My 74 Turbo Pinto, little bit different..

[ProMav71]

I waited this long to start a thread because it seems like with every project I start...I start a build thread first and it never goes anywhere. This one is already further along than any of the others before it so I hope its safe! I wanted a Pro-Touring style Pinto so I robbed some parts of my Maverick project since its going to be awhile longer till it will need these parts. In the front I'm running tubular a-arms, Wilwood pro-spindles, machined hubs, Cobra 13" big brakes,Wilwood adjustable proportioning valve, new steering rack (not installed yet), new shocks( not installed yet), and I'll have to check the springs once I get these spindles on to see where its going to set. I just got through making a set of caliper brackets out of 3/8" steel plate to mount these calipers to the Wilwood spindles. I will be running 17x8 Cobra R rims for the front and rear, with 235/40/17 Front and 275/40/17 Rear.
The rear I swapped in is an 8.8 out of a 97 Mustang Cobra w disc brakes and 4:10 gears. Going to keep the leaf springs for now, I've got a 4 link kit Im thinking about putting in but we'll see.

I do plan on running some sort of fender flare. Body mods are minimal. Mainly dropped the big bumpers, replaced the front bumper with one from my 71 Maverick...almost a perfect fit, just had to make some custom brackets. Rear may get some custom lights and a rear roll pan. Custom front valance to fit around the front mounted intercooler.

The interior has 03 Hyundia Tiburon black leather bucket seats. Just bought new carpet I havent installed yet. I have a 4 pt roll cage that needs to be installed. Im thinking of ditching the rear seat since no one can sit back there with the roll bar in the way. Also thinking of using one of my 97 Cobra gauge clusters. Did a little research and it seems all the sending units are the same ford part # so If I can get a wiring diagram for the instrument cluster on a Turbo coupe and find a dash harness for one I can probably make it work.

My aim is to have a nice quick, good handling, compact car. Pro-touring style.

I will post pics along the way. Hopefully within the next month the 2.3 T will be in and running. It's my daily driver so it cant be down too long. Here's some teaser pics

Here's the rendering. Did this awhile back but in a goldish green. Want more of a Gunmetal color.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/08/Pinto23T4gunmeteal-1.png

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/08/000_0215-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/08/000_0216-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/08/000_0217-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/08/000_0218-1.jpg

[sixty5hellvell]

I had a 71 pinto drag car project years ago. It will look bad ass when it has fender flairs, they raced these in trans am in the 70's you should find some pics on the net for direction.

[dusterbd13]

neat project. id like to see more of the interior.

also, it looks like the intercooler will be very damage prone for a daily, and liek the wheels are going to hit the body in the rear.

is this currently the daily, or will be when done?

michael

[ProMav71]

neat project. id like to see more of the interior.

also, it looks like the intercooler will be very damage prone for a daily, and liek the wheels are going to hit the body in the rear.

is this currently the daily, or will be when done?

michael

I drive it everyday now, its a driver project. The front valance will protect the IC as much as any other car with a FMIC sitting lower. The other 2 OEM Cobra wheels I have (current ones are aftermarket) will tuck inside the rear. The ones now dont hit at all so I know those wont. But if I go with the flare thats a non issue anyway.

[Mr. Anderson]

I've been lusting (for some weird reason) for a Pinto lately, and this isn't helping! I can't wait to see where this one goes.

The Maverick bumper is a neat trick.

[CruizinKev]

cool project! looks good :twothumbs

[mrn2obelvedere]

You gotta get the stance right for this build. Right now its too high front and rear. I do like the bumper idea as well. I wish there were tricks like that for my Belvedere.

I did always like the pinto though. It seems like such an obvious, yet unnoticed combination.

What are you doing for your drivetrain? Can you squeeze a mod motor in there?

[ProMav71]

You gotta get the stance right for this build. Right now its too high front and rear. I do like the bumper idea as well. I wish there were tricks like that for my Belvedere.

I did always like the pinto though. It seems like such an obvious, yet unnoticed combination.

What are you doing for your drivetrain? Can you squeeze a mod motor in there?

Yea I plan on dropping the nose another inch or so and the rear 2-3 inches, hence the need for fender flares. If I was to drop it right now with the way it is I wouldnt be able to steer it without rubbing issues all around. Im toying with the idea of the 4 link in rear.

Im waiting on a couple more seals that were missing from my gasket kit and I will be able to finish the engine. Its a 2.3 Turbo engine and 5 speed from a 1988 Thunderbird Turbo coupe. It got a rebuild nothing fancy. Will be running a SS turbo header instead of the factory log manifold. Turbo is a Garrett T3/T4.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/08/000_0222-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/08/000_0224-1.jpg

[dusterbd13]

what color did you paint it? i like that color. may have to do it for the new motor on the CRX.

[showme]

This is a very cool project!Should be wicked!

[showa]

Good luch with this one.... I'm looking forward to see how it turns out... Great car to do with lots of racing heritage...

[Bryce]

sweet, I will be following this!

[CruizinKev]

wow love the rendering!

[DynoDon]

Cool, can't wait to see where you go with this. My second car was a Pinto, a 73, and it was only a year old! Done in what we just called Road Race style back then. &'s on front, 10's out back, lowered, Koni's, Spearco Sway Bars, Hooker Header, Stebro Exhaust, Toyota Celica 5 speed conversion. Used to race Mulholland with it

[Tig]

Nice, I havent seen a Pinto in years. Always been a fan of them. Lookin forward to this build.


Sub'd

[hechtrod]

Love the concept pic, that is rad!

[rusty428cj]

I've always liked Pinto's. It will look good with a set of flares and lowered. Are you going to run one of my brothers boost valves? www.boostvalve.com (http://www.boostvalve.com)

[DarkBuddha]

Neat! It's awesome to see someone else building a 2.3T car here... seriously underestimated motor. Definitely keep us updated.

[78 Type-LT]

i love pintos

[1360]

i love pintos

I love THIS Pinto!:cheers:

[fordsbyjay]

Cool car! I have a Pinto as well and I have the cobra R wheels on my Falcon. You have good taste. Hahah

[04ctd]

what do you estimate your weight distro will be with the 2.3T?

power to weight ratio?

[ProMav71]

Thanks everybody for the positive comments.


Neat! It's awesome to see someone else building a 2.3T car here... seriously underestimated motor. Definitely keep us updated.

Your not far from me, I live over in Sebring, go over to Sarasota are all the time to fish.

Right now Im in Alabama on vacation, bringing back some much needed Pinto parts!

[DarkBuddha]

I didn't notice your location... if you're gonna be in Sarasota and wanna meet, I'd be up for it. Or perhaps we'll run into each other eventually in Sebring... my goal is to get to some track days over there this year.

[ProMav71]

Update 11-9-10: Got the old engine and trans yanked out. In the process if getting the engine bay cleaned up, fixing the battery box rust, and hiding some wiring. But the main thing I got accomplished was the 2.3 front sump oil pan. I had a real hard time finding a 2.3 front sump pan, and I sure wasnt about to dish out $300+ for a custom pan. So what I did was cut the flange off the 2.3T pan, got a sheet of 16 gauge steel and built my own. Should hold a couple more quarts of oil as well, which is what I wanted. Here's a few pics. Excuse the crappy cell phone quality batteries were dead in my camera.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/11/1105102001-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/11/1105102108a-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/11/1108101028-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/11/1108101349-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/11/11081016221-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/11/1108101622a-1.jpg

My BOV and wastegate arrived yesterday as well. Plan is to have this thing in within the next couple weeks. Then blow it apart for paint.

[John Wright]

Sweet....those turbo birds will fly, that should move that lil Pinto right along.

[Bryce]

nice work!

[ArtosDracon]

Nice pan! Did you or do you intend to do any baffling? Is there a stock front sump pick-up available or is that up to you as well?

[ProMav71]

Nice pan! Did you or do you intend to do any baffling? Is there a stock front sump pick-up available or is that up to you as well?

Thanks guys. Im still thinking about it. I need to do a little research on it, thought about a windage tray also. Yea the pickup is up to me as well. I have a pickup tube off a 2.0 that I might be able to use or modify.

[BritishGreen68]

love it!!

[dusterbd13]

i need to learn to weld....

i cant even make a battery tray right, let alone an oil pan.

keep up the good work.

[asifnyc]

great project! can't wait to see more...

[78 Type-LT]

this is great

[ProMav71]

Thanks for the positive comments guys! I've posted this on a couple Pinto forums and maybe ive gotten 2 comments lol. Sad thing is when Im done Im gonna have to sell it or swap it with some cash. Im going back to school for graphic design. So I wont get to enjoy it much. But I like building them more than anything.

[Clutch93]

This is a really cool build, I can always count on this site to see something different being built. Very nice. BTW, I really like the color you painted the engine, what paint is that?

[ProMav71]

This is a really cool build, I can always count on this site to see something different being built. Very nice. BTW, I really like the color you painted the engine, what paint is that?
I cant remember the brand. Its a rattle can high temp deal, color is actually cast iron. And its flat which is what I wanted. Should go well with the color of the car. Everything else in the engine bay is black, this color, or natural aluminum finish.

[Clutch93]

Thanks for the quick reply, it just looked like it had a little titanium coloring to it, so I thought I would ask. I plan on doing a cast iron color on my engine as well, hope it turns out this nice, looks real clean.

[67and68]

ProMav, How are you going to install the 13" Cobra brakes on the Wilwood Pro spindles? Are you making a custom bracket or do you know where to get one? This is what I'm looking for, you can see my thread on MII spindle/brake combinations:
https://www.pro-touring.com/showthread.php?75145-Mustang-II-MII-spindle-brake-combinations

[ProMav71]

ProMav, How are you going to install the 13" Cobra brakes on the Wilwood Pro spindles? Are you making a custom bracket or do you know where to get one? This is what I'm looking for, you can see my thread on MII spindle/brake combinations:
https://www.pro-touring.com/showthread.php?75145-Mustang-II-MII-spindle-brake-combinations

I made my own brackets. That was the only way to do it. I looked and looked but no one made brackets for this combo. It wasnt terribly difficult. All I used was some 3/8in steel plate, I die grinder with some cut-off wheels and a small drill press.

[TurboSteve]

Any updates?

[ProMav71]

Any updates?

Yes actually. I have just been busy with school and work I havent had the time to update the build thread. The engine and trans are in (even though they have to come back out for paint). All the heavy fabrication is completed, motor mounts, trans mount, radiator mounts etc.

I fixed a few pin holes in my gas tank, cleaned it, sealed it, and then I put a fresh coat of paint on. Modified the fuel level sender, which now has a sender from a 97 Mustang Cobra. All new rubber fuel lines and cleaned and painted the old hard lines. Also installed the inline electric fuel pump.

Radiator is mounted. But I had an issue with the electric fan hitting the water pump pulley, so I moved it to the front so its now a pusher. Problem with that is, with the fan in the front and the FMIC I have no room for an A/C condensor and I REALLY want to add A/C. So what I may do is get 2 smaller fans like 9" and place one in the upper right and one in the lower left so I can gain the clearence for that pulley and have room in the front for the A/C condensor.

Another problem I ran across when I pulled some stuff outta the dash was that someone along the way wired half of everything including the ignition up with speaker wire! That harness was so hacked up I pulled the whole harness out, front to back, and ordered and EZ-Wire kit which just arrived yesterday. Just in time for the weekend and the EFI wiring! So I got some work ahead of me.

Its coming along just slower than I would like but Im making steady headway which is important.

[ProMav71]

Just a few pics of the engine sitting in bay. Hopefully by this weekend it will be back out and If all goes well, I will have it painted on Monday. I still have to weld up the hole from the stock heater box since I ditched that. I also got the turbo oil feed and drain lines assembled, what a PITA that was. Small steps but its coming along.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/05/000_0318-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/05/000_0319-1.jpg

Wilwood clutch master cyliner installed under dash. I made a bracket to install it on the firewall in the engine bay. But this meant I had to come up with a bell-crank style linkage system that pretty much interfered with everything under the dash. So that idea was scraped and it was actually easier to mount it under the dash.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/05/000_0321-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/05/000_0322-1.jpg

[406 Q-ship]

I have wanted to do a 2.3 Turbo Pinto for years. Great little engine and with careful suspension work should make a giant killer.

[DarkBuddha]

That makes two of us, but I think I've resigned myself to just sticking with my XR4TI.

[ProMav71]

That makes two of us, but I think I've resigned myself to just sticking with my XR4TI.

I've played with the idea of selling this one a couple months ago since I do alot of fishing and need a bigger vehicle for all my junk. What I really want is a classic wagon. But for now Im going to finish this thing. I am going to make it more fishing friendly by adding a removable roof rack, I found a nice one for a little over $200. This is going to be a fun little ride once its done, and if I really like it I may just keep it. I guarantee you wont see another one like it!

[The Stickman]

Very cool car. Keep up the great work. Love the oil pan too.

[DarkBuddha]

Whatcha really need is a Pinto wagon with an old school metal roof rack... like so:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/05/4541908526_fdeb55b0c2-1.jpg

[DarkBuddha]

In fact:

http://miami.craigslist.org/brw/cto/2339115210.html

http://tampa.craigslist.org/psc/cto/2308881352.html

[andrewb70]

In fact:

http://miami.craigslist.org/brw/cto/2339115210.html

http://tampa.craigslist.org/psc/cto/2308881352.html

Enabler.....

Andrew

[MonzaRacer]

Guess the Cheap Trick Monza will have to meet up with the TurboPinto for some side by side fun! I do have an uncle who lives in FLA,,,, and they have a some pretty good drag strips and such,,,,.

[Tig]

Looks great man, coming along nicely.
That motor looks sick to.
Keep up the great work.

[Protour_Pinto]

Great ride! I too had a Pinto But I went a little different route engine size.

[ProMav71]

Thanks, I havent had anytime lately to take any pictures or post any updates. My regular job, college, and starting my new business has kept me BUSY! It is coming along. I finally got the thing rewired front to back. Need to hookup the fuel lines and finish plumbing the turbo and I can see if she will fire up. I can't wait to hear it run and be able to drive it down the road!

[draggindrew]

Looks like an awesome build man! Im just glad there are more awesome pinto guys out there like me lol. I just rebuilt the carb on mine and have been cruising around in it all weekend. Its just a fun little cruiser. I cant wait to get started building mine up.

[aussiebj]

sweet idea for a cool ride...