Automobile Enthusiasts

pecosbob

(7,904 posts)

45. Say what you will about the Gremlin, the Vega and the Pinto

Fri Jun 28, 2019, 10:16 AM

Jun 2019

The very same Pinto engine, the 'Lima' 2.0L and 2.3L has been powering Ford Ranger pickups I've been driving for a generation.

American Motors...they were nerd cool...the Rebel, the Marlin, the AMX, and the ugly step-children the Gremlin, the Pacer and the Hornet, but that marque's mouldering in the graveyard for forty years. My dad had a Javelin for a while, but he also had a Mustang and a Sunbeam Tiger for a while when I was a kid.

My first car was a used 1969 Plymouth GTX in Bronze Fire w/ black vinyl roof with a 440 Commando and a Carter four-barrel. The weekend I got that car I went over a hundred and fifty miles an hour for the first time. The speedo went to one-eighty. Waaaay too much car for a fifteen year old kid. Now Plymouth has taken the big dirt nap as well. I still remember my Mom's Belvedere Station Wagon with the push-button transmission well...

I always kind of wanted one of those Pinto wagons with the port-hole windows on the rear sides and some surfbords on top...

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AMC Gremlin vs. Ford Pinto: Who Ya Got? [View all] Rhiannon12866 Jun 2019 OP

The Ford Pinto the Molotov cocktail of cars. comradebillyboy Jun 2019 #1

+1 ... and why I'd take the Gremlin. But this is what I drove: Auggie Jun 2019 #8

Not a bit worse than others of it's era. Mopar151 Jul 2019 #46

Chevettes? Auggie Jul 2019 #52

A piss-poor try at that Mopar151 Jul 2019 #58

I had a 76 Chevette. Automatic. What a piece of crap. yellowcanine Jul 2019 #60

We did have one Gremlin in our family, TexasTowelie Jun 2019 #2

My Dad was not a car guy, he'd have a company car and would eventually buy it Rhiannon12866 Jun 2019 #3

We had a '66 Falcon in my youth with "three on the tree". Bob Loblaw Jun 2019 #17

Of the three Ford Falcons in the family, TexasTowelie Jun 2019 #20

Yeah, I remember "helping" dad Bob Loblaw Jun 2019 #23

One of my dads friends still had a 70's AMC Pacer in the mid 80's and I'll tell ya mr_lebowski Jun 2019 #4

I certainly remember the Pacer! Rhiannon12866 Jun 2019 #5

i was just thinking of the pacer . AllaN01Bear Jun 2019 #24

I had a girlfriend who had a Pacer Danascot Jun 2019 #42

Aesthetically, neither is pleasing to the eye True Dough Jun 2019 #6

I've owned 2 (used) Gremlins & 2 (used) Pinto Wagons... WePurrsevere Jun 2019 #7

No love for the Chevy Vega? (nt) NeoGreen Jun 2019 #9

I owned one ChazInAz Jun 2019 #11

Sounds like you had a pretty special and intimate relationship with this... NeoGreen Jun 2019 #12

I sure remember Vegas, they were a very popular car! Rhiannon12866 Jun 2019 #32

Very little... Mopar151 Jul 2019 #47

Gremlin...both were planned obsolete the day they left the lot... Tikki Jun 2019 #10

My husband had a Pinto mgardener Jun 2019 #13

"Do you know what kind of women you get in heaven by driving a Ford Pinto?" rocktivity Jun 2019 #14

I had a Gremlin MrScorpio Jun 2019 #15

That's the one I voted for on this article Rhiannon12866 Jun 2019 #34

I had a Pinto. murielm99 Jun 2019 #16

Vegas! Let me tell you..... machoneman Jun 2019 #18

Guess where Vegas were built.... Ohiogal Jun 2019 #19

You tell 'em OG. JohnnyRingo Jun 2019 #22

I replaced a head gasket on a ten month old Vega and the front fender I was bending..... EarnestPutz Jun 2019 #25

Wow -- that was one big lemon. Auggie Jul 2019 #53

I love Jalopnik. JohnnyRingo Jun 2019 #21

Thanks! I thought this was a pretty clever article Rhiannon12866 Jun 2019 #33

Pintos had an unfortunate tendency to blow up. The Velveteen Ocelot Jun 2019 #26

Only when you tap the rear bumper. cos dem Jul 2019 #51

I had a 1976 Gremlin customerserviceguy Jun 2019 #27

Pinto had two engine options - a 1600 cc engine based on a British design and.... EarnestPutz Jun 2019 #28

Pretty bad? Mopar151 Jul 2019 #48

As much as I hate to admit it to a "Mopar" guy, you are right. In my own defense.... EarnestPutz Jul 2019 #49

Also the basic block of two Pedigreed Cosworths, and the "Lotus" twincam Mopar151 Jul 2019 #50

I had a Bobcat (a Mercury Pinto) and a Pinto; both were great cars that I liked a lot. NBachers Jun 2019 #29

We had a green 1970 Gremlin ThoughtCriminal Jun 2019 #30

Hey just a minute there... The Figment Jun 2019 #31

My friend had a green 1974 Gremlin kimbutgar Jun 2019 #35

Gotta go with the Pinto. WinstonSmith4740 Jun 2019 #36

Vauxhall Brexit trusty elf Jun 2019 #37

That does look like it really is "unsafe at any speed!" Rhiannon12866 Jun 2019 #39

Neither of them hold a candle in the ugliness department compared to this bug-eyed monstrosity. cos dem Jul 2019 #54

That just don't look kosher. keithbvadu2 Jun 2019 #40

Wish I had my mom's 62 Corvair mountain grammy Jun 2019 #38

Learned to drive in a Corvair also. Perfect size and cool car. Hoyt Jul 2019 #59

'60 Falcon, six cylinder, automatic. 60mph (downhill) keithbvadu2 Jun 2019 #41

I'll go with the pinto bluecollar2 Jun 2019 #43

I had two Ford Pintos Captain Zero Jun 2019 #44

Say what you will about the Gremlin, the Vega and the Pinto pecosbob Jun 2019 #45

Bought a new 1974 Pinto Wagon. GP6971 Jul 2019 #55

Gremlins were very, very heavy for their size. Don't know why. yonder Jul 2019 #56

Under the funky style Mopar151 Nov 2019 #62

Although a hot rodder and and drag racer gibraltar72 Jul 2019 #57

My father had a Mercury Bobcat (a Pinto with a fancy grille). Eugene Jul 2019 #61

Pinto SunshineState70 Apr 2020 #63

where's the rest of your car toots.. stuntgirl56 Oct 2020 #64