In 1975 I purchased a 1971 Ford Pinto IMSA racecar from a guy in Camdon, N.J. named Tony Severino, the car was originally owned and raced by Carson Baird, in the IMSA Radial Series. I sold the Pinto in 1980 and built a 1979 Ford Mustang to race in this same series until IMSA decided that 1983 would be the last year for the rear wheel drive cars. The guys that I had sold the 1971 Pinto to in 1980 raced it for about three years and then it just sat around so in 1987 they called me up and said "we have had our fun with this car would you want it back, free, just haul it away" so the old Pinto came home. In 1989 I startyed to comvert it to run the SCCA GT-3 class, I chopped ourt the firewall and moved the engine back about 12" etc. During this time I had moved and changed jobs and finily I had to decide what I could keep and what to get rid of and the original Pinto was sent to the crusher, the conversion unfinished. I still have the engine, the transmissions, and the rear ends reom the original car and am still using the welded locked rearends in my current SCCA IT-B car! The motor has ben in pieces for years but is still here and waiting to roar again!
In 1990 I looked around the garage and saw that I still had quite a collection of Ford Pinto parts so I built a 1971 Pinto 2.0 to run in SCCA regional racing in IT-B. This car is a rocket and this will be it's 8th year. I run it on Hoosier 225/45/13 bias ply tires and hang the rear out in most corners. I always trophy and finish well. Last year I was second in the Mid Ohio Track Championship out of 40 or so cars. I run the Pinto all season and do next to no maintenance. Only brakes and tires. Lots of fun! You can see a picture of my Pinto #0 on the OVR link page below.
I will be glad to share preparation tips or any other information I have on these cars with anyone interested, just email me at the link below.
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