Owned 2 different fire wagons, err Pintos.
Easy to work on, great FE, fun to drive.
The early pinto w/100K miles plus, was sold to a kid who put a four barrel carb and headers on it. Would do 120!
For you youngsters the early Pinto had a problem with rear-end wrecks and gas tank fires (much like the current Ford Police Cruisers). Just to make my early Pinto safer, I installed two extra bright truck lights.
Screw the "business-school case studies"
, I still like the handling & FE of the old Pinto.
BE wary of people who bi#%* about a particular vehicle, i.e. Nader
and the Chevy Corvair. The SAME exact handling problems of the Corvair occurred in the Porsche which was/is Rear-end heavy which can be a problem for the neophyte driver. Of course Porsche & along with the US loving Porsche owners would have figuratively buried Nader had Nader come after Porsche.