We got our first LTD in 1975. Previously we had Galaxies. When I asked my dad what LTD stood for he said "son, that stands for Long Term Debt"I thought he must be right.
When I was a kid our family car was a ‘68 LTD Country Squire with a 390. Grandma also had a ‘68 LTD Country Squire but with a 302. In the 80’s I drove a ‘76 LTD sedan with a 400 and a beautiful brocade interior. We always thought LTD meant “Limited”.
I thought it meant limited as well but Ford never stated anything officially. When you look at the production numbers the cars certainly were not a limited run.
Hey, I was also a dishwasher at Big Boy in the early 80s. My family's first experience with an LTD was around '83 when my brother and I bought a '74 for less than $200. It needed a water pump but the owner thought the block was cracked. It was exactly like the one on Streets of San Francisco. We grew up on Chevys but the way the doors closed on the LTD (among a few other things) was enough to convert the whole family to Ford. That gold LTD was a great car! Thanks for the memories
I had a pale green with the dark green vinyl top 73 two door as a high school senior in 1980. Mom and Dad had a 77 Country Squire in medium blue and later a white 79 Country Squire. Too many long road trips to remember.
i had a 69 LTD back in 83 to 85. i paid $350 for it. that 4 BBL 429 was no joke. It would easily roast the tires and bury the speedo. i also had a 71 and 72 LTD, the 69 was my favorite though. My brother has 2 68 galaxy 500 sport tops (the correct term, not fastback). he also has a 68 Talladega he spent 15 years restoring. he's had these cars since the mid 90s. thanks for the video.
i forgot to mention mom and dad had a 72 ltd country squire. when i was just 10 years old. it was unusual as it was white with a red interior. i've not seen many of this color combination.@@TonysFordsandMustangs
40 years ago, here in Finland, I had -67 with 428. I was 4 d hardtop. I just loved that car. I had put all my money to it, it was fast and comfortable, and a chick magnet. I met my now wife with it. Then I had to continue studies and had to sell it. I confess that I cried. A lot. It was repainted baby blue(originally green metallic), had original everything, but as it was originally bought by a big forest company CEO, he apparently knew exactly what to order: The 428, C6, 9" axle with LS, but only driver's side electric bench movement, manual windows, no AC, extra large fuel tank, "police" suspension, so it was meant to move, no extra weight. And it did. Even with the tall gearing, it was about 6 seconds to 60 mph (6,5 to 100 kmh), but it sure liked the fuel... As the chassis was modern, it handled well. But I never used it in the winter, I had a "winter car" for that. I thought that the LTD stands for "Limited" as it most propably does. The roof of the 4d hardtop looked like removable as it was bolted at the rear, like the car was sort of convertible, but the windshield area did not look like that, and I did not want to spoil the headliner to find out. I am actually afraid that it still exixts, because I would have to buy it back...
Thank you very much for sharing your story! My 71 LTD was not a "chick magnet" here in the states in 1983. I had to upgrade to a 70 Torino Cobra in order to meet my now wife! :)
My brother bought a new ‘69 LTD and loved it so much he special-ordered a new 1973 coupe, loaded with all options. Beautiful car but it was built with bad steel from Japan and rotted away. He got it repaired and it rotted even more. He ended up giving it to a young couple he knew who had no car.
My Dad was an executive with a major Ford supplier, Ford permitted him VIP ordering on new cars. The first car he used this on was a 1970 LTD. I remember picking the car up with, the dealer had all this special paper working indicating it was a VIP Build and had all these extra quality control inspections. As we drove off the lot and the rear tires cleared the curb, all the LTD emblems fell off the car. Inspire of this he continued to purchase LTDs, purchasing a '74 and "78.
By 1974 smaller, more fuel efficient cars were gaining popularity but my dad still needed a full sized car which was why he was able to buy a leftover ‘73 LTD 2-door. He adored that car. When his mom needed a new car, he convinced her to get a ‘75 LTD 4-door. A couple years later she gave it to him and the ‘73 eventually became my first car. They were tanks but they were also reliable and comfortable. Good memories. Thanks for sharing! Cheers!
I thought it meant Limited....L T D My parents bought a 1970 Galaxie 500 XL convertible. I learned how to drive on it. I loved that car. It was a dealer demo end of year car on their used car lot. It had 11k miles on it. My mother loved the color. It had almost every option available at the time. A/C, 429 4v, auto Bucket seats, ps, pb, pw, pd, cruise control, and ... am/fm radio!. I could smoke the rear tires on that car... But it was a gas HOG! 9 miles per gallon, driving nicely! Maybe it was me, lol
We had four across a twenty-nine year span. Quiet, well built, reliable, and beautiful. From a Vintage Burgundy 2 door hardtop in 65 to a Diamond Blue 68 2 door with black vinyl top and Brougham interior then to a 77 2 door in black with Dove Gray interior and finally to an 86 LTD Crown Victoria in Dark Canyon Red. My family traveled thousands of miles and experienced the freedom, comfort and luxury these wonderful cars brought to us. The last one we kept for nearly 30 years. We got to experience America through the windows of those symbols of freedom. I'm not certain people today can comprehend how close they are to allowing this independence to slip away from us.
Back in the 1980's I had a two door 1966 Galaxie with a 390, dual exhaust and dealer installed air conditioning. I have not a single picture but still have all the documentation and title for it. I got it from a friend's father-in-law whose parents had bought it brand new.
If you watched Barnaby Jones....a Quinn Martin production....you got to see Barnaby get a new LTD coupe pretty much every season...including the Panther platform when the show ended production in 1980. I was born in the in mid 60s and what you say is true...either we saw the LTD used in tv and movie productions or we knew people who had them...neighbors, friends, parents' coworkers etc. My family was partial to GM cars so we had a round robin of Chevrolets, Oldsmobile and Pontiacs over the years. One family on our block upgraded to the Mercury Colony Park wagon and did a summer trip to Disney World a few years after it opened! Apparently the LTD Country Squire wasn't posh enough.
There are so many TV shows that used Ford cars for production. I think they had a contract with ABC so all of those shows in the early 70's featured LTD's. Thanks for watching!
LTD traditionally in modern English is abbreviation of the word “Limited”, but as stated, Ford has never confirmed that their “flagship” car’s initials stood for Limited or not.
Our family had a 66 Galaxy 500 2dr coupe. I was only 4 years old at the time, but i loved that car. It was dark green. Then in 69 we got an LTD Brougham 4dr with a 390 in it! That car use to hall ass for a big car. I remember my father driving that car 90 mph constantly. (Cant do that any more)
@@trudygreer2491 Yes indeed I believe Charlie’s Angels would Suffice my issues with that show as well as some other shows of the era is the repeat stock footage that is over used example the same footage used for the exterior shot of the Townsend detective agency with the Operatives Mustangs parked the same exact way all the time and why did Sabrina get stuck driving a Pinto the other girls got Mustangs & Bosley got a Thunderbird or LTD Country Squire executive Privilege I guess because he was always meeting clients at some exclusive hotel or at L.A. X
Just the show I was thinking of! Sabrina was supposed to be the "smart" one, perhaps they figured a Pinto would be the "intelligent choice"..?! especially an orange one.. 😂
I sold my father a 69 LTD coupe when I worked at a Ford dealer in the late 80's. It had a 302. It was only the second v8 he had owned his entire life. He loved it as was. Thanks for watching!
I've had four big Fords - two '67 LTD -door hardtops (one 289, one 390-4V) , a '67 Galaxie ragtop, and a '68 LTD with a transplanted '72 351C (the original 302 had been tragically overheated by the original owner). Wonderful cars, rode like Cadillacs, and that 390-equipped '67 could really pick up her skirts and run. The ragtop never failed to get all the 'right' kind of attention. Everything about those cars was just.... RIGHT.
My dad had a new '70 LTD. I still remember when he brought it home. I thought it was very classy looking. We took a lot of Sunday drives (remember those?) in it and it was used to tow our big travel trailer.
This brings back so many good memories. My very first car was a 1969 Ford Galaxie XL 2DR. with the 390 and a staple shifter. Maroon with white interior. Sharp car. I loved those Fords.
My first car was a 62 Dodge Dart 440. I fixed the transmission and drove it for quite some time but between the thing getting service and even during the trans work I drove my Dad's 71 Ford Galaxy. After the Dart I drove a 69 Mustang -- it also needed work. I used the 71 about as much if not more than my own cars and my brothers all drove the thing as well -- it was a tank. Thanks for the video and memories of cars I used to pine for -- if I could only have had a that LTD 68 fastback.
This really brings back some memories for me. My parents had a series of LTDs, starting when they graduated from a '66 Galaxie 500 to a '69 LTD Brougham. After that came a '72 LTD, then a '76 LTD, followed by a '79 LTD, which they had until finally moving up to the Grand Marquis. All of them were great solid, quiet cars, so I guess that's why my Dad always gravitated to them. He was happy with them, so why change, right?
So true. Dad passed in 2005 and his final car was a '98 Grand Marquis LS with only 38,000 miles that I really wished I would have kept! I am sure it is still going strong today and I so wish I still had it. Those cars can go forever! @@TonysFordsandMustangs
My dad bought a 1973 Thunderbird and a 1974 LTD four-door at the same time for a total of $5,000. To this day I still have the Thunderbird. It's got a 460 and it gets a lot of compliments. Thank you for a great video!
Mom had a 78 LTD four door with a 400 V8. Loved driving that land yacht. One finger to steer it and one toe on the brake pedal. I do t need to “feel the road” through the steering wheel. I like a nice soft cushy ride with over assisted everything lol. I always thought LTD stood for Limited.
My first car was a 1968 Galaxie 500 2 dr. hardtop. No vinyl roof, dark red. 302, automatic, p/s and p/b. I felt like the king of the world driving that car, I look in Hemmings and other classic car websites, but have not yet seen a car like mine. I'm going to keep looking. I love your videos, so keep them coming. Best, JK
Trust me there are way more pronunciations for that word than required. Most likely because the horse drawn carriage has been in common use for well over a hundred years. Hopefully it's word that will stay out of the popular vocabulary. If not I'm going to have problems. Thanks for watching!
I loved all those years of LTDs. My favorite was the 75-78 LTD Landau 2 doors, with that cool treatment between the side windows. I never owned an LTD, but my father had a 65 Custom 4 door, and I had a 69 Galaxie 500 XL GT 2 door hardtop with a 429, a 72 Galaxie 2 door hardtop, also a station wagon with wood trim of the same year. They were all great reliable cars.
I remember those days and I remember Ford LTDs. They really WERE quieter than other cars. It wasn't just marketing hype. Cadillac and Lincoln quiet, or close to it.
I was a teenager in the 80s and several of my friends in high school drove the big LTDs. My friends and I were townie kids who's dads worked for Ford. Those were big, solid built cars. Despite their age and mileage at the time they didn't leak oil all over the parking lot like the preppy kids late model BMWs and Saabs did.
My first car was a 1975 Ford Granada. Silver with a maroon vinyl roof and interior. 250 six cylinder and factory a/c, power steering and power brakes (over assisted which I so miss today), automatic transmission. and AM/FM Stereo. I paid $400 for it in 1988 and drove it for three years. It only had 75,000 miles on it when I bought it. Great car that was easy to work on. Gas mileage was so/so but gasoline was 89 cents a gallon then so it wasn’t a problem and I used the a/c a lot. Great video here on the “big Ford” as dad called it.
When I was a little kid back in the 70's we had one and I asked my dad what it meant. He told me Limited and it made sense. It still makes sense and you can't change my mind. I'm at the age of being "set in my ways."
This is the first time that I have heard "Lincoln Trim Design" as an explanation. Being a teenager in the 60's, I was into cars and the "Limited" explanation seemed to be the most widely accepted. At some point, probably early 70's, I either heard on the radio or read in one of the many car magazines I subscribed to, that it stood for "Luxury Through Design". The author made a point of saying how "Limited" was such a misnomer and how few people really knew what LTD did stand for. Sorry I can't remember the source. There were a couple of other cars during that period that also had 3 letter designations....the Pontiac Grand Turismo Omolgato and Plymouth GTX. Everyone seems to agree about the GTO but Google says GTX was just so the car had 3 letters like the GTO. When the GTX was introduced, I remember the explanation being "Grand Track Experimental". Thanks for the video and the story!
I alway thought it was limited as well but before creating a video about the LTD I thought I should find out. There has never been an official say from Ford. I found several references with multiple explanations but none of them matched up. Thanks you Lou for watching it is appreciated!
The 65 LTD was my first car. Exactly like the first one shown, Green with white vinyl top. 390, AT, AC, PW, PB, PS, and AM/FM stereo. I got in 1968 to get back and forth from music school in downtown Chicago to a close suburb. Very luxurious and powerful. I do believe the dealer had turned back the mileage a bit. It had some very odd quirks.
Love seeing this as it brings back memories. My father was a big ford sedan enthusiast. We had a 67 Ford Galaxy 4dr with 289 with no power anything and no A/C ($2800 new). Then a 71 Galaxy (brown like Streets of San Francisco) with a 351, power steering and brakes, A/C (not sure of the price). Then a 75 LTD 4dr with a 400 ($4800) with base LTD features (A/C power steering and brakes; don't remember if power windows...). Then he bought an 82 Chrysler NYer for a steal, then he went back to Ford Crown Vics/Grand Marquis.
@4:33. The 351W came out in the 1969 model year. The owner's manual shows a gap between the 302-2V and 390-2V engines. To be fair, it also shows the 427-4V engine as available, although none seem to have been installed from the factory.
When I was in high school we had a 1972 LTD. It was a pretty good car and had a great back seat for extra curricular activities. The 1977 LTD my parents bought was a POS. I remember the front driver side arm rest assembly just completely falling off a couple weeks after they got the car.
Great video. My best friend’s mom had a yellow LTD wagon we called it the tuna boat about eight of us would hide in there to go to the drive-in movies the smaller two of us would hide underneath the rear fold down seats. Pretty cool times!
Great summary. Used to visit the car lots and collect the brochures as a kid (loved the LTD) and you hit a lot of important design and safety changes, too.
My history began with a 65 Galaxie 500 when my parents bought one new in late 64. By 68, my Dad had fallen in love with the LTD. I can still recall standing beside him in the dealer showroom when he announced, "If I buy a new car this year, it's gonna be one like this." He pointed to an LTD Brougham. When we ordered it, the dealer convinced him to get a 390 cu. in. V-8. He told my dad that engine would outlast the car. By 1977 I was married, and we ordered an LTD. We drove it for nine years, then bought an 86 Crown Vic. I had told my wife that I someday wanted an antique car. She told me an antique car would be like dating the prom queen 25 years after the dance. So I decided to keep the Crown Vic. We had it for 28 years. Lots of good memories.
When we went to buy a new car in 71, the LTD was our choice. Having had earlier purchased Galaxies and other full sized Fords we asked the dealer what LTD meant. He said "Limited" and shrugged it off like everyone knew that. Since then after two more 71 LTD's and numerous other Fords I always thought that made sense.
I have always thought it was short for Limited. I didn't know the LTD started in '65. I thought it debuted in '69. Ya learn something new every day! My father bought a white '75 LTD brand new. It had a blue interior and was a 2 door. That was a NICE riding car! I've had a 70 and a 73 Galaxie, but I've never had an LTD. I don't even remember the last time I saw one around here. That Landau LTD has to be one of the classiest looking Fords ever produced.
Nice job giving these somewhat forgotten big Fords some recognition. My favorite is the 1966 four door, they had an absolutely stunning high class interior and the silent flow ventilation system. I'm kind of looking for one - just don't tell my wife. 😉
My personal favorite LTD is the '71 - very attractive front end and those beautiful wall-to-wall taillights at the rear were stunning, especially when seeing them lit up at night - there was no mistaking a '71 LTD at night from the back.
I had a 71 Catalina on my delivery boy wages. Your 71 LTD was one of my favs. Great video. Thanks for the content. The 70s LTDs were some of my favorite fords.
We had a red 1966 LTD 428 2 door. We bought the clear bubble type seat covers so the original upholstery was impeccable. After 3 years we had almost 100k miles and my dad traded it in $400 trade in value.
My mom had a blue 71 LTD 4 door. I remember that car quite fondly. I was born in 69 and that was the car that brought me home from the hospital. Unfortunately, it was stolen and wrecked in 77.
Thanks for this great video. Often work-horse family cars are given short shrift on reminisces. I always thought that the 1967 LTD was a uniquely handsome car. They had a wonderful sort of turquoise color that year that looked great with a black vinyl top. Beautiful.
Woah, flashbacks, love the commercials We had 66 and 67 Country Squires which were basically LTD's. Drove them before I even had my license. My parents bought my sister a 73? That 400 with a 2 barrel was a slow pig.
My dad had a 69 LTD Brougham that I learned how to drive in. Then he got a 72 LTD Brougham & finally a 79 Continental, the last of the big boats!!! I loved those cars!! 👍👍🙂
I was born in 1962 so I was well aware of all of these beauties. Being a Car guy I am embarrassed to say I had NO idea Ford sold so many LTD’s during the late 60’s and early 70’s. Those numbers are amazing and yet they still had financial troubles.
My first car was a 1977 Mercury Grand Marquis 4 door with the 400 V8. Basically a badge engineered version of the LTD. I love that old car. I still have it, in fact. I’m not ever going to get rid of it.
Daddy brought home a brand new 1965 Ford Galaxy, 500. Fresh looking car of the future. My mother bought a 77 Chevy Impala about the same time our next-door neighbor bought a 77 LTD. That car was dated and hated by then. That impala model lasted up until almost 1990.
My dad’s parents bought a LTD new in 73. It should have been painted Yellow because it was the biggest Lemon Ever. They would be driving along and it would die for no reason and would start only when it wanted to. The 400 V8 burned a valve right after the warranty expired. They swore that they would never own another Ford product again; and they never did. My grandparents on my mother’s side always drove Fords , except for just one Pontiac. They had awesome luck with Fords. My wife and I always buy Ford products if we’re buying a domestic vehicle.
I think that's how loyalty is created or isn't. I had horrible luck with every GM product I have ever owned and I have owned no less than 20 in my lifetime. It's not that GM makes bad cars it's just the one I owned gave me issues constantly and the Fords I have owned didn't. Sometimes it's bad luck that steers a person in one direction or another.
My mom had a '71 2-door that she got new. I don't think the small back windows went down, because I have an early memory of begging mom to roll down her window. Her cigarette smoke filled the inside of the car, and I was starting to feel woozy and trapped in the back. I'll never forget throwing up all over the driveway when I got out. Her next car was a '76 Olds Cutlass wagon. I liked it because it had decent ventilation.
Great video, just one comment. The 1971 LTD had three light segments in the rear. A total of eight bulbs, two each on the outer segments, and four bulbs in the center segment. The middle two bulbs lit up as brake lamps while all four were lit as running lights. Eight taillamps, six brake lamps. I was 18 when these cars came out, my friend's father owned a Ford store, and my uncle owned a LTD 4-door hardtop. It was a great light show, when uncle hit the brakes, and then turn on the directional signal. What started out as sic brake lights became four brake lights and two turn signal lights. This happened whichever turn signal was used. The 1972 replaced the inner four lamp unit with the reflector unit, probably as a cost-cutting measure.
I had two 72 LTDs, one had a transplanted 351C and the other one was Brougham with the 4bbl 429. I loved both of those cars, but life intervened! I also had a 73 Galaxy where I was rear ended by a full sized Chevy van. The trunk was in the backseat. That’s how hard I was hit. I walked away with whiplash. It probably would have been worse if I hadn’t had the shoulder belt on.
One of the first cars I drove was my family's 72 Country Squire, dark green on green with the 429-4V. I really enjoyed driving that car and always thought the colors were beautiful. My mom was a very talented artist and did photo-retouching for a couple of local photographers (long before Photoshop); and did beautiful original oil paintings as well. For the car she settled on shoe polish, and she kept that wood grain on that car looking factory fresh at all times. Our's was also fairly loaded with cruise, power windows & locks and power front bench seat. I sure do miss that car and the wonderful ride it had. Although I really loved that car; I'd love to get my hands on a 74 Country Squire (with the hood ornament) in the dark blue paint scheme or even the dark green. I guess I can dream.
The LTD Brougham was first available in 68, and from then on Ford had an interesting strategy. The base LTD looked like it was comparable to the Caprice outside but had an Impala level interior. Whereas the Broughan had a much nicer interior than you could get in a Caprice. An in the latter years, if you popped for the Landau Luxury Group, you got an interiror that would rival the C body GM stuff.
My parents gave my brother our 68 Galaxie to go go college with and bought a new 2-door 71 LTD to replace it. That 71 was Mom's favorite car it was solid and dependable, she bought a new one in 84 and 87 but the 71 was the best. Always thought LTD means limited, of course they weren't by number but then an F100 Custom wasn't "custom" either. For that matter what does XLT mean on an F150 or XL on the older Galaxies 500.
Excellent video, rod serling commercials great as well. Always liked the 67, loved the style and engine choices. 73-78s nice as well. All great well made cars.
I accidentally hit send Ford is the only one who thought Ford Fairmont compared to a Mercedes, so when the LTD was downsized to basically what was a Fairmont ruined a good car. I believe it was only small like that for a year or two. I enjoy your videos. Thanks for your hard work!
It was the Granada, not the Fairmont, that was compared to Mercedes. The Fox platform based LTD lasted model years 1983-86, when the "original" Panther LTD was renamed LTD Crown Victoria
I love the 69s & 70s LTDs but I prefer the rear tail lights of the 69 over the 70 And I would take a 71 or 72 over the 73 & 74 this is where Ford should have jumped ahead to 1979 because the 75 - 78s were a mistake 79s were a breath of fresh air and gave G.M. Divisions mostly Chevrolet & Dodge a run for the money 💰 big time
Great video. Brings back lots of memories. We had a 65 Ford County Squire Wagon and a 75 Ford Wagon, not sure if it was a LTD. My old man bought it to take to Iceland in 79 when we were stationed there. Was fun on the ice when it moved. I remember partying in lots of LTD's. Cruising around with friends and having fun. I'm 63 at the tail end of the boomers. I bought a Ford Taurus wagon in 2003 with the awesome Duratec motor. It had about 90k on it and was four years old but the engine was flawless. It was ranked as one of the best motors made. Today I drive a 2005 Dodge Magnum R/T. I really like wagons and have customized my Magnum and keep it running like new. I learned to drive in a 1970 Mark III and Mercury Marquis. The Lincoln had the 460 and the Mercury 429. I have a 76 Lincoln Mark IV green on green with the 460. The interiors are similar to the LTD being that they are all Ford products. Thanks again for great work on this.
I had a 1970 Galaxy 500 Fastback 2door LTD .. It had the 351 Windsor engine. Bought it for 200.00 off an elderly lady , the drivers door window was busted out though .. I purchased a replacement window from a local salvage yard for 50.00 ... I took the original wheels off and put on Chrome Cragar wheels with Cooper sport white letter tires.. Completely changed the look and stance of it..
I miss my 1976 LTD Landau, it made me feel like Michael Douglas. The bronze paint looked just like the show “Streets of SF.” It seemed to commanded respect too - people would call me “sir” when I’d drive it - good times
I grew up in LTD’s…..We had a 1970, a 1969, a 1969 Country Squire, a 1965 Galaxie 500, a 1968 Country Squire, a 1971 Mercury Meteor (Canada model), a 1968 Mercury Montcalm (Canada model), a 1972 Brougham, and 2 1975 Custom 500 (Canada as well)…this was from 1971-1984….in my young adult life I had a 1978 Landau and then a 1987 Country Squire…..now I have 1/18 die cast LTD wagons and 2 1988 Crown Victoria wagon Police….and a 1985 Mercury Colony Park 1/18 diecast…..now if I can find a 1/18 LTD sedan from the 70s or 80s because the real ones are hard to come by and very expensive
I remember my uncle trading in his much hated 1970 Galaxie 500 in on a 73 LTD It was mint green with an army green vinyl roof. He traded that in on a 76 LTD Landual (special order English racing green with matching vinyl roof) He sold the 76 to a co-worker in 85. He then bought a Grand Marquise.
My parents bought a new 66 LTD. It had every option except an FM radio. The 428 engine ran like a scalded dog but absolutely required high-octane gasoline or it would sound like it was coming apart. I didn't appreciate at the time what a nice car it was.
We had a 73 LTD 2dr Brougham. It was a beauty. Mom paid $2500.00 for it. When she bumped up to a Cadillac, and I turned 17, she became mine. After two years, you could forget the " Quiet LTD concept". I turned her into a race car and dragged her until 1991. By then the frame had rusted out, I was racing a Corvette. I stripped off all the expensive parts and towed the shell to a junk yard. That I regret. Today I have the skills to repair that rust. I'm sure the car was recycled by now. Fortunately I still have all the drive train parts from that LTD. Now I am casually searching for another 73 LTD two door body. I plan on resurrecting my car.
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We got our first LTD in 1975. Previously we had Galaxies. When I asked my dad what LTD stood for he said "son, that stands for Long Term Debt"I thought he must be right.
Thanks for sharing and I can't say he was wrong.
I heard, "Lotta Trash from Detroit."
Lunatic Transportation Device
My grandparents had an Australian 1974 LTD, they said it stood for lovely to drive
Grandpa bought a 1975 LTD; 400 CI V8. Great Car. Ford man all his life; was a truck mechanic at Floyd Rice in Detroit.
When I was a kid our family car was a ‘68 LTD Country Squire with a 390. Grandma also had a ‘68 LTD Country Squire but with a 302. In the 80’s I drove a ‘76 LTD sedan with a 400 and a beautiful brocade interior. We always thought LTD meant “Limited”.
I thought it meant limited as well but Ford never stated anything officially. When you look at the production numbers the cars certainly were not a limited run.
Thanks for class on LTDs.
Back when you didn't need airbags . Cars were so long.
Lol!!!
Tell me about it. Thanks Roy!
My dad's first new car was a '69 LTD. When he asked the salesman what LTD stood for, the answer was "Long Term Debt".
That's a good one!
Hey, I was also a dishwasher at Big Boy in the early 80s. My family's first experience with an LTD was around '83 when my brother and I bought a '74 for less than $200. It needed a water pump but the owner thought the block was cracked. It was exactly like the one on Streets of San Francisco.
We grew up on Chevys but the way the doors closed on the LTD (among a few other things) was enough to convert the whole family to Ford. That gold LTD was a great car! Thanks for the memories
Thanks for sharing and for watching! It's appreciated.
I had a pale green with the dark green vinyl top 73 two door as a high school senior in 1980.
Mom and Dad had a 77 Country Squire in medium blue and later a white 79 Country Squire. Too many long road trips to remember.
i had a 69 LTD back in 83 to 85. i paid $350 for it. that 4 BBL 429 was no joke. It would easily roast the tires and bury the speedo. i also had a 71 and 72 LTD, the 69 was my favorite though. My brother has 2 68 galaxy 500 sport tops (the correct term, not fastback). he also has a 68 Talladega he spent 15 years restoring. he's had these cars since the mid 90s. thanks for the video.
Thank you for sharing and for watching. It is appreciated!
i forgot to mention mom and dad had a 72 ltd country squire. when i was just 10 years old. it was unusual as it was white with a red interior. i've not seen many of this color combination.@@TonysFordsandMustangs
I've had two LTD's, a 76 4 door with the windsor, and a 77 wagon with the 351MV400.
40 years ago, here in Finland, I had -67 with 428. I was 4 d hardtop. I just loved that car. I had put all my money to it, it was fast and comfortable, and a chick magnet. I met my now wife with it. Then I had to continue studies and had to sell it. I confess that I cried. A lot. It was repainted baby blue(originally green metallic), had original everything, but as it was originally bought by a big forest company CEO, he apparently knew exactly what to order: The 428, C6, 9" axle with LS, but only driver's side electric bench movement, manual windows, no AC, extra large fuel tank, "police" suspension, so it was meant to move, no extra weight. And it did. Even with the tall gearing, it was about 6 seconds to 60 mph (6,5 to 100 kmh), but it sure liked the fuel... As the chassis was modern, it handled well. But I never used it in the winter, I had a "winter car" for that. I thought that the LTD stands for "Limited" as it most propably does. The roof of the 4d hardtop looked like removable as it was bolted at the rear, like the car was sort of convertible, but the windshield area did not look like that, and I did not want to spoil the headliner to find out. I am actually afraid that it still exixts, because I would have to buy it back...
Thank you very much for sharing your story! My 71 LTD was not a "chick magnet" here in the states in 1983. I had to upgrade to a 70 Torino Cobra in order to meet my now wife! :)
"Brahms", loved his music.
I remember the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s. LTD’s were everywhere. Great cars.
My brother bought a new ‘69 LTD and loved it so much he special-ordered a new 1973 coupe, loaded with all options. Beautiful car but it was built with bad steel from Japan and rotted away. He got it repaired and it rotted even more. He ended up giving it to a young couple he knew who had no car.
My Dad was an executive with a major Ford supplier, Ford permitted him VIP ordering on new cars. The first car he used this on was a 1970 LTD. I remember picking the car up with, the dealer had all this special paper working indicating it was a VIP Build and had all these extra quality control inspections. As we drove off the lot and the rear tires cleared the curb, all the LTD emblems fell off the car. Inspire of this he continued to purchase LTDs, purchasing a '74 and "78.
Thanks for sharing!
Your "DAD" named you Pinocchio? 😉
Whoohhh!!! An old PHILCO radio??? I rmmbr those!!! Best Ford channel ever Tony!!! The memories...this made my day
By 1974 smaller, more fuel efficient cars were gaining popularity but my dad still needed a full sized car which was why he was able to buy a leftover ‘73 LTD 2-door. He adored that car. When his mom needed a new car, he convinced her to get a ‘75 LTD 4-door. A couple years later she gave it to him and the ‘73 eventually became my first car. They were tanks but they were also reliable and comfortable. Good memories. Thanks for sharing! Cheers!
Thank you for watching and for your comment it is appreciated!
@ looking forward to your SVO content!
@@chrisbennett812 Here's the playlist ruclips.net/p/PLz2M3b_orpr23scHlRh4ZKAUpX3G538pi
I thought it meant Limited....L T D My parents bought a 1970 Galaxie 500 XL convertible. I learned how to drive on it. I loved that car. It was a dealer demo end of year car on their used car lot. It had 11k miles on it. My mother loved the color. It had almost every option available at the time. A/C, 429 4v, auto Bucket seats, ps, pb, pw, pd, cruise control, and ... am/fm radio!. I could smoke the rear tires on that car... But it was a gas HOG! 9 miles per gallon, driving nicely! Maybe it was me, lol
As did I for years until I looked into the background of the car for this video.
We had four across a twenty-nine year span. Quiet, well built, reliable, and beautiful. From a Vintage Burgundy 2 door hardtop in 65 to a Diamond Blue 68 2 door with black vinyl top and Brougham interior then to a 77 2 door in black with Dove Gray interior and finally to an 86 LTD Crown Victoria in Dark Canyon Red. My family traveled thousands of miles and experienced the freedom, comfort and luxury these wonderful cars brought to us. The last one we kept for nearly 30 years. We got to experience America through the windows of those symbols of freedom. I'm not certain people today can comprehend how close they are to allowing this independence to slip away from us.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Back in the 1980's I had a two door 1966 Galaxie with a 390, dual exhaust and dealer installed air conditioning. I have not a single picture but still have all the documentation and title for it. I got it from a friend's father-in-law whose parents had bought it brand new.
If you watched Barnaby Jones....a Quinn Martin production....you got to see Barnaby get a new LTD coupe pretty much every season...including the Panther platform when the show ended production in 1980.
I was born in the in mid 60s and what you say is true...either we saw the LTD used in tv and movie productions or we knew people who had them...neighbors, friends, parents' coworkers etc. My family was partial to GM cars so we had a round robin of Chevrolets, Oldsmobile and Pontiacs over the years. One family on our block upgraded to the Mercury Colony Park wagon and did a summer trip to Disney World a few years after it opened! Apparently the LTD Country Squire wasn't posh enough.
There are so many TV shows that used Ford cars for production. I think they had a contract with ABC so all of those shows in the early 70's featured LTD's. Thanks for watching!
LTD traditionally in modern English is abbreviation of the word “Limited”, but as stated, Ford has never confirmed that their “flagship” car’s initials stood for Limited or not.
Our family had a 66 Galaxy 500 2dr coupe. I was only 4 years old at the time, but i loved that car. It was dark green. Then in 69 we got an LTD Brougham 4dr with a 390 in it! That car use to hall ass for a big car. I remember my father driving that car 90 mph constantly. (Cant do that any more)
We had a baby blue 65 LTD when I was a kid.. It was a good car.. My first car was a 72 LTD.. My older sister got the 71 LTD before me..😎👌
My First car was a 71 LTD. I bought it used in 1983 for $400. Thanks for watching and for your comment.
I always wanted to be in a Quinn Martin detective drama series driving a Lincoln or Mercury
@@georgewilson1184 Spelling/Goldberg, too!
@@trudygreer2491 Yes indeed I believe Charlie’s Angels would Suffice my issues with that show as well as some other shows of the era is the repeat stock footage that is over used example the same footage used for the exterior shot of the Townsend detective agency with the Operatives Mustangs parked the same exact way all the time and why did Sabrina get stuck driving a Pinto the other girls got Mustangs & Bosley got a Thunderbird or LTD Country Squire executive Privilege I guess because he was always meeting clients at some exclusive hotel or at L.A. X
Just the show I was thinking of! Sabrina was supposed to be the "smart" one, perhaps they figured a Pinto would be the "intelligent choice"..?! especially an orange one.. 😂
My dad had a 67 Ltd with the 390 he loved that car
I sold my father a 69 LTD coupe when I worked at a Ford dealer in the late 80's. It had a 302. It was only the second v8 he had owned his entire life. He loved it as was. Thanks for watching!
LTD a.k.a Limited my Mom use to say LADY TIGER DRIVER
I've had four big Fords - two '67 LTD -door hardtops (one 289, one 390-4V) , a '67 Galaxie ragtop, and a '68 LTD with a transplanted '72 351C (the original 302 had been tragically overheated by the original owner).
Wonderful cars, rode like Cadillacs, and that 390-equipped '67 could really pick up her skirts and run. The ragtop never failed to get all the 'right' kind of attention.
Everything about those cars was just.... RIGHT.
Thanks for sharing!
My dad had a new '70 LTD. I still remember when he brought it home. I thought it was very classy looking. We took a lot of Sunday drives (remember those?) in it and it was used to tow our big travel trailer.
@@JDSly1 thanks for sharing
This brings back so many good memories. My very first car was a 1969 Ford Galaxie XL 2DR. with the 390 and a staple shifter. Maroon with white interior. Sharp car. I loved those Fords.
That sounds like an awesome car! Thanks for watching!
My first car was a 62 Dodge Dart 440. I fixed the transmission and drove it for quite some time but between the thing getting service and even during the trans work I drove my Dad's 71 Ford Galaxy. After the Dart I drove a 69 Mustang -- it also needed work. I used the 71 about as much if not more than my own cars and my brothers all drove the thing as well -- it was a tank. Thanks for the video and memories of cars I used to pine for -- if I could only have had a that LTD 68 fastback.
Thanks for sharing and for watching!
This really brings back some memories for me. My parents had a series of LTDs, starting when they graduated from a '66 Galaxie 500 to a '69 LTD Brougham. After that came a '72 LTD, then a '76 LTD, followed by a '79 LTD, which they had until finally moving up to the Grand Marquis. All of them were great solid, quiet cars, so I guess that's why my Dad always gravitated to them. He was happy with them, so why change, right?
It sounds like your father know what he liked and stuck with it! Thanks for watching!
So true. Dad passed in 2005 and his final car was a '98 Grand Marquis LS with only 38,000 miles that I really wished I would have kept! I am sure it is still going strong today and I so wish I still had it. Those cars can go forever! @@TonysFordsandMustangs
My dad bought a 1973 Thunderbird and a 1974 LTD four-door at the same time for a total of $5,000. To this day I still have the Thunderbird. It's got a 460 and it gets a lot of compliments. Thank you for a great video!
Mom had a 78 LTD four door with a 400 V8. Loved driving that land yacht. One finger to steer it and one toe on the brake pedal. I do t need to “feel the road” through the steering wheel. I like a nice soft cushy ride with over assisted everything lol. I always thought LTD stood for Limited.
My first car was a 1968 Galaxie 500 2 dr. hardtop. No vinyl roof, dark red. 302, automatic, p/s and p/b. I felt like the king of the world driving that car, I look in Hemmings and other classic car websites, but have not yet seen a car like mine. I'm going to keep looking. I love your videos, so keep them coming. Best, JK
Thank you for sharing and for watching JK!
Certainly brings back memories, also impressed with how many pronunciations there are for brougham!
Trust me there are way more pronunciations for that word than required. Most likely because the horse drawn carriage has been in common use for well over a hundred years. Hopefully it's word that will stay out of the popular vocabulary. If not I'm going to have problems. Thanks for watching!
My parents had a 1971 LTD with a 351 W and a 1974 with a 400. Both were great cars.
I loved all those years of LTDs. My favorite was the 75-78 LTD Landau 2 doors, with that cool treatment between the side windows. I never owned an LTD, but my father had a 65 Custom 4 door, and I had a 69 Galaxie 500 XL GT 2 door hardtop with a 429, a 72 Galaxie 2 door hardtop, also a station wagon with wood trim of the same year. They were all great reliable cars.
My first car was a 1966 Ford Galaxie, 2-door, 390, 4bbl, it was a great car!
I remember those days and I remember Ford LTDs. They really WERE quieter than other cars. It wasn't just marketing hype. Cadillac and Lincoln quiet, or close to it.
Thanks for sharing and for watching!
I was a teenager in the 80s and several of my friends in high school drove the big LTDs. My friends and I were townie kids who's dads worked for Ford. Those were big, solid built cars. Despite their age and mileage at the time they didn't leak oil all over the parking lot like the preppy kids late model BMWs and Saabs did.
Thanks for sharing! I drove my 71 LTD to high school in 83. :)
My first car was a 1975 Ford Granada. Silver with a maroon vinyl roof and interior. 250 six cylinder and factory a/c, power steering and power brakes (over assisted which I so miss today), automatic transmission. and AM/FM Stereo. I paid $400 for it in 1988 and drove it for three years. It only had 75,000 miles on it when I bought it. Great car that was easy to work on. Gas mileage was so/so but gasoline was 89 cents a gallon then so it wasn’t a problem and I used the a/c a lot. Great video here on the “big Ford” as dad called it.
When I was a little kid back in the 70's we had one and I asked my dad what it meant. He told me Limited and it made sense. It still makes sense and you can't change my mind. I'm at the age of being "set in my ways."
1969 Ford LTD was a beautiful car.
I completely agree. It's my favorite. Thanks for watching!
Love those hidden headlights!
This is the first time that I have heard "Lincoln Trim Design" as an explanation. Being a teenager in the 60's, I was into cars and the "Limited" explanation seemed to be the most widely accepted. At some point, probably early 70's, I either heard on the radio or read in one of the many car magazines I subscribed to, that it stood for "Luxury Through Design". The author made a point of saying how "Limited" was such a misnomer and how few people really knew what LTD did stand for. Sorry I can't remember the source. There were a couple of other cars during that period that also had 3 letter designations....the Pontiac Grand Turismo Omolgato and Plymouth GTX. Everyone seems to agree about the GTO but Google says GTX was just so the car had 3 letters like the GTO. When the GTX was introduced, I remember the explanation being "Grand Track Experimental". Thanks for the video and the story!
I alway thought it was limited as well but before creating a video about the LTD I thought I should find out. There has never been an official say from Ford. I found several references with multiple explanations but none of them matched up. Thanks you Lou for watching it is appreciated!
It is Lincoln Type Design not Trim.
The 65 LTD was my first car. Exactly like the first one shown, Green with white vinyl top. 390, AT, AC, PW, PB, PS, and AM/FM stereo. I got in 1968 to get back and forth from music school in downtown Chicago to a close suburb.
Very luxurious and powerful. I do believe the dealer had turned back the mileage a bit. It had some very odd quirks.
Thanks for sharing and for watching! That's a big car to wheel around Chicago.
We had a 1972 LTD Country Squire with an 8-track and the 429. It was first brand new car.
I always thought these cars were Glaxie 500's? Or were those separate models? Loved them all
There will be a Galaxie 500 Video coming at some point down the road. :) Thanks for watching!
Love seeing this as it brings back memories. My father was a big ford sedan enthusiast. We had a 67 Ford Galaxy 4dr with 289 with no power anything and no A/C ($2800 new). Then a 71 Galaxy (brown like Streets of San Francisco) with a 351, power steering and brakes, A/C (not sure of the price). Then a 75 LTD 4dr with a 400 ($4800) with base LTD features (A/C power steering and brakes; don't remember if power windows...). Then he bought an 82 Chrysler NYer for a steal, then he went back to Ford Crown Vics/Grand Marquis.
Thanks for sharing and for watching.
@4:33. The 351W came out in the 1969 model year. The owner's manual shows a gap between the 302-2V and 390-2V engines. To be fair, it also shows the 427-4V engine as available, although none seem to have been installed from the factory.
When I was in high school we had a 1972 LTD. It was a pretty good car and had a great back seat for extra curricular activities. The 1977 LTD my parents bought was a POS. I remember the front driver side arm rest assembly just completely falling off a couple weeks after they got the car.
I too had a LTD in high school. Mine was a 71 and I can confirm.
Great video. My best friend’s mom had a yellow LTD wagon we called it the tuna boat about eight of us would hide in there to go to the drive-in movies the smaller two of us would hide underneath the rear fold down seats. Pretty cool times!
I had a 71 Ltd and you could jamb a ton of people into the trunk of that car prior to entering the Drive Inn!
Great summary. Used to visit the car lots and collect the brochures as a kid (loved the LTD) and you hit a lot of important design and safety changes, too.
Thank you very much for the kind words and for watching! It is appreciated
My history began with a 65 Galaxie 500 when my parents bought one new in late 64. By 68, my Dad had fallen in love with the LTD. I can still recall standing beside him in the dealer showroom when he announced, "If I buy a new car this year, it's gonna be one like this." He pointed to an LTD Brougham. When we ordered it, the dealer convinced him to get a 390 cu. in. V-8. He told my dad that engine would outlast the car.
By 1977 I was married, and we ordered an LTD. We drove it for nine years, then bought an 86 Crown Vic.
I had told my wife that I someday wanted an antique car. She told me an antique car would be like dating the prom queen 25 years after the dance. So I decided to keep the Crown Vic. We had it for 28 years. Lots of good memories.
Thanks for watching and sharing your story!
When we went to buy a new car in 71, the LTD was our choice. Having had earlier purchased Galaxies and other full sized Fords we asked the dealer what LTD meant. He said "Limited" and shrugged it off like everyone knew that. Since then after two more 71 LTD's and numerous other Fords I always thought that made sense.
It's funny that people came up with their own meaning for the LTD initials. You won't find an answer from Ford anywhere. Thanks for watching!
Yes, it was limited to 10 million.😊
I have always thought it was short for Limited. I didn't know the LTD started in '65. I thought it debuted in '69. Ya learn something new every day! My father bought a white '75 LTD brand new. It had a blue interior and was a 2 door. That was a NICE riding car! I've had a 70 and a 73 Galaxie, but I've never had an LTD. I don't even remember the last time I saw one around here. That Landau LTD has to be one of the classiest looking Fords ever produced.
Nice job giving these somewhat forgotten big Fords some recognition.
My favorite is the 1966 four door, they had an absolutely stunning high class interior and the silent flow ventilation system. I'm kind of looking for one - just don't tell my wife. 😉
Thank you , best of luck with your search and I won't say a word.
I had a well worn 70 LTD in the 80's. 351 Nicely faded Ford blue exterior looked badass with the hideaway headlights. That car was fun.
My personal favorite LTD is the '71 - very attractive front end and those beautiful wall-to-wall taillights at the rear were stunning, especially when seeing them lit up at night - there was no mistaking a '71 LTD at night from the back.
That was my first road legal car. 400 2 barrel. White on white. It was $400 and I beat like any 16 year old would in the early 80's.
I had a 71 Catalina on my delivery boy wages. Your 71 LTD was one of my favs. Great video. Thanks for the content. The 70s LTDs were some of my favorite fords.
Thank you for the the kind words and for watching!
@@TonysFordsandMustangs I’ve watched a couple of them. You’re a good creator. Very relatable and informative, not a lot of extra fluff 😎
@@SeaTravelr123 Thank you very Much!
Gator Mclusky running blocker in White Lightning was cool. RIP Burt Reynolds.
Agreed! Thanks for watching!
We had a red 1966 LTD 428 2 door. We bought the clear bubble type seat covers so the original upholstery was impeccable. After 3 years we had almost 100k miles and my dad traded it in $400 trade in value.
My mom had a blue 71 LTD 4 door. I remember that car quite fondly. I was born in 69 and that was the car that brought me home from the hospital. Unfortunately, it was stolen and wrecked in 77.
Thanks for this great video. Often work-horse family cars are given short shrift on reminisces. I always thought that the 1967 LTD was a uniquely handsome car. They had a wonderful sort of turquoise color that year that looked great with a black vinyl top. Beautiful.
Thank you for the kind words and for watching. It is appreciated.
All of them up until '75 are really good looking cars, but there's always been something about the '71/'72 design that just looks great to me.
Better looking bumpers!
@@roylcraft Could be part of it. I tend to favor cars before '73 for that reason.
@@sira.scottascot8865 I have a 72 Mark IV, it has unique one year front bumper, the rear bumper was 72-73 only. They make the car!
Woah, flashbacks, love the commercials
We had 66 and 67 Country Squires which were basically LTD's.
Drove them before I even had my license.
My parents bought my sister a 73?
That 400 with a 2 barrel was a slow pig.
My dad had a 69 LTD Brougham that I learned how to drive in. Then he got a 72 LTD Brougham & finally a 79 Continental, the last of the big boats!!! I loved those cars!! 👍👍🙂
Thanks for watching!
I was born in 1962 so I was well aware of all of these beauties. Being a Car guy I am embarrassed to say I had NO idea Ford sold so many LTD’s during the late 60’s and early 70’s. Those numbers are amazing and yet they still had financial troubles.
My brother in-law owned a galaxie 4 door 1965 great car I'm sure he still has the car today .
Thank you for posting this great video! Really enjoyed the the original commercials and pics from the brochures inserted.
Thank you for the kind words and you should find quite a few more on the channel with more to come.
10:11 I want that crest symbol...with the red medallion n the three lions.. I remember seeing alota those
My first car was a 1977 Mercury Grand Marquis 4 door with the 400 V8.
Basically a badge engineered version of the LTD.
I love that old car. I still have it, in fact. I’m not ever going to get rid of it.
Very awesome! Thank you for sharing and for watching my video, It is appreciated.
Daddy brought home a brand new 1965 Ford Galaxy, 500. Fresh looking car of the future. My mother bought a 77 Chevy Impala about the same time our next-door neighbor bought a 77 LTD. That car was dated and hated by then. That impala model lasted up until almost 1990.
My dad’s parents bought a LTD new in 73.
It should have been painted Yellow because it was the biggest Lemon Ever.
They would be driving along and it would die for no reason and would start only when it wanted to.
The 400 V8 burned a valve right after the warranty expired.
They swore that they would never own another Ford product again; and they never did.
My grandparents on my mother’s side always drove Fords , except for just one Pontiac.
They had awesome luck with Fords.
My wife and I always buy Ford products if we’re buying a domestic vehicle.
I think that's how loyalty is created or isn't. I had horrible luck with every GM product I have ever owned and I have owned no less than 20 in my lifetime. It's not that GM makes bad cars it's just the one I owned gave me issues constantly and the Fords I have owned didn't. Sometimes it's bad luck that steers a person in one direction or another.
My mom had a '71 2-door that she got new. I don't think the small back windows went down, because I have an early memory of begging mom to roll down her window. Her cigarette smoke filled the inside of the car, and I was starting to feel woozy and trapped in the back. I'll never forget throwing up all over the driveway when I got out.
Her next car was a '76 Olds Cutlass wagon. I liked it because it had decent ventilation.
Sorry to hear that your mother wouldn't roll down the window. That's rough.
@@TonysFordsandMustangs ~ Let's just say that I have many fond memories of/in the Cutlass.
CO from the exhaust or CO from cigarettes--what's worse?
I had a 68 LTD and loved it, i have a 68 Galaxie 500 now.
Great video, just one comment. The 1971 LTD had three light segments in the rear. A total of eight bulbs, two each on the outer segments, and four bulbs in the center segment. The middle two bulbs lit up as brake lamps while all four were lit as running lights. Eight taillamps, six brake lamps. I was 18 when these cars came out, my friend's father owned a Ford store, and my uncle owned a LTD 4-door hardtop. It was a great light show, when uncle hit the brakes, and then turn on the directional signal. What started out as sic brake lights became four brake lights and two turn signal lights. This happened whichever turn signal was used. The 1972 replaced the inner four lamp unit with the reflector unit, probably as a cost-cutting measure.
Thanks. I do remember those. My first street legal car was a 71 but I only had two brake lights
Always had a soft spot for LTD's. had 3 73/74s since a teen. Now have a 74 2 door since '02.
Glad to hear it and thanks for watching!
I did my first "Rockford" in a 1969 LTD Country Squire. My first girlfriend's first car. Those were fun times!
That's awesome!
I had two 72 LTDs, one had a transplanted 351C and the other one was Brougham with the 4bbl 429. I loved both of those cars, but life intervened! I also had a 73 Galaxy where I was rear ended by a full sized Chevy van. The trunk was in the backseat. That’s how hard I was hit. I walked away with whiplash. It probably would have been worse if I hadn’t had the shoulder belt on.
No doubt seat belts save lives. That must have been quite a hit.
One of the first cars I drove was my family's 72 Country Squire, dark green on green with the 429-4V. I really enjoyed driving that car and always thought the colors were beautiful. My mom was a very talented artist and did photo-retouching for a couple of local photographers (long before Photoshop); and did beautiful original oil paintings as well. For the car she settled on shoe polish, and she kept that wood grain on that car looking factory fresh at all times. Our's was also fairly loaded with cruise, power windows & locks and power front bench seat. I sure do miss that car and the wonderful ride it had. Although I really loved that car; I'd love to get my hands on a 74 Country Squire (with the hood ornament) in the dark blue paint scheme or even the dark green. I guess I can dream.
They are out there and reasonably priced compared to other collector cars. Thanks for watching!
The LTD Brougham was first available in 68, and from then on Ford had an interesting strategy. The base LTD looked like it was comparable to the Caprice outside but had an Impala level interior. Whereas the Broughan had a much nicer interior than you could get in a Caprice. An in the latter years, if you popped for the Landau Luxury Group, you got an interiror that would rival the C body GM stuff.
The very first car I drove was 1972 Ford LTD Station Wagon. Beast.
My parents gave my brother our 68 Galaxie to go go college with and bought a new 2-door 71 LTD to replace it. That 71 was Mom's favorite car it was solid and dependable, she bought a new one in 84 and 87 but the 71 was the best. Always thought LTD means limited, of course they weren't by number but then an F100 Custom wasn't "custom" either. For that matter what does XLT mean on
an F150 or XL on the older Galaxies 500.
Excellent video, rod serling commercials great as well. Always liked the 67, loved the style and engine choices. 73-78s nice as well. All great well made cars.
Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching!
I accidentally hit send Ford is the only one who thought Ford Fairmont compared to a Mercedes, so when the LTD was downsized to basically what was a Fairmont ruined a good car. I believe it was only small like that for a year or two. I enjoy your videos. Thanks for your hard work!
Thanks for watching!
It was the Granada, not the Fairmont, that was compared to Mercedes. The Fox platform based LTD lasted model years 1983-86, when the "original" Panther LTD was renamed LTD Crown Victoria
I have a low miles '74 LTD Brougham coupe and love it
I love the 69s & 70s LTDs but I prefer the rear tail lights of the 69 over the 70 And I would take a 71 or 72 over the 73 & 74 this is where Ford should have jumped ahead to 1979 because the 75 - 78s were a mistake 79s were a breath of fresh air and gave G.M. Divisions mostly Chevrolet & Dodge a run for the money 💰 big time
Good day From Australia,
Check out the Aussie build LTD
Ford Australia made them for nearly 2 decades.
Cheers
Louis Kats 👍
These cars were great in the snow, fun too.
Well my 71 didn't like climbing hills all that much in the snow. :) Thanks for watching!
The Ford LTD 1960s were reliable, solid built, comfy, and powerful vehicles.
Wish we could still say the same thing about todays Fords.
I vaguely remember an LTD Squire as a family car. It had heavy doors I recall.
Great video. Brings back lots of memories. We had a 65 Ford County Squire Wagon and a 75 Ford Wagon, not sure if it was a LTD. My old man bought it to take to Iceland in 79 when we were stationed there. Was fun on the ice when it moved. I remember partying in lots of LTD's. Cruising around with friends and having fun. I'm 63 at the tail end of the boomers. I bought a Ford Taurus wagon in 2003 with the awesome Duratec motor. It had about 90k on it and was four years old but the engine was flawless. It was ranked as one of the best motors made. Today I drive a 2005 Dodge Magnum R/T. I really like wagons and have customized my Magnum and keep it running like new. I learned to drive in a 1970 Mark III and Mercury Marquis. The Lincoln had the 460 and the Mercury 429. I have a 76 Lincoln Mark IV green on green with the 460. The interiors are similar to the LTD being that they are all Ford products. Thanks again for great work on this.
Thank you for sharing your experiences and for watching!
I had a 1970 Galaxy 500 Fastback 2door LTD .. It had the 351 Windsor engine. Bought it for 200.00 off an elderly lady , the drivers door window was busted out though .. I purchased a replacement window from a local salvage yard for 50.00 ... I took the original wheels off and put on Chrome Cragar wheels with Cooper sport white letter tires.. Completely changed the look and stance of it..
That sounds like a nice ride! The 69/70 LTD's are my personal favorite.
I had a 74 LTD in high school. It was white with blue interior, opera windows, and a 400 v8. My car was a tank.
My 71 was 400 V8, white with the Black and white interior and mine was a tank as well. Thanks for watching!
I miss my 1976 LTD Landau, it made me feel like Michael Douglas. The bronze paint looked just like the show “Streets of SF.” It seemed to commanded respect too - people would call me “sir” when I’d drive it - good times
Very Awesome thanks for sharing!
I grew up in LTD’s…..We had a 1970, a 1969, a 1969 Country Squire, a 1965 Galaxie 500, a 1968 Country Squire, a 1971 Mercury Meteor (Canada model), a 1968 Mercury Montcalm (Canada model), a 1972 Brougham, and 2 1975 Custom 500 (Canada as well)…this was from 1971-1984….in my young adult life I had a 1978 Landau and then a 1987 Country Squire…..now I have 1/18 die cast LTD wagons and 2 1988 Crown Victoria wagon Police….and a 1985 Mercury Colony Park 1/18 diecast…..now if I can find a 1/18 LTD sedan from the 70s or 80s because the real ones are hard to come by and very expensive
@@kenteoth I can't find the 85' Colony park..all sold out it says..but did get 76' Fury Taxi 1/18 scale
I remember my uncle trading in his much hated 1970 Galaxie 500 in on a 73 LTD It was mint green with an army green vinyl roof. He traded that in on a 76 LTD Landual (special order English racing green with matching vinyl roof) He sold the 76 to a co-worker in 85. He then bought a Grand Marquise.
Those are some fine rides! Thanks for watching!
My parents bought a new 66 LTD. It had every option except an FM radio. The 428 engine ran like a scalded dog but absolutely required high-octane gasoline or it would sound like it was coming apart. I didn't appreciate at the time what a nice car it was.
Thanks for sharing!
Years ago, my best friend had a '74 and I had a '78 Landau. Someone asked him what LTD stood for and he replied, "La Te Da" 😊
That's as good an answer as Ford gave.
We had a 73 LTD 2dr Brougham. It was a beauty. Mom paid $2500.00 for it. When she bumped up to a Cadillac, and I turned 17, she became mine. After two years, you could forget the " Quiet LTD concept". I turned her into a race car and dragged her until 1991. By then the frame had rusted out, I was racing a Corvette. I stripped off all the expensive parts and towed the shell to a junk yard. That I regret. Today I have the skills to repair that rust. I'm sure the car was recycled by now. Fortunately I still have all the drive train parts from that LTD. Now I am casually searching for another 73 LTD two door body. I plan on resurrecting my car.
Thanks for watching and best of luck with your search!