Looking like a car straight out of a 1970s police drama TV show, this 1977 Ford Custom 500 Pillared Hardtop is an unusual body style to see today. It’s so plain and unadorned, I love it. The seller has it posted here on craigslist in the Mt. Clemens, Michigan area, just northeast of Detroit, and they’re asking $5,800. Here is the original listing, and thanks to anything but plain Pat L. for sending in this tip!
The second-generation LTD was made from 1968 for the 1969 model year until 1978, and I can’t help but think of classic TV police shows and/or private detective shows when I see this car. This is something that Frank Cannon might have picked up at a little airport as a rental car after flying into yet another crooked little town run by yet another crooked little sheriff. “Cannon. A Quinn Martin Production. This week’s episode: Plain Jane LTD for the Taking.” (In my best Carl MacIntire voice. He was the narrator of Cannon – some TV trivia there)
I know that more than a few of you are shouting into your monitors or phones, “What? Cannon ended on March 3rd, 1976, this car wasn’t even made then, you bonehead!! This is Barnaby Jones‘ car!” Or, similar to it. Or better yet, it’s a different and newer version of this beautiful car that we saw a few months ago here on Barn Finds. The seller’s entire description on this ’77 LTD is: “New tires and dual exhaust – Great looking for a 1977..SUPER SOLID…NEW.”
I’m just stalling the inevitable, talking about how few photos there are, which is usually the case on craigslist ads. This is the only photo that shows even a hint of either the front or the rear seats, sadly. Being humans, we therefore automatically assume that there is an issue with them, otherwise, why aren’t they shown? Maybe we’re wrong and the seats are perfect, but then why not show those perfect seats so you can ask even more for this otherwise nice-looking car?
There are two engine photos, however, which is a major shakeup for a craigslist ad. This LTD has a 351-cu.in. OHV V8 which would have had 150 horsepower and 290 lb-ft of torque when new. Coincidentally, it has a 0-60 time of 13 seconds and also gets 13 mpg. The seller says that this one has dual exhaust, which would kick up the horsepower a bit, and their heading in the ad says “modified”, but we don’t have a clue what that means. Other than some unfortunate blue overspray adjacent to the valve covers, and some missing interior photos, this looks like a nice car. Any thoughts on this two-door LTD? Good buy or goodbye?
Fun write-up Scotty. I also like it — because it is plain, and a body style long gone, and an example of a model you rarely see today. I wonder who was its early-life owner: fleet service, budget-minded individual who still wanted a full-size car, whatever.
For fun I pulled up the 1977 LTD brochure. It proudly noted the Custom 500 as “the lowest-price full-size Ford.” And to “compare prices to the scaled-down ‘full size’ cars of our nearest competitor.” That wasn’t the only jab at the downsized Chevrolet. Meanwhile other parts of the brochure touted the high-zoot LTD Landau models.
Thanks, Bob! Plain is good for me since I’m such a plain guy, other than the cheesy mustache.
The author made a critical mistake by not including,,”Streets of San Francisco”,(1972-1977) also, a Quinn Martin production. I think the last Ford we saw them in was a ’75, and cop cars were pretty basic cars, even Karl Malden himself wouldn’t have one this nice. These were just regular cars, nobody paid much attention to them. This was the car Aunt Charlotte inherited after Uncle Wally died and nobody wanted. Still, somebody that knows anything about cars, will get a nice car. You’ll see, when these car makers get their heads out of their,,,um, rears, maybe we’ll see cars like this again. Newsflash: not everyone wants or needs a SUV.
You’re right, Howard! I knew that I’d forget a classic tv police show that had a brown Ford in that era. It’s easy for brown Pontiacs as I think Kojak was the only one there, or black Mercs for Steve McGarrett, or two-door Buicks for Broderick Crawford, but it seems like almost everyone had a giant brown LTD in the 1970s
Kojak used a ’73 Buick Century w/ 455,but, yes, there were a lot of brown,
green (!), and blue basic sedans at that time.
I think Barnaby Jones’ car was a fully loaded 2 Dr with sunroof?
Here’s a Ford fan question…are the 2 Dr ltd and t bird built on the same platform? The roofline seems to be the giveaway.
You got it right….the T-Bird, the LTD II (2 door) as well as the 4th gen Merc Cougar XR7 all shared the same platform.
Jone’s LTD didn’t have a sunroof…as very few cars had them back then.
But occasionally Betty (Lee Meriweather) was in it. And that was a better
option. lol
Nice write up Scotty! The air conditioning system doesn’t look all butchered up and the belt is still installed on the compressor. The buyer might also be getting a functioning a/c system.
Thanks, sir! The engine sure looks nice on this one, and the whole car looks nice. I just wish we saw what the interior looks like.
The Ford 351M and 400M cubic inch V8 engines are members of the Cleveland family. The M designation stands for modified which does not mean a performance modification.
Thanks for the additional information, sir. I wasn’t sure if there was some sort of aftermarket modification or rebuilding process modification that occurred, but I think you’re right, that has to be what they’re referring to. Thanks!
Do remember these!
I worked on the assembly line in 1979 where these LTDs were built, at the Fern Valley Rd Assy Plant in Louisville KY.
My Father was a lead engineer on LTD line, following the program from Detroit, then to Louisville.
The line guys would race the 460 PIs behind the plant. KY State Patrol used these with that engine and MPG was abt 6, certainly never 13!
This one looks good and hard to imagine the seller not showing the strongest point: massive Trunk.
Nice one but needs to go up on a rack – cheap for what you are getting !
There seemed to be an LTD or Galaxie 500 of this era in every other driveway in Louisville well into the ‘90s! Everybody had them and they were everywhere.
If it was a four door, it would’ve been typical of what Jim Rockford saw in his rear view mirror.
Not to be contrary…OK, TO be contrary…I’ll kiss your butt if that sled will turn a 13 second et in the 1/4.
Boy, I’m really glad I went back and read the story again! I see that it says “0-60 in 13 seconds”, not 13 second 1/4! I woulda really looked like the town idiot!
Ha! Whew, I dodged one there, Hank! Usually, it’s me who looks like the town idiot!
I owned a 4 door 76 in high school with the 351M. I replaced the Motorcraft carb with a Holley 2bbl and could get 18-19mpg on the highway. These cars had ridiculous tall gearing in back. Actually, good reliable cars.
Other than normal stuff, (tires, battery, brakes) the only thing I remember replacing was the water pump.
A 351M was built off the 400M engine block with different heads and a shorter stroke.
The 400M block was a 351 Cleveland engine block with a higher deck.
Parents had that identical car, ran forever, they only got rid of it because it got smashed in 1993! They drove it smashed almost a year. My parents were the type that drove the car in the ground. That car never wend in the ground…..driving and driving and driving. What a great car.
Actually Scotty the LTD was Barnaby Jones’s choice of ride. The television network CBS gave actor Buddy Ebsen a 73 LTD and going into the later season CBS gave Ebsen a 76 LTD “Brougham” with a factory sunroof into the end of the series. And you’re absolutely right, you just can’t help but think about those classic TV cop/private detective shows back in the days.The MeTV network has an overnight lineup of the old school P.I shows with Mannix, Cannon and Barnaby Jones. And how can we forget the big guy Frank Cannon and his taste for luxury cars like the Lincoln Mark IV Ha Ha!
I can’t remember seeing a two door 75-77 LTD, anywhere, since they were new. I had a ’75 LTD Bro’Ham 4 door with the 351M. Smooth riding and fairly quick for it’s size.
Boring with a capital B.
No, the Thunderbird shared a platform with the Lincoln Mark III from 68-71 (no Mark car in 67), the Lincoln Mark IV from 72-76, and the LTD II (the midsize car, which was the Torino in 76) from 77-79; while the LTD was on the standard full size Ford platform
Boring?
Maybe, but 17 posts says a lot.
Show me Exciting for $5,800.
Lots of “Exciting” for $5,800 (and its not sold for that price yet) but I’d rather buy Exciting for $5,800 and put a few grand into it to get it road worthy than to buy “boring”
“Plain”? With that fancy roof, full wheel covers, rocker molding, side molding, And wheel opening moldings? If it had whitewalls, there’d be nothing plain about it!
These are the kind of cars that other drivers would give
lots of room to,as they figured you had no insurance,&
didn’t care if you wrecked it(back when they were just-
old cars).
This car looks almost like the one I drove in high school except mine had a tan vinyl top. I even drove it a little at my first duty station in Ft. Rucker Al. I would love to have this car because the one I had (and now miss) was one of the best cars I have ever owned.
This car reminds me of the one I had in high school and my first duty station at Ft. Rucker only mine was a ’75 but the same color with a tan vinyl top. I would love to have this car because it was one of the best cars I ‘ve ever owned (along with the ’77 T-Bird).
This car had crank up-down windows. I love it. So old school.
Add swaybars, trans cooler, some decent rubber and roll.
This car was used in Nacho Libre, the manager of Ramses drove one, it was a shade of yellow and seemed to be in mint condition. I love the car and the movie.
The dual exhaust is not factory but I doubt it “kicks up the horsepower” any, if at all, lol. You don’t need dual exhaust when there’s not much to funnel out in the first place. It probably ran better with the single exhaust, if we’re being honest here.
The C-Code 460 Police Interceptor was the only iteration of these ’75-’78 Full-Sized Fords that would be worth owning, and they are like hen’s teeth. I’ve owned a few and all are in the hands of collectors at this point…and very nice.
Re: dual exhaust vs single exhaust. My mom had a new 64 Impala that I got my driver’s license in. Used it to tow my 40 Chevy race car to the drag strip. NHRA came out with a new class they called “pure stock”, and most guys just let their girlfriends drive their tow vehicle in the class while us “real racers” fooled with our race cars. But I got the rule book and did everything it said was legal to do to that Impala. That included swapping the original single exhaust on the 250hp/327 to factory duals. That swap was worth 2 tenths in the 1/4 mile. I won a lot more races with that 4 door Impala than I ever did with my D/Gasser!
Now these bumpers were made to actually…..bump into things.
And we did….we did !