Even before the gas crisis erupted in the 1970s, U.S. automakers saw the potential in the subcompact market. General Motors released their Vega, AMC had its Gremlins, and Ford developed the Pinto. In addition to the domestics, import manufacturers such as BMW, Toyota, Datsun and Mazda were developing their cars for the American market. IMSA also saw opportunity in these affordable cars, offering the Baby Grand Series in 1971 to attract racers with smaller budgets. Limited preparation was allowed, and since the entrants were meant to be street-driven race cars, the rules required the retention of headlights, seats, upholstery, window cranks and radial tires (no racing slicks). Bedard, along with Ron Nash and company procured a 30,000-mile 1972 Pinto two-door to transform. In addition to safety, chassis and differential mods, the team traded a 200-pound IMSA weight penalty for the power gain of Ford's 2.3-liter engine, which Bedard said "tipped the scales" in the Pinto's favor. But according to Bedard, it sounds like the real advantage was in the turns, thanks to some add-ons from Mssrs. Koni and Bilstein. The Ford Pinto quickly established itself as one of the cars to have in both the IMSA Baby Grand Series and IMSA Touring Under class, which allowed racing slicks and a four-barrel carburetor on sedans under 2.5 liters in displacement. The Pintos also raced in SCCA's answer to IMSA's TU, the Two-Five Challenge. Jerry Walsh originally built the car, which he purchased new and transformed into a racer for the 1971 IMSA season, where it placed third overall in the Baby Grand Series and seventh in Touring Under. Jerry raced the Pinto until 1973, when it was bought by Lee Wiese. Lee raced the car off and on until the early '80s in IMSA Champion Spark Plug Challenge. The car was lightened and stripped from every useless parts, and used A-arms up front and a Mustang rear solid axle. The car would handle like a true oversized go-kart. The engine would produce some 170 hp and a top speed of 135mph on the straights. The car would use disc brakes from Pinto station wagon. Easy to service and to run, it looked like a fine response to the gas crisis back in 1973. The stiff structure also allows the suspension to do its job properly. Up front, you'll find a double A-arm setup that has been enhanced with 500 lbs./in. springs, Koni shocks, Energy Suspension bushings and an Addco anti-roll bar. Alignment settings for the front of the Pinto are set at 2.5 degrees negative camber, 1 degree of caster and zero toe. The rear has been fortified with Pinto station wagon leaf springs, Koni shocks, and a Racer Walsh lowering kit. The Racer Walsh car used a 2300cc engine topped with a Holly 500 cfm carb and fitted with Wiseco pistons. An intricate rollcage helps stiffen the car. The second most striking feature of this car, after the purple paint, is the intricate web that makes up the roll cage and earns it the nickname "birdcage Pinto." The chrome-moly cage ties the car together well, from triangulation in the trunk to the front suspension pick-up points. It also explains how this car has held together after so many years of racing. The Pinto's simplicity, ruggedness and parts interchangeability kept these cars soldiering on for many years, running in various IMSA and SCCA production and GT classes.

Jerry Walsh Ford Pinto was a familiar sight in TU in the early days.