A lot of people make fun of these old, big, floaty, plush 'land yachts'. But, really, they were a pleasure to drive. They accomplished what they were intended to accomplish very well. Ford's offerings were usually more quiet than others....and some of the models were very handsome. They deserve some respect !
Agreed! My dad looked at new full sized GM. (Oldsmobile, Chevrolet, Buick) He said when he closed the door of a new Caprice on the lot, the door glass fell into the door. We ended up with a 1970 Sedan DeVille with under 10k miles from the estate of a deceased man's son. Dad said he paid for a Chevy and got a Caddy. Some neighbors down the street got a brand new brown 1972 LTD. I really liked the looks of that car. My childhood was exactly like that tv show "The Wonder Years". If a family got a new car, neighbors came over to look at it. lol
I like them. I’m driving a BMW coupe convertible but I really like these big land yachts too. They’re fun to drive, although very very different. Unfortunately the gas prices here in Europe are so high it’d be impossible for me to have a car like that as a daily driver. Maybe I could have one as a weekend toy, I don’t know. The black sedan is so cool.
I had a few years old Oldsmobile 98 Regency Brougham and traveled around the US with my first real love. Those were awesome times. I hope she’s happy with her family. I know her husband is much better than I could have been ever. :’(
@@auvomesilampi6325 I have owned a triple black 1970 Continental Mark III, 1967 Imperial LeBaron sedan, 1977 T-Bird and LTD II sedan, 1988 and 1989 Grand Marquis LS, 1977 Malibu Classic sedan, and a 1989 Town Car. My first car was a 1968 Chevelle coupe with a 327 v8 and 2 speed powerglide transmission. I am retired now and really do not have the interest or as much disposable income to put into vintage cars. I do Honda/Toyota now. lol
Don't know why people make fun of them. They are a product that is a reflection of the time they were sold in and their sales numbers reflect public acceptance of them.
Cars from the big 3 in this era were at their high point as far styling goes. I recall dad saying he would like a car with a Chrysler power train, a Ford suspension, and a GM body. Thanks for yet another trip down memory lane.
The 1971 Ford LTD and the 1971 Dodge Coronet where two of the most distinctive and beautiful cars ever made. The front of the 1971 Plymouth Satellite and the rear of the 1971 Buick boat tail riviera were also top notch. These trends were short lived only lasting a model year or two.
My absolute favorite car ever, was a 1971 LTD convertible, that my parents bought used for me to drive in my senior year. Oriiginally green, they painted it white with a new white top and gold-trimmed honeycomb Trans Am wheels. Wow, I loved/love that car and still yearn for one like it. They're really rare now, I suppose because of the infamous 'Cash For Clunkers' federal program in the 90s. Anyway, it had a couple of quirks: when the fuel gauge read empty, it was quit-on-the-highway EMPTY. Not a drop of reserve. Also, the new top didn't fit quite right, so when it rained, you had to be cautious opening the doors, because Instant Waterfall! So, if anyone has an old LTD convertible, formerly white with a green interior, from east TN in the late 70s (especially if she has a faded old stained glass unicorn sticker on the rear window of the top & a fogged mar on the plastic lens of the instrument panel-- it was mine, & some day I'll happily haunt it. Still haven't quite forgiven Dad for trading it for a 1958 dump truck... Way less cool for school....
@@tessTN Awesome seeing someone else who appreciated the larger cars as a teen. I was a real car guy very early and was begging my dad for a car to drive since I was 14. So when my sophomore year came around and I got my license, they surprised me with a 68 LeSabre they got a good deal on, and I loved it. Others made fun of it of course, but they had no problem whatsoever asking to come along for a ride, or asking for a ride home or whatever. 👍
I had a 1971 Galaxy 500 2 door back in the late 70's and early 80's. Drove it when I was in college and in the US Navy. Man that trunk was huge! It was a great vehicle for a single college student and sailor. 351 2V Windsor.
A couple family cars dad got were a '69 and '73 LTD Brougham. Both were loaded with the optional equipment offered. In my opinion, they were faster and quieter than an uncle's '72 Sedan de Ville or a neighbor's '73 New Yorker. The '69 became my first car. It was fun riding around with friends in their hot rod sports cars which often broke down, but when it came to long-distance road trips, it was my turn to drive. Never broke down and the A/C always worked.
My dad had an LTD Brougham in green. Everyone who saw it and sat in it wanted it when he was done with it. The high back seats saved my grandfather’s life when we had a blowout on a travel trailer we were towing that flipped the car on its roof.
My friend had a 72 LTD 2 door back in high school . Brown with brown interior and the 400 engine. The high back seats were so nice and it had a great ride. It sure nose dived on quick stops and hard turns. The 400 was pretty fast for such a heavy car. Its also had dual exhaust with glass packs. I had to walk over to his house in the morning for a ride to school and could hear it warming up in his driveway with that exhaust a block away.
Rod Sterling was a four pack a day chainsmoker and died of multiple heart attacks. Supposedly he went in for open heart surgery and died from complications but there was also allegations of malpractice.
I'm old enough to remember when all the well off neighbors had one or two of these behemoths, and later when you couldn't give these land yachts away. Now they're classics.
Nineteen sixty-seven was the year Ford launched the cars from ski jumps in their advertising to demonstrate how strong their cars were. As a 16 year old driver, I can vouch for how strong the chassis was, it was hard to bottom out.
When the big 3 auto manufacturers were required to redesign the front and rear bumpers on these beautiful cars, I almost cried,, an end to an Era. Starting in 73 and onward, auto makers produced nothing but ugly cars. Ralph Nader was no help,,
As a kid growing up in England in the 1970's, i loved seeing these beautiful cars on TV. The low rumble of the V8, even the way they pitched back and forth when the brakes were applied. I loved them.
Actually, I think both Fords and GMs from those couple of years were their best designs ever, and might possibly have been the pinnacle of their manufacturing quality. Mid-60s American cars… a great time to be a car lover.
I like the '66 over the '65 a little, but I also really like the '64. First car I rode in was a '64 Galaxie 500 2 door HT in medium red, with a 352 and Cruise-o-matic.
Back in 73 I bought a 71 Galaxie 500 4-door pillarless hardtop. I think it was the same car as the LTD, but not as well appointed. I really loved it. I made 2 cross-country trips in it, and it was definitely a land yacht. The 351 gave me a bit over 21 mpg on the freeway.
The 351W (Windsor) was based on the 302 and had rocker-arm shafts and non-canted valves. The 351C (Cleveland) was a completely different engine. It was a newer design with sophisticated lighter casting technique and high volumetric efficiency. The blocks bear no resemblance at all to the Windsor x other than headbolt and cylinder spacing (one notable feature was the integrated timing sprocket/chain housing with the block). The engine heads used larger canted valves, stud-mounted rocker arms with oil coming up hollow pushrods. The 400 was a taller deck (hence stroke) version of the 351C. It only came with a 2bbl. The 351M was a 400 block with 351C crank and slightly longer connecting rods to give it the stroke as the 351C. This was done so only one block casting could cover both displacements. Many think the “M” means Mexico, Modified, whatever… The Cleveland series of small block Ford V8s were dropped because its architecture was not amenable to forthcoming emission controls. Too bad, it was one of Fords best engines ever along with 385 series 429\460 cid
351W has rocker studs. No 351C in Galaxies, just 351M which is a tall deck Cleveland. And has pedestall rockers the same is the Clevo. 3.5 stroke 351 4" stroke 400 [402] 302W and 351W came out about the same time and are quite different. Deck height is higher, they have 3" mains and main and headbolts are 1`/2 to the 302 7/16. Head layout was similar but bigger chambers and ports. 351c and M engines were more modern but NOT light. Canted valveHeads were good though the 4Vs were simply too big as were the valves
I still have my Dad’s original 72 LTD. I will never sell it and love that car. LTDs are terrific cars. There was a true sedan and a 4 door pillared hard top as well. Also Bunkie Knudsen was instrumental in the beaked front end design for the Ford. LTD and Thunderbird, drawing on his GM experience (the fronts being quite Pontiacesque).
The 1971/72 Ford LTD was probably the most beautiful full-size Ford ever. They floated on the interstate. I always thought they were more tastefully styled than the full-size Chevys of the same period.
Pop's bought a 72 LTD coupe with the so-called "travelling special" including the 429ci incredibly engineered power and smoothness . Man that car was so cool, powerful, and was so so quiet. As a teenager and car kid/guy in the making, I marveled at the many options and especially look and stance of this beautiful machine. Wish Detroit mad cars along this idea again.
My mom had a blue 71 four-door LTD. My dad bought it for her shortly after I was born. It was the first car I remember my parents having and going on trips in it. To this day that car remains one of my favorites.
As a kid back in my home town in early 70's England, our local ford dealership had a black LTD on display in their main showroom for a few years. It was finally bought by a friend of my father. Later on in life I learned from him that it was a 1969 4V 429 stick with the handling package. Although he called it a Police package with muffler delete. It was triple back and came from the dealership sitting chrome 5-spoke Craigars. Although Ford never officially sold these in the UK, there were a small number of dealerships that were licenced to sell US models here. But many of them also added there own extras hence the Craigars. I remember the first time I saw him driving it, and I think I can honestly say that was the car the made me a car guy!
A 71 coupe cruised around recently. At night, the silhouette was striking. And the wide, somewhat sinister front was complimented by the rear lights which gave it a spaceshiplike look. I feel this car is a design success in many ways. The 3 lights at the rear are stunning.
I was 10 years old on the show room floor when these were new. I couldn’t take my eyes of a GOLD with Black Top 2 dr. Coupe. That LONG hood and overall look really had me not to mention I never seen a brand new car. We were not there to buy the LTD we were their to a buy a 1968 Country Sedan Wagon 9 passenger in sky blue $1,500 with 50K miles. My Future Brother in law owned a ‘71 Galaxy with the 400 CU in. And I still remember how Quiet and smooth the ride was and when he dropped me off at my High School he Roasted the Tires right at the schools entrance and left such a long patch of rubber and cloud of smoke the principal asked me who that was that dropped me off. I said it was a new cab.
You should have said it was your Grandmother my GM had got herself a new 69 LTD 4 door she was not timid behind the wheel she use to say I wish I was in a Cat Dozer she said I would just Push these idiots out of the way
I'm a Brit but love these Yank Tank, Land Yacht type cars. They were ideal for American roads long and straight large capacity low revving engines so they could travel long distances comfortably and reasonably quietly. They weren't built for twisty European roads and therefore never cracked the foreign markets
I love them, too, but some of us Americans were not "treated to" full-size cars. Our parents were more frugal and family size small enough to fit in more midsize cars. It seemed here in the U.S. if a family had three children then they automatically owned a station wagon, mid-size or full-size. Seemed wealthier families owned full-size station wagons with the fake woodgrain siding (e.g. Ford Country Squire, or Chevrolet Caprice Estate). When I learned how much smaller cars were in Europe I wondered how families of, say, six traveled together by car. The OPEC oil embargo Energy Crisis of 1973 put a crimp in the popularity of these plush, soft-riding large cars. Although their sales rebounded, the even higher spike in fuel costs with the energy crisis of '79 seemed to pretty much hand the automobile market to the small imports, mainly Japanese. A lot of people seem to blame ever-tightening U.S. fuel economy (and safety) standards in the mid-to-late 1970s, but the price of a gallon of gasoline surpassing a dollar by 1980-'81, it surprises me that anyone at the time was buying a pre-1979 used full-size Ford or Chrysler.
@@70sleftover However a midsize American was still a large car in the UK and continental Europe. Even now as a Brit jouralist once said "In the USA anything under a 5.0 litre is still considered a compact"
My father owned the 71 LTD with the 400 cubic inch. Was a very comfortable ride, even being sandwiched in the backseat with my sister and older brother. I went on to own two 1972 Galaxy 500 with the 351 engine. I ran them into the ground as most teenagers did back in the day. Would love to have them back!
When I was in 2nd grade, our next door neighbor bought a year-old green 71 LTD sedan with the 390. It was probably the first Ford he had, while his wife stuck with her much-beloved white-top 62 Chevy Impala sedan, which had 3 on the tree and overdrive (283 V8). He kept that LTD for many years, until the mid 80s when he traded for a new Caprice. His wife held on to the 62 Chevy.
I once had a loaner car with the 429 engine in it and it always chirped the tires unless you were very careful on the accelerator. The one car that you could actually see the speedometer rise and the gas gauge drop at the same time 😊
That's because the gas gauge actually showed the pressure on the fuel pump, like a race car, and not how much gas is in the tank. The 94 Chevrolet Caprice had the same, and people always complained about the "faulty" gas gauge.
I miss my old 72 Brougham. Paid only $150 for it. At the time I was a teenager working at a Pontiac dealer. I would mount old take off tires Goodyear Eagle Gatorbacks off of Trans Am's on it and burn them off. Yeah it would lean a lot but you would be surprised how fast you could get it around corners.
My favorite Ford. My parents had a 70 which they traded for a green 71 LTD Brougham. I loved it so much that when I had the chance I bought myself a green 71 LTD. Not as fancy but still loved it too. Wish I still had one.
My grandfather helped my father get his first work van when he started his own company. Grandpa drove a 1956 Ford Crown Victoria until my dad repaid him by buying him a blue LTD, with a white vinyl top. Good memories.
I purchased a 1972 Ford LTD Country Squire in 1978 with the 400 cubic inch in my 3 year of college. Like you said they were a comfy car. I was amazed when I drove over railway crossings I never felt a ripple. There was so much room in the back. With back seat folded down I could put a 4 by 8 sheets of plywood in. ( this would put a lot of pickups to shame these days ). Your RUclips segment on the LTD brings back great memories I have about this car. Thanks
Like many 70s kids, station wagons weren't really cool. However, a family friend had a 71 Country Squire, red, black interior with the 429. It had wheels that resembled the Magnum 500 Mustang wheels instead of wheel covers. I thought that car was just awesome. The only thing needed to make it perfect was bucket seats and a center console. That combo is a bit of a bucket list project of mine, even now.
My brother had a 1971 LTD Brougham coupe. Triple black with the 400 engine exactly like the one pictured @8:09. Special car to be sure. He purchased it from a friend from church that was in security work and ordered the car new in the fall of 1970. The car even had a police siren installed under the hood.
We had a 72 Galaxy 500 powder blue, that thing was a freeway beast, ate the miles up smooth and fast without so much as a complaint with power to spare.
My first car in 1981 was a rusted '72 Country Squire 429. (6:50you're SOOO right about the feel of power above stated horsepower!) 🥰I loved it, drove it into oblivion; still miss it.
I used to own a '72 4-dr that had the 400M 2bbl. Being a teenager at the time I, of course, put Hooker headers on it and a rear anti-sway bar along with oversize tires. It handled pretty well and I once had it around 130 mph, speedometer needle buried. The one thing I hated about it was that rear-end wiggle that Panhard rod would give you when you went over speed bumps at 10 mph.
My grandfather had a 72 LTD Brougham. And while I was not a Ford lover, that car was very very nice. One of the best out there. I have an Impala now and I love it, BUT, I'd still give my eye teeth for one of those old Fords today.
Back in January of 1973, my uncle, a prominent Methodist preacher in Atlanta back many years ago, had drove me to my first year in college (Reinhardt Junior College back then) when I was 22. In that year of 1973, I had several rides in that '72 LTD four door model (that back in popular greenish type color) during my visits with my uncle. That was a nice car! Had the power for sure. It was tough competition to mg folk's Oldsmobile Delta '71 model.
I learned to drive on my dad's '71 LTD with the high-compression 429-4V and 360 gross hp. It's sub 7 sec 0-60 surprised a few muscle cars at stoplights ! BTW the guardrails in the doors were not installed by car manufacturers until forced to by federal regulation. Marketing 101: Make necessity a virtue.
Thanks for giving these forgotten Ford's a little light. They were and are great cars. The styling looks even better to me now. My parents were buying full size Ford's during this period. And we got a '71 two door with the 400. I inherited it and drove it to high school from 78-80. It was very tough and would fire up the right rear tire with very little coaxing...lol. Wish i still had it.
I was in high school when these came out and I thought they were so much better looking than the prior couple of years, and they didn't have that awful dashboard either. My parents' Pontiac Grand Ville also had the climate controls hard to reach for the passenger. For me, the '71 and '72 Ford and Mercury full sized were handsome and I can remember admiring them on the road.
Drove a 71 Mercury Monterey going to school. One hundred fifty nine miles one way. Always left town on Sunday nite a precisely 9:00 p.m. after a while I learned where law enforcement hung out. Knew just where to slow down. Cut that trip several times in good weather in 2 hours flat. Mostly 2 hrs 15-18 minutes. Made last call in the little saloon I hung out in at midnight. I really liked the barmaid that worked Sunday nights! I loved that Big M sedan.
An Anglican Priest friend bought one of these cars in 1971. The purchase came after his experience with a big Chevrolet powered by a 6-cylinder engine. The Ltd.'s were great cars.
What an amazing reversal of fortune! The beautiful 1971 Chevrolets sat stillborn on shuttered assembly lines due to the UAW strike against GM beginning September 14, 1970. On September 18th, Ford Motor Company launched a nationwide print ad campaign announcing, "America, your 1971 Fords are Ready!". By Christmas 1970 my hometown of Norfolk, Virginia, looked like it had been invaded by Dearborn, Michigan. 1971 Ford LTD's were everywhere - wtf, were they giving them away? All I had for the '71 Caprice was a picture from LIFE magazine.
My dad bought a new 69 LTD Brougham that was very quiet & comfortable!! He traded it in for a new 71 Marquis Brougham with the high back twin comfort lounge seats. I think that was the best car he ever owned!!! 👍🙂
When I was in school back then, I loved the look of the 71-72 LTDs, though never saw a convertible model. The car was also featured in many movies and TV shows, mostly as police and detective car. Super beautiful.
I've ridden in a 1965 Ford Galaxie to 80 MPH way back in the 70s. Ford did a nice job with the ride but, because there were only 4 connections from the frame to the body, it was eventually deemed unsafe. Ford called it the "floating body". It did provide an exceptionally vibration-free ride though. Ford always gave more attention to the ride of its cars than G.M. and especially Chrysler. Much of the ride comfort came from the fact that Ford worked with its tire provider, Firestone, to produce the softest riding tire possible. When Ford was sued though, for the accidents involving the bad handling Explorers, they put the entire blame on Firestone. Firestone was mad at them because they only did what Ford wanted them to do so, they ended their relationship with Ford. By the way, the fabric you were referring to on the lower portion of the high-back seats was called brocade. Another thing. Much of Ford's quietness came from the fact that it had thicker padding on the door panels than anyone else.
Never noticed that difference in the bumpers from '71 to '72. At least the '72s still retained a stylish look. Post '73, only Chrysler products were able to keep up appearances with their oversized bumper guards. I've always been a fan of the 71-72 Galaxy/LTD body style especially after seeing the Burt Reynolds movie Gator. Thanks Adam, for another entertaining & informative presentation. The Rod Serling commercials at the end were a nice touch...👍
Recently, a friend of mine was showing me old pictures of the '74 Dodge Charger he had in high school and I couldn't believe it was a '74. The thin bumper looked like something from the 1960s. Turns out, the '74s all had those huge rubber blocks, but the steel plates that held them on had a tendency to rust away, and that was when they hadn't already been removed by style-conscious owners. That was the last year Chrysler was able to get away with that trick and the pointy, angular Charger was replaced by a decontented version of the Cordoba. It must have been the offset barrier test that forced Chrysler in to the battering-ram-bumper era.
Really enjoyed this video. I remember when these came out and I really liked them. Also, I'm really fascinated with the advancements in the isolation to the frame of noise, vibration, and harshness and the accompanying improvements in ride quality. I remember going with my Dad to buy a new 1971 Ford Maverick and being driven across town to another dealership in a brand new 1972 Lincoln Continental Mark IV. What a revelation!! For years after I collected every article I could find to understand what was going on in the early 1970s with American cars. My all time standout for quiet and ride quality was a new 1973 Lincoln Continental sedan owned by a class mates father. It was just unreal. It was markedly better than a 1971 Lincoln Continental sedan owned by another friend's family I knew. Something was happening between 1970 and 1975 - something really unusual.
This brought back childhood memories. In our family when someone bought a new car it was an occasion for all to come see it, have a cookout and go for a ride. So when my aunt and uncle bought their 71 LTD that's what we did. When you mentioned driver centric I remember my uncle saying to my dad how the dash wraps around the driver. The next year my parents bought a 72 Delta 88, it was similar in the dash layout. Mom no longer had control of the radio or a/c, but didn't seem to mind.
Can relate to it being an event. Always been that way for our friends and family when they bought a new vehicle. Gotta load up and go for a ride in it!
@@jcrowellz2000 Now cars are leased and mean almost nothing to the family, let alone the new owner. I actually research and purchase my vehicles for the long run. When my dad was still alive, when either of us made a vehicle purchase, it was special. And we'd talk about every little aspect of the vehicle, in detail, over a period of months. Even longer as we identified new things about our cars. I sure miss those times, those cars, and I sure miss my pops... Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
Here's my story. Got a '72 Brougham for Christmas in '86 from my parents. Bucket power seats, power windows, auto tranny and an 8-track. Super top-of-the-line for back then. Had to replace the 8-track and speakers with a cassette deck. Sparkomatic from K-Mart. Only the finest. It came to be known as the APC (armored personnel carrier). Had the 429 4-barrel carb. You could almost watch the gas gauge needle drop when all the barrels were open. And feel the body rise off the suspension. But at normal highways speeds it was a quiet, smooth ride. Really not bad at all for a first car.
My grandfather died in 1991, and I inherited his 1972 LTD. It was my first car. It had the 400-2V. It was old and had a few issues. I know the blower fan switches tended to melt some under load on high. I went through so many window cranks, though from your videos, I know know that was a torque pin issue. It was a quiet, durable car that was fun to drive. It was also, the only car I've ever had where I could get in and sit in the driver seat and my leg didn't touch the door. It was so wide, it had two ashtrays.
Thank you for the trip down memory lane. @ 3:45 the top right picture on the ad was exactly what my parents had, colour and all. My parents used to let me drive it around the yard when I was a kid, what great fun that was. This video is a really pleasant reminder of better times.
I still talk about my old friend John's 72' 2D Ltd! It was his first car in 80'! His dad found it for him, and the car was like brand new with the 351 engine. Our friends all had Muscle cars or sports cars! His was actually the best of all! IMO!✌❤👊🇺🇲
My parents factory ordered a '71 LTD Brougham 2 door in the fall of 1970. As I had recently broken my left leg and could not drive my 3 speed Mustang I got to drive the LTD to the local community college until my leg healed. After a couple of years the transmission developed a problem with delayed engaging fom reverse to drive so my parents traded it in. The Brougham was one comfortable traveling vehicle.
My dad had his new car, a Ford Elite in the shop and they give him a LTD Brougham as a loaner while his car was being serviced, I tried to convince my dad to trade up to the LTD after riding in it. I remember the comfortable tall seats and plush ride.
Hey Adam. Love that you put out a couple of back-to-back direct comparisons of the most popular full size cars of ‘71 & ‘72. I think Chevrolet Impala/Caprice may have had the styling edge, but I firmly believe the LTD/LTD Brougham had the ride and build quality edge.
@Travis I agree with you. To me the early 70s Caprice Impala we’re just bland and boring and even as a kid I noticed they were cheaply made compared the Ford products. Styling to me of these big LTDs and Marquis couldn’t be touched
I agree. Although as a rule, I gravitate toward GM products, Ford had better quality build back then. They were rated highly in consumer reports for quality and reliability. The GM THM 350 transmissions used in those Impalas were not the most durable. The C6 Ford transmission and FMX were outstanding. 1973-1978 LTD''s were another derivative of these chassis. Look what replaced these cars, though. The 1979 panther cars. The cars weren't nearly as tough. The sheet metal was much more thin. They were reliable. But why were they so much more thin? Lighter gage metal? Fuel Economy! I do like the panther cars. Very practical! But, sacrifice had to be made for Fuel efficiency.
Agree. The last truly great GM B and C bodies were manufactured in 1970. The quality dropped tremendously in 1971 in their redesigned “Colonnade” style full and luxury sized cars.
Test drove a 1972 Country Squire with my parents. A- plan corporate car. Salesman was freaking when mom put her seat belt on, dad clipped the shoulder harness in the buckle, I got into the drivers seat. I WAS 16. Worked it hard, 429,4V C6, 3.51 traction-loc differential. HD BRAKING, SWAY BARS, AIRLIFT REAR SYSTEM, TOW PACKAGE, 3.5" REAR DRUMS. Full power equipment, Great car for 10 years.
My Parents owned a 1970 Ford XL Convertible with bucket seats basically all the options Ford offered in 1970. 429 V-8, cruise control, power eveything. It was a dealership demo. It was September 1970. They, the dealership wanted to get rid of it. My parents traded their 1968 Impala 2 door for it. I learned to drive with the XL. I loved that car..... BUT it drank gas like a drunken sailor on Ale. It was a beautiful car. But with full sized Fords of that era the back seat leg room was small. The vacuum system wasn't the greatest either. Thanx Adam
i found out this car in the tv serie "streets of san francisco" at the beginning of the 70' and felt in love with it and all full sizes (for me definitively the best cars of all the History of cars). Especially when i watched across my windows seeing the poor europeans cars. It was so unfair. love it forever. Adult, i bought a dodge monaco 1967 and an eldorado 1979. the best cars i have ever had. thanks to america for having made them. From france.
Just discovered your Post on 72 Caprice and this popped up! In early 80s, I purchased a 72 LTD convert! Fantastic car. I've had Cadillacs, Lincolns and other full size luxury cars, but this LTD was only car with seat all way back, could not reach pedals! Never should have let it go. Overall Ford upscale vehicles have been superior to GM.
My first car purchase was a 71 LTD BROUGHAM and it was a wonderful car. Paid $1800 used in 1975 and it was powerful with a big engine and trunk. No radial tires then but a very quiet ride and you felt safe. Terrible gas mileage but gas was 50 cents a gallon then... lots of room to chauffeur my friends. Miss those days.
Still remember so well when my friends family just a couple doors down went to Hawaii for vacation and when they came back, their Mom got a blue Country Squire wagon and Dad got a brown Country Squire wagon, same models, same year, just different colors..... I always wondered why 2 of the same 😂
I really Loved these new Fords and was at the dealership when they were new at age 10 with dad buying a 1968 Country Sedan. I couldn’t get my eyes off these long hood beauties. Gold Black top LTD Coupe with the high back seats was one I was in love with. I had my first ride to high school at age 13 via my Brother in law and all I remember was how how quiet and smooth the car was. Then he laid a burn out 20 foot patch of rubber power braking right in front of the principals office and now I am walking in the school. Luckily no one said anything.but that car stuck in my mind for many years.
My Dad bought 4 of these cars 69 Galixie 500 2dr in red for my Mom 70 Galaxie in white for him 71 LTD in green and 72 Country Squire wagon woody. He LOVED Fords it was so cool as a kid to have a new car every year. My brothers and I learned to drive in those cars. Great memories
And those workers were confident in it, being as they were standing almost underneath it. Or more likely there were hidden supports welded to the frame for this stunt .
I remember as a young kid my aunt bought a brand new 71 LTD. To be honest I didn't find it very impressive. Lol but about 5 years later it did leave me very impressed. She was moving from PA back to NJ. We were following her to PA, her in the LTD, us in uhaul truck. 1/8 of a mile from our destination the cross road was flooded. Aunt Dot didn't stop. We watched the water get higher and higher on the car. At the center of the cross road she turned left. The water was up to the door handles and the good ole girl was still going lol. 75 feet later it finally came out of the water and continued on to our destination lol. Yes everyone in the car got wet feet. Drove it back to NJ 200 miles that night. Absolutely no problems. She appropriately name the car Amphibious after that.
I bought a 71' Country Squire from the original owner, a neighbor that owned/operated a local auto parts store. With the 429-2V, auto temp control, and a few other options, it was paired with a new 72' Holiday Rambler Vacationer travel trailer. I purchased both; the wagon had documented 440,000 miles, on it's original powertrain sans valve job; the trailer was equally miled, but both were in very good original condition. His shop mechanic kept both up, stored inside. About the only things replaced on the wagon were the front seat cover and aforementioned valve job. It absolutely required 108 ethyl, which was long gone by the time I got it, so 93 made do. Even with all those miles, it drove, ran, and even the ATC still worked perfectly.
My uncle worked as a head mechanic at Avis lease and got cars fairly cheaply. He bought a year old 72 LTD Brougham 2 door and we bought a 72 Galaxie Country Sedan Wagon at the same time. They both had the 400 engines and I remember that my uncle was mad because dad's wagon was far more responsive and had a much more meatier-sounding idle. They even had a few drag race down deserted roads and the wagon always won, which shouldn't have happened given the wagon's added weight.
I always loved the LTD convertibles of this generation but it killed me that they took away the hidden headlights. I really love hidden headlights on cars. Probably why i love the 1975-1978 Ford LTD's most.
My parents' 1972 wagon with the towing package and 429 4V handled heavy trailers effortlessly and rode well, but suffered from driveability and quality issues from day one, souring me on Ford products for some time. The engine was very hard starting at altitude, the windows leaked around the frames, the hard plastic driver's instrument binnacle was malformed, and the leading edge of the hood bent up at the outward corners at brisk highway speeds. Inadequate air conditioning was the icing on the cake.
Thanks! I always loved the 69-72 LTD! Never knew Rod was a spokesperson for the 71 Ford, by contrast, William Shatner was a spokesman for the 1971 Plymouth Fury, then it was Arthur Godfrey starting with the 1972 Fury I believe.
Nice presentation. Those of us outside the USA could only dream of such cars and roads to drive them. It's wonderful to know from sales figures that plenty of people had fun.
Also other movies that featured the 71 Ford were James Bond , Diamonds are forever. Burt Reynolds in , White lightning. The French Connection. I'll try and think of some more.
My grandfather had a 1971 Ford LTD Country Squire Wagon with Wood Trim. 10 Passenger!! It was a 351-2V......great on gas on the highway!! My friends and I loved him taking us for ice cream!! He use to say we were going to make him poor!! Hahaha 😁 He got it with only 18000 miles and it was 2 years old. The newest car he ever owned!! He had it for a very long time!! In the late 70s I use to borrow it for drive in duty!! Hahaha 😁
The red convertible on this video was my exact car. I kept it a very short time. Eight miles to the gallon -- living in downtown Chicago. It would do anything except pass a gas station.
From where I sit in my life now, with 3 total hip replacements and counting, PLEASE....I WANT that "mushy" ride again, OMG!! Don't ever apologize for loving these plush, luxurious "land yachts," and actually they didn't really seem that bad at handling, from what I remember as a kid passenger! Some friends of my parents had a dark brown, 1972 Ford LTD, and I'll always remember how his wife, Linda, who was a just a bit of a weed and valium pill enthusiast, sped around those 90° turns on those winding, Southern Ohio roads on a very warm Summer day in 1973 or 74, hitting potholes, taking tight curves, all with a nonchalant sense of confidence and ease (SHE, AS WELL AS THE CAR, lol) and we never, not once, felt ANY of those rough roads and holes in the road, we just floated, bobbed and bounced a bit, and had FUN! I had never been in such a quiet, nice-riding sedan before, although my mom's Buick Electra 225 Limited was a close second. For YEARS, from the time I bought my first car in 1982, at 17 y/o (a gold colored, rusted, old 1971 Chevy Impala) I ALWAYS sought out an identical (or similar) riding car as that LTD. This first car would begin my continuing, lifelong love of large American luxury sedans....there were a few Chryslers, an Imperial and a New Yorker 5th Ave., a Pontiac Bonneville Brougham that I continually ground out the starter on until I got used to the fact that the car was just SO QUIET and SO SMOOTH, even when idling, that it only FELT like it stalled at every stop; a few Buick Electras, with a total of three Electra/Park Avenues, with my 1990 Buick P/A Ultra being my very first, brand-new, special ordered car....now THAT was a PHENOMENAL CAR, probably the best, most reliable car I've ever owned; a 2007 Cadillac DTS was my BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT (it rode like a truck, and contrary to what I was told, the ride did NOT improve once it was older and "broken-in!) and it was also a HUGE LEMON, BUT...my Lincoln Town Cars were all just as great as all the others, minus that Caddy, of course! I just had to finally trade in my last Town Car on 2017 Lincoln MKZ Reserve a few years back, and while it was a great luxury sedan and was very responsive, it just wasn't the same kind of luxury car I'm accustomed to, so I traded that for one of the last 2020 Lincoln sedans, the Continental; it's a great car, but nothing will ever come close, I'm afraid, to the American luxury cars of the past. I'm glad I got to experience all of those cars, but I'm a bit saddened just knowing that new and younger drivers of today have NO IDEA what a TRUE American luxury car really once was; nothing will ever come close to those great old luxury cars....even the old Buick Estate and Ford LTD station wagons, which were basically trucks, rode on a cushion of air compared to today's "luxury" car offerings. Love this video and others like it!
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A lot of people make fun of these old, big, floaty, plush 'land yachts'. But, really, they were a pleasure to drive. They accomplished what they were intended to accomplish very well. Ford's offerings were usually more quiet than others....and some of the models were very handsome. They deserve some respect !
Agreed! My dad looked at new full sized GM. (Oldsmobile, Chevrolet, Buick) He said when he closed the door of a new Caprice on the lot, the door glass fell into the door. We ended up with a 1970 Sedan DeVille with under 10k miles from the estate of a deceased man's son. Dad said he paid for a Chevy and got a Caddy. Some neighbors down the street got a brand new brown 1972 LTD. I really liked the looks of that car. My childhood was exactly like that tv show "The Wonder Years". If a family got a new car, neighbors came over to look at it. lol
I like them. I’m driving a BMW coupe convertible but I really like these big land yachts too. They’re fun to drive, although very very different. Unfortunately the gas prices here in Europe are so high it’d be impossible for me to have a car like that as a daily driver. Maybe I could have one as a weekend toy, I don’t know. The black sedan is so cool.
I had a few years old Oldsmobile 98 Regency Brougham and traveled around the US with my first real love. Those were awesome times. I hope she’s happy with her family. I know her husband is much better than I could have been ever. :’(
@@auvomesilampi6325 I have owned a triple black 1970 Continental Mark III, 1967 Imperial LeBaron sedan, 1977 T-Bird and LTD II sedan, 1988 and 1989 Grand Marquis LS, 1977 Malibu Classic sedan, and a 1989 Town Car. My first car was a 1968 Chevelle coupe with a 327 v8 and 2 speed powerglide transmission. I am retired now and really do not have the interest or as much disposable income to put into vintage cars. I do Honda/Toyota now. lol
Don't know why people make fun of them.
They are a product that is a reflection of the time they were sold in and their sales numbers reflect public acceptance of them.
Cars from the big 3 in this era were at their high point as far styling goes. I recall dad saying he would like a car with a Chrysler power train, a Ford suspension, and a GM body.
Thanks for yet another trip down memory lane.
Your dad had a smart idea
Your dad sounds like the President of AMC.
They built cars with components from the big three.
The 1971 Ford LTD and the 1971 Dodge Coronet where two of the most distinctive and beautiful cars ever made.
The front of the 1971 Plymouth Satellite and the rear of the 1971 Buick boat tail riviera were also top notch.
These trends were short lived only lasting a model year or two.
My absolute favorite car ever, was a 1971 LTD convertible, that my parents bought used for me to drive in my senior year.
Oriiginally green, they painted it white with a new white top and gold-trimmed honeycomb Trans Am wheels. Wow, I loved/love that car and still yearn for one like it.
They're really rare now, I suppose because of the infamous 'Cash For Clunkers' federal program in the 90s.
Anyway, it had a couple of quirks: when the fuel gauge read empty, it was quit-on-the-highway EMPTY. Not a drop of reserve.
Also, the new top didn't fit quite right, so when it rained, you had to be cautious opening the doors, because Instant Waterfall!
So, if anyone has an old LTD convertible, formerly white with a green interior, from east TN in the late 70s (especially if she has a faded old stained glass unicorn sticker on the rear window of the top & a fogged mar on the plastic lens of the instrument panel-- it was mine, & some day I'll happily haunt it.
Still haven't quite forgiven Dad for trading it for a 1958 dump truck... Way less cool for school....
@@tessTN Awesome seeing someone else who appreciated the larger cars as a teen. I was a real car guy very early and was begging my dad for a car to drive since I was 14. So when my sophomore year came around and I got my license, they surprised me with a 68 LeSabre they got a good deal on, and I loved it.
Others made fun of it of course, but they had no problem whatsoever asking to come along for a ride, or asking for a ride home or whatever. 👍
I loved four-door hardtops. So elegant and classy. It's a real shame they do not make them anymore.
Also with real shocks not these friggin rough struts plus the shocks were so easy to change
I would agree.
"Quiet is the sound of a well made car." So true, as having owned an LTD Brougham.
I had a 1971 Galaxy 500 2 door back in the late 70's and early 80's. Drove it when I was in college and in the US Navy. Man that trunk was huge! It was a great vehicle for a single college student and sailor. 351 2V Windsor.
Had the same car during the same time period. I wish I still had it.
A couple family cars dad got were a '69 and '73 LTD Brougham. Both were loaded with the optional equipment offered. In my opinion, they were faster and quieter than an uncle's '72 Sedan de Ville or a neighbor's '73 New Yorker. The '69 became my first car. It was fun riding around with friends in their hot rod sports cars which often broke down, but when it came to long-distance road trips, it was my turn to drive. Never broke down and the A/C always worked.
My dad had an LTD Brougham in green. Everyone who saw it and sat in it wanted it when he was done with it. The high back seats saved my grandfather’s life when we had a blowout on a travel trailer we were towing that flipped the car on its roof.
My friend had a 72 LTD 2 door back in high school . Brown with brown interior and the 400 engine. The high back seats were so nice and it had a great ride. It sure nose dived on quick stops and hard turns. The 400 was pretty fast for such a heavy car. Its also had dual exhaust with glass packs. I had to walk over to his house in the morning for a ride to school and could hear it warming up in his driveway with that exhaust a block away.
Ah those early morning warm ups. So many little things we forget about.
429, not 400, gm made the 400.
@@bobbygarrison3122 Ford 400 & 351M engine family .
Rod Sterling was a four pack a day chainsmoker and died of multiple heart attacks. Supposedly he went in for open heart surgery and died from complications but there was also allegations of malpractice.
There's a sign up ahead. The next stop the Twilight Zone! 😊
I'm old enough to remember when all the well off neighbors had one or two of these behemoths, and later when you couldn't give these land yachts away. Now they're classics.
Nineteen sixty-seven was the year Ford launched the cars from ski jumps in their advertising to demonstrate how strong their cars were. As a 16 year old driver, I can vouch for how strong the chassis was, it was hard to bottom out.
One of nicest vehicles that I've ever driven was a 1972 Country Squire with a 429 cu in V8. It was total comfort and a joy to drive.
I owned a 72 Country Squire and I agree with you, it was a joy to drive
Adam, You need one of these in your collection. The pre 5 MPH front end styling on these FORDS was truly iconic.
When the big 3 auto manufacturers were required to redesign the front and rear bumpers on these beautiful cars, I almost cried,, an end to an Era. Starting in 73 and onward, auto makers produced nothing but ugly cars. Ralph Nader was no help,,
As a kid growing up in England in the 1970's, i loved seeing these beautiful cars on TV. The low rumble of the V8, even the way they pitched back and forth when the brakes were applied. I loved them.
Love the 1971 styling the best of this generation. But the 1965 and 1966 are my all time favorite.
Agreed - I think 65/66/67 was Ford's pinnacle of design.
Actually, I think both Fords and GMs from those couple of years were their best designs ever, and might possibly have been the pinnacle of their manufacturing quality. Mid-60s American cars… a great time to be a car lover.
I like the '66 over the '65 a little, but I also really like the '64. First car I rode in was a '64 Galaxie 500 2 door HT in medium red, with a 352 and Cruise-o-matic.
@@DanEBoyd I agree the ‘64 is a great looking car. Interesting how Ford went from circles to rectangles in one year!
Back in 73 I bought a 71 Galaxie 500 4-door pillarless hardtop. I think it was the same car as the LTD, but not as well appointed. I really loved it. I made 2 cross-country trips in it, and it was definitely a land yacht. The 351 gave me a bit over 21 mpg on the freeway.
The 351W (Windsor) was based on the 302 and had rocker-arm shafts and non-canted valves.
The 351C (Cleveland) was a completely different engine. It was a newer design with sophisticated lighter casting technique and high volumetric efficiency. The blocks bear no resemblance at all to the Windsor x other than headbolt and cylinder
spacing (one notable feature was the integrated timing sprocket/chain housing with the block). The engine heads used larger canted valves, stud-mounted rocker arms with oil coming up hollow pushrods.
The 400 was a taller deck (hence stroke) version of the 351C. It only came with a 2bbl.
The 351M was a 400 block with 351C crank and slightly longer connecting rods to give it the stroke as the 351C. This was done so only one block casting could cover both displacements. Many think the “M” means Mexico, Modified, whatever…
The Cleveland series of small block Ford V8s were dropped because its architecture was not amenable to forthcoming emission controls. Too bad, it was one of Fords best engines ever along with 385 series 429\460 cid
Thanks for sharing 👍
Nukiepoo, years ago I read where the M stood for Michigan Motor Works where the engine was manufactured.
The original 351C basic head design was extremely impressive. It is still in use to this day on Ford NASCAR vehicles.
351W has rocker studs. No 351C in Galaxies, just 351M which is a tall deck Cleveland. And has pedestall rockers the same is the Clevo. 3.5 stroke 351 4" stroke 400 [402]
302W and 351W came out about the same time and are quite different. Deck height is higher, they have 3" mains and main and headbolts are 1`/2 to the 302 7/16. Head layout was similar but bigger chambers and ports.
351c and M engines were more modern but NOT light. Canted valveHeads were good though the 4Vs were simply too big as were the valves
Those motors had power!! They would pass everything but a gas station!!😊😊
My first car was a 1972 LTD 4 door with the 400. It’s sky blue with a black vinyl top. Still own it and still drive it.
I still have my Dad’s original 72 LTD. I will never sell it and love that car. LTDs are terrific cars. There was a true sedan and a 4 door pillared hard top as well. Also Bunkie Knudsen was instrumental in the beaked front end design for the Ford. LTD and Thunderbird, drawing on his GM experience (the fronts being quite Pontiacesque).
The 1971/72 Ford LTD was probably the most beautiful full-size Ford ever. They floated on the interstate. I always thought they were more tastefully styled than the full-size Chevys of the same period.
Pop's bought a 72 LTD coupe with the so-called "travelling special" including the 429ci incredibly engineered power and smoothness . Man that car was so cool, powerful, and was so so quiet. As a teenager and car kid/guy in the making, I marveled at the many options and especially look and stance of this beautiful machine. Wish Detroit mad cars along this idea again.
My mom had a blue 71 four-door LTD. My dad bought it for her shortly after I was born. It was the first car I remember my parents having and going on trips in it. To this day that car remains one of my favorites.
As a kid back in my home town in early 70's England, our local ford dealership had a black LTD on display in their main showroom for a few years. It was finally bought by a friend of my father. Later on in life I learned from him that it was a 1969 4V 429 stick with the handling package. Although he called it a Police package with muffler delete. It was triple back and came from the dealership sitting chrome 5-spoke Craigars. Although Ford never officially sold these in the UK, there were a small number of dealerships that were licenced to sell US models here. But many of them also added there own extras hence the Craigars. I remember the first time I saw him driving it, and I think I can honestly say that was the car the made me a car guy!
A 71 coupe cruised around recently. At night, the silhouette was striking. And the wide, somewhat sinister front was complimented by the rear lights which gave it a spaceshiplike look. I feel this car is a design success in many ways. The 3 lights at the rear are stunning.
I was 10 years old on the show room floor when these were new. I couldn’t take my eyes of a GOLD with Black Top 2 dr. Coupe. That LONG hood and overall look really had me not to mention I never seen a brand new car. We were not there to buy the LTD we were their to a buy a 1968 Country Sedan Wagon 9 passenger in sky blue $1,500 with 50K miles. My Future Brother in law owned a ‘71 Galaxy with the 400 CU in. And I still remember how Quiet and smooth the ride was and when he dropped me off at my High School he Roasted the Tires right at the schools entrance and left such a long patch of rubber and cloud of smoke the principal asked me who that was that dropped me off. I said it was a new cab.
You should have said it was your Grandmother my GM had got herself a new 69 LTD 4 door she was not timid behind the wheel she use to say I wish I was in a Cat Dozer she said I would just Push these idiots out of the way
I'm a Brit but love these Yank Tank, Land Yacht type cars. They were ideal for American roads long and straight large capacity low revving engines so they could travel long distances comfortably and reasonably quietly. They weren't built for twisty European roads and therefore never cracked the foreign markets
I love them, too, but some of us Americans were not "treated to" full-size cars. Our parents were more frugal and family size small enough to fit in more midsize cars. It seemed here in the U.S. if a family had three children then they automatically owned a station wagon, mid-size or full-size. Seemed wealthier families owned full-size station wagons with the fake woodgrain siding (e.g. Ford Country Squire, or Chevrolet Caprice Estate). When I learned how much smaller cars were in Europe I wondered how families of, say, six traveled together by car. The OPEC oil embargo Energy Crisis of 1973 put a crimp in the popularity of these plush, soft-riding large cars. Although their sales rebounded, the even higher spike in fuel costs with the energy crisis of '79 seemed to pretty much hand the automobile market to the small imports, mainly Japanese. A lot of people seem to blame ever-tightening U.S. fuel economy (and safety) standards in the mid-to-late 1970s, but the price of a gallon of gasoline surpassing a dollar by 1980-'81, it surprises me that anyone at the time was buying a pre-1979 used full-size Ford or Chrysler.
@@70sleftover However a midsize American was still a large car in the UK and continental Europe. Even now as a Brit jouralist once said "In the USA anything under a 5.0 litre is still considered a compact"
My father owned the 71 LTD with the 400 cubic inch. Was a very comfortable ride, even being sandwiched in the backseat with my sister and older brother. I went on to own two 1972 Galaxy 500 with the 351 engine. I ran them into the ground as most teenagers did back in the day. Would love to have them back!
When I was in 2nd grade, our next door neighbor bought a year-old green 71 LTD sedan with the 390. It was probably the first Ford he had, while his wife stuck with her much-beloved white-top 62 Chevy Impala sedan, which had 3 on the tree and overdrive (283 V8). He kept that LTD for many years, until the mid 80s when he traded for a new Caprice. His wife held on to the 62 Chevy.
I once had a loaner car with the 429 engine in it and it always chirped the tires unless you were very careful on the accelerator. The one car that you could actually see the speedometer rise and the gas gauge drop at the same time 😊
Chrysler New Yorker 440 motor... same thing with the speedometer~gas Guage thing (at least when I drove it)
My mother definitely would have called that "a gas hog". 😂
That's because the gas gauge actually showed the pressure on the fuel pump, like a race car, and not how much gas is in the tank. The 94 Chevrolet Caprice had the same, and people always complained about the "faulty" gas gauge.
I miss my old 72 Brougham. Paid only $150 for it. At the time I was a teenager working at a Pontiac dealer. I would mount old take off tires Goodyear Eagle Gatorbacks off of Trans Am's on it and burn them off. Yeah it would lean a lot but you would be surprised how fast you could get it around corners.
My favorite Ford. My parents had a 70 which they traded for a green 71 LTD Brougham. I loved it so much that when I had the chance I bought myself a green 71 LTD. Not as fancy but still loved it too. Wish I still had one.
9:00 I've always loved the styling of the '71 LTD...simply stunning!!
In the mid 1980's, I owned a beautiful blue Ford convertible. All things considered, out of the many cars I've owned, it was my favorite.
My grandfather helped my father get his first work van when he started his own company. Grandpa drove a 1956 Ford Crown Victoria until my dad repaid him by buying him a blue LTD, with a white vinyl top. Good memories.
I purchased a 1972 Ford LTD Country Squire in 1978 with the 400 cubic inch in my 3 year of college. Like you said they were a comfy car. I was amazed when I drove over railway crossings I never felt a ripple. There was so much room in the back. With back seat folded down I could put a 4 by 8 sheets of plywood in. ( this would put a lot of pickups to shame these days ). Your RUclips segment on the LTD brings back great memories I have about this car. Thanks
That was my first car! You are right about memories.
Like many 70s kids, station wagons weren't really cool. However, a family friend had a 71 Country Squire, red, black interior with the 429. It had wheels that resembled the Magnum 500 Mustang wheels instead of wheel covers. I thought that car was just awesome. The only thing needed to make it perfect was bucket seats and a center console. That combo is a bit of a bucket list project of mine, even now.
My dad had a red 73 LTD, it was an amazing car. The back seat was like a spare room if you were a kid.
My brother had a 1971 LTD Brougham coupe. Triple black with the 400 engine exactly like the one pictured @8:09. Special car to be sure. He purchased it from a friend from church that was in security work and ordered the car new in the fall of 1970. The car even had a police siren installed under the hood.
We had a 72 Galaxy 500 powder blue, that thing was a freeway beast, ate the miles up smooth and fast without so much as a complaint with power to spare.
I had one, probably the most comfortable and reliable car I have ever owned
My favourite years of the full sized Fords. I had a 71, and my father had a 72
My first car in 1981 was a rusted '72 Country Squire 429. (6:50you're SOOO right about the feel of power above stated horsepower!) 🥰I loved it, drove it into oblivion; still miss it.
I used to own a '72 4-dr that had the 400M 2bbl. Being a teenager at the time I, of course, put Hooker headers on it and a rear anti-sway bar along with oversize tires. It handled pretty well and I once had it around 130 mph, speedometer needle buried.
The one thing I hated about it was that rear-end wiggle that Panhard rod would give you when you went over speed bumps at 10 mph.
Ladamyre, I may be mistaken but I thought the 400M came out around 73 and the 72 Fords had the last year of the 400 Cleveland.
Rode in them quite a plenty growing up especially on long trips! Extremely comfortable and quiet. The memories!
My grandfather had a 72 LTD Brougham. And while I was not a Ford lover, that car was very very nice. One of the best out there. I have an Impala now and I love it, BUT, I'd still give my eye teeth for one of those old Fords today.
Those big Fords drove like a dream!!😊😊
Back in January of 1973, my uncle, a prominent Methodist preacher in Atlanta back many years ago, had drove me to my first year in college (Reinhardt Junior College back then) when I was 22. In that year of 1973, I had several rides in that '72 LTD four door model (that back in popular greenish type color) during my visits with my uncle. That was a nice car! Had the power for sure. It was tough competition to mg folk's Oldsmobile Delta '71 model.
I've never seen that door guardrail commercial before. That's quite impressive.
My dad had an LTD with a 351. Just a solid car, and comfortable to drive, a poor man's luxury car.
I learned to drive on my dad's '71 LTD with the high-compression 429-4V and 360 gross hp. It's sub 7 sec 0-60 surprised a few muscle cars at stoplights ! BTW the guardrails in the doors were not installed by car manufacturers until forced to by federal regulation. Marketing 101: Make necessity a virtue.
@Stevi Robinson mustang...?
Thanks for giving these forgotten Ford's a little light. They were and are great cars. The styling looks even better to me now. My parents were buying full size Ford's during this period. And we got a '71 two door with the 400. I inherited it and drove it to high school from 78-80. It was very tough and would fire up the right rear tire with very little coaxing...lol. Wish i still had it.
I was in high school when these came out and I thought they were so much better looking than the prior couple of years, and they didn't have that awful dashboard either. My parents' Pontiac Grand Ville also had the climate controls hard to reach for the passenger. For me, the '71 and '72 Ford and Mercury full sized were handsome and I can remember admiring them on the road.
Drove a 71 Mercury Monterey going to school. One hundred fifty nine miles one way. Always left town on Sunday nite a precisely 9:00 p.m. after a while I learned where law enforcement hung out. Knew just where to slow down. Cut that trip several times in good weather in 2 hours flat. Mostly 2 hrs 15-18 minutes. Made last call in the little saloon I hung out in at midnight. I really liked the barmaid that worked Sunday nights! I loved that Big M sedan.
Believe I recall that the radio on the 1970 LTD was left of the steering wheel. Hmmm.
An Anglican Priest friend bought one of these cars in 1971. The purchase came after his experience with a big Chevrolet powered by a 6-cylinder engine. The Ltd.'s were great cars.
What an amazing reversal of fortune! The beautiful 1971 Chevrolets sat stillborn on shuttered assembly lines due to the UAW strike against GM beginning September 14, 1970. On September 18th, Ford Motor Company launched a nationwide print ad campaign announcing, "America, your 1971 Fords are Ready!". By Christmas 1970 my hometown of Norfolk, Virginia, looked like it had been invaded by Dearborn, Michigan. 1971 Ford LTD's were everywhere - wtf, were they giving them away? All I had for the '71 Caprice was a picture from LIFE magazine.
Those 2 vintages were good looking cars.
I have loved these cars since as far back as I can remember.
Great video! My folks had a 1968 LTD sedan. It was seafoam green with a black vinyl top. I loved the look of the front end with the hidden headlights.
My family had a 68 light green yellow,maybe the same color...maybe you were us..lol
My dad bought a new 69 LTD Brougham that was very quiet & comfortable!! He traded it in for a new 71 Marquis Brougham with the high back twin comfort lounge seats. I think that was the best car he ever owned!!! 👍🙂
These cars were glorious sweet rides. I had three of them and every one was a charmer. Beautiful and a full can of class.
When I was in school back then, I loved the look of the 71-72 LTDs, though never saw a convertible model.
The car was also featured in many movies and TV shows, mostly as police and detective car.
Super beautiful.
I've ridden in a 1965 Ford Galaxie to 80 MPH way back in the 70s. Ford did a nice job with the ride but, because there were only 4 connections from the frame to the body, it was eventually deemed unsafe. Ford called it the "floating body". It did provide an exceptionally vibration-free ride though. Ford always gave more attention to the ride of its cars than G.M. and especially Chrysler. Much of the ride comfort came from the fact that Ford worked with its tire provider, Firestone, to produce the softest riding tire possible.
When Ford was sued though, for the accidents involving the bad handling Explorers, they put the entire blame on Firestone. Firestone was mad at them because they only did what Ford wanted them to do so, they ended their relationship with Ford. By the way, the fabric you were referring to on the lower portion of the high-back seats was called brocade.
Another thing. Much of Ford's quietness came from the fact that it had thicker padding on the door panels than anyone else.
Thanks for sharing 👍
Never noticed that difference in the bumpers from '71 to '72. At least the '72s still retained a stylish look. Post '73, only Chrysler products were able to keep up appearances with their oversized bumper guards.
I've always been a fan of the 71-72 Galaxy/LTD body style especially after seeing the Burt Reynolds movie Gator.
Thanks Adam, for another entertaining & informative presentation.
The Rod Serling commercials at the
end were a nice touch...👍
Recently, a friend of mine was showing me old pictures of the '74 Dodge Charger he had in high school and I couldn't believe it was a '74. The thin bumper looked like something from the 1960s. Turns out, the '74s all had those huge rubber blocks, but the steel plates that held them on had a tendency to rust away, and that was when they hadn't already been removed by style-conscious owners. That was the last year Chrysler was able to get away with that trick and the pointy, angular Charger was replaced by a decontented version of the Cordoba. It must have been the offset barrier test that forced Chrysler in to the battering-ram-bumper era.
I was impressed with the very rare 4spd- automatic column shifted option Gator drove!
White lightning was the movie with the LTD gator is the sequel. I also love that movie and those cars
@@travislostaglia8861
My mistake, you are correct sir...
My parents had a 72 LTD COUNTRY SQUIRE IN Dark metallic green with a green vinyl interior. Great family hauler.
Really enjoyed this video. I remember when these came out and I really liked them. Also, I'm really fascinated with the advancements in the isolation to the frame of noise, vibration, and harshness and the accompanying improvements in ride quality. I remember going with my Dad to buy a new 1971 Ford Maverick and being driven across town to another dealership in a brand new 1972 Lincoln Continental Mark IV. What a revelation!! For years after I collected every article I could find to understand what was going on in the early 1970s with American cars. My all time standout for quiet and ride quality was a new 1973 Lincoln Continental sedan owned by a class mates father. It was just unreal. It was markedly better than a 1971 Lincoln Continental sedan owned by another friend's family I knew. Something was happening between 1970 and 1975 - something really unusual.
This brought back childhood memories. In our family when someone bought a new car it was an occasion for all to come see it, have a cookout and go for a ride. So when my aunt and uncle bought their 71 LTD that's what we did. When you mentioned driver centric I remember my uncle saying to my dad how the dash wraps around the driver. The next year my parents bought a 72 Delta 88, it was similar in the dash layout. Mom no longer had control of the radio or a/c, but didn't seem to mind.
Can relate to it being an event. Always been that way for our friends and family when they bought a new vehicle. Gotta load up and go for a ride in it!
@@jcrowellz2000 tradition... one that I can respect
@@jcrowellz2000 Now cars are leased and mean almost nothing to the family, let alone the new owner. I actually research and purchase my vehicles for the long run. When my dad was still alive, when either of us made a vehicle purchase, it was special. And we'd talk about every little aspect of the vehicle, in detail, over a period of months. Even longer as we identified new things about our cars. I sure miss those times, those cars, and I sure miss my pops... Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
Here's my story. Got a '72 Brougham for Christmas in '86 from my parents. Bucket power seats, power windows, auto tranny and an 8-track. Super top-of-the-line for back then. Had to replace the 8-track and speakers with a cassette deck. Sparkomatic from K-Mart. Only the finest. It came to be known as the APC (armored personnel carrier). Had the 429 4-barrel carb. You could almost watch the gas gauge needle drop when all the barrels were open. And feel the body rise off the suspension. But at normal highways speeds it was a quiet, smooth ride. Really not bad at all for a first car.
My grandfather died in 1991, and I inherited his 1972 LTD. It was my first car. It had the 400-2V. It was old and had a few issues. I know the blower fan switches tended to melt some under load on high. I went through so many window cranks, though from your videos, I know know that was a torque pin issue. It was a quiet, durable car that was fun to drive. It was also, the only car I've ever had where I could get in and sit in the driver seat and my leg didn't touch the door. It was so wide, it had two ashtrays.
Thank you for the trip down memory lane. @ 3:45 the top right picture on the ad was exactly what my parents had, colour and all. My parents used to let me drive it around the yard when I was a kid, what great fun that was. This video is a really pleasant reminder of better times.
This is so much like my first car, a 75 Mercury Montego MX Brougham .
So many of the same styling cues, and of course that brougham style!
My parents drove a green ‘72 LTD Country Squire woody wagon for a few years in my early childhood. Loved it - including the third row seats!
I still talk about my old friend John's 72' 2D Ltd! It was his first car in 80'! His dad found it for him, and the car was like brand new with the 351 engine. Our friends all had Muscle cars or sports cars! His was actually the best of all! IMO!✌❤👊🇺🇲
My parents factory ordered a '71 LTD Brougham 2 door in the fall of 1970. As I had recently broken my left leg and could not drive my 3 speed Mustang I got to drive the LTD to the local community college until my leg healed. After a couple of years the transmission developed a problem with delayed engaging fom reverse to drive so my parents traded it in. The Brougham was one comfortable traveling vehicle.
My dad had his new car, a Ford Elite in the shop and they give him a LTD Brougham as a loaner while his car was being serviced, I tried to convince my dad to trade up to the LTD after riding in it. I remember the comfortable tall seats and plush ride.
Dad had a 1969 Mercury Marquis Brougham... 429 4V.... as a 16 year old, life was good on date night!
Hey Adam. Love that you put out a couple of back-to-back direct comparisons of the most popular full size cars of ‘71 & ‘72. I think Chevrolet Impala/Caprice may have had the styling edge, but I firmly believe the LTD/LTD Brougham had the ride and build quality edge.
Haha that’s funny I think the ford’s look way better. It’s a shame nothing built today looks as good as both of those cars
@Travis
I agree with you. To me the early 70s Caprice Impala we’re just bland and boring and even as a kid I noticed they were cheaply made compared the Ford products. Styling to me of these big LTDs and Marquis couldn’t be touched
I agree. Although as a rule, I gravitate toward GM products, Ford had better quality build back then. They were rated highly in consumer reports for quality and reliability. The GM THM 350 transmissions used in those Impalas were not the most durable. The C6 Ford transmission and FMX were outstanding. 1973-1978 LTD''s were another derivative of these chassis. Look what replaced these cars, though. The 1979 panther cars. The cars weren't nearly as tough. The sheet metal was much more thin. They were reliable. But why were they so much more thin? Lighter gage metal? Fuel Economy! I do like the panther cars. Very practical! But, sacrifice had to be made for Fuel efficiency.
Agree. The last truly great GM B and C bodies were manufactured in 1970. The quality dropped tremendously in 1971 in their redesigned “Colonnade” style full and luxury sized cars.
Test drove a 1972 Country Squire with my parents. A- plan corporate car. Salesman was freaking when mom put her seat belt on, dad clipped the shoulder harness in the buckle, I got into the drivers seat. I WAS 16. Worked it hard, 429,4V C6, 3.51 traction-loc differential. HD BRAKING, SWAY BARS, AIRLIFT REAR SYSTEM, TOW PACKAGE, 3.5" REAR DRUMS. Full power equipment, Great car for 10 years.
My Parents owned a 1970 Ford XL Convertible with bucket seats basically all the options Ford offered in 1970. 429 V-8, cruise control, power eveything. It was a dealership demo. It was September 1970. They, the dealership wanted to get rid of it. My parents traded their 1968 Impala 2 door for it. I learned to drive with the XL. I loved that car..... BUT it drank gas like a drunken sailor on Ale. It was a beautiful car. But with full sized Fords of that era the back seat leg room was small. The vacuum system wasn't the greatest either. Thanx Adam
This is one of my very favorite car ever. Nostalgia...
i found out this car in the tv serie "streets of san francisco" at the beginning of the 70' and felt in love with it and all full sizes (for me definitively the best cars of all the History of cars). Especially when i watched across my windows seeing the poor europeans cars. It was so unfair. love it forever.
Adult, i bought a dodge monaco 1967 and an eldorado 1979. the best cars i have ever had. thanks to america for having made them.
From france.
Just discovered your Post on 72 Caprice and this popped up! In early 80s, I purchased a 72 LTD convert! Fantastic car. I've had Cadillacs, Lincolns and other full size luxury cars, but this LTD was only car with seat all way back, could not reach pedals! Never should have let it go. Overall Ford upscale vehicles have been superior to GM.
Agreed, especially during the 70's. In my opinion, Mercury and Lincoln top competing Buick and Cadillac
My first car purchase was a 71 LTD BROUGHAM and it was a wonderful car. Paid $1800 used in 1975 and it was powerful with a big engine and trunk. No radial tires then but a very quiet ride and you felt safe. Terrible gas mileage but gas was 50 cents a gallon then... lots of room to chauffeur my friends. Miss those days.
Still remember so well when my friends family just a couple doors down went to Hawaii for vacation and when they came back, their Mom got a blue Country Squire wagon and Dad got a brown Country Squire wagon, same models, same year, just different colors..... I always wondered why 2 of the same 😂
I really Loved these new Fords and was at the dealership when they were new at age 10 with dad buying a 1968 Country Sedan. I couldn’t get my eyes off these long hood beauties. Gold Black top LTD Coupe with the high back seats was one I was in love with. I had my first ride to high school at age 13 via my Brother in law and all I remember was how how quiet and smooth the car was. Then he laid a burn out 20 foot patch of rubber power braking right in front of the principals office and now I am walking in the school. Luckily no one said anything.but that car stuck in my mind for many years.
I drove my parents 71 Ford hand me down car when I was young. Hell, a car is a car and I was grateful to have my independence.
My Dad bought 4 of these cars 69 Galixie 500 2dr in red for my Mom 70 Galaxie in white for him 71 LTD in green and 72 Country Squire wagon woody. He LOVED Fords it was so cool as a kid to have a new car every year. My brothers and I learned to drive in those cars. Great memories
That last commercial about the door guard beams is hilarious! It shows a load being put on them in a direction perpendicular to their actual purpose.
And those workers were confident in it, being as they were standing almost underneath it.
Or more likely there were hidden supports welded to the frame for this stunt .
I remember as a young kid my aunt bought a brand new 71 LTD. To be honest I didn't find it very impressive. Lol but about 5 years later it did leave me very impressed. She was moving from PA back to NJ. We were following her to PA, her in the LTD, us in uhaul truck. 1/8 of a mile from our destination the cross road was flooded. Aunt Dot didn't stop. We watched the water get higher and higher on the car. At the center of the cross road she turned left. The water was up to the door handles and the good ole girl was still going lol. 75 feet later it finally came out of the water and continued on to our destination lol. Yes everyone in the car got wet feet. Drove it back to NJ 200 miles that night. Absolutely no problems. She appropriately name the car Amphibious after that.
Thanks for the old commercials. I'd might not have ever known how young Rod Serling was at the time or at his passing, before watching this.
I bought a 71' Country Squire from the original owner, a neighbor that owned/operated a local auto parts store. With the 429-2V, auto temp control, and a few other options, it was paired with a new 72' Holiday Rambler Vacationer travel trailer. I purchased both; the wagon had documented 440,000 miles, on it's original powertrain sans valve job; the trailer was equally miled, but both were in very good original condition. His shop mechanic kept both up, stored inside. About the only things replaced on the wagon were the front seat cover and aforementioned valve job. It absolutely required 108 ethyl, which was long gone by the time I got it, so 93 made do. Even with all those miles, it drove, ran, and even the ATC still worked perfectly.
I enjoy the slower pace of Commercials in that era.
My uncle worked as a head mechanic at Avis lease and got cars fairly cheaply. He bought a year old 72 LTD Brougham 2 door and we bought a 72 Galaxie Country Sedan Wagon at the same time.
They both had the 400 engines and I remember that my uncle was mad because dad's wagon was far more responsive and had a much more meatier-sounding idle. They even had a few drag race down deserted roads and the wagon always won, which shouldn't have happened given the wagon's added weight.
I always loved the LTD convertibles of this generation but it killed me that they took away the hidden headlights. I really love hidden headlights on cars. Probably why i love the 1975-1978 Ford LTD's most.
I think the 69 LTD/XL hidden headlights look the best.
@@briansearles4473 Wrong! '68 + '69 Caprice Classics _looked_ best, but Ford LTDs _were_ best (quality) - joking...
@@briansearles4473 I couldn't agree more.
I loved the 70 69 xl for those hidden headlights but I also liked the all red taillights of the 70 and 71s
@@amyh3223 Agreed. I love the taillights on the 1970 and 1971. Not so much on the 1972 model though.
My parents' 1972 wagon with the towing package and 429 4V handled heavy trailers effortlessly and rode well, but suffered from driveability and quality issues from day one, souring me on Ford products for some time. The engine was very hard starting at altitude, the windows leaked around the frames, the hard plastic driver's instrument binnacle was malformed, and the leading edge of the hood bent up at the outward corners at brisk highway speeds. Inadequate air conditioning was the icing on the cake.
Thanks! I always loved the 69-72 LTD! Never knew Rod was a spokesperson for the 71 Ford, by contrast, William Shatner was a spokesman for the 1971 Plymouth Fury, then it was Arthur Godfrey starting with the 1972 Fury I believe.
Nice presentation. Those of us outside the USA could only dream of such cars and roads to drive them. It's wonderful to know from sales figures that plenty of people had fun.
I truly enjoy your presentations from cars of the past. Your voice is also well suited for these excellent videos. Thank you😎
‘71 Ford LTD and Rod Serling. Cool combo. The LTD Braughm was a gorgeous car. Great video, great memories.
This car was used in so many television series and films back in the day. My family had a Galaxie 500 from the same era. Thank you for sharing.
Streets of San Francisco
Olds98, many years ago I read where the 71 Ford sedans were used in more movies than any other car.
@@wayback75 Clint Eastwood drove one as Dirty Harry. I know one was used in the 1978 Superman movie. Others have pointed out it was used in tv series.
Also other movies that featured the 71 Ford were James Bond , Diamonds are forever. Burt Reynolds in , White lightning.
The French Connection. I'll try and think of some more.
My grandfather had a 1971 Ford LTD Country Squire Wagon with Wood Trim. 10 Passenger!! It was a 351-2V......great on gas on the highway!! My friends and I loved him taking us for ice cream!! He use to say we were going to make him poor!! Hahaha 😁
He got it with only 18000 miles and it was 2 years old. The newest car he ever owned!! He had it for a very long time!! In the late 70s I use to borrow it for drive in duty!! Hahaha 😁
Awesome story.
The red convertible on this video was my exact car. I kept it a very short time. Eight miles to the gallon -- living in downtown Chicago. It would do anything except pass a gas station.
From where I sit in my life now, with 3 total hip replacements and counting, PLEASE....I WANT that "mushy" ride again, OMG!! Don't ever apologize for loving these plush, luxurious "land yachts," and actually they didn't really seem that bad at handling, from what I remember as a kid passenger! Some friends of my parents had a dark brown, 1972 Ford LTD, and I'll always remember how his wife, Linda, who was a just a bit of a weed and valium pill enthusiast, sped around those 90° turns on those winding, Southern Ohio roads on a very warm Summer day in 1973 or 74, hitting potholes, taking tight curves, all with a nonchalant sense of confidence and ease (SHE, AS WELL AS THE CAR, lol) and we never, not once, felt ANY of those rough roads and holes in the road, we just floated, bobbed and bounced a bit, and had FUN! I had never been in such a quiet, nice-riding sedan before, although my mom's Buick Electra 225 Limited was a close second. For YEARS, from the time I bought my first car in 1982, at 17 y/o (a gold colored, rusted, old 1971 Chevy Impala) I ALWAYS sought out an identical (or similar) riding car as that LTD. This first car would begin my continuing, lifelong love of large American luxury sedans....there were a few Chryslers, an Imperial and a New Yorker 5th Ave., a Pontiac Bonneville Brougham that I continually ground out the starter on until I got used to the fact that the car was just SO QUIET and SO SMOOTH, even when idling, that it only FELT like it stalled at every stop; a few Buick Electras, with a total of three Electra/Park Avenues, with my 1990 Buick P/A Ultra being my very first, brand-new, special ordered car....now THAT was a PHENOMENAL CAR, probably the best, most reliable car I've ever owned; a 2007 Cadillac DTS was my BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT (it rode like a truck, and contrary to what I was told, the ride did NOT improve once it was older and "broken-in!) and it was also a HUGE LEMON, BUT...my Lincoln Town Cars were all just as great as all the others, minus that Caddy, of course! I just had to finally trade in my last Town Car on 2017 Lincoln MKZ Reserve a few years back, and while it was a great luxury sedan and was very responsive, it just wasn't the same kind of luxury car I'm accustomed to, so I traded that for one of the last 2020 Lincoln sedans, the Continental; it's a great car, but nothing will ever come close, I'm afraid, to the American luxury cars of the past. I'm glad I got to experience all of those cars, but I'm a bit saddened just knowing that new and younger drivers of today have NO IDEA what a TRUE American luxury car really once was; nothing will ever come close to those great old luxury cars....even the old Buick Estate and Ford LTD station wagons, which were basically trucks, rode on a cushion of air compared to today's "luxury" car offerings. Love this video and others like it!