If there was ever a more versatile 1970s TV show vehicle, I can’t think of one. This 1972 Ford Custom 500 4-Door Sedan in Medium Lime Metallic jumps out at me as being perfect for an undercover police car, a car that perps would have driven, or just a car on the street. The seller has this beauty posted here on craigslist in Lebanon, Oregon, and they’re asking $7,500 or best offer. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Curvette for the tip!
Oh boy, I just spent almost two hours on this one, and everything went away after the first paragraph. Sigh. I won’t get as detailed on this second round; my brain hurts. That’s a first for me, losing almost an entire post like that, dang. Ford made the Custom and Custom 500 from 1964 through 1981 in this round of the series. Only fleet customers got the Custom model after 1972 here in the U.S., but Canadian customers could buy the base Custom models through 1981.
The loop rear bumper is fantastic and is another reason to buy an early 1970s vehicle before bumper regulations. The interior of the trunk looks great, but would a Custom 500 have had a bare metal trunk, or would there have been some sort of cardboard, vinyl, or carpet liner of some sort? The seller says it could use a new vinyl top, and there are a few dings and some surface rust here and there.
The dash padmakes me think there’s an issue with the padded dash top, but maybe not. The seats look perfect, both front and rear, although the front seats appear to have been redone in a non-factory fabric. The back seat is great with that classic 70s fabric. This car has air-conditioning, and they say it works, which must mean that it blows cold air?
The engine is a Ford 351-cu.in. OHV V8 with 153 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque when new. Passing through a three-speed automatic to the rear wheels, they say it runs well, and everything on or in the car works except the radio, and the fuel gauge works intermittently. Maybe with 13 mpg, you don’t want to know how much gas you’re using. Any thoughts on this Custom 500?
I like your approach Scotty: indeed, this looks like a car which could be part of a number of 70’s television shows. The color is period-correct, and the lower-level Custom 500 trim gives it a no-nonsense look. Usually I like to see whitewalls on regular cars of this era, but the blackwalls fit fine here.
One could certainly do some upgrades, but it might just be fine as-is.
Be prepared for the “we had one like this when I was a kid” discussion wherever you stop.
Well. I was thinking of Burt Reynolds in White Lightning. Although his was a ’71 but it was a Custom 500 like this. In, of course……. Brown….But I agree with Scotty, this car would fit right in on any 70’s movie or TV show. Driven by either the good guys or the bad guys . And Like Bob said, the Custom 500 had a no nonsense look to them, and the blackwalls could very well have been original on these. The vinyl top might be a bit of a splurge on this one. It’s actually kind of nice to see one like this so well preserved. And I’m hoping it stays that way.
The Quinn Martin special…
Streets of San Francisco…BUDDY-BOY!
I can see Dirty Harry stepping out of this with his 44 magnum drawn.
I love base/near base models like these and I’m always curious about the original owner’s reasoning for going the cheap route. In 1972, this model was $3078 ($24,268 today) without options. The next model up (Galaxie 500) was $168 more ($1324). The vinyl roof was $113 ($890) and the air conditioning, a whopping $420 ($3311). So, by ordering the Custom 500, the buyer saved about $1300 bucks and missed out on some trim. Was it worth it? Somebody thought so.
(Thanks to Hans Tore Tangerud’s website for providing original price lists).
@Rosso
One answer to your question of why did the original owner order such a bare bones base model is because:
1) it’s less expensive up front
2) less power options, less to go wrong
3) easier to work on
4) he or she is just cheap
5) he or she is just broke but needed a reliable newer car
My father was #4. Then #2, 3 and 1
The brand new 1953 Chevrolet 150 he bought was like that and the new 1964 Ford Fairlane he ordered was even worse. On both cars the only options were a radio and heater. Even the engines were the smallest most basic.
He would never have an automatic transmission as they could break down. You don’t need power steering or brakes, just use a little muscle and power windows, door locks, seats, antenna, trunk are completely unnecessary as they could break.
This explains why just about every car I’ve ever owned were loaded to the hilt.
When we went to the Checker dealer in 1969 to order the new 1970 Checker Marathon, my mother and I demanded a few options.
First was a V8 engine with some power. Second was an automatic transmission. We also got power steering, power brakes, air conditioning (!) tinted windows, am/fm stereo and Whitehall tires with full disc hubcaps.
For my father to actually order a car like that was nothing short of amazing. Power windows and locks were still out of the question but things were improving in his old age.