Reader Ian C brought this “pristine” LTD to our attention. It has only 13,405 miles and is for sale here on craigslist in Afton, Virginia for $10,995. It is a two owner vehicle. New items include tires, battery, master cylinder, carburetor rebuild and a fresh oil change. This one has managed just under 300 miles per year!
The front of the 1971 and 1972 full size Ford carried the slight nose of the 1969 and 1970 Fords a little further, but not as far as Thunderbird did in 1970 and 1971. Bunkie Knudsen had come to Ford as president after years at General Motors and felt the need to incorporate a Pontiac look on the front of the full size Ford and Thunderbird. But by the time the 1971 and 1972 Fords were introduced, Bunkie was out.
What memories this car stirs up for me. The day I turned 15 1/2 (the age I was able to get my learner’s permit) my dad and I went to the Ford dealer and brought home the previous model year version of this, a 1971 LTD 2 door hardtop. That car eventually became mine and I drove it through two years of high school and four years of college. My friends were driving new Pintos, old Mustangs, and whatever old sedans mom and pop let them drive. I felt I was riding in style. It was the first 2 door hardtop my family ever had and my dad said it was sporty, but I disagreed with him and said it was formal luxury.
OK, take a look here, what’s missing? Air conditioning. Sure, air conditioning is nice to have in a classic car. However, I don’t know about you, but the lack of air conditioning would not keep me from buying a classic car if it was otherwise appealing. The period brocade seats don’t scream out a bold design like some other cars of this era did. These patterned seats are just subtle enough to look nice and they are in great condition.
This is a 351 Windsor V-8 engine which produced 153 hp. The engine compartment is as immaculate as the interior and exterior of the car. What is your take on this 1972 Ford LTD? Is it your style or do you prefer sportier models that Ford made. Would you tuck it in the garage and bring it out sparingly to keep the mileage low as the two owners have done?
Beautiful car, it had me at green!
My friends father had on of these in upstate NY, bought it brand new, 5 years later the rear bumper fell of because of rust. Rare car because of the bad steel ford used during this model year.
I disagree. I had a bunch of these cars during the late ’70’s and thru the 1980’s as well. I’m in Chicago with plenty of road salt in the winter months and high humidity in the summer months and the only time I had a rear bumper fall off was when my pristine looking ’72 LTD Brougham with every possible option available on it got backed over with a semi-trailer by a co-worker where I was working as a truck driver filling in for a guy on vacation on the night shift. I normally worked the day shift but this was extra money at night but The guy who backed over it totaled the car. He hit it on the right rear corner, buckling the rear 1/4 panel almost in half and ripping the rear bumper off from the frame but it was still attached on the driver’s side so a co-worker and I pulled it back up and secured it with some heavy duty rubber bungi-cords. I collected $1200 on the insurance, they totaled it out so I bought the car back from them for a dollar and drove the car that way for 6 months. I drove over a rough R/R track crossing and the frame finally broke completely in half where it was buckled right over the rear axle on the right side. The rear bumper was still attached on the driver’s side. The frame wasn’t rusty either anywhere, just split in half from the accident. BTW, The car had 75,000 original 2 owner miles on it and it was in the winter of 1990 when the semi truck backed over it. Pretty good for an 18 year old car in the salt capital of the country. It’s weird because the same thing happened to another car I was driving to work in, in 2009 working at a totally different company though that car pretty much just slid when hit so that one was repairable but I sold it right after the repair. That company paid on that one too so unless there is no other place to park, NEVER park your car where semi-trucks park, especially at night. DUHH !!! LOL !!! Unfortunately, I had no choice in the matter. That’s where I was told to park..
So sorry to hear of your loss. Sounds like the car of my dreams ! The last great body style of the Panther, IMO. Did it have the tail lights that went all the way across the rear bumper ?
Yeppers, tail lights all across the rear bumper. White with a burgundy brocade cloth interior, tilt, cruise, air, windows, locks, 50/50 highback power seats, power ant. rear window defroster. Everything but a moonroof. 365 H.P. 429 4 barrel with factory dual exhaust, 3:50 gears with towing package and factory hitch. It was a screamer, special-ordered car. Pi$$ed me off bigtime when their insurance company totaled it. I wanted it repaired. but they said it was too old and since the frame was cracked it would have cost too much to replace the frame. I did strip the car for parts eventually selling off most of the parts. Some stuff I kept for posterity. I got $1500 for the motor and trans. another $500 for the front clip. I kept the speedo and part of the dash, sold everything else piece by piece. Sad, so sad.
My first boss had one identical to this when it was new, As a 19 year old mechanics helper I was thrilled when he let me take it on parts runs, or to drive customers to home or work. Brings back fond memories.
My first car was a 72 ford LTD crap brown, I paid $400 for it and right away had to replace the cam barrings but drove that car all over then sold it to my dad.. I think I actually stumbled upon it by accident and have the opportunity to own it again although not in great shape but I don’t care, I lived that big old boat, took my driver’s test in it and had to parallel park that tank which wasn’t s problem but am positive it is actually the car I owned over 30 yrs ago! I’m waiting to hear back about previous owner info and if this one was mine I’m gonna do what I can to get it back and restore it!
What a beauty ! I was an apprentice body-man at a Ford dealer then (I was nineteen and it was my favorite job of all my years working ! ). So nice to see a survivor from those dark , rusty days at Ford . These were fabulous rides …….
No AC? So I’ll cruise it on mild evenings & dry winter days. Problem solved.
11k? My brother’s first car in 84 was a mint 72 brown ltd coupe he bought at a used car lot for $450. Never imagined these cars having this kind of value
I don’t think they do.
Points cost over $30 now?
My dad bought one of these in the winter of 1971 and was pleased with it. We lived on a dirt road and the following summer I noticed we were getting a lot of dust in the car. Once home, we popped the trunk. To our suprise the fender wells in the trunk were nearly gone. My Dad was born in 1908 and was no fan of Japan. This did nothing to improve that relationship. I never heard the end of that GD Japanese steel.
I don’t get it- my dad had a ’69 LTD, a ’72 Country Squire, and a ’74 LTD. None had rust problems of any sort, and he had them a lot longer than 2 years.
Without AC it would be nice to have power windows. It’s a beauty, for sure! I recently sold a 74 Buick LeSabre Luxus coupe with 26k miles and the 455. I love the big coupes!
Neat car!!!
Not sure how many of these are left, but this one is in amazing shape (and, when you only drive it 300 miles a year, you don’t the same environmental exposure as the ones that were daily drivers, which allows a cara of this vintage to be in such good shape…So, because this is a 1972 model year, it would be exempt from the DEQ/smog rules in metro Portland, OR…therefore, I would change the engine and make this thing a real sleeper. 150 some HP is not enough to move this tub in any meaningful way, but double that power and you could get this thing to jump a little…as a side note, and someone who grew-up with this Fords of this vintage, I have to admit that I think the brocade upholstery was as ugly back then as it is now…but seat covers can work wonders…too bad it is in VA…if it was here in the NW, I would show more interest…for the condition, the price is not bad. Good luck to whoever buys it—I think it could become a neat purchase.
The 1969 to 1974 Windsor blocks are considered to be far superior in strength than the later blocks, making these early units some of the strongest and most desirable in the entire SBF engine family including the 335-series. During the 1990s, motor enthusiasts were modifying 351 Cleveland 2V cylinder heads (by rerouting the coolant exit from the block surfaces to the intake manifold surfaces) for use in the 351W, resulting in the Clevor (combining Cleveland and Windsor). This modification required the use of custom pistons by reason of differing combustion chamber terrain (canted valves vs. straight valves) and intake manifolds. This combination yielded the horsepower potential of the 351C with the ruggedness of the 351W small block and was possible because more 351C 2V cylinder heads were manufactured than the corresponding engine blocks (the 351M and 400 used the same head as the 351C 2V).
Ah, the memories–the first car I recall riding in was my Dad’s ’72 LTD 2-door hardtop.
It was his first brand-new car, and it was rusted out by 1976.
The non-A/C ’71 and ’72 full-sized Fords had a remarkable ventilation system and are not horrible in the summer. The climate-system Vent setting delivers fan-forced outside air, bypassing the heater core to keep it as cool and fresh as possible. Additionally, the cowl vents pass a LOT of fresh outside air to the foot wells. When both the dash and cowl vent systems were in use, the car was tolerable on hot days.
I had a 1972 4 door by with 80,000 miles on it. This was 6 years ago and it was as mint as this in and out. It did have seat covers so upholstery was mint. It was nice and I still miss it.
I am a fan of the green on green cars from this era. It’s something we probably will never see again. This car also reminds how the base new car today comes with so many more options than they did back then. My nearly adult children have never been in a car that did not have AC, power windows or FM/CD. And I down buy the highest trim levels.
In the Midwest, these cars rusted from
the ground up. Frame rot got most of
them and that was a real shame. They
were some of the best looking cars of
the ’70’s. The problem with frame rot
started in ’65, when Ford did a complete
and very handsome restyle of the Galaxie
that year. When they switched to coil
springs in the rear of the car, that’s when
everything went downhill. Once the rust
monster started eating the frame, that
was all she wrote– when the panhard
rod rusted loose from the frame the
rear axle began pulling sideways which
caused the car to dog track down the road. All you could do is call the scrap
man and have him come get it as the car
was rendered unsafe to drive. That’s what happened to my late FIL’s ’67
Galaxie 4-door sedan. Oh sure, that
car looked sharp with its red and white
paintjob and dog dish hubcaps and
black interior. But the frame was so badly rusted that he had no choice
but to part it out and scrap the rest.
Broke my heart to tell him that the
sharp looking car he had just bought
was worth nothing. That’s why you
don’t see too many ’65-’79 Galaxies or
LTD’s at car shows these days. Even
when rustproofed, the outcome was the
same. Most of them were crushed.
First thing I’d look at would be the frame.
That way I’d know how time treated this
car and how much time I had to enjoy it
before sending it to that great freeway in
the sky.
That brings back memories. I looked at the interior and had a rush. Into 1970 I worked at a place that made steering wheel pads, arm rests and head rests for the major 3. Though I ended up working in the chem lab at the end before the Army, for a while I was a line inspector on those parts. That green was one of the hardest to get on color. The cover was a rotocast part and it was so touchy getting them to come out of the oven correctly as they discolored if everything wasn’t exactly right. I’d say at that time 30%-40% of them had to be painted to get a correct color match.
As far as the car goes, that’s a good looking example from the era. It was designed to cruise down the highway and should do the same today. Glad it didn’t turn into a lump of rust.
This thing has been bouncing ’round for a while – was 7 something last time I saw it – must be the last one like it ( if as described )
Granny, in the Lucas Oil ads, drives one of these.
I don’t need memories. I drive this same car as my daily driver, but mine is dark red.
Thank whoever, mine does have air, although it doesn’t blow very hard.
I just did a search on the Mecum auction site and the most one of these, hardtop, has ever sold for was $4500.00
Even the convertible version hovers around $7000.00 for a really nice one.
I’ve always had a thing for big two-door hardtops, not enough to own one and I don’t have the garage space this one would deserve.
No AC? Who cares? Roll all the windows down and drive like it’s 1972.
Brings back memories of my granddad’s Ford XL, sadly lost to the tin worm before I was old enough to drive.
My first boss had one just like this but in burgundy. I remember when he took me to lunch on my first day how quiet I thought the car was inside.
Nice condition but too bad it’s not a convertible or hardtop, that huge C-pillar irks me. Never liked “formal” roof lines on coupes.
It is a hardtop. What pillar are you talking about?
thats a real museum piece id be proud to drive
’71 – ’72 were my favorite body style. I believe that the ’72’s had tail lights going all the way across the back bumper. Today, I think that they would really look cool with LED’s. I believe that there were either 8 or 10 bulbs in that configuration. Beautiful car, but I would enjoy a few more options. Were these available with either buckets & console, or a 60/40 bench ? Love that brocade upholstery !
The ’71 LTD/LTD Brougham had tail lights all the way across. The ’72 had a reflector in the centre.
I always thought the best look for these cars would have been the ’72 front end paired with the ’71 rear treatment.
No buckets or console were offered with the ’72 LTD. The LTD Brougham did offer a High-Back Split Bench with passenger side recliner.
That brocade upholstery made it easy to slide in and out of the car, but didn’t hold up very well in our ’72.
That was the ’71 LTD.
I had a convertible ’71 back in the ’90s. I hooked up all the central lights to the brake lights so there could be no misunderstanding that I was stopping.
I think it looked great.
The ’72 just has two large lenses on either side of the bumper. The LTD models has a reflector between them.
I have seen a lot of convertibles with the buckets and the horse shoe shifter.
Bucket seats and console were an option for all ’71 Galaxie 500 and LTD coupes, which, except for fabric choices, had an identical interior to the ’72.
Installing buckets/console t from a ’71 would make a nice, OEM-looking conversion on a ’72.
I’ve only had one ride in one of these. It was after a gentleman hit me with it. We were kicking a puck down the road in the winter time and saw him coming from a long way off. We moved to the other side of the road, like way over where the cars park. Next thing you know we heard sliding and I got picked off. The guy looked scared *&^%less. He put me in the front and drove me the block home. Can’t say I liked the car or not. I remember it being big, but was in too much pain to pay attention otherwise.
Beautiful car.
Another missed opportunity by the seller to not photograph the car with all the windows rolled down.
A lot of people cannot even explain what the body style is with any specificity.
That’s what makes a hardtop, a hardtop: the unbroken expanse of open area between the A and C pillars. The look of a convertible with it’s top up. No B pillar.
The reason why convertible sales slowed to a trickle, as the popularity of AC rose.
GM even pressed a fake bow some of their hardtop roofs to simulate a convertible top to heighten the “convertible” look.
Had a 72 Country Sedan as a driver’s ed car and there were other 72 Fords, Coronets and a couple of Vegas.
The Quad Cities streets were filled with 72 full size Fords and Chevies.
My folks bought a 72 galaxie 500 4 door new, and i got the privilege of driving it in high school. Had the 400 2v but was still decently powerful. Dad detuned it by disconnecting the vacuum advance so id quit burning rubber.
Ours rusted badly in the inner wheelwell era, even at only 4 to 5 years old and at that gime road salt wasnt used here. Still remember the ride and sound of that car.
My second car was a ’72 Galaxie 4 door ex-State Police cruiser with a 429 PI. Awesome car with a terrifying top end! My next ’72 Galaxie which I’ve owned for 23 years (so far!) is a 2 door Galaxie 500 purchased from the original owner with 34,000 miles. 351 Windsor, FMX auto, vintage aftermarket air. Pretty much all original; interior, paint, chrome, stainless trim. I have done some upgrades adding an MSD billet aluminum distributor, Edelbrock Performer intake, Holley 600, dual exhaust with Flowmasters and chrome reverse wheels with Goodyear radials. Great highway cruiser, very comfortable with decent performance. Not many left these days, usually the only ’72 Galaxie at the shows I attend up here in the Northeast.
I’ll keep it and upgrade a little here and there over time but keep all the original parts so it can be put back to stock if so desired after I’m dead.
Uncle Buck wants his car back.