Is the Ford Pinto collectable or merely a punchline to automotive history? This 1977 Mercury Bobcat makes the case for the former offering good looks that have endured the past four decades pretty darned well plus the kind of originality that makes seasoned collectors sit up and take notice. Yes that bright red paint is original and the preservation on this Bobcat suggests that someone believed all along that it was worthy. Today who defines what collectability means? I'd argue that if a car is loved treated as something special and preserved for future generations that counts as collectable. And honestly how many of these do you see at shows today? I bet the number is pretty small. So yes this neat little wagon has a lot to offer. It's got a few signs of age and use but after all it's nearly 40 years old and it can wear those as evidence of a life well lived. Good proportions make it look stylish even today and with flared fenders and a few dashes of chrome it looks sporty not cheap. You can see echoes of big brother Torino in the front end and the two-door wagon has been popular for decades offering just the right combination of utility and style. Nice chrome bumpers a roof rack and a fine-toothed grille all help the Mercury version of Ford's compact look a bit more upscale.The tan interior is this car's crowning jewel a handsome bucket seat setup that seems to defy the passage of time. There might be some very slight wear on the outer edges of the driver's seat but we're really picking nits at this point. The carpets door panels headliner and even the dash pad all remain in excellent condition and again the Mercury's upscale look has an appeal all its own. Twin gauge pods give the driver speed and fuel level and match what Ford was doing in its other vehicles around this time. Options include the automatic transmission factory A/C and an AM/FM radio and everything works like it should. The back seat is pretty much made for two and even with the back seat up there's plenty of cargo space in back making this Bobcat practical too. With only 18244 miles from new the mechanicals are still quite fresh and obviously it's been maintained properly since then. Ford's 2.3 liter inline-four was famous for its durability and with an overhead cam it was a bit ahead of its time back in the '70s. It's got good low-end torque for a four cylinder which makes it fun to drive and you can see that aside from some dirt the engine bay is pretty much the way Ford built it in 1977. Even the original smog equipment is still in place and functioning something you rarely see on any vintage car. The 3-speed automatic shifts crisply and keeps the four spinning in the fat part of its power curve the rear axle has highway-friendly gears so this is a decent highway cruiser too. The underside is as clean as you'd expect for such low mileage and even the original catalytic converter is still in place. Flashy aluminum wheels complete the sporty demeanor and carry 205/60/13 white-letter radials for a perfect '70s look.So is it collectable? Why not? It looks great runs well and has history on its side. We'll bet that this one doesn't last long on the showroom floor so if you're interested make sure you call today!