pinto help!

I've owned 3 pintos, with a 2300 and 4 speed they are almost fun.. (the 2000 w/auto was not very fun.)

Time to buy a welder, a torch, and a 4 1/2" grinder and start learning about fabrication. As sharp as you are, and with an engineering degree, should have that chevy in there in no time :thumbup:

It's just connecting the dots.

Later, mikey

You know, I'm all about wacky engine swaps, but I wouldn't mess with puttin' a 350 in a Pinto. My reasoning is that the motor is too heavy for the front of the car, no available swap headers (meaning considerable sheet metal surgery) and I just don't think you will get your money out of it at sale time. I googled 350 Pinto engine swap and didn't come up with anything. If it were a reasonable swap, someone would have done it already.

What I'd be thinking is finding a wrecked Thunderbird Turbo Coupe with a 5-speed. Those little motors put out 190 hp and with a 5-speed, that would be a blast to drive. With the lightweight 4-banger up front, handling would be great also. I'd use everything out of the Turbo Coupe including the rear end, wiring, computer, etc. I've seen a couple of Turbo Coupes here in the Phoenix area for around $900 (wrecked).

I'm also thinkin' that the resale appeal would be strong.

pinto dude

I use to have an 80s wit the plastic grill and square hearlights. I was thinking about it be it was a feild car with a bondoes up body if it was like yours i probably would have done something. Back to the subjest there are a few pinto forums where youll find all you need. I recomend moving the front wheels a few inches foward relocating the fender openings and a resessed firewall is a must but thats what i would have done to mine. Autoweld chassis has a roll cage kit. Good luck

You know, a 78 pinto has the same suspension as a MII. so all the upgrade stuff is there. The motor in a pinto sits WAY out over the front suspension, in a few weekends you could build a tube frame for it, move the firewall back about 18" and set the balancer over the front crossmember, tubbed, with a 4 link and a dana 70 out back, then you'd have a neat car.

My 71 runabout had a hood ornament made out of a Mr Potato Head on a big spring. That car was a chick magnet too. imp:

Later, mikey

Well, i'm not looking to rebuild the car from scratch, so I guess I'll go with a turbo 2.3 or 2.5L. The weight thing is a really good point and half the reason I got this car was to keep good milage- a turbo four can do that better than a rowdy V8. Looks like I need to go pull yet another drivetrain. I'm thinking of using a 2.5L 5speed setup from a Ranger. I know the engine is basically the same, but is the trans usable? I'd like to move from a 4 speed to a five since these little 4 bangers don't have a lot of torque.

T-5 from a 4cyl mustang or Thunderbird will swap in.. put the turbo stuff on a the Ranger 2.5 ( 1998-2001 4cyl and 2.3 stuff bolts up ) and run the T-5. it'll end up pretty quick..

The Ranger trans is an M5-OD R1 5spd.. if you could fit it in the car, it would work. just use a Hurst shifter for it, the stockers just woudn't look right

I've been looking through some stuff this mornign and I think I'm going to run a 2.3L with a T-5- I'll be the easiest route. I was hoing to get my sbc together and in something, but it'll just have to wait.