The story of Buddy Ingersoll's Pinto. Where is it now?

Buddy Ingersoll won a NHRA world championship ... with a Pinto ... with a 4 cylinder ... and a turbo.
Michael Tygett's family restored the iconic car. Mike Gott was with Buddy while the car was winning. They share the story.
Foggy Hollow Images was contacted in early 2020 after the passing of Rick Tygett, the man behind the restoration of what is more than just a car or a race car but a symbol of what can be accomplished by men with vision and passion.
A big thanks to Mike Gott for sharing his time and insights into a man that bowed to no one accomplishing great success with limited outside assistance.
The Tygett family has decided to make the car available for sale as of July 2020. Requests for more information can be in comments or emailed to [e-mail].
We produce this content for no cost for the groups that ask but to continue to do that we need subscriptions. Pleas click the red SUBSCRIPTION button so we can continue to expand and produce more of these videos. THANKS.
This FHI production was edited by the amazing Alex Quinn.

[@keysautorepair6038]

Buddy ingersoll is my uncle he was a awesome man I remember watching him work on his car in the garage.

[@forresterpaige7767]

Glad to see your profile picture keeping true with the family values

[@krissyredline7216]

You on Facebook

[@KennyMarkusa]

Funny story , went to the '79 Winternationals my friend lost to him in the first round Bubby's Pinto had a smoke coming out thebexhaust all the way down the track thought it was going to blow up but didn't was a long drive back to Winnipeg. Fast forward 14 or so years I'm at my day job grocery warehouse wearing a Don Prudhomme t-shirt and one of the drivers delivering stuff up form the States asks me if I know who Bubby Ingersoll is, I go yeah and repeat the Winternationals story, and he goes Bubby's my brother in-law WOW it's a small world.

[@dannycalley7777]

I am old , and those BIG WHEEL STANDING OLDS is my first remerberance of B.I. !!!!!!!!!!!

[@keysautorepair6038]

@@dannycalley7777 I'm trying to keep up the tradition lol.

[@tomanycooks]

his v6 turbo pro stock ruffled feathers to. what a legend

[@team69racing11]

Yes but he was gapping buses in d pinto!!!

[@JCA-Z]

I loved buddy ingersoll for the fact he dared to be different and unconventional, everyone is going big blocks, he shows up and runs 4 and 6 bangers. Mr. Ingersoll had the foresight of knowing that the turbocharged motor would be the equalizer to mega cubic inches. R.I.P. buddy you were a true pioneer.

[@kennygarmaker634]

This man made it happen when it came to drag racing. I personally built a 1972 pinto, 351 Cleveland c-6 because of this man, my hero

[@chrissweet6369]

Another great story in the history of the misunderstood marvel of a machine that is the Ford Pinto.

[@rolandocrisostomo2003]

R.l.P .....he passed on march 11 2012. But he passed everyone many times before, thats what made in a legend.

[@williemoon7522]

love me some pintos .. had about a dozen of them over the last 40 years .. still have one today .. it`s my profile picture .

[@augustreil]

I had 2 Pintos when I was 16. Totally rebuilt everything, did a little porting with headers and a good exhaust and for such a wimpy, small motor, she did pretty good. Fun to drive.

[@Mike583]

Being a Ford fan for over 50 years, it did me good to see the Fords win in so many different classes! I got to see Buddy,"Ohio","Mad Dog" "Dyno" Jim Waldo,Van Cleeve & many other greats that carried the Ford banner proudly! So many of yesterday's greats are gone now,but some of their cars & all of them will live on in our hearts! Someone is going to love getting that special car,it would sure be nice if they could go on tours like others do. Like the Nastalgic drags,for instance!!❤

[@johnweaver1198]

The Grandfather of the Buick Grand national IMO.... Had it not been for him I am not sure the platform would have gotten to where it was.... And a Pinto on top of that... Learned something today!!!!

[@stevel5926]

One of my favorite drivers and car from back in the day. Glad to see it is getting the love it deserves.

[@jeremysmith1339]

The level of appreciation immeasurable 👍👍👍

[@rickteot8659]

I had a Paxton 4 cyl 4 spd posi '77 Stang II . Built aero kit, lowered with cragar SS 4spoke and 50's in back. Was a very fun car, especially road/cafe racing. Thanks for reminding of memories from 40+ yrs ago Be blessed

[@FoggyHollowImages]

Thanks for sharing

[@brianbaker3236]

I have Roy hills ex pro stock mercury Capri the old budget car

[@edsmachine93]

Nice story. I was always a fan of Buddy. Most of us remember the Buick Turbo ProStock. He was not treated fairly by NHRA. Thanks for sharing. 👍🇺🇸👍

[@mattskustomkreations]

That cherry maroon livery is gorgeous, and so much nicer than the white paint scheme. Just discovered Buddy a few days ago - and I’m already a fan for his non-conventional thinking and determination.

[@cooperbrower4688]

I grew up.on elm st in Zeigler Illinois about a block from buddy's shell station in the 70's, we had no AC so we slept with the windows open , I remember buddy working on those cars late into the night

[@RiZzo-w7f]

i have known the ingersolls all my life. im from herrin il. i love what yall have done and preserving the car.

[@meldridge51]

My first race car was a 2.3 four cylinder Pinto! Looked just like Ingersals!

[@v.e.7236]

Me and a buddy built a Pinto w/ a 289 w/ a 3:90 9" diff w/ traction bars in back and that car would hook up! Best ET was a 12:29 @ ~125-30 MPH. We never even considered using the four banger, as turbos and S/Cs were for the big boys/pros. When my Mother came home w/ a turbocharged Corvair the whole neighborhood had to come by and look at the "turbo car," as it became known, as turbos were mechanical wizardry in the 60s/70s. There were no waste gates or boost controllers, etc., it was all about metering your carburetor properly and dialing in the timing and, possibly, running water/methanol injection, to stave off pre-detonation - and all via blow-through carbs, as there was no fuel/port injection. These days it seems like every and any thing you can put wheels on is turbocharged. lol

[@jeremychupp2581]

Beautiful piece of all American history. Tried and true ford blue

[@MrTurboRotary]

Awesome story!!! I also owned and drag raced a number of Pintos 2.0 and 2.3(4cy) back during my young days in Puerto Rico. It definitely brings back many memories. Thank you for sharing this video 👍

[@IfThisCarCouldTalk]

Sweet history lesson and a well done video! Wish them the best. Someone will get an amazing piece of automotive and race history!

[@59vaughn]

Man....what a racer...and the coolest cars,....

[@rogerbranch9248]

Wow awesome story loved them pintos

[@patrickpreuer6511]

That is one badass Pinto❤

[@818bulldog4]

Buddy was the Man!!!!!

[@mostlymoparih5682]

Great video. Glad you restore his car. I am not a Ford fanatic but ya gotta love Buddy.

[@joshdobson2737]

Me and my dad both grew up Chevy guys but this car gave us quite a few arguments when I was a kid!! Great memories!

[@harryrenner4016]

The 2.3L I 4 Pinto engine was and always will be the best four cylinder engine ever made. simple, durable, and can produce gobs and gobs of HP. there has never been another engine like it and there probably never will be.

[@km6832]

Offy?

[@capriracer351]

My Dad dabbled off and on with turbo 4 cylinder Pinto's for probably the last 30 years of his life because of this car and also Ohio George Montgomery's.

[@ErnestoCatedralM]

I need 30 minutes version of this video, I loved this.

[@FoggyHollowImages]

Thanks for kind words. The Mike Gott interview had to be chopped way down for this project but we have plans to edit a longer version of Mike talking about Buddy and releasing it this winter. Be sure to subscribe to our channel to be notified when it is dropped.

[@raymuttart5484]

One of my heros!

[@wadecaton4017]

Would love to have this icon of a drag car. My very first car was a '71 pinto. I've had many Pinto's and bobcat's since. The nostalgia and presence of this car is greatly underated by people.

[@lightweightiseverything5068]

I will always be a huge Buddy Ingersol fan.

[@TheRalphacosta]

Followed Buddy when he shocked the drag racing world. Im glad his car is preserved. I thought it was here and gone. Among the pinto fans and how about Allen Glidden. So all you peeps that don't know the snafu of the factory built pinto, most American cars had their gas tanks located right behind the rear bumper and that was the real problem to begin with.

[@blkcoupequattro]

I used to run a 1598cc Ford Kent draw through turbo in 78 Ford Fiesta, had a Turbonetics waste gate, adjustable boost, I would often see 20 psi on cool night, no knocking, pinging, 5.0 Mustangs were lunch in the mid 80's for a car that weighed 1580lbs....

[@ccchicken8889]

This is some really cool drag racing history. Even more interesting to me as a turbo lover ;)

[@FoggyHollowImages]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@scooterinvegas1]

In 1978 my dad also drag raced a turbo pinto. He regularly beat V8's at the drag strip and it really pissed off a lot of people :-)

[@azmike1956]

Damn, I miss my '72 smallblock Pinto! So much fun even for an automatic. Great sleeper!

[@bluesky-ud9wg]

Its amazing what the 2.3 Ford can handle as far as pressure. Very durable engine

[@smokeymcbongwater3561]

That's so cool

[@Bumblebee4788]

Him with that Pinto and Cal Method with his 283's were my drag racing heroes.,.❤

[@vegahowell5813]

Hell yeah I love that car year and all I would totally keep motor as it is on of my favorite motors

[@codygrammer1430]

Incredible

[@Axial_Andrew]

I remember R.H.S. on summer avenue when I was a kid. I'm 47 now...😎

[@MrBlackbutang]

He will always be the greatest to me! Love the same kinds of automobiles. RIP Buddy

[@kittenmccall9043]

Pro stock would be a different class today if the NHRA would have let him stay in the class back in the 80s. Bob Glidden definitely didn't want him in. Ingersoll was making big mile an hour and it was just a matter of time before he would ET consistently and trailer everyone. The Ford Probe wasn't produced with a big block and rear drive. The Buick GN was produced with a turdoed V6 and rear drive to boot. Ingersoll had a true pro stock back then.

[@Taunus27]

That´s a inspiring drag history.

[@TheNismo777]

Would never let that car go! Its a huge milestone :)

[@FoggyHollowImages]

It is a very tough decision to sell by the family that owns the car. With the passing of the man that spent so much time putting it back to original shape they believe someone with the same passion for the car should have it and appreciate it.

[@prestonedmonds4128]

I saw this car in Duquoin one year. I hope to see it there again.

[@BrokenSmokinSpokes]

I hope whoever buys it at least starts it...

[@seanking2801]

My dad and his best friend worked on one of the first cars buddy ever ran

[@stevehammel2939]

I had several Pintos and loved them, my last Pinto had a slightly modified engine with some very careful engine work by the late great Ed Mabry at his shop. TRW pistons with 11.25:1 compression ratio, an aftermarket camshaft, headers and a Holley 350 CFM two barrel carb on an Esslinger intake manifold. It had a 8'' Ford posi-trac rear with Zoom 4.56:1 Zoom gears, it ran pretty good.,

[@eddy2121]

I believe he did a inline 6 also. NHRA had a hard time factoring oddball combinations.

[@kittenmccall9043]

The Grand National V6. Was starting to beat the pro stock guys and they booted him out. Even though the GN came production with a turbo V6 and NONE of the other pro stock cars were produced with BIG BLOCKS...at the time.

[@Hanzyscure]

@@kittenmccall9043 A man with with no large corporate sponsors running with the big boys. Guaranteed rule changes for the next season would ban the little guy.

[@frylock4677]

Turbo 4cyl, that's awesome. I wonder how much boost was ran back then for them times.

[@vrm86gt]

awesome video!

[@MaverickWindsor351]

Buddy Ingersoll is kind of a hero of mine, mostly because of the innovation and the mindset of "I don't need the best out there, I just gotta make what I have better than the other guy." I've got a Ranger now I'm trying to do something similar with now, even my wife got into it. No idea if the Ingersoll family is still around the SoIL region but I know I am. Hopefully we cross paths, I'd love to get some insight and maybe inspiration for my own deal, yknow?

[@markremillard9237]

i remember the car at the summernationals at englishtown in 1977 .. turbo car..

[@tomstickney5500]

love it

[@dacfunny7612]

Thanks for the best most informed video of performance 🎭, I never know of wow 🤩 and a family bonding experience mind I chose wrong family to come down with family Buss wrecking all in its wake . Your stories were heart Wrenching into minds hearts and forever lives on in sound of the smoke and burning 🔥 and rubber to track . Love

[@justfun985]

Had this kind of car called a Maverich though? Had the Mustang Mach package with 302 engine in it.

[@salvadorsierra8224]

Beautiful world..😁👍🇺🇲

[@TheClintmeister]

I remember him at Tulsa Dragstrip back in the 80's. In his Buick.

[@oldscoolcooldiecast1879]

Those was the days

[@NitroModelsAndComics]

I remember him being blackballed for having a 6 cylinder with a turbo which was hella closer to stock than the mountain motored cars of the day. He mad INSTANT boost and could trailer them all. But he wasn't allowed to race.

[@fstblack1229]

His.Pinto was 4 cylinder.

[@NitroModelsAndComics]

@@fstblack1229 Sorry, I'm talking about the Buick he ran later.

[@hphillips7425]

Looking back I wish my father would have taken me to the Lakeland drag strip before it shut down

[@ProjectFairmont]

Inspiring. I plan on building a 2.3 Ecoboost motor Pinto. Not sure why it has not been done yet, but the recipe is amazingly simple. C4, 8” rear, bigger turbo, fuel and intercooler on a stock block 2.3 EB. 420 crank HP will net a 2300 lb Pinto to turn 10.5s at 130+. The trick will be to get 10x28” drag radial to fit without tubbing the rear.

[@Petequinn741]

Pintos and Vegas made some nasty looking pro stocks back in the day

[@techs1smh13]

Payed 100.00 for a running 2.0 72 pinto built the crap out of it in 1980. Then built a 289 c4 nod iron 9" swapped the v8 in was my daily to work play car. Built a 4 " channel bumper towed my dirt bikes to Dez in so cal. Was a fun sleeper hub caps stock muffler not connected. Embarrassed many cars.

[@davidjohnson8474]

If I had the money I'd buy it and put it on the street! And drive it to shows!

[@3800TURBO]

Who has his v6? That's what I'd like to know.

[@pancudowny]

This build is mentioned in David Vizard's book "Performance With Economy". In a blurb w/photo, it shows & mentions how a 2000-cc/2L OHC Ford Cologne/"Pinto"/Lima I-4 produced 306-hp with a draw-thru turbo system w/4-bbl carb, which ran mid-high-10s@+120-MPH. The only real fault of it was the cam used was "too radical" for it to be street-able. Thank-goodness for Volkswagen's wisdom of employing EFI on the GTI, and proving an "econobox" with a "radical" setup could be a "daily driver"! =;)

[@crazylarryjr]

This to me, is what racing and competition is all about. Anyone can follow a proven formula, many are successful. But it's those that look between the rules in the gray areas and find something good that make the real magic of any competition. In this case he took a lightweight body (Pinto), used a small engine (weight break) and used a turbo (probably lost a little of said break). To make a different but very viable competition racer. BUT this is the same Buddy Ingersoll that in the 80's ran a Buick regal with a twin turbo V6 in Pro stock and almost got into the finals, before NHRA outlawed the setup. Without people like Him and Don Garlits, drag racing would still be in the tire smoke and size absolutely matters ages

[@jimalldredge8691]

im looking for my dads holman and moody mt taylor ford galaxy 63 i think. raced out of grants nm in albuquerque in the late 70s.

[@rapidtransit8373]

I was going to try and buy a pinto. Guy had it on a trailer, slicks and ready to race. At a car lot on federal hwy. In Pompano bch. fla. He wanted 8,500 dollars. I thought it was too much. Wish I would have bought it now.

[@waldobenero1297]

I rebember Buddy Ingersol and Bruce Sizemore with other pinto car,has 6 cilinder, very competive in NHRA

[@salmonaco007]

Were or who owns his pro stock Buick regal

[@billybentley4755]

Man that's a Awesome little Pinto! And a great story!! Just one question? If it means so much to you, why on earth would you sell it?

[@raquelreddick7942]

did it sell? like to know what all he did to that 4 banger to make it so fast

[@chrismarusic4277]

Great pinto.the more trix yu kno the faster yu go...

[@kennethchapman9564]

Anyone remember the "Iron Horse" pinto, drag raced in ohio in the mid to late seventies to early eighties?

[@TheComo62]

I SEEN HIM MANY SATURDAY NIGHTS IN THE LATE 60'S IN A 56 CHEVY AND HE WAS BEATING EVERYBODY HE RAN AGAINST THEN ! DIDN'T MATTER WHAT HE WAS DRIVING IT RAN LIKE A STRIPED A@$ SNAKE ! I WAS ONLY A YOUNG CHILD THEN, BUT I WILL NEVER FORGET HOW DOMINATE HE WAS, HE WAS THE BEST !

[@jeancharlesrabaux5658]

Y love the cars et turbo charger is the verie good the turbo no deja il faut monter a 6 7 mil tours pour que sa parte fort tant dit que le turbo compresseur lui demarre tout de suite

[@bestamerica]

' ohh i had one ford mercury BOBCAT car in 1975... i miss my favor bobcat car so much... i did put anythings in bobcat car better than lousy plain ford company... ' 1- cruise control speed 1- two amber yellow taillights from capri car 1- power both lock / unlock on 2 doors 1- power both side mirrors 1- power both windows 1- rear motor blade wiper with water on the rear window from honda car 1- move axle to top on the both lift springs 1- metal cool fan front near on the radiator 1- two plastic shields covers on the both glass headlights 1- radio AM / FM with cassette tape from radio shack 1- two speakers on the both doors clutch manual shift 4 speeds with 4 inline cylinders easily fix repair at home

[@frankkoppen7281]

Not period correct carb for sure. was that done for drivability to shows? Buddy was Legend!

[@doginu]

There are alot of Turbo Pinto's....

[@creeper9748]

Great guy. Betting on 4 and 6 cylinders against my friends. I robbed them. Thanks Mr. Buddy. Rip

[@archiebunker139]

❤🤍💙 to see a Pinto up against a Vette & leave it 🤣❤

[@frankjohnson6342]

This car unbeknownst to the 427 Chevy guys who had to give that little 4 cylinder turbo a fairly large head start on the tree didn’t know that the Pinto could beat them heads up but Buddy wasn’t going to give that info away he just kept taking the head starts but over time they were getting smaller and smaller. Finally NHRA did to Buddy what they did to the Hemi’s in Pro Stock, they made them add hundreds of pounds of weight to the car to slow them down. They didn’t have the high quality bottom end pieces that’s available today so he was breaking parts that 427 Camaro’s weren’t even breaking so finally he called it quits with the Pinto and resurfaced in the mid 80’s with a 200mph Turbo coupe thunderbird in I think BB/T comp eliminator class and then the even faster Grand National that he tried to run Pro Stock but they were wanted nothing to do with it.,

[@DRAGONCARMOTORS]

Visiting friends, excellent channel and very useful video, I saw it complete, greetings and already activate the bell to be on the slope when you go up a new video🤗😉👌🙏🏻💚💓

[@Hitech82]

Any body know were any of the Bob Banning Dodge race cars at?

[@eduardoguerrero7835]

How much,for this piece of art?

[@robertkelley8997]

Put it in the drag racing Museum in Ocala

[@paulritchason7605]

Where is Buddy Ingersoll grand national?

[@FoggyHollowImages]

We do not know. The family that restored the Pinto did not know when we asked.

[@jeancharlesrabaux5658]

J àimerait telement piloter untelle bolides je vendrer un rein pour vivre de pareille sensation

[@sherrigaskin5656]

That thing is awesome. I like Vega coupes better but this is still bad as hell. Steve

[@jimmyhamm6041]

I WOULD HAVE TO DRIVE IT ; IT IS NOT A DINNER CONVERSATION PIECE.

[@mycroftselene3326]

Is it for sale right now????

[@FoggyHollowImages]

I have not been told that it has sold. If you are interested I can put you in contact with the owner.

[@markleighton5290]

Pre cursor to the SVO