? Can the Pinto go fast enough to need auxiliary lighting? Is the alternator large enough to run the CB and lights at the same time?

Thank you for sharing that photo!

But styling. It had styling.

Have slept in the car back seats fold flat ... but was about five feet and my five foot nine couldn't stretch out. That shot was California coast, just went a little way up a lumbering road. We could do that back in the '70's. I have a similar small tent for touring on the scooter.

I drove a Pacer Cross-country once. After a while I got to like the gentle rocking, like a boat on the water. I walked funny for a day or two though.

A $10 tent is very good if it starts raining while you are asleep.

Have slept in the car back seats fold flat ... but was about five feet and my five foot nine couldn't stretch out. That shot was California coast, just went a little way up a lumbering road. We could do that back in the '70's. I have a similar small tent for touring on the scooter.

The first Subaru with suicide doors.

Sportcoat -- I'm part English, for two years I was in Slade Green Secondary School, in Kent, England. That coat was Harris Tweed.

Not a rifle -- was a side-by-side hammered .410 bore shotgun. Excellent defense.

A $10 tent is very good if it starts raining while you are asleep.

As I said, the Pinto could cruise 70 mph up the Grapevine (6% grade) in top gear. On another trip I went up either Sonora Pass or Tioga pass, at night, doing 60-70 mph and not outrunning my lights. Catching someone, kill the pencils, get closer and kill the wide and highbeams, as I pass he would kill his highbeams, I would hit my highs, fogs, and pencils -- far more light. Maybe 500 watts of light, 35 amps.... check Google... yeah, the Pinto had a 65 amp alternator. No problem!

Pintos were great cars.

A brand new 1972 Pinto. The '71 had a 1600 English Ford engine. My '72 had a 2000 German Ford, with a progressive 2-bbl carb. Would cruise up the Grapevine doing 70 mph in top gear. Had two each Lucas Square 8 lamps, fog and pencils. Had co-phased CB whips, with a 100 watt linear amp:

Sold for a '77 GMC K2500.

Wife came with a '75 POS Pinto that her brother sold to her $300 after he had a collision in it. Passed SMOG. Two years, without any maintenance other that checking water and changing oil if we remembered, passed SMOG. Tires wore out, got the cheapest tires I could find figuring it would be dead before the tire wore out. Almost didn't. But three months after letting both oil and water low I lost an intake valve on the way to work. Was firing up the intake the car didn't run at all well, but made it to work. Managed to get it started after work and drove it home. Figured out which was the bad cylinder, ripped the spark wire which gave me enough power to go 20 mph. Drove it to/from work for a month, finally drove it to Pick-Your-Parts which gave me $110.

Pintos were great cars.

Pintos were great cars.

All fiberglass body. Three speed column shifter. 3 cylinder 2 stroke engine and cute as a button. Wish I still had this one.

All fiberglass body. Three speed column shifter. 3 cylinder 2 stroke engine and cute as a button. Wish I still had this one.

LI it had a gas stove for heating it? Where did they put that?