[flybigjet]

Originally Posted by 3.0L

A 1971.5 Ford Pinto was the first new car my father ever bought. Bright red, black interior with a black vinyl top-- it still had the hatch, but with half-glass instead of the later full-glass.

He drove it for DECADES-- even took it to Japan for five years on a military assignment. It pretty much drove terribly until we finally figured out that Ford had half-arsed the smog controls to be able to sell it in CA. We pulled all of that junk off and put in a new carburator-- it was like a completely different car after that.

It was also the car that I learned how to drive a MT with. My dad took me to the local (empty) community college parking lot on a weekend, demonstrated how to work the gears, got out and went over to a bench with a paper and said "Come back and pick me up when you figure it out."

A few months later, I got to learn how to change a clutch as well.

He did get rear-ended on the way home from work in the mid-80's (before the gas tank shield recall). You'd have thought he would have gone up like a buddhist monk, but he just had a backyard mechanic straighten out where he got crumpled, repainted it and pressed on.

I drove that car all the way through college, and that's what taught me to be a mechanic. Dad would help pay for parts, but not labor. If I didn't want to walk, I had to learn how to fix it. That baby 4-banger was about as simple of an engine as you could get without using hamsters, so it was a good car for a (pre-internet) kid to learn on.

All in all, dad really got his money's worth out of it-- it had its flaws, but it did our family well for almost 20 years.

R.

[Lady Jane]

Not LOL but sad...


Attachment 2621324

[JJ 911SC]

Where there is will there is a way

[3.0L]

Originally Posted by flybigjet

A 1971.5 Ford Pinto was the first new car my father ever bought. Bright red, black interior with a black vinyl top-- it still had the hatch, but with half-glass instead of the later full-glass.

He drove it for DECADES-- even took it to Japan for five years on a military assignment. It pretty much drove terribly until we finally figured out that Ford had half-arsed the smog controls to be able to sell it in CA. We pulled all of that junk off and put in a new carburator-- it was like a completely different car after that.

It was also the car that I learned how to drive a MT with. My dad took me to the local (empty) community college parking lot on a weekend, demonstrated how to work the gears, got out and went over to a bench with a paper and said "Come back and pick me up when you figure it out."

A few months later, I got to learn how to change a clutch as well.

He did get rear-ended on the way home from work in the mid-80's (before the gas tank shield recall). You'd have thought he would have gone up like a buddhist monk, but he just had a backyard mechanic straighten out where he got crumpled, repainted it and pressed on.

I drove that car all the way through college, and that's what taught me to be a mechanic. Dad would help pay for parts, but not labor. If I didn't want to walk, I had to learn how to fix it. That baby 4-banger was about as simple of an engine as you could get without using hamsters, so it was a good car for a (pre-internet) kid to learn on.

All in all, dad really got his money's worth out of it-- it had its flaws, but it did our family well for almost 20 years.

R.

At about 98,000 miles, one of the cylinders went south (low compression) in that little 1600 pushrod Cortina engine in a our Capri. I pulled the engine and trucked it downtown for an overhaul. In the process, I managed to obtain a new intake manifold from Canada for the new Weber 2 barrel carburetor (replacing the stock 1 barrel Autolite), plus steel tubing exhaust headers. Also, the engine rebuilder installed a new Cortina GT camshaft (also illegal, heh!).

The improvement in performance was very significant, to say the least. Yes, the Federal and even worse California emission controls just killed that nice, little engine. After the rebuild and upgrades, not only did it perform better, it got better gas mileage to boot. I bought a manual for the Weber and learned how to tune it for that engine. I ran the primary as lean as possible and still have decent drivability and complimented that with a richer secondary so engine was happy at full throttle. It was a lot of fun.

[DETRoadster]

Originally Posted by 3.0L

...In the process, I managed to obtain a new intake manifold from Canada for the new Weber 2 barrel carburetor...

The trusty Weber 32/36 I'm betting.

[ShopVac]

Originally Posted by flybigjet

A 1971.5 Ford Pinto was the first new car my father ever bought. Bright red, black interior with a black vinyl top-- it still had the hatch, but with half-glass instead of the later full-glass.

He drove it for DECADES-- even took it to Japan for five years on a military assignment. It pretty much drove terribly until we finally figured out that Ford had half-arsed the smog controls to be able to sell it in CA. We pulled all of that junk off and put in a new carburator-- it was like a completely different car after that.

It was also the car that I learned how to drive a MT with. My dad took me to the local (empty) community college parking lot on a weekend, demonstrated how to work the gears, got out and went over to a bench with a paper and said "Come back and pick me up when you figure it out."

A few months later, I got to learn how to change a clutch as well.

He did get rear-ended on the way home from work in the mid-80's (before the gas tank shield recall). You'd have thought he would have gone up like a buddhist monk, but he just had a backyard mechanic straighten out where he got crumpled, repainted it and pressed on.

I drove that car all the way through college, and that's what taught me to be a mechanic. Dad would help pay for parts, but not labor. If I didn't want to walk, I had to learn how to fix it. That baby 4-banger was about as simple of an engine as you could get without using hamsters, so it was a good car for a (pre-internet) kid to learn on.

All in all, dad really got his money's worth out of it-- it had its flaws, but it did our family well for almost 20 years.

R.

My learning was on an 84 chevy chevette.

Thought this was funny...

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by JJ 911SC

Where there is will there is a way

Trunk Monkey does a lot of good!

[3.0L]

Originally Posted by DETRoadster

The trusty Weber 32/36 I'm betting.

That does ring a bell.

Funny thing happened regarding the 2-barrel Weber. I bought the carburetor from the shop that rebuilt my engine and I couldn't wait to get it installed. During the first drive I was really thrilled at the boost in performance. Then I noticed that every time I nailed the throttle there would be some hesitation. At first I thought it was the accelerator pump, but that appeared to be working properly. After some research (the manual) I discovered that the shop had sold me the wrong carburetor for that particular application. The float bowl was on the rear of the carb. The bowl is supposed to be on the front of the carb. On the rear, gasoline flow momentarily surges away from the spray bar, causing an overly lean mixture. They got me the proper carb and all was well.

[KRS_SN]

o

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by Fly320s

Looks like the stickers from new tires that have been sold. If that ball is just stickers, that is a metric boatload of tires.

It was. Now for something different...

[IllSic_Design]

Originally Posted by 3.0L

That does ring a bell.

Funny thing happened regarding the 2-barrel Weber. I bought the carburetor from the shop that rebuilt my engine and I couldn't wait to get it installed. During the first drive I was really thrilled at the boost in performance. Then I noticed that every time I nailed the throttle there would be some hesitation. At first I thought it was the accelerator pump, but that appeared to be working properly. After some research (the manual) I discovered that the shop had sold me the wrong carburetor for that particular application. The float bowl was on the rear of the carb. The bowl is supposed to be on the front of the carb. On the rear, gasoline flow momentarily surges away from the spray bar, causing an overly lean mixture. They got me the proper carb and all was well.

Lol there's soooo many different variations of the 2 barrel webers, I've got plenty of experience with them from my Mitsu pickup truck days haha

[Esteban]

.

[dinonz]

Originally Posted by IllSic_Design

Lol there's soooo many different variations of the 2 barrel webers, I've got plenty of experience with them from my Mitsu pickup truck days haha

I have 6 of them in my car if you're ever bored and feel like tuning/syncing them!

[IllSic_Design]

Originally Posted by dinonz

I have 6 of them in my car if you're ever bored and feel like tuning/syncing them!

haha I'll pass, I hate tuning(or carbs in general) carburetors with a passion, ever since my dirt bike days. I was so happy when dirt bikes finally went to fuel injection lol.

[3.0L]

Originally Posted by dinonz

I have 6 of them in my car if you're ever bored and feel like tuning/syncing them!

I'll make a guess. Ferrari V-12?

[1MOREMOD]

Isn't that the Lambo

[ethanvoges]

Tesla first edition

[dinonz]

Originally Posted by 3.0L

I'll make a guess. Ferrari V-12?

Lamborghini

[KRS_SN]

w

[TheWatchGuy]

[unluky]

Originally Posted by ShopVac

My learning was on an 84 chevy chevette.

Thought this was funny...

My buddy had a 74 Plymouth Satellite that he badgered his father into buying him when he was 15 and he could work it off. Well the DAY he got his driver license, he came home and got it finally and on his joyous drive out to the blacktop (lived on about a mile of gravel) his heavy foot got the better of him and he wrapped it around a tree. Literally a 1/2 mile from his house hours after getting his license. To say his dad was pissed is an understatement.

So a few weeks later his dad came home dragging a BRIGHT ORANGE used Pinto. He told my buddy "drive it or ride the bus - I don't give a shit which - your rides are over". He hated it - I mean HATED it. One night we were drinking and he was cussing it and he got up and dug the brick out of the back that he used as a E brake - started the car and tossed the brick on the accelerator. He swore us all as witnesses that he was driving normal and it just blew.

Except he didn't tell the Pinto. 5 mins.....10 mins.....15 mins.....20 mins......it just kept screaming away. It was very hard to listen to or even sit near it, but it just kept going.

He gave up before it did and then he drove it another year till he saved up enough to buy another car. I will never forget that sound as long as I live.

[TKDbilly]

Originally Posted by KRS_SN

w

Agreed ...