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Encyclopedia > Mercury Bobcat
Ford Pinto
Ford Pinto
Manufacturer Ford Motor Company
Also called Mercury Bobcat
Production 1971–1980
Predecessor None
Successor Ford Escort
Class Subcompact car
Body style(s) 2-door coupé
2-door station wagon
3-door hatchback
Related Ford Mustang II

The Ford Pinto was a subcompact car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company for the North American market, first introduced in 1971, and built through the 1980 model year. Like many Ford cars, it had a similar car sold under theLincoln-Mercury brand. In the Pinto's case, the Mercury Bobcat, introduced in Canada in 1974 and then in the U.S. for 1975. The Pinto was introduced in the same time frame as the Chevrolet Vega and AMC Gremlin in the new American subcompact car class. Although the previously introduced Ford Maverick was initially compared with the Volkswagen Beetle, it was still designed around a L6 or V8 motor, with an interior featuring two bench seats. The Pinto was aimed squarely at small 4 cylinder imports such as the Beetle and Toyota Corolla. Though the Vega and sometimes even the Gremlin would win higher magazine ratings,[citation needed] the Pinto was the most successful of the U.S. designs. The Pinto was also the starting point for the downsized Mustang II pony car. Pintos were built in St. Thomas, Ontario; Edison, New Jersey; and in Richmond[1], California. Ford Pinto. ... Automakers, also known as carmakers, automobile manufacturers, motor manufacturers, or the automobile industry are companies that design and manufacture automobiles. ... Ford Motor Company is an American multinational corporation and the worlds third largest automaker based on worldwide vehicle sales. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Ford Escort (European). ... Car classification is subjective since many vehicles fall into multiple categories. ... AMC Gremlin A subcompact car is an automobile in a vehicle size class smaller than a compact car but larger than a city car (and known as superminis in Europe). ... Cars can come in a large variety of different body styles. ... The Peugeot 406 Coupé, designed by Pininfarina 1990 Mercedes-Benz 560SEC coupé, noted for its large, angular design 1980s Volvo 480 two-box coupé 1997 Rover Vitesse Coupe, club coupe Mercedes CLS, a modern four-door coupé Gala-Coupé of Leopold II, Brussels 1970s Sunbeam Alpine fastback coupé A coup... Estate car body style (Saab 95) A station wagon (United States usage), wagon (Australian usage, though station wagon is widely used) or estate car (United Kingdom usage) is a car body style similar to a sedan car but with an extended rear cargo area. ... Peugeot 306 hatchback, with the hatch lifted and the parcel shelf tilted for access Not a hatchback: a fastback shape like this 2004 Bentley Continental GT can be confused with a true hatchback Hatchback is a term describing an automobile design, consisting of a passenger cabin with an integrated cargo... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... AMC Gremlin A subcompact car is an automobile in a vehicle size class smaller than a compact car but larger than a city car (and known as superminis in Europe). ... Ford Motor Company is an American multinational corporation and the worlds third largest automaker based on worldwide vehicle sales. ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... The model year of a product is a number used to describe approximately when a product was produced. ... 2002 Ford Fiesta in the UK. The Ford Motor Company (sometimes nicknamed Fords or FoMoCo, (NYSE: F) is an automobile maker founded by Henry Ford in Detroit, Michigan, and incorporated on June 16, 1903. ... The then-innovative Chevrolet Vega was a subcompact car sold from 1971 through 1977. ... The AMC Gremlin was the first American subcompact car. ... AMC Gremlin A subcompact car is an automobile in a vehicle size class smaller than a compact car but larger than a city car (and known as superminis in Europe). ... Ford has used the Maverick name on four completely different automobiles in the last three decades. ... This article is about the original Volkswagen Beetle. ... L6 can mean: Motorola L6, Mobile phone. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... A motor is a device that converts energy into mechanical power, and is often synonymous with engine. ... The Toyota Corolla is a compact car produced by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966. ... The Ford Mustang is an American automobile, originally based on the Ford Falcon compact. ... St. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman - Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 106 - Senate seats 24 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area [1] Ranked... The Edison Memorial Tower, one of Edison Townships notable landmarks. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Area  Ranked 47th  - Total 8,729 sq mi (22,608 km²)  - Width 70 miles (110 km)  - Length 150 miles (240 km)  - % water 14. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

Contents

History

For many years, Ford sold small models from its British line as captive imports, including the Ford Cortina which somewhat resembled a reduced Ford Falcon. The Pinto's design began in 1968 under the direction of Ford executive Lee Iacocca. The Pinto would be later complemented by the imported, but even smaller front wheel drive Ford Fiesta, and formally replaced by the more modern Escort, patterned after the technically advanced front-drive Volkswagen Rabbit, for the 1981 model year. The Ford Cortina was a medium sized family car sold by Ford of Britain in various guises from 1962 to 1982. ... This article is about the Australian car model. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Lido Anthony Lee Iacocca (born October 15, 1924) is an American industrialist most commonly known for his revival of the Chrysler brand in the 1980s when he was the CEO. Among the most widely recognized businessmen in the world, he was a passionate advocate of U.S. business exports during... The Ford Fiesta is a mid-class supermini car designed and built by the Ford Motor Company in Europe, and also manufactured in Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, China, India and South Africa. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Ford Escort (European). ... VW Golf Mk. ...


Compared with other imports, seating was very low to the floor. Styling somewhat resembled the larger Ford Maverick in grille and tail light themes, but had a smooth fastback profile. Body styles included a two-door coupé with a conventional trunk, a three-door hatchback called the Runabout, a two-door station wagon, and the Ford Pinto Cruising Wagon, produced from 1977 to 1980 and styled to resemble a small conversion van (very much the trend in the late 1970s) complete with a round "bubble window" in the side panels. There was even a top of the line Pinto Squire, which had faux wood sides like the flag ship Ford Country Squire. There were appearance packages, but never a factory performance package similar to the Cosworth Vega or the 304 V8 Gremlin X. Ford has used the Maverick name on four completely different automobiles in the last three decades. ... Cars can come in a large variety of different body styles. ... The Peugeot 406 Coupé, designed by Pininfarina 1990 Mercedes-Benz 560SEC coupé, noted for its large, angular design 1980s Volvo 480 two-box coupé 1997 Rover Vitesse Coupe, club coupe Mercedes CLS, a modern four-door coupé Gala-Coupé of Leopold II, Brussels 1970s Sunbeam Alpine fastback coupé A coup... Peugeot 306 hatchback, with the hatch lifted and the parcel shelf tilted for access Not a hatchback: a fastback shape like this 2004 Bentley Continental GT can be confused with a true hatchback Hatchback is a term describing an automobile design, consisting of a passenger cabin with an integrated cargo... Estate car body style (Saab 95) A station wagon (United States usage), wagon (Australian usage, though station wagon is widely used) or estate car (United Kingdom usage) is a car body style similar to a sedan car but with an extended rear cargo area. ... Conversion vans are built on existing vans such as the Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana, Dodge Ram Van, Dodge Sprinter, Ford Econoline, and many other models. ... 1967 Ford Country Squire The Ford Country Squire was a full-size station wagon built by the Ford Motor Company from 1950 until 1991; it was based on the Ford full-size car line available in each year. ...


The car's design was conventional, with unibody construction, a longitudinally-mounted engine in front driving the rear wheels through either a manual or automatic transmission and live axle rear end. Suspension was by unequal length A-arms with coil springs at the front and the live axle rear was suspended on leaf springs. The rack and pinion steering had optional power assist, as did the brakes. Monocoque (French for single shell) or unibody is a construction technique that uses the external skin of an object to support some or most of the load on the structure. ... A manual transmission (also known as a stick shift, straight drive, or standard transmission) is a type of transmission used in automotive applications. ... The automatic gear selector in a Ford Five Hundred vehicle An automatic transmission is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the vehicle moves, thus freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually (similar but larger devices are also used for railroad locomotives). ... A live axle is a type of beam axle suspension system that uses the driveshafts that transmit power to the wheels to connect the wheels laterally so that they move together as a unit. ... Rack and pinion animation A rack and pinion is a pair of gears which convert rotational motion into linear motion. ...


Road & Track faulted the suspension and standard drum brakes, calling the latter a "serious deficiency". But they praised the proven 1.6 L Kent engine, adapted from European Fords. The much larger 2300 found in arch-rival Chevrolet Vega was an innovative brand new design using an aluminum block and iron head. This new engine design suffered from serious reliability problems. Consumer Reports rated the 1971 Pinto below the Vega but above the Gremlin. Road & Track is an automobile enthusiast magazine in the United States, founded by two friends in 1947. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Vehicle brake. ... The Ford Kent is an internal combustion engine from Ford of Europe. ... The 2300 was a 2. ... The then-innovative Chevrolet Vega was a subcompact car sold from 1971 through 1977. ... Consumer Reports, an American magazine published monthly by Consumers Union, publishes reviews and comparisons of consumer products and services based on reporting and results from its in-house testing laboratory. ...


Original engines included a British-built 1.6 L OHV I4 and a German-built 2.0 L SOHC I4. In 1974, the 1.6 L powerplant was dropped and a new 2.3 L engine became available; a 2.8 L V6 was available from 1975. In automotive engineering, an overhead valve internal combustion engine is one in which the entry and exit valves and ports are contained in the cylinder head. ... The straight-4 or inline-4 is an internal combustion engine with four cylinders aligned in one row. ... Single overhead cam (also SOHC) refers to the internal combustion engine design where one camshaft is located above the valves. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... The Ford Essex V6 engine V6 and V-6 redirect here. ...


In North America, the car model was replaced by the Ford Escort.


Though the cars were thoroughly forgotten for some time, the Pinto seems to be enjoying success as an amateur-level vintage racing car,[citation needed] owing to its light weight, rear-wheel drive (RWD) layout, willing and durable Ford of Europe engines, and good car and parts availability. Rear-wheel drive (or RWD for short) is an engine/transmission layout used in automobiles. ...


On August 15, 2007, Ford announced that it will bring back the Pinto for the 2010 model year in which the opening sticker price will be $14,000. is the 227th day of the year (228th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...


Engines

  • 1971-1973 - 1.6 L Kent OHV I4, 75 hp (60 kW) and 96 ft.lbf (130 Nm)
  • 1971-1973 - 2.0 L EAO SOHC I4
  • 1974-1980 - 2.3 L OHC SOHC I4
  • 1975-1979 - 2.8 L Cologne V6

The Ford Kent is an internal combustion engine from Ford of Europe. ... In automotive engineering, an overhead valve internal combustion engine is one in which the entry and exit valves and ports are contained in the cylinder head. ... The Ford Pinto engine is the unofficial but ubiquitous nickname for a 4 cylinder internal combustion engine built by the Ford Motor Company in Europe. ... Single overhead cam (also SOHC) refers to the internal combustion engine design where one camshaft is located above the valves. ... The Ford Pinto engine is the unofficial but ubiquitous nickname for a 4 cylinder internal combustion engine built by the Ford Motor Company in Europe. ... Single overhead cam (also SOHC) refers to the internal combustion engine design where one camshaft is located above the valves. ... Left side of a 2. ... The Ford Essex V6 engine V6 and V-6 redirect here. ...

Safety problems

Through early production of the model, it became a focus of a major scandal when it was alleged that the car's design allowed its fuel tank to be easily damaged in the event of a rear-end collision which sometimes resulted in deadly fires and explosions. Critics argued that the vehicle's lack of a true rear bumper as well as any reinforcing structure between the rear panel and the tank, meant that in certain collisions, the tank would be thrust forward into the differential, which had a number of protruding bolts that could puncture the tank. This, and the fact that the doors could potentially jam during an accident (due to poor reinforcing) made the car a potential deathtrap. A scandal is a widely publicized incident involving allegations of wrong-doing, disgrace, or moral outrage. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... In an automobile and other four-wheeled vehicles, a differential is a device, usually consisting of gears, for allowing each of the driving wheels to rotate at different speeds, while supplying equal torque to each of them. ...


Ford was aware of this design flaw but allegedly refused to pay what was characterized as the minimal expense of a redesign. Instead, it was argued, Ford decided it would be cheaper to pay off possible lawsuits for resulting deaths. Mother Jones magazine obtained the cost-benefit analysis that it said Ford had used to compare the cost of an $11 repair against the cost of paying off potential law suits, in what became known as the Ford Pinto Memo. The characterization of Ford's design decision as gross disregard for human lives in favor of profits led to major lawsuits, criminal charges, and a costly recall of all affected Pintos. While Ford was acquitted of criminal charges, it lost several million dollars and gained a reputation for manufacturing "the barbecue that seats four."[2] Mother Jones Magazine is a leftist magazine named after labor organizer Mary Harris Jones (May 1, 1830 - November 30, 1930), better known as Mother Jones. ... Cost-benefit analysis is an important technique for project appraisal: the process of weighing the total expected costs against the total expected benefits of one or more actions in order to choose the best or most profitable option. ...


The most famous Ford Pinto product liability case resulted in a judicial opinion that is a staple of remedies courses in American law schools. In Grimshaw v. Ford Motor Co., 119 Cal. App. 3d 757 (4th Dist. 1981) [1], the California Court of Appeal for the Fourth Appellate District reviewed Ford's conduct, and upheld compensatory damages of $2.5 million and punitive damages of $3.5 million against Ford. It also upheld the judge's reduction of the punitive damages from the jury's original verdict of $125 million. Of the two plaintiffs, one was killed in the collision that caused her Pinto to explode, and her passenger, 13-year old Richard Grimshaw, was badly burned and scarred for life. Product liability encompasses a number of legal claims that allow an injured party to recover financial compensation from the manufacturer or seller of a product. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... In law, a Judicial remedy is the means by which a court, usually in the exercise of civil law jurisdiction, enforces a right, imposes a penalty, or makes some other court order. ... // A law school is an institution where future lawyers obtain legal degrees. ... In law, damages refers to the money paid or awarded to a claimant (as it is known in the UK) or plaintiff (in the US) following their successful claim in a civil action. ... Punitive damages are damages awarded to a successful plaintiff in a civil action, over and above the amount of compensatory damages, to: punish the conduct of the civil defendant; deter the civil defendant from committing the invidious act again; and deter others from doing the same thing. ...


However, a 1991 law review paper by Gary Schwartz [2], argued that the case against the Pinto was less clear-cut than commonly supposed. Only 27 people ever died in Pinto fires. Given the Pinto's production figures (over 2 million built), this was no worse than typical for the time, and far less than the "hundreds" claimed by the consumer safety advocates whose allegations are largely responsible for the reputation of the vehicle. Schwartz argued that the car was no more fire-prone than other cars of the time, that its fatality rates were lower than comparably sized imported automobiles, and that the supposed "smoking gun" document that plaintiffs claimed showed Ford's callousness in designing the Pinto was a document based on National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regulations about the value of a human life rather than a document used to design the Pinto. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA, often pronounced nit-suh) is an agency of the Executive Branch of the U.S. Government, part of the Department of Transportation. ...


Due to the alleged engineering, safety, and reliability problems, Forbes Magazine included the Pinto on its list of the worst cars of all time. Alternate meaning: For the Boston Brahmin family associated with John Forbes Kerry, see Forbes family. ...


Pinto Pangra

A Pinto Pangra. The same car is also visible in the background in the first picture in this article.
A Pinto Pangra. The same car is also visible in the background in the first picture in this article.

The Pinto Pangra was a modified, sporting Pinto produced in limited numbers by a Ford dealer, Huntington Ford in Arcadia, California. Approximately 55 were sold during 1973 and (to a limited degree) 1974, and in addition the components were sold in kit form. A Pangra cost approximately $5,000. Download high resolution version (2304x1728, 1001 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (2304x1728, 1001 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Ford may mean a number of things: A ford is a river crossing. ... Arcadia is a U.S. city in Los Angeles County, California that is located about 20 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley, at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. ... Year 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ...


The most visible modification was a slanted fiberglass nose with pop-up headlights. Internally, the stock 2 liter engine was fitted with an AK Miller turbocharger; a "Can-Am" suspension package with Koni dampers lowered the car and improved the handling; aluminum wheels with wider tires were fitted, as were Recaro seats, a revised dash with a new center console, full instrumentation, and a digital tachometer.


See also

The Ford Pinto engine is the unofficial but ubiquitous nickname for a 4 cylinder internal combustion engine built by the Ford Motor Company in Europe. ... The AVE Mizar (frequently misspelled Mitzar, but named after the star Mizar) was a flying car built between 1971 and 1973 by Advanced Vehicle Engineers (AVE) of Oxnard, California. ... City Orchard Park, New York Team colors Navy blue, light blue, Red, light Red, White, Royal, and Nickel Head Coach Dick Jauron Owner Ralph Wilson General manager Marv Levy Mascot Billy Buffalo League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1960-1969) Eastern Division (1960-1969) National Football League (1970–present) American...

References and footnotes

  1. ^ http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/25/HOG2UHS4701.DTL
  2. ^ http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z11820/default.aspx 1972 Ford Pinto information

is the 110th day of the year (111th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Ford Pinto
  • Ford Pinto at the Open Directory Project
  • FordPinto.com
  • Mother Jones magazine's 1977 expose on the Ford Pinto
  • Pinto Yahoo Group, rather active
  • Pinto Page - year by year specifications and magazine articles.


Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The Open Directory Project (ODP), also known as dmoz (from , its original domain name), is a multilingual open content directory of World Wide Web links owned by Netscape that is constructed and maintained by a community of volunteer editors. ...

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