1977 Ford Pinto USPS

[Chuck Most]

Easily the worst kit I've built in recent memory. Maybe the worst ever. Let me count the ways ...

1. The hood needed to be widened to fit into the opening.

2. The front edge of the fenders, to which the fascia attaches, needed some copious putty application and associated bodywork to eliminate some nasty gaps at the hood. And it's still not perfect.

3. The glass unit will fit flush against one opening at a time, not all simultaneously. I cut away the windshield and hatch glass and cut quarter glass from .010" clear plastic.

4. Not a fit issue but they weren't even trying with the under hood detail. I added some strips to hold up the rear of the hood, although that might be my own fault, as now I suspect I installed the firewall too far back. But things fit so vaguely that didn't affect fitment anywhere else.

I guess it's true to life in that the Pinto wasn't a great car, but at least the parts on a real Pinto actually fit together. ?

On the positive side? The USPS graphics look good. I kinda wish Round 2 had provided decals for the scripts. Did I mention that the Ford letters molded to the hood look like they were stolen from a typewriter? I'm sure Round 2 would screw up the proposed script decals because they'd disappear over any color other than white but whatever. ?

For some inexplicable reason, I have three more of these kits ('77 reissue and two Poppers) but I'm in no hurry to get to them anytime soon. The kit has one steel wheel on the chrome sprue, I robbed one from each kit to use on this because I doubt a postal spec Pinto would have the styled wheels.

[Yeah Nah]

I have an unbuilt sample of this kit in my stash which I bought for the sole reason it was really cheap. After reading your experience I stand warned!

Still, looking at the pics you've done a creditable job on it.

[Ulf]

Very nice build, nice colours, well invested effort to pick rims from three other kits, the hubcaps do a lot for the whole. Very nice light in the pictures.

[KWT]

Very nicely done... regardless of the kits shortcomings

[ChrisR]

Very nice!

[Matt87]

Nice work. They were a car that im sure you seen whenever you left home in the 70s and 80s. Its to bad they dont reissue one of the stock Chevy Vega kits. 

[Tom Geiger]

Funny thing, I couldn’t find them locally at all! I wanted a few and finally got one to add to my postal fleet ( it’s that stamp collector thing). I could use a few more for the decal sheets to do other postal vehicles.

[espo]

Alway enjoy your honest telling of how you really feal about a kit. I still like how it looks. The basic P.O. decals do look good here. The styled wheel option is for building a model of the Post Master's ride. 

[Classicgas]

Well done. Your description makes me question wanting one though.

[Kenmojr]

Nice work. I guess another alternative would be to turn into a gasser and leave the hood off...LOL

[slusher]

Looks great despite your issues, Chuck!

[PappyD340]

NICE!

[Zippi]

That tuned out pretty kewl.  I remember back in the 80's the USPS using the Pintos for special deliverys.

[Rattlecan Dan]

Looks very much like the real deal. Daily worker. With as many miles as they could put on it. Nice job on the realism.

[Lobo2me]

Well done wrestling this one to the ground. I'm surprised you didn't go "postal" with all those headaches! Good job!!!!

[Jim B]

Well done.  You fought the good fight & came out on top.

[oldcarfan]

To me, these old MPC kits are kind of trash, but they are nostalgic trash. Their parts fit is not good, but building them always remind me of the glue bombs I put together as a little kid. All I need is a tube of citrus scented glue, some cheap Testor's paints and a semi-sharp knife.

I do wish that Round 2 would go through these old kits and redo the molds to tighten them up. Maybe, they could backdate them as well so we could get the original issue style kits as well.

[Slotto]

Pretty cool. It looks great despite all the trouble you had

[Sledsel]

The finished build looks pretty good.

I am working on one now and have found a few tricks to make assembly much better. I'll be posting soon