Looking like a scene right out of a 1970s Quinn Martin Production, this 1973 Ford LTD sedan appears to be patiently waiting for the trench coat-wearing detective to come back with news about the perp he was chasing down. Although I think a detective would have had a Custom 500 without a vinyl top. The seller has this very cool LTD posted here on craigslist in Chicago, Illinois and they’re asking $10,000. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Rocco B. for the tip!
I thought the asking price was $8,000 when I started this one last night, but now it’s $10,000. I figured $8,000 would get a few negative comments about how they didn’t cost that much new, which, of course, it didn’t because that’s $57,000 today. But $10,000 is $71,500 today, so that’s even more painful. This car looks good, but… Wait, I just looked again and now it comes up as $8,000?! My brain hurts. Either way, it’s a lot of money for a four-door pillared LTD sedan with some rust. For the record, Ford really did name this car a “4-door Pillared Hardtop“, even though the addition of a B-pillar would seem to negate the use of the term hardtop, wouldn’t it? The clincher is that even the Pillared Hardtop used frameless side glass, making the B-pillar very thin.
In looking at the front end, it appears that there’s more than a bit of work to do if a person wanted to have the nicest LTD in town. The hood ornament is missing, there are many blotches or other paint issues, and the front bumper is showing some rust. It looks like such a nice car in the overall photos, it’s a shame to see this, but maybe it just makes it easier to drive it without being afraid of using a perfect car.
The rear portion of this LTD has similar paint and bumper issues. It’s so hard to tell the true condition from overall photos, so it’s great that the seller has included these photos. I tend to believe sellers more when they show issues like this rather than hiding them. The second-generation LTD was made from 1968 for the 1969 model year until 1978 with many changes during that time.
The blackwall tires make me think of a police detective car, or better yet, a private eye. I’m not sure if Buddy Ebsen would have agreed to drive a Bright Green Gold Metallic-colored four-door sedan as Barnaby Jones, but this could have been a rental while he was out of town on a case. The seller points out some rust on the bottom edges, and you can see some of it in the photos. It appears to be freshly washed, as evidenced by the dripping perimeter on the pavement. Dang, I should have been a private eye.
The Medium Green brocade cloth and vinyl bench seat is ripped in many places, both on the seat bottom and the seat back. We don’t see a full view of the rear seat but the seat back looks perfect from what we can see of it. We don’t get a photo of the trunk or any underside photos and I’d want to see those.
In a break from craigslist tradition, the seller has included a whopping seven engine photos! You can see the amount of surface rust in the photo above, and some detailing would have made a big difference here. It’s Ford’s 351-cu.in. OHV V8 with 156 horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque when new. It’s backed by a three-speed automatic and the seller replaced the intake manifold and valve cover gaskets, along with changing the alternator, regulator, distributor, belts, and hoses. They’ve cleaned the gas tank and flushed the transmission and added a new seal and gasket and they say it starts and drives fine. How much would you pay for this LTD?
I still remember the booming announcer’s voice proudly exclaiming “A Quinn Martin Production”. Thanks Scotty, good memories for a Monday morning.
Erskine drove at least 4 iterations of the LTD! Though this one is my least favorite.
I still remember the booming announcer’s voice proudly exclaiming “A Quinn Martin Production”. Thanks Scotty, good memories for a Monday morning.
Fun write-up Scotty. It indeed looks like a Quinn Martin show, right down to the one-way-city-street location. It also reminds me of my driver’s education car, though I think mine was a 1973 Galaxie 500. Sounds like the car has had several mechanical updates. Fresh whitewalls would spice up the look.
Could be a fun cruiser as-is, or maybe even keep improving it (e.g. upholstery).
If you’re reading this, Howard A, you’ll see we all fight with the Net gremlins, including Scotty G, judging by his comment RE: the price of this thing..
Haven’t seen any postings from Howard here for quite awhile.
Can’t remember the last time I saw an LTD of this vintage on the road.
*The Streets of North Chicago * maybe North Glenwood? The Ford Sure looks like Michael Douglas should be driving it with Karl Malden though San Francisco! As older TV shows are revisited, we could use another *Quinn Martin Production* 🤔 The New Streets of San Francisco? 🤔.IMO way too many game and so called reality shows flood the air! BTW, FMC provided vehicles to *Streets* and DYNASTY for Promotional Consideration. A typical advertising gimmick for many shows! How many others can you identify?
Hey Rick, a step down for you to comment on just a Ford, eh? Lol! Well, Barnaby Jones comes to mind, along with, in later shows, Jedediah, his eager son-in-law sidekick. And don’t forget the fetching Lee Meriweather.
Speaking of step downs, this car is definitely a step down for ‘ol Barnaby, since he always drove LTDs, & in later years, it had cornering lights.
Not TV shows, but the early James Bond movies had one car make featured, usually Fords.
This one needs lots of work, the rusty chrome bumpers suggesting this one sat outside for a good share of it’s life. I never read the ad, but I’d also have to see the underside, too. Meh.
Hey Jon 👋. I’m still here, but health keeps me rolling further down the hill. Actually I had a 72 LTD convert and 89 Crown Victoria LX with optional formal roof. I loved both, the 89 was almost like a drive yourself LIMO. Probably, like you and others, I have photos of all my cars. I’ve often thought of à book. These Are The Cars of Our Lives. 🤣. Like the song says *Smile and Maybe tomorrow you’ll see the 🌞 shining through *BTW, Andy Griffiths Matlock drove Crown Vics. Commissioner MacMillan drove or was chauffeured in Imperials, Town Cars, and a Cadillac Limo.
If nausea were a color…..
The seller is in the car, on a stake-out. He’s looking for a guy who’ll show up with 10 grand in a briefcase. It will be a very long wait.
I lived in Chicago and can’t imagine the hassle of on-street parking with a car that size.
The seller has dropped the price to $8,000, after a few more reductions he might be in the ballpark.
Unfortunately, the car has a lot if little issues, rust on several doors and behind the rear wheels, bumpers, lots of imperfections in the paint, fabric on the seats look to be dry rotted. This car is in the segment if the market where price and condition tends to dictate buyers decisions rather than passion, there are better better value.
Steve R
Winter beater quality car at pristine original car price.
I can hear the seller say “yes honey, it’s for sale. I don’t know why it hasn’t sold yet”.
Winter beater quality car at pristine original car price.
I can hear the seller say “yes honey, it’s for sale. I don’t know why it hasn’t sold yet”.
The rust would scare me from this Ford. Additionally, this car is a pretty typical car from the early 1970s. It’s full size, vinyl roof, power, steering, power, brakes, automatic transmission, air conditioning, radio and that’s about it. I’m pretty spoiled today because I really insist on power windows and power door locks. The car salesman used to say you don’t need those things because if you fell into a river that the power windows wouldn’t work and that you would drown. Funny! I’ll take my chances
way too much $. you really got want this to pay the price.2500.00 most
My first car in 1977 was a 73 powder blue one.
My buddies and I had a great time cruising around the streets of Detroit in that tank!
Lots of these in and around our town way back when. By ’73 the LTD was more of a volume model to compete with the Fury III and Impala. I liked the reference but nobody is going u/c with that color.
I had a 1975 LTD with a 351 modified. PURE GARBAGE, worst car I ever owned, next to a 1987 Oldsmobile Delta 88.
I wonder what Micheal Douglas would be considering if he had seen this ad.
Back in the day that pallet of colors were common.
And the price of gas was so high because of the oil embargo, Jimmy Carter, a lot of them got scrapped out, and many bought the smaller cars.
My folks ditched the full sized vehicles by 79. They kept the personalized plates, because of the odd even days.
Not being political; it is the history I lived.