I bought the first year Pinto, in 1971, for my college years. Neat car. Drove
it all over the country visiting friends. The Pinto and I spent winter
breaks at ski mountains and our summers at the ocean. Geez did that car rust
quickly! Serious rust too - floor pan mostly. After about 100,000 miles, the
drivers seat fell through the floor. Fixed it with 2x4 lumber. But even worse
was the 10" rust hole that opened up behind the pedals, at the back of the
drivers side front fender well. Water poured in there when driving in the rain.
I fixed it with a chunk of plywood, screwed to the remaining sheet metal from
inside the car - lots of caulk too. That winter I drove up to Killington from
Rutgers. It was snowing hard on the New York Thruway. My exit was coming up...
hit the clutch....the pedal won't go in...hit the brakes...the pedal won't
depress....HELP!! I stopped the car with the emergency brake. The plywood was
hard up against the back of the pedals, frozen in place by congealed road
slush.
-Doug
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"Lethargy bordering on sloth remains the cornerstone of my restoration style"
Doug Phillips (Douglas.W.Phillips@Williams.edu)
1952 MG TD, Member, New England T Register (#11109) and Berkshire
County British Motor Car Club / Williams College, Williamstown, MA
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