Very close to what I tend to say about humanity in general, that 1965 was the high point. Aerospace, cars, music, everything. It plateaued for a while, and for sure through even to 69 and the moon landing, and for sure a lot of great cars all through that period.
We had the 302 in a Fairlane Wagon from that same model year - it was never sluggish even on mountain passes in CO, loaded with 7 people and a ton of luggage. My Dad loved that engine and also found it very straightforward to work on. RIP Dad ❤️
My granddaddy used to pick us up every Saturday morning throughout the 70s in this car. It was the same color and everything. When I saw the interior, I got a bit emotional. So many great memories with this car. A genuine classic!
1966 full size Ford with the 428 was a nice easy to live with car that could rival more expensive Buick and Oldsmobile contemporaries,at least in engine performance and smoothness
@@davidpowell3347 Oh yeah, my dad was loosely affiliated with the team that went to Le mans in 1967 or 68 whatever to defeat Ferrari. I remember it being his only passion, I was only 4 years old then.
I had totally forgotten about this LTD with hidden headlights. Being a child of the 1960’s, myself and most other kids thought any car with hidden headlights were very, very cool !
My grandparents 1968 was gold, black vinyl top, with gold brocade cloth. Over half a century later, that car is still the nicest car I have experienced.
My dad bought a new '68 Ltd Brougham 2 dr in August '68 (dark highland green) with a black vinyl top. It was a 390...very smooth and a great looking car. This car made me a lifelong Ford customer. The build quality was exceptionally good.
Mom had a 68 with the 390. It was a lime green with a white vinyl top. I think it was her favorite car ever. I drove it a few times in high school. It really glided down the highway -- so quiet, smooth, almost like floating. Plenty of power too. Today my wife and I have an 07 Lincoln Towncar which is about as close as there is to that LTD. I do think of that 68 and all those times sometimes as I am cruising down the road.
I drove the '69 LTD Brougham with the 429. That car was so quiet internally which gave Rolls Royce a very good run. The AC would freeze you out if you're into that sort of thing. The sound system was very good. Was an amazing car all around.
Before my father passed at the age of 96 two years ago, I asked him why we always bought Pontiacs sand Continentals and never got ordinary Fords or Chryslers. He was vice president of auto loans at the bank, so he knew more than most. He simply said Pontiacs were more resilient.
My family was car shopping right around that time (I forget exactly the year). the salesman proudly beamed ...and THIS is the LTD! My mom shot back "what's limited about it?!" You should have seen the salesman's face.
When you think about it...all Big Three corporations offered a fine variety of powerful, reliable V8 engines...and back then, gas was relatively still cheap!...12-14mpg was the rule, and not a problem for most owners.
Unfortunately, I think I have to stop watching your (absolutely great) videos because I'm reminded daily, when I hop into any modern vehicle, of the fantastic craftmanship, creativity and design of the mid-sixties era that is completely missing these days!!! And I crave a classic that I can't access, or afford, or both!!! 😛 Great channel and keep em coming please 🙂
I remember 4-doors being less than desirable, but nowadays EVERYTHING has four doors. I'll go a step further and say 5 doors was even better. I would love to have our 1970 Fury Suburban wagon now. Such a versatile, useful vehicle.
I love your channel. I used to think all the 4 door cars were ugly and worthless you have changed my mind you show such beautiful cars. Thank you for saving them!
This was a spectacular design for the '68 model year. The super clean exterior lines further enhanced by the absence of a bulky pillar post. McGarrett got the Mercury but Dan-O Williams was issued the LTD by Hawaii Five-0 brass. 👉. 💯
It is gratifying that you consider this car to have special features. Growing up, I considered my dad's '68 LTD 2 Dr (dark highland green, 390) to be the nicest ride he ever had.
1968-1974 Ford Lincoln Mercury full sizes were the best in the industry in every category. I would put them up against any fleetwood or imperial for build quality and durability.
We were Ford family for many years because my Dad's family worked at the Cleveland Casting Plant, and he got the A plan discount. My Dad traveled for work, and racked up a lot of miles on his cars. We had a '58, '62, '64, '67, '72, and '76. Sadly, the build quality worsened over the years, as with all of the Big Three, and he switched to GM after the '76 came home with the bumper in the trunk. The brackets holding it on rusted out. The sixties were really great years for cars, before the '73 embargo, and crash standards ruined them. Really enjoy your videos!
My grandfather had a 69 LTD, and it was quite a cool car. In 1969, they went to the driver centric dash design, and the car had a 390 under the hood - not a sports car, but plenty of power to motivate it down the road.
My father had a '68 Galaxie. Wow the interior and trunk were ginormous! It was a great car, but sometimes stalled after going through rain puddles. It had the 302, one of the best engines Ford ever made!
We had a 68 Country Squire when I was a kid and I remember it was an incredibly popular wagon. It was that lime gold color that wasn't in the least bit gold. I can remember thinking the power window switches were so cool because they looked so different than other switches.
I feel like peak car design came just a few years later in 1970ish, when cars still were not restricted by govt mandates, and got bigger, more refined styling, more comfy, smoother riding, more powerful. LOVE the styling of the last "real" year for these models in 1976 with square headlights radically shaking up the looks of every large GM car especially, square headlights, big grilles make of square egg crate elements, long linear lines... combined with jumbo jet style curved side tumblehome and wide horizontal rear elements.... for me that was peak styling, but by then, the engines and emissions had hollowed out the souls of these INCREDIBLE expressions of unabashed American luxury machines. Nothing like a 1976 Eldorado convertible in a parade... nothing before or since comes close in my opinion, and every car down to the full sized Impalas were just immense, roomy, incredibly smooth riding cars, even for the common man. We will be telling kids about when even a "poor" man in America could buy a car (used) that was larger and faster than a Rolls Royce, or a teen could buy a used one for a few hundred bucks after saving up mowing lawns for a summer or working at Dairy Queen. Bigger, more comfortable than what foreign Kings and Queens rode in. The middle and lower classes really did live better than the wealthy in most countries. RIP Real America.
My '68 Galaxie 2DR had the 302 with the C4 trans....totally trouble-free and quiet. The interior was comfortable, durable, and well-finished. I miss that car! Everything Adam says here is spot-on. I've already harped to Adam that on this LTD he should replace the stock 6x9's in the rear deck with new speakers with big magnets. I did that back in the late 60''s on mine, and it transformed the factory 8-track into a concert hall...deep bass and crisp highs. My college buddies decided my car was the official music listening room.
OMG Adam...stop with the 1967/1968 Ford/Mercury products...these are IMO the best automobiles every built in the USA! There is a 1967 Ford 500 Galaxie for sale near me for $27,500. that is a true original survivor perfect example/condition....if only I could win the current Powerball!!! As you have seen me post many times; my HS best friend had the 1967 Cougar XR7 and his Dad owned a 1968 light green LTD wagon with black leather interior..."full power, factory air" as the salesmen used to say.....!!!!!
.....my dad gave me his Arcadian Blue '67 Galaxie 500 4dr hardtop with 49k when I turned 16 in 1972.....in '78, at 104k, it was still running great, but traded it for a beat down '68 Chevy van and a .22 rifle.....the .22 was great....the van, ehhhhh.
@@jonclassical2024 .....289 2V, 200hp.....easy on gas 17-18 mpg.....only time it was sluggish was with 12 quarter barrels of beer(1044 lbs) loaded in the trunk and back seat going from the beer distributor to the frat house.....those were the days!
I really love your '68 LTD. When I was a kid my mom had a '68 Galaxie 4 door hardtop with the 302 2V. I used to drive it around the driveway. They were good looking and good running cars. Yours is absolutely gorgeous. Back in the day when it was a big deal to roll your odometer over, I remember the '68 Galaxie was the first car I had ever seen do that.
The Cougar had hidden headlights from 67, the Marauder and Marquis got them in 69, and the Cyclone and Montego in 70, and the Galaxie 500 XL had them in 68.
I love this car. For me it is perfect. Other than I would have ordered tilt and cruise. Far nicer to me than anything available today regardless of price.
I have always admired the styling of the Ford offerings from the '60's. My dad bought one used from my uncle. '61 Galaxie Victoria todor. White with red cloth, three speed overdrive with a six. Dad was never really fond of that car but when it was time to replace he was looking at a '67 Galaxie 500 two door hardtop in brown metallic. I wished he would have bought it, however he bought instead a '67 Plymouth Fury III two door hardtop which the car I learned to drive in. It was a handsome car in my opinion. He never owned another fomoco product for the rest of his life. I bought a '81 Grand Marquis two door (when was the last time you saw one?) for a driver. Black with a fawn interior. My father in law thought it was a Lincoln. The 351 lost oil pressure and I got tired of dealing with the variable Venturi carb. I haven't owned a fomoco product since. Like father like son!
Such a beautiful car, Adam! My grandfather had a Lime Gold/Ivy Green/black vinyl top '68 LTD 4-door sedan that he bought new. One of its fascinating features to 7-8-year-old me was the hidden headlamps. Every time I went for a ride in it, when he pulled it into the garage, I'd jump out so he could cycle them up and down. So exciting! The car had a 390 (2V) engine that always ran perfectly.
My father bought new a 68 Cust 500 w/ the 302. The only reason he ordered that engine was he also order A/C. Other than that and the"500" trim, it was 3 spd manual, manual brakes, manual steering, AM radio.
My first wife's first car was a '65 Galaxy 500 (I'm almost certain it was a '65; it looked exactly like your photo), and I remember it well. White. Heavy. Pretty powerful. Awfully clumsy in handling. Quite solid but very awkward, which was the usual thing in those years. I bought a Datsun 1600 pickup truck soon after, and the funny thing is, it handled much better than the Galaxy 500. The early Japanese small trucks were big fun. Like little MG's with a bed. But I appreciate these old American cars more and more these days. They certainly were more respectfully built than the garbage we see today.
Very handsome in black. We had a ‘68 Torino GT fastback 390 4 barrel back in the day. The open B pillar looks like great on this sedan! With a “heavy duty” suspension these Fords could hold their own! My first car in 1980 as a 16yo kid luckily I’m still here.
Exquisite vehicle. This was the epitome of the FoMoCo body cycle of 65-68. One suggestion, find and install a set of deluxe wheel covers. Those turbine style wheel covers were really beautiful. When I turned 19 in 1968, I was fortunate enough that my mother gave me her three and a half year old ’65 Plymouth Fury III that I used as trade in for a 1968 Ford LTD four-door Brougham. I kept that car for eleven years and sold it. A decision that I regret to this day.
The Windsor engines, both 302 and later 351, are almost magical. The stroke/con rod ratio was exactly spot on for perfect operation and plenty of torque very low in the revs. It is easy to warm them up with a good 2¼ dual exhaust with an H cross over. That gains about 20 HP and 5 mpg on the highway. Best of all, a mechanical AOD from the late 80s bolts tight in. You just need the linkage from the 86-91 carbureted transmission as used with the 351W.
I cannot think of anyone that did NOT like Hidden Headlights back then. Of course there were 'problems' at the time with them but overall they were just plain cool looking. I always like the Stacked Headlights and Hidden Headlights. My favorite Galaxy was the 1965 model year.
Mom and Dad bought one of these, the four door hardtop as shown here, non-Broghum (sp) version. I was about 14-15 at the time and the car bug was just hitting. 1968 was about the high point for me, seeing the Mustangs and Torinos in the showroom, my eyes glazed over. Ours was Seafoam Green, with an Ivy Green vinyl top. Engine was 302, automatic, car was otherwise very spartan, only power steering as an option. No a/c, AM radio. With all the windows down, didn't need a/c. But car was as smooth and quiet as could be and a great looking car. Taking that car on vacation to Lake George, NY, we were livin' large. The example here in black is amazing...and i'm not fond of black at all. We also had a '64 Galaxie 2 door hardtop in Windsor White and red interior, 289, loved that car as well.
I preferred 1970 - My Folks had a 70 LTD 4-door hardtop, Grandparents had a 70 Galaxy 500 pillared 4-door and Aunt and Uncle had a 70 Country Squire. The 70 LTD with a 429 4V ran great until about 1973 when you couldn't find leaded premium anymore, and it knocked and dieselled on anything you could buy (a few gallons of 100LL from the airport made it run like the good old days). The 2V 390s in the other two ran good well into the 1980s.
Very nice represntation of a '68 LTD. They are very good cars. I have a '68 Country Sedan wagon equipped with a 390 4V with 3spd. manual O/D. That's fairly well equipped. Had it since '95. Great road car, It'l get up go when needed. Better looks than todays cars.
I graduated from high school in 1988 and like my friends I was a townie kid. We drove big Detroit iron like this unlike the preppy kids who drove BMWs and Audis. A few of my friends fathers worked at Ford and they drove those big LTDs from the 70s. Those things weren't fast or particularly fun to drive but they were solidly built and easy to work on. Ford should be making a car like this now but that's just not on their radar.
I’d like to see the sketch designs working up to the 1968 final LTD. We owned one in the wagon and I was picked up daily on the way to school in one just like yours in navy blue same cloth biscuit interior and I always remember how smooth and quiet it drove. I felt like a prince sitting in it.
I drove a 1968 Ford Galaxy (4 dr.) while going to a commuter college and enjoyed every minute I was in it. Friend had a 1969 Ford Galaxy with a 390 cubic inch engine. No issues ever with it. Marked the last decade there was decent quality among US manufacturers.
Those 390 engines were a real good choice, for power and reliability. Chrysler had their 383, same deal. GM also had several excellent engine combos...Just a great era for American autos!
@@curbozerboomer1773 Before I had a 1964 Dodge Polara with a 318 engine. Chrysler had some good products in the 60's know for their reliable transmissions.
My dad had a ‘68LTD 4 Dr hardtop just like yours. Think it said Presidential Blue on the window sticker. 3902V but not the brougham interior. Very comfortable and quiet car. I used to play with the headlight doors of course without the key. Got 2 or maybe 3 open and close cycles before the vacuum reservoir was empty. To close - pfffffff - wait, wait, clunk! Great video, thanks for appreciating these great cars.🎉
I remember many different experiences in these cars. My sisters boyfriend had one with a 427 he put in it and he also made a ram air setup for it. It was a rocket. Excellent and beautiful car.
My grandfather had a 68 4dr lime green ( very period color) Unfortunately it got wrecked and he bought a 69, fire engine red. I preferred the 68. Gramps always had nice cars. I really liked his 66 Fairlane GT
Another excellent presentation. Really, just about anything from Ford in 1968 was exceptional. I'd love to see a video on the Plymouth VIP. I know it wasn't as popular as the LTD or Caprice, but my father had a 1967 VIP "Fastop" that I thought was magnificent. The grill and taillights were perfect that year in my opinion. The interior had some buttons and the cloth had the metallic flakes that just set it off. I've been told that if the 383 was ordered, you got bucket seats. I did see a couple like that, but my father wouldn't go beyond the 318.
As always, I love your content! While I think that the '68 LTD styling was light years ahead of the '65-'67 bodies, I like the '69 better and the '70 best. To each their own, I'd still pick a '70 LTD or XL over any other full size Ford of the '60's or '70's. They're all great cars, hope you enjoy this beauty for many years to come!😁
I would agree, this is one case where the four door hard top is definitely better looking than the two door. No one can argue the rugged/reliable/smooth performance of the 302, I'm sure it pushes this car around just fine. The interior is very nice also, classic understated design that is not overdone or foolish looking. Adam, I'm hoping the pictures are fooling me though. It kind of looks like the bumper had been pushed in/replaced at one time the way the center of the bottom of the trunk sticks out over the top of the bumper....
I seen a “crazy” much older man driving a 67 Ltd 2 door similar to one you P.I.P. showed in this video last week just days after a massive storm smoking a cigarette in it no less! I was shocked at the sight of this… was like time traveling ! Perhaps he has little time left and said to himself he would enjoy it while he could. I may never know. Nothing I would ever do! I wonder if the hidden headlights on LTD only is a response to Caprice having them, while Buick Olds didn’t have them, which would have been more in Merc’s Zip Code?? I have long believed 60s Ford interiors out did even, dare I say, Cadillac. Nice work as usual… the door panels in this car had their styling legacy handed down to the 2015-2023 F series trucks. Ford was a beautiful piece of machinery in the 1960s, amongst other time periods. EDIT- also thank you for teaching me who Gene Bordinat is.
That instrument panel was not 'new' for 68, it was just a rehash of the 65-66 panel with that "sci-fi-ee" pod being added. 67 had its own unique dash. Maybe Ford thought that nobody would remember the 65-66 style. My mom bought a new 65 LTD and its interior material was what insiders at Ford called panty-cloth. Very comfy seats, and very deluxe carpeting. I took (and passed) my driver's test in that car. I also loved the 390 V-8!
Another great video, Adam. Thanks for posting. Since you focused on the dashboard I’ll comment again on the evolution of the full size Fords’ dashboard designs from 1965 through 1968. The ‘65 and ‘66 were nearly identical while the ‘67 went in a very different direction. Many controls like the radio, heater controls and even the ignition switch were relocated for ‘67 and the dash pad was given a new look. Then for 1968 Ford resurrected the ‘65-‘66 design almost entirely, changing only the crash pad design to meet new safety requirements. The substructure was probably shared through all four years but the driver interface on the ‘67 stands out as unique among the four. Enjoyed the video very much. Keep up the great work.
You know, after seeing all of these details & so meticulously discussed by you, of this ‘68 LTD, especially @ the 14 min mark-on, I couldn’t help but SEE so many MANY cues that very much must’ve influenced the Ford designers of my ‘71 Torino-Ranchero GT w/351C &C6 w9”rear end, that i just hadn’t previously associated its design, of previous ford models! Damn I regret selling my Ranchero 😭
I own a 1968 galaxie 2 door 500 which I like a bit more because I am a 2 door lover but nothing against the 4 doors honestly. Love the content on the 1968 galaxie due to lack of it !
The Ford 302 was an amazing engine. It's one of the best Detroit small blocks of all-time and is one of my favorite American V8s. The sleek, streamlined styling of cars from the 1960s into the early 1970s was much nicer-looking than the more plain-looking cars of the 1970s and the boxy cars of the later years. When FoMoCo began to go more aerodynamic with their exterior designs in the mid 1980s, they did a good job with making the Crown Victoria and Grand Marquis more smooth-looking than the earlier Panther cars. They did an even better job with the last 2 generations of the Crown Vic and Grand Marquis, making them have an exterior more like the sleek, streamlined cars of the 1960s and early 1970s.
I'm not usually a fan of more door cars of this era, but I have to agree with you, this one is a stunning design. That's a really nice example from that time.
Like trippin down memory lane. Thanks. Dad worked for Ford in Oakville, Ontario and we were always in the least optioned Ford possible (ie. no radio, hand cranks everywhere, no power anything and 2 ropes to pull on for steering). If you have time to do a review of the unglamourous '65 Ford Custom that would be wonderful. Thanks for the well detailed reviews in all your videos. Cheers.
Авто/Мото
I'm beginning to believe that the height of 20th century car design was 66/67/68...this, TBirds, Pontiacs... I could go on...
100% agreed!
My favourite is is '67 Galaxie. The front in '68 is much less appealing. And of course '63 1/2 is an icon.
67 is a very nice design .the 68 front shape is more like a 65 chevelle
Very close to what I tend to say about humanity in general, that 1965 was the high point. Aerospace, cars, music, everything. It plateaued for a while, and for sure through even to 69 and the moon landing, and for sure a lot of great cars all through that period.
69 Buick Riviera 🇺🇸
We had the 302 in a Fairlane Wagon from that same model year - it was never sluggish even on mountain passes in CO, loaded with 7 people and a ton of luggage. My Dad loved that engine and also found it very straightforward to work on. RIP Dad ❤️
Nice story 🌞
My pick would be the 1968 Ford XL Fastback, same sheet metal as the LTD. Thanks to Adam for keeping automotive alive....
Yes! The fastback was awesome. 👍
The dude at end of my block has one in his garage. Really cool lookin car😎
I have a 68 XL red with white (parchment) interior. I get a lot of looks hen I take it out for the shows.
My granddaddy used to pick us up every Saturday morning throughout the 70s in this car. It was the same color and everything. When I saw the interior, I got a bit emotional. So many great memories with this car. A genuine classic!
@@darryljackson4813 awesome story! Thanks for posting.
60's Fords are such beauties.
302 had no pollution junk on it that's why. It tan
Late 60's were the epitome of automobile design and quality before the manufacturers had to comply.
You are absolutely correct. It was so exciting each year when the new models came out. Nowadays, ho hum.
1966 full size Ford with the 428 was a nice easy to live with car that could rival more expensive Buick and Oldsmobile contemporaries,at least in engine performance and smoothness
The ENTIRE decades of the 1950s and the 1960s were just a romp.. Mostly downhill after 1970.
@@davidpowell3347 Oh yeah, my dad was loosely affiliated with the team that went to Le mans in 1967 or 68 whatever to defeat Ferrari. I remember it being his only passion, I was only 4 years old then.
Government intervention
ruins everything
I had totally forgotten about this LTD with hidden headlights. Being a child of the 1960’s, myself and most other kids thought any car with hidden headlights were very, very cool !
My grandparents 1968 was gold, black vinyl top, with gold brocade cloth. Over half a century later, that car is still the nicest car I have experienced.
My dad bought a new '68 Ltd Brougham 2 dr in August '68 (dark highland green) with a black vinyl top. It was a 390...very smooth and a great looking car. This car made me a lifelong Ford customer. The build quality was exceptionally good.
Mom had a 68 with the 390. It was a lime green with a white vinyl top. I think it was her favorite car ever. I drove it a few times in high school. It really glided down the highway -- so quiet, smooth, almost like floating. Plenty of power too. Today my wife and I have an 07 Lincoln Towncar which is about as close as there is to that LTD. I do think of that 68 and all those times sometimes as I am cruising down the road.
A really great looking 4-Door Vehicle . . . Bravo !!!
I drove the '69 LTD Brougham with the 429. That car was so quiet internally which gave Rolls Royce a very good run. The AC would freeze you out if you're into that sort of thing. The sound system was very good. Was an amazing car all around.
The 3 model years with the hidden headlights (68-70) are my faves. 69 especially with the horizontal split in the headlights
69 had the best hidden headlight front end of all time. 69 taillights were also best of the 3 year run.
As a small kid in the early 70's, I remember seeing these mid-late 60's Ford LTD's riding around the neighborhood.
You could even order your LTD with the Police spec 428 and a Top Loader 4 - speed manual which was a super rare combo.
Before my father passed at the age of 96 two years ago, I asked him why we always bought Pontiacs sand Continentals and never got ordinary Fords or Chryslers. He was vice president of auto loans at the bank, so he knew more than most. He simply said Pontiacs were more resilient.
LOL
Sounds like your father was pretty resilient, too!
My family was car shopping right around that time (I forget exactly the year). the salesman proudly beamed ...and THIS is the LTD! My mom shot back "what's limited about it?!" You should have seen the salesman's face.
@@joebutchko2223It was limited by the number they would build, which was as many as the public wanted! 😂
@@joebutchko2223 Ford had to use the abbreviated 'LTD' because Buick owned 'Limited'.
I had one in Burgundy with the black Brougham interior with a 390.
Our wagon was blue blue interior
Must have been a beaut 🤩.
When you think about it...all Big Three corporations offered a fine variety of powerful, reliable V8 engines...and back then, gas was relatively still cheap!...12-14mpg was the rule, and not a problem for most owners.
Unfortunately, I think I have to stop watching your (absolutely great) videos because I'm reminded daily, when I hop into any modern vehicle, of the fantastic craftmanship, creativity and design of the mid-sixties era that is completely missing these days!!! And I crave a classic that I can't access, or afford, or both!!!
😛
Great channel and keep em coming please 🙂
Yes I understand. The 'Sound' of the doors closing was a quality sound when compared to modern cars of today.
I remember 4-doors being less than desirable, but nowadays EVERYTHING has four doors. I'll go a step further and say 5 doors was even better. I would love to have our 1970 Fury Suburban wagon now. Such a versatile, useful vehicle.
Plymouth Suburbans Rule!!!!!!
I love your channel. I used to think all the 4 door cars were ugly and worthless you have changed my mind you show such beautiful cars. Thank you for saving them!
Back when power trains were awesome! Before the government was up the manufacturers butt. I would have ordered a 428 4V!
I miss my old 390 4bbl 66 Galaxie...428 super cj cam and went side ways on request. Miss it alot.
The more I see your LTD the more I like it. I love that front end. I remember the 68 Ford Custom used by the NYSP as there patrol car.
This was a spectacular design for the '68 model year. The super clean exterior lines further enhanced by the absence of a bulky pillar post. McGarrett got the Mercury but Dan-O Williams was issued the LTD by Hawaii Five-0 brass. 👉. 💯
It is gratifying that you consider this car to have special features. Growing up, I considered my dad's '68 LTD 2 Dr (dark highland green, 390) to be the nicest ride he ever had.
1968-1974 Ford Lincoln Mercury full sizes were the best in the industry in every category.
I would put them up against any fleetwood or imperial for build quality and durability.
You are exactly right!
@@tonyscarcare5657 😉😉
We were Ford family for many years because my Dad's family worked at the Cleveland Casting Plant, and he got the A plan discount. My Dad traveled for work, and racked up a lot of miles on his cars. We had a '58, '62, '64, '67, '72, and '76. Sadly, the build quality worsened over the years, as with all of the Big Three, and he switched to GM after the '76 came home with the bumper in the trunk. The brackets holding it on rusted out. The sixties were really great years for cars, before the '73 embargo, and crash standards ruined them. Really enjoy your videos!
Crash standards, and smog regulations were a sad but very real evolution...We need to breathe! But yes, I do miss those days of power galore.
Absolutely love 60's cars. I'm a GM guy. But I'd take pretty much anything made in the 60's
My grandfather had a 69 LTD, and it was quite a cool car. In 1969, they went to the driver centric dash design, and the car had a 390 under the hood - not a sports car, but plenty of power to motivate it down the road.
Beautiful styled car. 428 is the number I always look for on the front fenders.
First! I lust after this car. Can't figure out why, but just love this.
My first car was a 68' ltd 2 door, I love the roomy interior and spacious trunk, came in handy at the drive ins! Lol
I love that front grill. It looks like a cross-section of the inside of a radiator. Very fitting!
Beautiful car, very deserving of preservation.
My father had a '68 Galaxie. Wow the interior and trunk were ginormous! It was a great car, but sometimes stalled after going through rain puddles. It had the 302, one of the best engines Ford ever made!
We had a 68 Country Squire when I was a kid and I remember it was an incredibly popular wagon. It was that lime gold color that wasn't in the least bit gold. I can remember thinking the power window switches were so cool because they looked so different than other switches.
I agree! The '68 was the best. 👍
I feel like peak car design came just a few years later in 1970ish, when cars still were not restricted by govt mandates, and got bigger, more refined styling, more comfy, smoother riding, more powerful.
LOVE the styling of the last "real" year for these models in 1976 with square headlights radically shaking up the looks of every large GM car especially, square headlights, big grilles make of square egg crate elements, long linear lines... combined with jumbo jet style curved side tumblehome and wide horizontal rear elements.... for me that was peak styling, but by then, the engines and emissions had hollowed out the souls of these INCREDIBLE expressions of unabashed American luxury machines.
Nothing like a 1976 Eldorado convertible in a parade... nothing before or since comes close in my opinion, and every car down to the full sized Impalas were just immense, roomy, incredibly smooth riding cars, even for the common man.
We will be telling kids about when even a "poor" man in America could buy a car (used) that was larger and faster than a Rolls Royce, or a teen could buy a used one for a few hundred bucks after saving up mowing lawns for a summer or working at Dairy Queen.
Bigger, more comfortable than what foreign Kings and Queens rode in.
The middle and lower classes really did live better than the wealthy in most countries.
RIP Real America.
My '68 Galaxie 2DR had the 302 with the C4 trans....totally trouble-free and quiet. The interior was comfortable, durable, and well-finished. I miss that car! Everything Adam says here is spot-on. I've already harped to Adam that on this LTD he should replace the stock 6x9's in the rear deck with new speakers with big magnets. I did that back in the late 60''s on mine, and it transformed the factory 8-track into a concert hall...deep bass and crisp highs. My college buddies decided my car was the official music listening room.
Love it a lot. These cars ride beautifully and look beautiful doing so.
Cheers 🇨🇦
We had a new 1968 Ford LTD 4 door hardtop with the 390 and it was a beautiful lime green / gold with a white vinyl top 😊
Adam,my first car,78 Thunderbird,351 Windsor with the FMX transmission that you mentioned.That transmission was great and adjustable.Mike the Greek
The lady across the street from us had a beautiful ‘68 burgundy 2dr LTD. She hardly drove it. For a street parked car, it was clean.
Beautiful car, when I was a child they were around everywhere. And after a few ore years design went south
OMG Adam...stop with the 1967/1968 Ford/Mercury products...these are IMO the best automobiles every built in the USA! There is a 1967 Ford 500 Galaxie for sale near me for $27,500. that is a true original survivor perfect example/condition....if only I could win the current Powerball!!! As you have seen me post many times; my HS best friend had the 1967 Cougar XR7 and his Dad owned a 1968 light green LTD wagon with black leather interior..."full power, factory air" as the salesmen used to say.....!!!!!
.....my dad gave me his Arcadian Blue '67 Galaxie 500 4dr hardtop with 49k when I turned 16 in 1972.....in '78, at 104k, it was still running great, but traded it for a beat down '68 Chevy van and a .22 rifle.....the .22 was great....the van, ehhhhh.
@@chrisgermo1956 You should have kept the Ford!!!!!!!!!!!!
@@jonclassical2024 .....289 2V, 200hp.....easy on gas 17-18 mpg.....only time it was sluggish was with 12 quarter barrels of beer(1044 lbs) loaded in the trunk and back seat going from the beer distributor to the frat house.....those were the days!
68 Ford XL had the "fastback" too. I had one, and miss it.
I really love your '68 LTD. When I was a kid my mom had a '68 Galaxie 4 door hardtop with the 302 2V. I used to drive it around the driveway. They were good looking and good running cars. Yours is absolutely gorgeous. Back in the day when it was a big deal to roll your odometer over, I remember the '68 Galaxie was the first car I had ever seen do that.
Adam, Of all your undoubtedly fine FoMoCo sedans from 1968, I have to rate the Meteor Montcalm as # 1. 🤩🤩
The Cougar had hidden headlights from 67, the Marauder and Marquis got them in 69, and the Cyclone and Montego in 70, and the Galaxie 500 XL had them in 68.
I love this car. For me it is perfect. Other than I would have ordered tilt and cruise. Far nicer to me than anything available today regardless of price.
Growing up, we had a 4 door 68 Galaxie 500 with the 302. Miss that car...
I have always admired the styling of the Ford offerings from the '60's.
My dad bought one used from my uncle. '61 Galaxie Victoria todor. White with red cloth, three speed overdrive with a six. Dad was never really fond of that car but when it was time to replace he was looking at a '67 Galaxie 500 two door hardtop in brown metallic. I wished he would have bought it, however he bought instead a '67 Plymouth Fury III two door hardtop which the car I learned to drive in. It was a handsome car in my opinion. He never owned another fomoco product for the rest of his life.
I bought a '81 Grand Marquis two door (when was the last time you saw one?) for a driver. Black with a fawn interior. My father in law thought it was a Lincoln. The 351 lost oil pressure and I got tired of dealing with the variable Venturi carb. I haven't owned a fomoco product since. Like father like son!
Love those body styles of the Fords. Very elegant design.
Such a beautiful car, Adam! My grandfather had a Lime Gold/Ivy Green/black vinyl top '68 LTD 4-door sedan that he bought new. One of its fascinating features to 7-8-year-old me was the hidden headlamps. Every time I went for a ride in it, when he pulled it into the garage, I'd jump out so he could cycle them up and down. So exciting! The car had a 390 (2V) engine that always ran perfectly.
My father bought new a 68 Cust 500 w/ the 302. The only reason he ordered that engine was he also order A/C. Other than that and the"500" trim, it was 3 spd manual, manual brakes, manual steering, AM radio.
In narrowing down my next purchase this is on the list. Thank you for this stunning example.
My first wife's first car was a '65 Galaxy 500 (I'm almost certain it was a '65; it looked exactly like your photo), and I remember it well. White. Heavy. Pretty powerful. Awfully clumsy in handling. Quite solid but very awkward, which was the usual thing in those years.
I bought a Datsun 1600 pickup truck soon after, and the funny thing is, it handled much better than the Galaxy 500. The early Japanese small trucks were big fun. Like little MG's with a bed.
But I appreciate these old American cars more and more these days. They certainly were more respectfully built than the garbage we see today.
Very handsome in black. We had a ‘68 Torino GT fastback 390 4 barrel back in the day. The open B pillar looks like great on this sedan! With a “heavy duty” suspension these Fords could hold their own! My first car in 1980 as a 16yo kid luckily I’m still here.
Exquisite vehicle. This was the epitome of the FoMoCo body cycle of 65-68. One suggestion, find and install a set of deluxe wheel covers. Those turbine style wheel covers were really beautiful. When I turned 19 in 1968, I was fortunate enough that my mother gave me her three and a half year old ’65 Plymouth Fury III that I used as trade in for a 1968 Ford LTD four-door Brougham. I kept that car for eleven years and sold it. A decision that I regret to this day.
Dirty Harry had a 1968 Ford.
And Jimmy Doyle in French Connection
The Windsor engines, both 302 and later 351, are almost magical. The stroke/con rod ratio was exactly spot on for perfect operation and plenty of torque very low in the revs. It is easy to warm them up with a good 2¼ dual exhaust with an H cross over. That gains about 20 HP and 5 mpg on the highway. Best of all, a mechanical AOD from the late 80s bolts tight in. You just need the linkage from the 86-91 carbureted transmission as used with the 351W.
The AOD was introduced in late 1980, and there were no more carburated 302's after 1986 other than industrial or marine applications.
I cannot think of anyone that did NOT like Hidden Headlights back then.
Of course there were 'problems' at the time with them but overall they were just plain cool looking.
I always like the Stacked Headlights and Hidden Headlights.
My favorite Galaxy was the 1965 model year.
Mom and Dad bought one of these, the four door hardtop as shown here, non-Broghum (sp) version. I was about 14-15 at the time and the car bug was just hitting. 1968 was about the high point for me, seeing the Mustangs and Torinos in the showroom, my eyes glazed over. Ours was Seafoam Green, with an Ivy Green vinyl top. Engine was 302, automatic, car was otherwise very spartan, only power steering as an option. No a/c, AM radio. With all the windows down, didn't need a/c. But car was as smooth and quiet as could be and a great looking car. Taking that car on vacation to Lake George, NY, we were livin' large. The example here in black is amazing...and i'm not fond of black at all. We also had a '64 Galaxie 2 door hardtop in Windsor White and red interior, 289, loved that car as well.
I preferred 1970 - My Folks had a 70 LTD 4-door hardtop, Grandparents had a 70 Galaxy 500 pillared 4-door and Aunt and Uncle had a 70 Country Squire. The 70 LTD with a 429 4V ran great until about 1973 when you couldn't find leaded premium anymore, and it knocked and dieselled on anything you could buy (a few gallons of 100LL from the airport made it run like the good old days). The 2V 390s in the other two ran good well into the 1980s.
Very nice represntation of a '68 LTD. They are very good cars. I have a '68 Country Sedan wagon equipped with a 390 4V with 3spd. manual O/D. That's fairly well equipped. Had it since '95. Great road car, It'l get up go when needed. Better looks than todays cars.
'Four doors are too many.' Today it's almost impossible to find coupe versions of four door sedans.
Shoot--it's impossible to find *sedans!
@@I-Libertine And forget hardtops, coupe or sedan..
I have a 1968 LTD Coupe for sale
Beautiful car....
I've always thought that the 68 was the best looking LTD ever and even though you don't like that coupe I do like that
I graduated from high school in 1988 and like my friends I was a townie kid. We drove big Detroit iron like this unlike the preppy kids who drove BMWs and Audis. A few of my friends fathers worked at Ford and they drove those big LTDs from the 70s. Those things weren't fast or particularly fun to drive but they were solidly built and easy to work on. Ford should be making a car like this now but that's just not on their radar.
I suppose they were a looker. Ive always been fond of the Caprice in those years.
Handsome for sure perfect word for it. Nice overview
I’d like to see the sketch designs working up to the 1968 final LTD. We owned one in the wagon and I was picked up daily on the way to school in one just like yours in navy blue same cloth biscuit interior and I always remember how smooth and quiet it drove. I felt like a prince sitting in it.
My Dad had one of these when I was a kid. White with a black vinyl top with a 390. Pretty cool car.
I drove a 1968 Ford Galaxy (4 dr.) while going to a commuter college and enjoyed every minute I was in it. Friend had a 1969 Ford Galaxy with a 390 cubic inch engine.
No issues ever with it. Marked the last decade there was decent quality among US manufacturers.
Those 390 engines were a real good choice, for power and reliability. Chrysler had their 383, same deal. GM also had several excellent engine combos...Just a great era for American autos!
@@curbozerboomer1773 Before I had a 1964 Dodge Polara with a 318 engine. Chrysler had some good products in the 60's know for their reliable transmissions.
My eyes are so engaged. Thank you Adam. I hope you have one
The pictured car is mine
I agree on all accounts. This is my favorite year Ford. I'd rather have a 4 door any day, regular or hardtop! You have a beautiful 68!
My second car as a High School senior, was a lime green 68 XL with bucket seats, floor shifter and 390 V8.
Love the hidden headlights!
The 68 was definitely a good looking car.
I had a 1972 Torino with a 302. Fast car! My two favorites of your FoMoCo stable are the 1967 Park Lane, and the 1971 Marquis Brougham.
I love full size coupes, but this 4-Door Hardtop looks really great, and I wouldn't want it any other way. It's really a very nice car all around.
Beautiful car! My neighbor had the Country Squire Version - as a kid I went along on many camping road-trips, it was such a comfortable car.
Have you seen Adam's Country Squire video?
My dad had a ‘68LTD 4 Dr hardtop just like yours. Think it said Presidential Blue on the window sticker. 3902V but not the brougham interior. Very comfortable and quiet car. I used to play with the headlight doors of course without the key. Got 2 or maybe 3 open and close cycles before the vacuum reservoir was empty. To close - pfffffff - wait, wait, clunk! Great video, thanks for appreciating these great cars.🎉
I remember many different experiences in these cars. My sisters boyfriend had one with a 427 he put in it and he also made a ram air setup for it. It was a rocket. Excellent and beautiful car.
Yea, the 428 was NOTHING compared to that 427 ❤
My grandfather had a 68 4dr lime green ( very period color) Unfortunately it got wrecked and he bought a 69, fire engine red. I preferred the 68. Gramps always had nice cars. I really liked his 66 Fairlane GT
Another excellent presentation. Really, just about anything from Ford in 1968 was exceptional. I'd love to see a video on the Plymouth VIP. I know it wasn't as popular as the LTD or Caprice, but my father had a 1967 VIP "Fastop" that I thought was magnificent. The grill and taillights were perfect that year in my opinion. The interior had some buttons and the cloth had the metallic flakes that just set it off. I've been told that if the 383 was ordered, you got bucket seats. I did see a couple like that, but my father wouldn't go beyond the 318.
This channel is overdue for a detailed exploration of the Plymouth VIP.
Adam, enjoyed your comment “…..not too fastbackie”. 😅😅😅😅
As always, I love your content! While I think that the '68 LTD styling was light years ahead of the '65-'67 bodies, I like the '69 better and the '70 best. To each their own, I'd still pick a '70 LTD or XL over any other full size Ford of the '60's or '70's. They're all great cars, hope you enjoy this beauty for many years to come!😁
I would agree, this is one case where the four door hard top is definitely better looking than the two door. No one can argue the rugged/reliable/smooth performance of the 302, I'm sure it pushes this car around just fine. The interior is very nice also, classic understated design that is not overdone or foolish looking. Adam, I'm hoping the pictures are fooling me though. It kind of looks like the bumper had been pushed in/replaced at one time the way the center of the bottom of the trunk sticks out over the top of the bumper....
I seen a “crazy” much older man driving a 67 Ltd 2 door similar to one you P.I.P. showed in this video last week just days after a massive storm smoking a cigarette in it no less! I was shocked at the sight of this… was like time traveling ! Perhaps he has little time left and said to himself he would enjoy it while he could. I may never know. Nothing I would ever do! I wonder if the hidden headlights on LTD only is a response to Caprice having them, while Buick Olds didn’t have them, which would have been more in Merc’s Zip Code?? I have long believed 60s Ford interiors out did even, dare I say, Cadillac. Nice work as usual… the door panels in this car had their styling legacy handed down to the 2015-2023 F series trucks. Ford was a beautiful piece of machinery in the 1960s, amongst other time periods. EDIT- also thank you for teaching me who Gene Bordinat is.
That instrument panel was not 'new' for 68, it was just a rehash of the 65-66 panel with that "sci-fi-ee" pod being added. 67 had its own unique dash. Maybe Ford thought that nobody would remember the 65-66 style. My mom bought a new 65 LTD and its interior material was what insiders at Ford called panty-cloth. Very comfy seats, and very deluxe carpeting. I took (and passed) my driver's test in that car. I also loved the 390 V-8!
2 of my Uncle's have always had a couple 65-66 galaxies for as long as I've been alive
Another great video, Adam. Thanks for posting. Since you focused on the dashboard I’ll comment again on the evolution of the full size Fords’ dashboard designs from 1965 through 1968. The ‘65 and ‘66 were nearly identical while the ‘67 went in a very different direction. Many controls like the radio, heater controls and even the ignition switch were relocated for ‘67 and the dash pad was given a new look. Then for 1968 Ford resurrected the ‘65-‘66 design almost entirely, changing only the crash pad design to meet new safety requirements. The substructure was probably shared through all four years but the driver interface on the ‘67 stands out as unique among the four. Enjoyed the video very much. Keep up the great work.
Regarding the dash, you missed that the upper binnacle design was a replication of the grille design. 👍
Love the look of the 1968 LTD, looks like a low-profile executive vehicle.
You know, after seeing all of these details & so meticulously discussed by you, of this ‘68 LTD, especially @ the 14 min mark-on, I couldn’t help but SEE so many MANY cues that very much must’ve influenced the Ford designers of my ‘71 Torino-Ranchero GT w/351C &C6 w9”rear end, that i just hadn’t previously associated its design, of previous ford models! Damn I regret selling my Ranchero 😭
I own a 1968 galaxie 2 door 500 which I like a bit more because I am a 2 door lover but nothing against the 4 doors honestly. Love the content on the 1968 galaxie due to lack of it !
The Ford 302 was an amazing engine. It's one of the best Detroit small blocks of all-time and is one of my favorite American V8s.
The sleek, streamlined styling of cars from the 1960s into the early 1970s was much nicer-looking than the more plain-looking cars of the 1970s and the boxy cars of the later years. When FoMoCo began to go more aerodynamic with their exterior designs in the mid 1980s, they did a good job with making the Crown Victoria and Grand Marquis more smooth-looking than the earlier Panther cars. They did an even better job with the last 2 generations of the Crown Vic and Grand Marquis, making them have an exterior more like the sleek, streamlined cars of the 1960s and early 1970s.
Just a beautiful car (and I also like the previous/first gen LTD, but this one is in another league).
This was a Beautiful Vehicle and in this Style and Color I'm A 4 Door Person 😊
I'm not usually a fan of more door cars of this era, but I have to agree with you, this one is a stunning design. That's a really nice example from that time.
No bee pillar, best thing ever
Like trippin down memory lane. Thanks. Dad worked for Ford in Oakville, Ontario and we were always in the least optioned Ford possible (ie. no radio, hand cranks everywhere, no power anything and 2 ropes to pull on for steering). If you have time to do a review of the unglamourous '65 Ford Custom that would be wonderful. Thanks for the well detailed reviews in all your videos. Cheers.
That LTD is a slick looking car. Reminds me of cop or action movies from that generation. Those cars with big block motors could burn rubber at will.