I was at a car show in Pennsylvania recently and spotted a gorgeously restored 1955 Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria in Tropical Rose and Snowshoe White. It was the first year for the Crown Victoria and with its lower silhouette, Thunderbird-inspired styling, colorful two-toned exteriors and interiors, and its distinctive “Crown of Chrome,” you could see why Ford touted the new Crown Vic as “the style setter of the hardtops.” It was one stunning car. Fast forward 29 years later to 1984, and the Crown Victoria was still around. There were hints of the original ’55 with an 80’s version of a “roof crown,” two doors were still available (along with a 4-door sedan and station wagon), and it was powered by a V8. But you won’t hear the words “style setter” or “low silhouette” thrown around to describe the ’84 Crown Victoria. It was a boxy, squarish, cushy (and durable) full-sized luxury liner. You didn’t see many of the 2-door sedans on the road when these were new (only 12,522 were sold in 1984), and here’s your chance to get a one-owner, “like-new” time capsule with only 24,000 documented miles. It’s lived in San Diego, California all of its life and is for sale here on eBay. As I’m writing this, 23 bids have been submitted, but the $6,325 highest bid hasn’t met the seller’s reserve.
Kudos to the dealer on the photo front. The stylish photos of the Crown Vic parked in front of a beautiful, columnated museum looks like something straight out of a slick color sales brochure. The dealer says this is a one-owner West Coast car from an estate sale. It was purchased new by a local couple as a retirement gift to each other and they are both now deceased. The overall original condition of the car is impressive. It’s obviously been garage kept, pampered, and well taken care of. The original Midnight Blue Metallic factory paint has a glossy finish and looks great with the white pin striping and all of the trim that made up Ford’s flagship model. The dealer describes the Crown Vic as “rust and accident free and always garage kept.” The photos definitely seem to back up that claim.
Ford described the roof as a “Padded rear half vinyl roof with brushed aluminum wrapper molding.” That’s a mouthful. I guess “Crown of Brushed Aluminum” didn’t have the same sizzle as the ’55’s “Crown of Chrome,” but it’s a crown nonetheless. Unlike many 39-year-old vinyl tops, it looks like new and doesn’t show any sun damage or other flaws. The car’s chrome, bumper guards, glass, lenses, trim, badging, new tires, and wire wheel covers all get an A grade in my book.
If you like floating down the road in a quiet, comfy, crushed velour interior that oozes 80’s luxury and convenience, this car’s for you. Its Midnight Blue interior is nearly flawless. The Crown Vic came from the factory with 6-way power seats (both sides), power windows, locks, and antenna, air conditioning (which has a new compressor with modern freon upgrade), tilt wheel, vent windows, rear window defroster, and a premium AM/FM stereo radio with cassette tape player sound system. And, no 80’s car is complete without a tasteful dose of faux wood on the instrument panel and steering wheel hub. Those lush, plush blue velour seats really do look inviting.
Ford’s LTD Crown Victoria only came with a 5.0 liter (302-cubic inch) electronic fuel-injected V8 engine option in 1984. It’s clean and tidy and looks like an engine with only 24,000 miles on the clock. It’s mated to a smooth-shifting automatic overdrive transmission. The dealer claims that the Crown Vic “runs and drives as new; what one would expect from a low-mileage example.” This is an impressive original time capsule. I hope the second owner will pamper and protect it as well as the first owner.
Ron, I can confirm that those seats ARE very inviting. I had a 84 four door crown vic with this same interior. Made several 7 hour one way trips to the in-laws and maintained a constant 23 mpg. Would absolutely love to own this.
Gorgeous LTD Bob, great pillowy seats, practically a Lincoln w all the luxury appointments. Class and comfort here from Ford.
Very nice car. Many miles remain for its lucky new owner.
I think Ford called it CFI. Central Fuel Injection. It wasn’t around long. Then they went to bank fired multiport, then sequential injection.
I don’t think this ’84 is fuel injected.
It’s throttle body, my 84 had it.
Had a 91 four door, white with red inside. Same interior seat design. Loved it for highway trips. Had the multi port 5.0 that i added the factory dual exhaust with some Dynomax mufflers and bumped the timing to 12 degrees over the stock 10. Had it for 6 years up to 250000 km’ s before the rocker panels and floors gave way to rust here in Montreal. Gas guzzler in town but very thrifty on highway, loved it so much when it died in 2006 i traded for a 95 mgm that i kept until 2017
I had a white 84 doctor owned it traded it in I bought it it had a351 winsor with dual ex.
Photographed at the Vatican or only driven to church on Sundays?
This one is indeed a cream puff.
Oh so very nice, and going to be a bargain for some family that is not willing to pay $30K for a 3 yr old small SUV with 25,000 miles.
Good Luck!
Pretty nice indeed. I only lament that I fear some person got sick and later died before they could enjoy driving it more. This is a new retirement gift to ones self circa 1984, so 39 years later, they are either here, or not. Either way, not driving. Now, before I hear all sorts of comments that story was nowhere near the write up and it has to be made up……it is children. Just pondering with my overly large brain why such a pedestrian car only has these miles after almost 4 decades.
Excellent Crown Vic. The option list on the Marti Report goes on and on. A terrific example of a type of car which barely exists in today’s new car landscape. Not all the features available on a new car, but otherwise you would have no trouble keeping up with traffic and doing it in quiet and comfort.
Better that it doesn’t have all the new car “features”. That way it’s not a 5G phone on wheels and you get to do ALL the driving.
I always liked full size luxury Detriot iron & this car is definitely on my A list especially in such nice shape. If I ever get tired of hiking my old ass up into my truck I hope a sweetheart car like this is available to lower my butt down into lol & no I’m not driving anything that isn’t rear wheel drive or doesn’t have a V8. Im not saying I wouldn’t drive a C3 with a big block but then you need a winch to get out!
Never gave these a second thought when I was 23. Now at 62 I’d love to see a current day iteration of these American luxo barges available at the dealerships. Time capsules like this deserve to be preserved.
My first impulse is to compare the old LTDs to the Mohs Ostentatienne Opera Sedan and Safarikar, even though they were based on IH trucks. No offense to anyone who really likes these cars but I envision the market back in 1984 to consist of guys wearing plaid sports coats with tab collar white shirts and skinny ties. They still used Brylcreem and dated women with elaborate bouffant hairdos. You might encounter them down at the Antelope Club discussing libertarian ideas and lamenting that the ’80s couldn’t be the ’50s.
On the other hand that interior is to die for regardless of the bawdy house modern vibe. It just looks so comfy and a guilty pleasure for sure.
1984 was during the death throes of the luxo barges which had become caricatures of the truly great American automobiles of the late ’50s to early ’70s. The nicest thing to happen in 1984 in particular was the advent of the C4 Corvette which almost singlehandedly launched the modern performance car era.
“Crown Vic” reached its zenith in the ’90s with the omnipresent P71s that later became the omnipresent taxi fleets and are now the very popular “Ford Division” race cars at local ovals across the midwest. Thanks to the nearly indestructible 4.6 V8 they’ve even become favored at the 24 Hours of LeMons events.
So to come full circle this car’s DNA permeates one of Ford’s most iconic products. I wouldn’t buy it but I can’t deny its fundamental appeal. It’s one of those things that makes you proud to be an American.
Neat car in really nice shape, I hope it finds a good home where it’s preserved and enjoyed.
Not to be a Debbie Downer here but this car is NOT fuel injected. Fuel Injection came out in 1985/1986 on the 302cuin engines by Ford
Sorry but you are incorrect Debby, it is fuel injected. Look at the module on the distributor for your first clue. It wasn’t the greatest f.i.set up but it was better than the vv carb.I had a twin to this car but black with Grey leather. I’d Love to own this car.
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Also, if you look at the badge on the front fenders, it says,”Electronic Fuel Injection”. I had an ’83, an ’84, and an ’85. All had the throttle body injection, and carboned up EGR valves. Loved them, though. The ’85 went 300k miles.
Absolutely beautiful LTD. I’d love to have it. The fact it lived it’s life in a salt free fryer climate is awesome. I would have to believe it’s worth more than the current bids. Enjoy to whom ever buys this gorgeous FORD
The Crown Vic had CFI throttle body fuel injection from ‘83-‘85. In ‘86, they had multi port, batch fire injection.
I had a 1985 Grand Marquis two-tone Gold and Yellow, with the turbine wheels very similar to this. Loved the car, but those dang seatbelts would always twist into the side panels and would never retract! that left them always dangling and getting caught in the doors when you close them. That used to drive me crazy!
I had an 88 Crown Vic that was still a nice car but it handled not so good and things were starting to fail. Like windows and such. In 2012 i got my dad’s 04 Grand Marquis The AC is out and the dash doors are messed up but otherwise it’s still a champ. and what an improvement it is. With 220 plus thousand miles it still runs and handles great. I am 70 now and i’ve considered restoring it and driving it until i’m gone.
Cream Puff aptly describes this car. If I was in the market to replace my current DD; I’d be all over this. I think the two of us would look pretty good together. Seriously, if you can get this in your garage for under 10K you’d be doing well IMO. Sure hope it finds a new owner to pamper it like the previous owners did. GLWTS.
Why does it feel like every time I got out of this car, people would address me as “Father”?
Use it to your advantage.
The ’79-91 Crown vic/LTD cars were solid dependable cars, with the exception of the early carburetor problems with the “variable venturi” nightmare carbs. Also, the 5 cent plastic clip that ford used on their shift cables would break, and you’d burn out the overdrive in about 30 seconds.
I liked the ’88-’91 front/rear redesign. It really freshened them up. Also the ’90-’91 cars redesigned the dash for air bags and it helped the look of 11 year old dash design.
I hate to inform everyone. This is not a 5 litre . It’s a 4.9.