By Bill Sanders
A major breakthrough, the Pinto has finally put Ford where they
should have been all along 'way back with the first Falcon, namely in the so-called
“sub-compact” market. Because it is a totally new car from the wheels up and because
Ford engineers took time to really determine what people wanted in a car of this
caliber, besides just style, the Pinto has some interesting and worthwhile
innovations that are relevant to today.
Pinto incorporates a unitized body-chassis construction, which
seems to be the modern way to go for strength and rigidity. The body is welded
to the platform-type chassis and forms an all-welded unit structure. A new
feature built into the Pinto is a “halo roof” with thinner, one-piece
construction that allows more headroom in a car with an extremely low profile.
The “halo roof” replaces the conventional separate windshield and backlight
headers, inner roof rails, and roof reinforcements. Another welcome innovation
is the extra-wide door openings. Since Pinto will be a strictly two-door model,
the extra space makes entry and exit, especially to the rear seat, quite easy.
The entire concept of relative comparison for the Pinto is based on the VW
Beetle, consequently it emerges that the Pinto has over 3 inches more clearance
ahead of the front seat and almost 4 inches more clearance behind it than the
Volks.
Although the Pinto suspension isn't exactly new or exotic, it does
carry some improvements. It is the same as that used on the big Ford. Front coil
springs are mounted on the lower control arms, like the T-bird and other large
Fords. Most compact cars have their springs attached to the upper arms. Pinto's
design results in two improvements: (1) By eliminating the high spring towers,
there is more room in the engine compartment to work on the engine; and (2)
Because it is the same design as the bigger, heavier cars, you get a smoother
ride. The fully independent front suspension features ball joints and tilted
upper control arms which combat nose-dive during braking, heavy-duty shocks are
used and there is no front stabilizer bar. The light weight of the car doesn't
require using a sway bar and handling remains good. An economy feature is the
36,000-mile lubrication interval for the front suspension components. Matched to
the front, the rear suspension is Ford's familiar Hotchkiss setup with 46.5-inch
three-leaf semi-elliptical springs. A feature promoted by Ford on their muscle
cars for several years, staggered rear shocks, is standard on the Pinto. The
right shock is mounted in front of the rear axle, and the left one behind it.
This design reduces wheel hop and increases traction during acceleration and
braking. Hopefully, it will prove better than the Chevy system employed on the
Vega with rear coil springs, as we experienced considerable wheel hop during
brake tests on one model of that car.
Rack and pinion steering is a major feature on the Pinto, as it is
on the Vega. For years, European cars have used rack and pinion, as opposed to
the recirculating ball and nut system used in most American cars, because it
provides positive and precise response with a minimum effort. Pinto's steering
ratio is 22:1, significantly less than most imports, and is easy enough so power
steering isn't needed. There are four turns of the 15-inch steering wheel,
lock-to-lock. Pinto has a 31.5-foot turning circle as compared to the VW, which
turns in 34.5 feet, allowing the Pinto to turn in a space about 3 feet less,
which presumably mean better maneuverability.
Standard tires are 6.00 x 13 and standard brakes are 9-inch self
adjusting drums all around. Optional front disk brakes will be made available
sometime after introduction. The disk brakes will feature a floating caliper
operated by a single piston and will consist of only five major parts. Because
of Pinto's light weight and the design of both steering and brakes, no power
options for either steering or brakes will be available.
No wide variety of powertrain options will be available for the
Pinto either, which is as it should be. Two 4-cylinder engines, 1,600cc and
2,000cc, will supply the power (see Motor Trend, July 1970 for complete engine
details). The 1,600cc version is an in-line overhead valve mill, while the
2-liter model has an overhead cam. Standard Pinto transmission will be a
floor-mounted, fully synchronized, four-speed manual. The standard transmission
with the Vega is a three-speed. The only optional Pinto transmission is a
three-speed automatic with the shift selection lever also mounted to the floor.
A rear axle ratio of 3.55:1 is standard and gives consistent peppy response,
yet stays within the economy objectives of the car. A 45-amp-hour battery is
standard with all powertrain combinations... A 54-amp-hour heavy duty battery
is optional.
Inside the Pinto, Ford men continue their comparison with the Bug.
Accordingly, by Ford's own statistics, the Pinto has more interior room in every
dimension, including leg, hip, and shoulder room, both front and rear, except
front seat head room, which is greater in the VW. The VW is also 7.7 inches
higher, which, of course, has some bearing on the relationship.
Pinto's instrument panel is an exercise in simplicity. Straight
ahead, in front of the steering wheel, are two pods, one with fuel gauge, one
with a speedometer/odometer. In yet another straightforward move, and we suspect,
to cut cost, one read-out light covers both engine temperature and oil pressure.
There is also one light for the alternator and brake system. The heater and radio
controls are in the center of the dash, convenient to both passenger and driver.
The Pinto also has a large ash tray, in a good location, and a glove box, which
the Vega does not.
Sliding into the bucket seat behind the steering wheel, you find
that it is rather easy to get in. Once behind the wheel you see the Pinto has
greater visibility all around. Part of this feeling is a result of the rather
rakish, 60-degree slope of the windshield, which puts a lot of glass in front of
you. The feeling is probably more psychological than real. The absence of vent
windows in the doors also adds to the feeling.
Newly designed; high-back buckets makes seating a comfortable
proposition. Everything is well planned: the steering wheel angle is good and
the tunnel mounted parking brake is easy to reach. As another simplified feature,
the parking brake can be adjusted inside the car, just by turning a screw. Both
the manual and automatic transmissions have the shift lever floor mounted and
each is equally easy to shift. The four-speed, especially, is an excellent
shifter because of the location to the tunnel. The Pinto has a short-throw shift
that is firm and slides into gear with a clean motion. It feels better than the
rather long, mushy stick we experienced on some models of the Vega.
Driving is interesting, because it's similar to an import, but
still has all the inherent feelings of an American machine, just as the Vega
does. Steering is light and responsive. Generally, the Pinto steering is close
to neutral, but a shade on the understeer side. Handling is competent, all
anyone, even a hot shoe driver, could want from a basic suspension. We pushed
the Pinto through some hard corners and never encountered any irrational antics.
Driving both the 1,600cc with four-speed manual and the 2,000cc with an
automatic, we found the car with the bigger engine and automatic to be equal to
the lighter version, and somewhat better in certain situations. As we learned
from Howard Freers, chief engineer for the Pinto, the spring rates are slightly
stiffer to accommodate the heavier 2-liter engine and heavier automatic
transmission, so besides more power, that version of the car tended to hug the
road better in some corners.
The biggest and most pleasant surprise of all with the Pinto was
when we climbed into the back seat and sat down. There is all kinds of great
rear seat legroom. Whether the front bucket seats are all the way forward or all
the way back, there is still knee room, even for the tall ones.
Brakes are responsive and showed little tendency to fade, even
with four-wheel drums. Stopping was straight and the cars were easy to keep
under control, in line, during several panic stops from varying speeds.
It seems fashionable to compare any new American compact with the
Volkswagen, or “the leading import” as some like to call it. AMC did it with the
Gremlin, Chevy is doing it with the Vega, and Ford is doing it with the Pinto.
But, as you may have noticed in this review, the most frequent and logical
comparison seems to be with the Vega or the Gremlin. And, when all three cars
meet head-on in the market, that's probably where the true comparison will take
place. The VW will go merrily on its way.
