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It's tough to mention V-8 Pinto's without thinking of Bob Glidden. Glidden won 85 events and 10 season championships and was voted No. 4 on the list of Top 50 racers from NHRA's first 50 years in 2000. He did much of it at the wheel of a V-8 Pinto. I seem to recall at one point while doing wind tunnel testing he discovered that the aerodynamics of the Pinto improved if you turned it around backward in the wind tunnel.
Without a doubt a real racing legend and one of my all time racing heroes. Sadly Bob Glidden passed away last December at the age of 73.
GUSTO
Talk about shoehorning, Glidden's Pinto was Boss 429 powered. The owner that bought it from Glidden was making passes at a Shelby event at Milan.
I had a '71 Pinto hatchback, just like this one only it had the factory slotted mags on it. 1.6l pushrod engine and four speed. No air, no PS, no nothing. Just a flat fun little car to drive. I drove it back and forth to work for four years. My wife had a twin but it was red. I wish I had either of them back.
They'd be gread with a modern engine under the hood.
I called mine my "baby Ferrari". The thing handled like it was on rails.
I had a '71 Pinto hatchback, just like this one only it had the factory slotted mags on it. 1.6l pushrod engine and four speed. No air, no PS, no nothing. Just a flat fun little car to drive. I drove it back and forth to work for four years. My wife had a twin but it was red. I wish I had either of them back.
They'd be gread with a modern engine under the hood.
I called mine my "baby Ferrari". The thing handled like it was on rails.
I picked this up about 1 year ago. All original & no options except automatic (still has AM radio). I can't believe I scored the Cragar 4-spokes soon after I bought it! It get's as many, if not more looks/comments than the 63. I wouldn't say it handles well, even with the 'meats' on it.
I wouldn't say it handles well, even with the 'meats' on it. [/QUOTE]
Maybe that's why it doesn't handle well?
Tires and wheels don't look exactly balancer for best handling.
The family went on a two week vacation to the lake one year. Three kids in the back seat and the room behind that was filled with groceries all the way up to block the back window. 14 foot fishing boat in tow and the boat was loaded with other supplies.
It was a 80 mile trip. I just held the gas pedal on the floor and changed gears to maintain speed, up/down hills. That engine was tough.
Tires and wheels don't look exactly balancer for best handling.
The family went on a two week vacation to the lake one year. Three kids in the back seat and the room behind that was filled with groceries all the way up to block the back window. 14 foot fishing boat in tow and the boat was loaded with other supplies.
It was a 80 mile trip. I just held the gas pedal on the floor and changed gears to maintain speed, up/down hills. That engine was tough.
Great stuff!
I'm working on a bumper sticker: DON'T HONK!! I've already GOT it floored!
I bought a brand new Vega GT 4-speed, dark blue w/white stripe. First new car I owned. It died on the way home from the dealer on the Palmetto Expressway in Miami, in the dark, in a pouring rain with 8 miles in the odometer. Had to be towed.
That was just just the beginning of a series of odd-ball problems. I never want to see another one. In fact, I never owned another Chevy product until I bought my ‘67 Covette 6 years ago.
I had a '71 Pinto hatchback, just like this one only it had the factory slotted mags on it. 1.6l pushrod engine and four speed. No air, no PS, no nothing. Just a flat fun little car to drive. I drove it back and forth to work for four years. My wife had a twin but it was red. I wish I had either of them back.
They'd be gread with a modern engine under the hood.
I called mine my "baby Ferrari". The thing handled like it was on rails.
Funny topic - My late father in law built a V8 Vega back in the late 70s...I'll dig out the photo album that we saved that documents the build. Pretty wild stuff for sure....
Besides the V8 Vegs and Pintos, there was a V8 bug that would show up every once in a while back when I lived in Pittsburgh.
Thanks for posting, interesting. All that work & tuning for 117 HP? The street OHC 71 Pinto was 100HP. They lowered the compression for 1972 (what I have) for 80HP. When the engine is cold at Denver altitudes it makes probably a whopping 60HP........ I've already got it floored - damit!
Here's one a buddy that owns a body shop did for a club member. She drove it in college and wanted it fully restored. It's incredible.
JIM
It looks like a 71' with the Geman design 2L OHC engine (probably the best engine offered in the Pinto). My oldest brother had a 71' that ripped for a modified (140hp) 2L.
11-05-2018, 01:57 PM
