The hatchback Pinto had the gas filler in the back below the bumper. I
can't remember if it had the gas cap under a flip down license plate
holder or not. I had another car that did that, and it was a PITA. You
had to hold the license plate holder down with one hand while you held
the pump nozzle with the other. When they first went to self-serve gas
they took the little latching gadget off the nozzles so you had to
squeeze the lever the whole time you were pumping gas.
With the Pinto hatchback, there was apparently a small, but significant
chance that in a rear end collision the filler neck could be driven into
the gas tank rupturing it and spilling fuel.
Some engineer at Ford told the company that the problem could be
prevented by adding a device during manufacture that would increase the
cost by about $1.50 per vehicle. He was over-ruled by the bean counters
at Ford because it would add significantly to the total cost over the
millions of Pintos Ford expected build.
The upshot was that the amount they saved by leaving the part off was a
lot less than they ended up settling the lawsuits for, PLUS they had to
recall the Pinto and fit the part anyway, where it cost Ford a whole lot
more than $1.50 per vehicle.
Orders of magnitude more as it were.
I think the station wagon model used a completely different gas tank,
but in any case the design didn't leave room for the filler neck to be
at the back end of the vehicle, so they put it on the left rear fender,
either in front of the tire arch opening or above it where it wouldn't
be vulnerable in a rear end collision.
On 7/29/2013 2:41 PM, kwal...@peoplepc.com wrote:
Kenneth Waller http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/kennethwaller
----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob W" <p...@web-options.com>
Subject: Re: GESO Car parts
the rear end collision broken filler neck problem.
Oh, you mean the one where the driver left the gas tank cap off
after filling the tank?
Is that why the other one didn't survive the honeymoon?
On 29 Jul 2013, at 16:42, John <johnsess...@yahoo.com> wrote:
The little station wagon was a pretty good car; not subject to
the rear end collision broken filler neck problem.
The only real problem I had with mine was the automatic
transmission was the same unit Ford used for their larger
vehicles & it sucked a lot of power out of the vehicle.
If it had been a stick shift, I might still have it running
today.
On 7/29/2013 11:34 AM, Don Guthrie wrote:
I don't know about "warm" memories of a Pinto. My brother had
one when he got married & it did not survive the honeymoon.
Glad you enjoyed the pics thanks for commenting.
pdml-requ...@pdml.net wrote:
Message: 1 Date: Sat, 27 Jul 2013 17:01:27 -0400 From:
"Gerrit Visser"<gerrit...@gmail.com> To: "'Pentax-Discuss
Mail List'"<pdml@pdml.net> Subject: RE: GESO Car parts
Message-ID: <002e01ce8b0c$76b1df40$64159dc0$@com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Brought back warm memories of my Pinto station wagon. Ah,
those were the days.
Good angles and framing.
Gerrit
-----Original Message----- From: PDML
[mailto:pdml-boun...@pdml.net] On Behalf Of Don Guthrie Sent:
Friday, July 26, 2013 5:57 PM To:pdml@pdml.net Subject: GESO
Car parts
I meant to post this all day & now must rush. This gallery
is for car nuts or just anyone who likes color & design.
Taken with K 5 & 70 mm prime for the most part plus a few
strays with 35mm. Enjoy or critique or both.
http://donspix.smugmug.com/Cars/Auto-Logos/30719412_DMR5PR
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