AMT 1/25 1977 Ford Pinto # 1129

The Pinto was produced and marketed by Ford Motor Company in North America between 1971 and 1980.

Ford’s Pinto was the company’s first subcompact vehicle in North America.

Throughout its existence, the Pinto was available in three body styles: a two-door fastback sedan with a trunk, a three-door hatchback, and a two-door station waggon.

From 1975 through 1980, Mercury produced rebadged Pintos as the Mercury Bobcat (1974–1980 in Canada).

Over the course of its ten-year production run, over three million Pintos were produced, outnumbering its domestic rivals, the Chevrolet Vega and the AMC Gremlin, combined.

Edison Assembly at Edison, New Jersey, St. Thomas Assembly in Southwold, Ontario, and San Jose Assembly in Milpitas, California produced the Pinto and Mercury Bobcat.

The Pinto’s safety reputation has been a source of debate since the 1970s.

After multiple deadly fires caused by fuel tanks rupturing in rear-end crashes, the company’s fuel-tank design drew media and government investigation.

A later review of the Pinto’s overall safety found it to be equivalent to other 1970s subcompact automobiles.

The safety issues surrounding the Pinto and Ford’s response have been widely cited as a case study in both company ethics and tort reform.