Pinto Rear...Bang!
Do not adjust your screens…there is nothing wrong with your computer. Yes I built a ‘70 Ford Pinto and yes the flames are going the wrong way…but on the Pinto it’s the right way. For those who don’t get why, let me explain. The Pinto made it onto Time Magazine’s list of 50 worst cars ever made because it had a catastrophic design flaw. Aside from being just plain weird looking, the gas tank would explode when hit, even during a low speed rear end collision. The Ford Motor Company knew about the problem, they even knew that it would cost only $11 per car (that’s $57 if accounted for today’s inflation) to fix the problem but elected not to. They figured it would be cheaper to pay for the inevitable lawsuits that would occur as a result of death or serious injury. They put a cost on human life and that cost was…less than $11. This callous indifference for safety in favor of profit generated substantial lawsuits against Ford and even criminal charges, resulting in the company losing millions and being forced to recall the entire Pinto line. This car was known as “the barbecue that seated four.”
As its been gutted and refurbished for drag racing, this particular barbecue seats only two. The engine has been amped up, racing tires were installed as well as a wheelie bar. There’s fire extinguishing equipment in the back, making this Pinto safer than it was when stock…and the whole thing opens like a true 70’s era funny car! This car is called Hot Flash and was built for the Fire And Ice
build challenge over at LUGNuts where we had to perfectly balance both opposing elements of fire and ice. You see the fire, but where’s the ice, you ask? Well the seats are a cool blue to remind you of ice but that’s hardly a perfect balance, so for this challenge, I teamed up with my buddy Nathan Proudlove. So check out his icy cool Brain Freeze!…which also graces the 50 worst cars ever made list!
Pinto Rear...Bang!
Do not adjust your screens…there is nothing wrong with your computer. Yes I built a ‘70 Ford Pinto and yes the flames are going the wrong way…but on the Pinto it’s the right way. For those who don’t get why, let me explain. The Pinto made it onto Time Magazine’s list of 50 worst cars ever made because it had a catastrophic design flaw. Aside from being just plain weird looking, the gas tank would explode when hit, even during a low speed rear end collision. The Ford Motor Company knew about the problem, they even knew that it would cost only $11 per car (that’s $57 if accounted for today’s inflation) to fix the problem but elected not to. They figured it would be cheaper to pay for the inevitable lawsuits that would occur as a result of death or serious injury. They put a cost on human life and that cost was…less than $11. This callous indifference for safety in favor of profit generated substantial lawsuits against Ford and even criminal charges, resulting in the company losing millions and being forced to recall the entire Pinto line. This car was known as “the barbecue that seated four.”
As its been gutted and refurbished for drag racing, this particular barbecue seats only two. The engine has been amped up, racing tires were installed as well as a wheelie bar. There’s fire extinguishing equipment in the back, making this Pinto safer than it was when stock…and the whole thing opens like a true 70’s era funny car! This car is called Hot Flash and was built for the Fire And Ice
build challenge over at LUGNuts where we had to perfectly balance both opposing elements of fire and ice. You see the fire, but where’s the ice, you ask? Well the seats are a cool blue to remind you of ice but that’s hardly a perfect balance, so for this challenge, I teamed up with my buddy Nathan Proudlove. So check out his icy cool Brain Freeze!…which also graces the 50 worst cars ever made list!