opinions wanted:pinto in a Bucket

Hey guys(and gals), What are your opinions about running a pinto 4 banger in a t-bucket? I'm starting on a t project using the front cockpit of a 25 touring t and grafting a 30's model a pickupbed to the back. Hopefully building my own frame as time allows me. I have the chance to pick up a early 70's running pinto with a 4 speed. Do you think this would be a good power plant for a T?How about using the pinto rearend?I kind of like the idea of an all Ford Hot Rod. This area of building is new to me so any input will be appreciated. Thanks Gregg

 

Pike has one in his ride, way cool! Maybe he'll speak up and show ya some pics.

In the mean time here is one I have of it:

 

You mean something like this? Narrowed 27 with 2300 Pinto and early Ford driveline w/quick change. The reason everyone is smiling in the picture(sorry about the quality;it was taken at night)is that the person behind the wheel weighs 280 lbs. and cannot get out.We had to remove the steering wheel to free him.

 

You might look into some of the historic formula Ford sites for hop-up/ tuning ideas. I think they might have used Pinto mills at one time.

 

Pretty cool stuff! Thanks for the pics. I've heard that the aftermarket performance stuuf for the 2300 is readily available. I think Ford was putting supperchargers in the late80's/early 90s thunderbirds. I still need to do a lot of research on this subject, i'm just curios of what you guys think. I know its not traditional but it may be affordable. Gregg

 

My friend Garry Carter runs a Pinto in his full fendered, Jag suspended Model A roadster pickup. A very nice ride.

His latest project, a Model A roasdster pickup based modified runs a Mazda banger. It is one cool ride.

Build what you want and drive the hell out of it.

 

They were - on V6's "Super Coupe"

The 'bangers "only" got turbos! "Turbo Coupe"

I don't think they put blowers on 4 bangers but I've been wrong before

I think somewhere out there is a magical combination of 70'2 to 90's 2.3 parts that would make a kick ass engine, a good place to start may be turboford.org

btw a friend of mine told me a guy he knows is trying to sell 2 turbo 2.3's and a complete T-bird Turbo Coupe - could be a gold mine for parts for a potential fleet of modifieds, or "HAMB dragster" type cars like a modern day "The Bug"

 

Sound cool to me. One thing you might consider is going to a ford 8" rear ( used in Pinto;s with v-6, Mustang 2 and Granadas ( five lug, maybe the best). They have a drop-out center section, so you can swap ratio's pretty easy. Maybe give some thought to a 5 speed, so you could run a steep rear gear and still have mild rpm on the open road. Lots available for the 2300. Marko.

 

The Pinto engine is the second best engine Ford ever built (behind the 289 ). They're strong & reliable. They run them in Formula Fords open wheel racers, & just about every hop-up part that's ever been made is made for them.
~ Paul
aka "Tha Driver"

It's been so long since I've had sex, I can't remember who gets tied up.

 

A lot of the guys that run the 2300 here on the dirt tracks have stroked these lil monsters, and they are kicking ass with them too...they use rods from a 250 chevy and a special crank...after looking up the stuff to do it with, I found a place that sells the rods machined to fit the stock 2300 crankshaft, of course the special "short" pistons are required as well, brings the whole package for the rods and pistons to about $600...

I thought I had the site saved in my favorites...but it's not there now. I'm sure someone else here has it though...

 

I'm doing a 26T lakes mod build right now and was given a complete 83 TurboCoupe (45K !!) for a donor. I am using the Turbo 2.3 / T5 / rear axle and tons of other "stuff" outta the T-Bird. The early T/Coupes had 165HP and the later ones were around 185 HP or so. Using some usual tweaks , and mix/match of Ford parts 250-275 Hp is easy to get. On the plus side ,they are lighter ,and easy to fit under the hood (although the Turbo system adds a good bit of height to the package..) Theres still lots of good stuff available ,fairly cheap...especially N/Aspirated..Turbo stuff can get rather pricey tho.. My $0.02 would say take a strong look at using a 2.3....after all theres nothing like a 4-banger in a lakes type car just looks right IMHO
Good luck to ya on your project Stan

 

I have always been of the opinion that a v8 is too much for a bucket. I'm running a six in mine and there is plenty of hp and I can put it to the ground fairly well.
I say go with the motor you have and drive the shit out of it. I think you will enjoy it.

 

Another possibility would be to try and find a 2.3 motor out of an SVO(83-86).Stock they make over 200hp.Unfortunately they are NOT the same as the early Pinto motors(although I'm not sure about the T-birds)and I don't know what is available for speed parts.

 

I have a '72 2000cc in my '27 T roadster. It is great for a light car, 1800lbs. Behing it is the stock 4 speed and an 8" rear end with 3.80 gears. The week link is the transmission, too light duty for 8.90X16 rear tires. I'd look into using a T-5. It might hold up better.

 

The pinto 2.3, Mustang 2.3, SVO 2.3, T-bird 2.3 and early Ranger 2.3's are all pretty much the same (and Merc equivalents) except for what bolts on to them. The newer Ranger 2.3's are totally different. The last 2.3s got 2 plugs per cylinder in the Mustang and Ranger. In the early mid 80's they got a roller cam so the head is differnt.
Offy makes(made?) several intakes, I used to run a 390 cfm Holley 4 brl on an offy 4 brl intake. The stock fuel injection lower intake could probably be made into a 4 brl intake pretty easy by welding an 4 brl adapter plate on top of it.
Intakes for other 2brls and webers are also available.
Racer Walsh has parts for these engines, as well as Esslinger Engineering. I am sure others do also but those are the two I remember. Esslinger even has an aluminum head available. Ford made a 2.5L stroker for a while available in the Motorsports catalog. I have heard people are stroking them up to 2.7L now. The last Turbo coupe was putting out over 200 horses if I remember. 300 should be pretty easy with some mods. There was also a turbo Mustang from 79-84 that was carbed.
The 2.0 pinto motor is also a great motor, just as much available for it if not more. The smaller pinto motors, 1.?, are junk, as are the 2.8L V-6's.
I don't like the Pinto trannys. I ripped more than one plastic threaded shifter out of the tranny while racing. I would definitley use a Mustang T-5, you can get a 4cyl T-5 for 100-150 from a Stanger building a drag car. Might get the motor thrown in for that price also, I have seen it several times.
I had a 77 Pinto in high school with a cam, Offy intake, Holley 4brl, and Headman headers that with a MustangII V-8 3 to 1 rear would do over 135mph.

 

First of all, thanks to Steve H (aka Bib Overalls) for posting pix of my rides. I still haven't demystified the process of posting photos on the HAMB.

My rpu runs a `84 Bronco II version of the 2.3, with the C-3 automatic. It's had a bit of head work done, a mild cam, header, and the Offy 4-bbl intake with Holley 390 cfm. Racer Walsh and Lingenfelter(sp?) both have lots of aftermarket goodies for this little motor of both the internal and external varieties. (The trickest-lookin' set-up uses a pair of Mikuni side-drafts, if you want a bit of eye candy.) A buddy has a highly-stressed, purpose-built B-ville version that produces about 300 hp, so you can do as much as you want

I've been driving mine in this configuration for about 15 years and it's been dead reliable. I'd go with some form of manual transmission, provided you have the room; it's a lot more fun that way and will be a bit quicker. My best time at the Kontinental's "Day of the Drags" a couple of years ago was a ground-poundin' 17.98 (with a short nap on the tree).

You want pix or more info? PM me (I don't check it too often) or shoot me an e-mail directly to garrycarter@satx.rr.com.

 

Plenty Of Parts For The 2300 Motors......check Out Speedway ....they Sell Alot Of Go Fast Stuff For Em .....i'm Using A 20r In My Bucket.....put The Shortblock Together This Afternoon .....brandon

 

Go for it. Alternative motors rock.
And rememeber, V8's are just a passing fad.

 

If ya gotta go late model why not go with the Banger out of a Thunder Bird TC. I got a buddy that threw one in a Pinto longroof and he's pullin' 32 MPG in the 80 to 100 mph range.

 

yea 2.3's are cool i have a turbo 2.3 with t 5 tranny to get rid of but no one around here knows what they are. Its a sad sad world

 

As long as you're able to find some awsome speed parts for it, I'd say go for it and dare to be a tad different.

 

Since you're getting the whole car, you would probably do pretty well with it, you'll be able to use a lot of shit from the car, not just the engine, and you can sell the front suspension parts to one of the Mustang II guys.

 

Neat idea,during the gas crisis of the 70`s I almost put one in a 33 sedan but traded away the 33 for a 48 1/2 ton and put a 455 Poncho in it . I could pass everything on the road but gas stations.LOL.I still have the 48 ,trying to give it a good home Jerry

 

i think it would be very cool. go for it!

 

Thanks guys for all the great info it certainly gives me some areas to look into. So the stock tranny sucks and the t5 is the way to go. What vehicle did they come in and what do you think they cost? I think i'll go with the 4 banger and keep it stock for now. i still need to build the chassis, box out the body and plan the front end(suspension,steering,opened cowl, closed cowl, grill and radiator) My wife and i just had our first baby a couple of weeks ago so the budjet is a little tight. Thanks again for all the great input. Gregg

 

the neoghbor kid (Bucket~Boy) is building a little hot rod out of a bunch of "throw away" parts. a 40-47 Ford truck cab,home built frame and the (running) 4 banger and 5 speed he yanked out of a freebie Ford Ranger. the motor (and perhaps the trans) was orignaly out of a 72 Mustang II though. it's gonna be a cool and super cheap little hot rod. we'll build an intake to take 2 single barrel carbs and build a lakes style header off the other side. the cam is showing some excesive wear so a mild upgrade is in the cards. you can do a search and find posts on the build up of this little rod here on the HAMB. he's next door right now welding up the new trans tunnel and i just got home from welding the back window back in after a healthy 5 1/2" chop.

i say DO IT!! if i had the chance to get one of those motors free (or super cheap) i'd snatch it up and build a low buck roadster of some sort too. bangers are cool, in little cars.

 

there is never enuf power

 

if the motor and tranny works, run it...then build up from there. Enjoy what you go and always improve later.

Helps the drive and enthusiasm for the car.

I got a 4 banger Vega w/ muncie...I would run it....

In other words...Hell Ya run it....you can get speed parts for it...and dress it up to look like a A-4-banger....or close to it.

 

With gas at $2.50 a gallon and rising, your the smart one here! Do it. The most fun I ever had with my 39 Chevy was when it had a $50. 283, 350 TH, and 3:08 gears. Couldn't spin the tires on dirt, but that thing ran and ran with no trouble. The least fun I had with the car was with a worked over 400 small block 400 TH and 3:73 gears. Loads of power, but all I did was thrash it all the time because I could, and always worked on it fixing one thing or another. It's way more fun driving a reliable car than one that needs worked on. Go for the Pinto power and have a ball!

 

Its a GREAT Idea.

We used to do the Small Tractor Pulling for Local and State fair with engines all the way up to Big Block Chevies with Blowers attached to nothing more than a seat and a rear-end.

Click here to get an idea of some pictures.
http://www.skhr.prohosting.com/

Almost everyone in the 4cylinder class used the Pinto engine. Many chose to run Alochol Fuel Injection with a small home milled infector body holder for each cylinder.

Its a great engine as far as 4 cylinders are concerned.