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To: jdsteel; Yo-Yo; Don W; FreedomPoster

There were no factory built front wheel drive Pintos / Pinto Wagons.

There were no factory supply lines sending the necessary front end (FWD transmission) stamped structural and suspension components that would be placed in body framework, for welding. Nor FWD driveline components in the supply system.

But, a Ford Motor authorized, or other, shop might have built a few FWD Pintos. The greater Detroit area has several capable shops that do project and short run production work for vehicle manufacturers.

The clue, is the 5 on the floor - 5 forward and 1 reverse manual transmission. Typical for a custom build.

Meanwhile, custom work at a Ford assembly plant, requires some harmony among management and labor. And the work was usually done at the end of model year production. An example would be some stainless steel versions of a few car models.


90 posted on 01/20/2022 8:18:56 AM PST by linMcHlp
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To: linMcHlp
But, a Ford Motor authorized, or other, shop might have built a few FWD Pintos. The greater Detroit area has several capable shops that do project and short run production work for vehicle manufacturers.

I seriously doubt that any shop in Detroit or elsewhere made a run of FWD 1978 Pinto Wagons for sale to the general public.

Dropping in a transverse engine FWD drivetrain into a longitudinal engine RWD engine bay is much more engineering than just an engine swap.

It may be possible that someone, somewhere swapped the U.K. Fiesta drivetrain into a Ford Pinto Wagon, but the fabrication costs would be astronomical, and would have been done for prototype or research purposes only, not for a limited production run for sale to the general public.

93 posted on 01/20/2022 8:49:28 AM PST by Yo-Yo (Is the /sarc tag really necessary?)
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To: jdsteel; Yo-Yo; Don W; FreedomPoster

I should have added, “as far as I have known.”

For example, Ford might have set up a short run assembly line as a model, a project, in order to work out the kinks. And Ford might have chosen an FWD Pinto Wagon, as a production test vehicle. (Easy to test drive in the area, when so-disguised.)

OTOH, Ford (or somebody) might have placed a Pinto Wagon body on a Ranger Pickup Truck drive train and suspension mix.


96 posted on 01/20/2022 8:59:05 AM PST by linMcHlp
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