Ford stepped up the game for family cars in 1965 by introducing the LTD, essentially a high-end version of the Galaxie 500. They advertised it was as quiet as a Rolls-Royce, but was that ever really proven? The LTD would remain a Ford fixture for years, like this sweet convertible from 1972. Given the combination of equipment and options, a Marti Report for this Ford says it was the only one built like this. Located in Croydon, Pennsylvania, this two-owner cruiser is available here on Craigslist for $13,500. Our appreciation goes to Mitchell G. for another exceptional tip!
The 1972 Ford LTD was largely a rerun of the prior year’s model, with some subtle changes in the front bumper and grille and taillights, for example. The number of LTD convertibles was a pittance out of overall production, at 4,200+ copies out of nearly 817,000 cars cranked out. This is per the seller’s Marti Report which does a deep dive into the way this car was assembled. By checking the options box for the Visibility Light Group, this LTD became a one-of-one to Ford’s credit. That’s after you figure out how many were made with a 400 cubic inch V8, painted white in color, equipped with a power top, and factory air conditioning, not common for convertibles in those days.
This beauty was acquired from its original owner in 2020 and has traveled just 52,000 miles (some of them put on by the seller). It was always garage-kept by the lawyer who bought it new, which is normally a good thing. But that owner kept the convertible top down all the time and the fabric of the top deteriorated over time. A new top was installed in 2019, switching from black materials to white. There is a small curb dent in the rear that happened years ago, and it’s rusted over time. That seems to be the only physical flaw.
Some mechanical work has been done as you might expect after 52 years. That includes the oil pump and pan, water pump, time chain and gears, lifters and pushrods, and a bunch of gaskets. But the seller doesn’t say if a full rebuild was done. The factory air conditioner was retrofitted to R134, but it has a leak and needs more freon (and the source of the leak checked out). We’re told the car runs exceptionally well which may be hard to contest. The seller says the vehicle is currently insured for $16,500 but believes that’s too high, so the asking price is $3,000 less. Spring is in the air and we’re starting to see more drop-tops pop up here on Barn Finds!
Every convertible should have power windows, IMHO.
Think that black vinyl might be hot with the top down?
I thought the same thing….who’s gonna reach around the back seat and crank down windows…
For the money it seems like a good deal if the ad accurately reflects its condition. I wish the seller let the cars condition speak for itself rather than hype it being 1 of 1 due to some trivial combination of options. It comes across as contrived and shouldn’t be needed to sell this car.
Steve R
I am the seller. My intention was not to hype the car as being a 1 of 1, I only lead with that fact to get the readers’ attention. I simply used that fact to draw them in and get them to read the sale ad.
Had a 1 of 1 with a special scratch on the hood made with a Cracker Jack limited edition prize.
Seriously I agree the car sells itself without the break down past engine combination.
glws !
My family bought one in 77…My dad called it his L.ong T.erm D.ebt…lol
Neat car, and reasonably priced! My 71 Olds Delta 88 Convertible had A/C, which was definitely necessary. I learned that putting the top down in summertime, even with the breeze, and you just bake. I only enjoyed the top down at night (when it would almost always rain). The A/C is necessary. If well preserved, it will provide many years of enjoyment to someone.
In the mid 80s I bought a 72 LTD convert in yellow. A local GLASS and Trim shop (try to find one now) installed a new black top with glass window and found correct vinyl to repair drivers seat. Windsor motor easily burned rubber. Enjoyed cruising top down and getting lots of admiring comments. As a second car, I stored it in winter. After several years, health issues and few times I was able to enjoy it made me reluctantly sell to an eager collector. Didn’t realize until this post how few of these converts were built.
1 of 1, Hmmm, I like these cars as I have a 71 convertible which has a much nicer rear end treatment. Mine unit is a winsor with tilt, power windows, seat and a bunch of other items. These are nice cars but at 59,000 miles this car has had far more engine work than I ever did to any 400 with 3 times the miles. The other thing is the interior looks ” from the pictures ” no better than the black inside of my 72 Impala convertible with 3 times the miles and never garaged. All in all it is a nice car and a better buy than the 69 non running one on here last week.
I agree, but my personal favorite was a 1970 example listed in Hemmings Motor News. That one was turquoise with a white top and interior. More importantly, it had bucket seats, a console with a “basket handle” shifter and a 429 V8!
https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/ford/xl/2739264.html
If I had the cash, other than my retirement savings, I’d buy this in a heartbeat.
Welcome to the GOLDEN years! See my original post.
This would be a fun car to own. Maybe even more fun than a super rare muscle car.
Car looks to be in great shape judging by the pics provided. Reminds of the LTD convertible a good friend of mine had back in the day when we were 18 years old, but his was dark blue with the black top and interior. We and a couple other friends used to cruise around in that convertible quite a bit during the summer months, top down and burning rubber every chance possible.
Lots of fun and good times in that car, sadly my friend was killed by a drunk driver one late afternoon coming home from a part-time job he was working at. The car was a total wreck and the drunk driver that wrecked him survived with barely a scratch,but my friends and just tried to remember all the good times we had in that LTD convertible.
😔 💐 😢 💐🙏 🕊 ✝️. from 😇 🕊 🕊 🕊 🌧 🌈 ❤
Oof. Depending on where you live, the black vinyl seats would be brutal in the summer especially with the top down. Regardless the color of your interior though, top down cruising in the summer here in Florida is pretty much a non-starter unless it’s just for a quick blast to the store or some night-time cruising in which case it’s great.
My 72 LTD convert had black seats. Even in Midwest they would heat up. If I parked with top down, I covered them with white bath towels which were folded and ready.
How much does a Deluxe Marti Report cost and will the seller recoup that cost because it is 1 of 1? Does anyone really care?
I am the seller. The Deluxe Marti Report cost $400. And, in my humble opinion, it is worth every penny.
Not only do you get the breakdown of how rare the car is, you also get a copy of the original window sticker, and the sheet telling you when your car was built and a TON of other useful information. And, it is all neatly matted and framed for you to display.
And, by the way, the Marti Report comes with the car, of course.
I don’t know if the Report will necessarily will help me recoup my money for the cost of the Report, but (to me) it doesn’t really matter. I only got it because I wanted as much info as possible on my classic car. Wouldn’t you want/appreciate that much info on your purchase? But, it did help to determine the value in the appraisal of the car.
So, YES, it was very worth getting it. In fact, I get them for all of my Ford/Lincoln/Mercury cars.
I had a blue,1972 Ford LTD, non convertible.
I bought it in 1984 with around 75k miles on for $250.00. I repainted it in my one car garage before I got my own shop.
A gallon of acrylic enamel paint and reducer only cost around $100.00 at that time. I didn’t even put hardener in the paint because I wanted to save money, or i didn’t have it?
I drove it for about a year and sold it for $800.00. I thought that I ‘hit a lick’ on it. I had made $450.00!
Wow, how things change!
Just my oponion!
I’d love to have it. Would jazz up the interior a bit and some cosmetics and drive it til the wheels fall off.
Didn’t they use these to drive around and cut diamonds and um, tips???
That was this car’s upscale brother, the Mercury Marquis! I can still picture Chevy Chase and Gilda Radner as the nervous parents who hand their newborn baby son to the rabbi to perform the circumcision in the back of a Mercury Marquis, as it drives over cobblestones, railroad tracks and potholes, in a famous Saturday Night Live parody of Ford’s commercial for the same car with with a diamond cutter riding in the back seat as he cuts a very expensive diamond!
Here’s link to both the original Ford ad and the SNL parody version:
https://ultimateclassicrock.com/snl-dan-aykroyd-royal-deluxe-bris/