My brother had owned both a pinto & vega when he was in college. The vega blew up, he got motor from the dealer, it blew up again. He was forever having problems with it, including electrical & RUST.
He got the pinto after just 'cause it was cheap as dirt. I recall he paid $300. It lasted him 2-1/2 years. Awful, yes, but it did the job.
I also knew an a-hole in HS that came back from getting a dis-honorable discharge from the army. He rolled into town in a V-8 pinto - Royal Blue. I never rode in it, but those little cars with V-8s would really MOVE. First time I saw it, I thought, "what a d***. Put nice paint & wide tires on a pinto. Then it took off....
