Full-size convertibles exuded an air of success, and Ford’s LTD combined style with upgraded trim and luxury-car features like cornering lights. That’s right; Mr. Big (or Ms. Big) is at the wheel. This fine-looking 1971 Ford LTD in Bel Air, Maryland, boasts a mighty 429 V8 and “starts easily, sounds awesome, and rides great,” according to the listing here on eBay. Make it yours just in time for warm weather with $22,900 and one click on Buy It Now, or try your luck with the Make offer button. These curious wheels mark the only notable deviation from stock on this shiny red rider. Thanks to reader Curvette for spotting this 429-powered drop-top.
While Ford built some wicked performance variants of the 429 cid (7.0L) V8, most found their way into luxury cars, station wagons, and pickup trucks. You can’t stop a big-inch mill from making torque, and that’s what you’ll feel most in this LTD. Though not restored, this engine shows replacement items and the sort of aftermarket air cleaner that nearly every ’70s V8 picked up in the ’80s or ’90s.
Flush door handles make an opulent touch from a time when most looked like they hadn’t changed since the ’30s. My family had a very similar LTD convertible when I was around eight to ten, in the same color combination, though ours lacked cornering lights and power windows. My mother hated driving it across our town’s narrow metal grate bridges. It was ponderous and wandered so she felt like she was using both lanes. One day my 400 lb door swung open as mom rounded a corner and and I thought I might die. I learned to use more of my scrawny muscles to be sure it was double-latched. During a top-down drive to my grandparents’ on 16 August 1977, the LTD’s radio informed us that The King, Elvis Presley, had been found dead in his home at the age of 42.
Power windows were an uncommon luxury item on a ’70s Ford. The LTD’s driver-centric dash makes a cockpit-like command module perfect for control freaks. Want a little more heat or a new radio station, Mr. or Ms. Passenger? Form a proper request for the Pilot’s consideration and they might accommodate. Careful when you leave this black vinyl baking in the sun. I still have marks seared into the back of my legs matching this upholstery from leaping into the LTD one August day.
Potential buyers should have few complaints regarding the undercarriage, and this honest-looking shot with replaced anti-sway bar end links, a repainted oil pan, and no obvious signs of heavy rust or chronic leaking tells a better story than something recently cleaned and slathered with chassis black paint. Overall this ride looks ready to enjoy. Use those handy buttons to roll down the windows, retract the power top, don some authority shades, and you’re looking stylish in the wind. Can you picture yourself cruising in this comfortable rag-top LTD?
Enjoyed the right up Fitch. Sounds like some wild family fun in your LTD. Love this one with the big motor.
Fun write-up Todd. Interesting that your family had a very similar LTD. This one appears to be in great shape. I think the original wheel covers would look better. Large-and-in-charge cruising awaits. The grandkids would love it.
I too remember where I was when the news broke that Elvis had died. In my case, I had my summer job Ford pickup pulled close to an oil field repair job I was doing so I could listen to the radio.
I remember when Elvis died too. My Mom and Sister were listening to the radio and had the tv turned on to learn about his passing. I remember right after he died, my Mom played every single Elvis record she owned. Every 45, every album. Funny the memories that get brought to the surface here isnt it?
-Dave
Was it 1975 when Elvis died? My father told me when I was in the garage. He made a joke about him being in the bathroom. Thirteen years later the same thing occurred to him. Now I’m older than when he passed by 4 years. I was thinking of that before I read this.
One of my mother’s older sisters was the biggest Elvis fan I knew. She had a bust him in her living room. I was bussing tables and preparing for close at the Nickerson Farms in town when a regular came in for pie and coffee. He shared the news. Aunt Cassie was the first person I thought of at that moment.
I couldn’t find any picture of our LTD except this one. That’s me in the stripes and my kid brother.
Look at that car seat!!! Now thats just the perfect picture of safety with a child in a really nice drop top full size Ford back in the 70’s!! With the top down nonetheless.
This is a great write up Todd. And nice to learn a bit more about your past with one of these. No wonder why you enjoy writing up cars!!
These cars were every where! The bumper-ettes never enhanced the clean lines on the these, nor those awful cornering lights. To have experienced one is to love one.
If that’s an original set of Motorwheel Spyders and not repops..those are worth close to 2k of the price :P My favourite custom wheel of all time.
Thanks, ThunderRob. I have never heard of these or seen them, at least not that I remember. Here is a link with some history. Much appreciated. https://www.hemmings.com/stories/motor-wheels-spyder/
IIRC, Motor wheel did a lot of OE wheels. Some steel wheels glued in plastic fancy centered stuff. Sometimes some excess glue seaped out to give you striped tires. I don’t remember them doing any alloy stuff. But definitely alot of steel wheel based “different” stuff. A close late friend of mine who used to work for Ford Motor in Dearborn really liked Motor Wheel products. I think he has a buddy that worked there.
I recall someone used these on their race car… a yellow Ford, I think. (Maverick?)
“Fast Eddie Schartman is a Spyder man.” was the tag line of Fast Eddie and his Boss 429 Mercury Comet Pro Stock featured in a Motor Wheel magazine ad back in the day.
They were pretty heavy wheels, I think he only used them for a year or so.
If you do a search for pictures, pretty rare to find the Spyders.
I was about to comment that those wheels are vintage Motorwheel Spyder wheels as well. Nice looking on the LTD didn’t know they were worth that much!
No A/C – fokturd.
Awe. Listen to you.
That dashboard is very similar to the 1969/70 Cadillac de Villes/Fleetwoods. They are great if you’re a control freak. (Guilty) 🤫
What i love about this era is both Ford and Chrysler had the deep recessed grills. Gm not so much, and we know now that they are not very aerodynamic but damn, they are stylish and sexy.
My best friend got married around 1974 and one of my jobs was to find the brides car and subsequent cars. After securing a Cadillac for the bride and groom the maid of honor and best man road in a 1971 LTD coupe. It was difficult because most full size cars back then were two doors and I really couldn’t find a couple of four doors. Unless I wanted to go mid-size or compact.
My 1971 Imperial was part of the procession and that, too, was a coupe.
Wow, I had one, what memories! I was the 3rd owner, the first owner owned the Ford dealer and I bought it from his friend. It was silver with a white interior and white top, and he ordered it right: PW, AC, Tilt, AMFM radio and that awesome 429, 4 bbl with dual exhaust, and it had the original ‘boot’ to cover the top. We ran the top down in the winter with the heat on and our Christmas tree in the back seat! A lot of fun and big power for such a heavy car. Thanks for the memories!
These are popular now because of the Burt Reynolds movie “White Lightning” using a 71 Galaxy 4 dr which always made me laugh when he described the engine and I quote “Good God would you look at that motor, 429 dual carburetors” when the actual engine showed was a 351 Cobrajet with a single 4 barrel carburetor. They showed o’l Burt going through the gears of a 4 speed manual and then put it in park when he got to his parents house and the roar of the engine dubbed in was a 68 440 Plymouth or Dodge engine since they sounded way tougher than any Ford motor under full throttle. This is a beautiful car with the perfect power train and I hope it finds a good home!
nice looking survivor. i would sell off those wheels to recoup some funds and put some 500 magnums on it. interior needs fresh carpet in big way. the big killer is no a/c in a black interior. the seller also seems to be doing a lot of yelling in his listing with all the cap letters,
Ford made a thicker front, and a rear sway bar for full sized in 71. A set should be located for this car. The difference in handling is noticeable. It’s a really nice car, and those special mags look at home on it.
I absolutely love the “Motor Wheel Spyder” wheels…made up the road in Akron at a Goodyear plant…in the 60s and again in the late 70s I had them on a couple muscle cars and a 27Ford Roadster
Elvis died 8/16/1977
I was off by two years, thanks. At my age sometimes I may remember numbers in terms of odd or even, in this case an odd one. So, it was 11 years later that my father died like Elvis. He was going to drive to my brother’s home in Detroit the next day for Thanksgiving. He had given my wife my $20 for a turkey, a lot back then. She bought the turkey, and instead, the family drove 400 miles east instead of west for his service.