Handsome in tuxedo black set off by chrome and white wall tires, this 1977 Ford LTD 2-Door Pillared Hardtop in Franklin, Ohio spent most of its life in the care of one family. The seller describes an almost completely original turn-key classic with 400 V8, air conditioning, and only about 51,000 miles on the odometer. The roomy two-door goes to the highest bidder in a No Reserve auction here on eBay. At least nine bidders picture themselves floating down the road in this classy LTD, driving its market value above $9500 as we go to print.
I owned a ’78 Pontiac in this color scheme and the contrast of deep red and formal black never failed to draw compliments. Original paint and interior (according to the seller) may not be perfect, but would hardly warrant complaints compared to any five year-old Ohio driver. Rocker plugs suggest Ziebart or dealer rust-proofing, a common rust-belt add-on in the ’70s.
While not as fancy as the LTD Landau, this LTD features the optional half-vinyl roof and more trim than the entry-level Custom 500. Thanks to Lov2xlr8 for some details.
Like its middle trim-level, this well-kept classic features the two-barrel 400 cid (6.6L) V8, an option between the standard 351 and the mighty 460. The 400 evolved from the 351 M, and the stroked Modified motivated trucks and large cars calling for torque and minimal excitement. Rarely tweaked for performance, the 400 served daily duty well and should feel more than adequate for comfortable cruising.
Air conditioning marks the primary upgrade on this LTD, with power steering and brakes standard. Crank windows may seem odd today but were preferred as “one less thing to go wrong” in the Carter era. Would you take a chance on this classy LTD?
She’s a rare beauty. And if the car is as good in person, as it is in the pictures? It’s worth the money. But I remember, back in the late 90’s, some poor guy trying to get his late 70’s LTD into a large local cruise in. The club in charge wouldn’t let him into the lot! “No everyday drivers,” was the reason. Times they are a changin’.
Sweet,
had a 78″ ex GA State Patrol Car, 460, 140mph Speedometer (because you knew cars would go as fast as the Speedometer)
Engine was “De-tuned” with less HP than my 2003 Crown Vic, but,,
umm, what’s the best way to say it,
even in the 90’s, there weren’t many around anymore.
I’d take it to the Ford Dealer for routine maintenance and they’d shake their heads…(don’t like the Dealers)
Frank
I had a 77 LTD station wagon, it was like driving a boat. It had incredible storage. Full 4×8 plywood and a storage compartment. The tailgate opened two ways, down and sideways. It was like a pickup with a roof.
I had a 79 ltd station wagon
Beautiful car!!!!! 👍
“Barnaby Jones” , starring Buddy Ebsen aka Jed Clampett drove one of these, and that little old man could really wheel it around when necessary. Love those crank windows.
My mom had a ’78 hardtop, sky blue with a navy vinyl top and dark blue pleather interior. Even with the 351M, it was a great highway flier. Big, smooth and just ever-so-slightly floaty. I think I remember Hugh Downs calling it “road-hugging weight.”
The 351M evolved from the 400, which itself evolved from the 351C.
http://grantorinosport.org/bubbaf250/history/history03.html
So many different theories about the letter M, ” Modified ” being the most popular. Others say it was just a letter designation.
1. This car already had factory intermittent windshield wipers, which I didn’t think even became available as an option until the early 90s! Obviously I am wrong, however.
2. What’s wrong with that front bumper, it looks like it is very loose on the driver side?
3. Are those factory spoked wheel covers, or are they after-market? I don’t recall ever seeing those on *any* Ford, Lincoln, or Mercury of that era, unless they weren’t original. But again, I could easily be wrong here.
4. Looks like it has an optional right hand mirror, adjustable by the driver. I believe those were fairly rare in that era.
5. OMG those horrendous after-market door speakers are HORRENDOUS. I simply cannot believe they cut into those doors to install them, whoever did that deflated the value of this car quite drastically in my opinion.
6. Didn’t the LTDs of that era have the hide-away headlights, or were those only on the Mercurys?
Had a ’65 Comet Calente that had intermittent wipers as standard equip
Guys put aftermarket speakers in their cars because there was this thing called “stereo”, which required two(2) speakers. And some cars came from the factory with AM radio’s and one speaker. If one wanted to listen to any music that was released from around, say, 1968 on? And have good stereo sound? You added speakers.
Intermittent wipers were patent in the late 1960s there was a movie about it. I just cant remember it’s name. Ford was one of the first that took interest in them and then rejected them and developed them on their own. Ford was then taken to court and lost. Ford argued that it was just a series of relays and transistors that already existed. Defence reply was to start reading Shakespeare. Ford objected irrelevant, but defence argued that if you were to copy Shakespeare’s words and say they were yours you were plagiarizing and violating copy-write laws.
Ruling in favour of the defence, case closed.
If Ford lost, how did the intermittent wipers option end up on this ’77 Ford LTD? I don’t remember these being a widely offered option until the 90s or so, maybe late 80s.
Repost of a 1990 lawsuit article. https://www.autonews.com/article/20081002/ZZZ_SPECIAL/810029938/delayed-wiper-inventor-wins-suit-against-ford
Ford ended paying him 10.4 million. They offered 30 and he turned it down. Jury awarded him 5.3 Ford came back with th 10.4 . He took it
Check out https://www.dennis-kearns.com/the-movie/ The true story behind the intermittent wipers. Also https://www.autonews.com/article/20081002/ZZZ_SPECIAL/810029938/delayed-wiper-inventor-wins-suit-against-ford .
Maybe those are aftermarket speakers, but I think Ford put their front speakers in the doors at the factory back then.
I had to go look at the ebay ad to see those “horrendous” door speakers!! By “horrendous” standards, I’d have to say they don’t even make the “horrendous scale”…. especially given the “horrendous” options available at the time!! 😂. They barely protrude an inch and given the importance for door speakers in a decent stereo system, I’d leave em there. Now, giving you a little credit, do those translate to “good taste” today? Nah! But I’d certainly mount new speakers further into the door (space permitting) and cover with flush mounted speaker screens or some sort. Color matching if possible. Benefit of the doubt to Ben: given the relative pristine condition of this car, I guess one might be reduced to door speaker holes!! 😂.
It’s not the speakers themselves that are horrendous, but the way they cut into the doors (and possibly the dash) to install them. As the old saying goes, it’s only original once.
Abe, I did a bit of brochure research.
The wire wheel covers look to be factory options.
This is a base model LTD, which has exposed headlights. The upscale LTD Landau had hidden headlights.
Nice car, would be a great cruiser.
Bob thanks for your reply, that makes perfect sense!
Never liked the window in the “C” pillar. Ford did it to all the BIG Cars back then.. I took care of the BLIND SPOT but looked …………
Wish my front porch was as big as those bumpers . . .
Dad had a 76 all dark red LTD Crown brougham (??) Sure I missed spelled that . I think it was one below the crown vic. We loved that car.came with a 8 track player and a demo 8 track “FORDS MUSUC ON THE MOVE” I think the hide away head lights were either an option or only on the landau edition. Those are usually seen with fender skirts too. Getting a tad gawdy at that point in my humble opinon. But each to their own. I love this one
we had a four door ’76, but mom totaled it on slick winter roads. Dad then got a ’78. To say these are boats is an understatement. But all big luxury cars were in that era. Doesn’t matter the manufacturer.
I had a 75 LTD 4 door I paid 200$ for in 1988 drove it until it died in 1991. Found a 77 LTD 4 door with 71k on it, perfect interior but it had a hole in the gas tank, paid 100$ for it. Took the tank off the 75, sold it for scrap and got my 100$, out the tank on the 77 and did masonry work out it for a few years. The trunk would hold a wheelbarrow with no problem, but I eventually cut the roof off behind the front seat, cut the trunk out and made a “pickup” out of it complete with wooden bed and bulkhead. Sold it a few years later for 200$.
I miss those days….
WOW I could drive that .Really well preserved
Wow, cool ol’ boat. As a pretty dumb young guy back in the late 70’s, I neglected to properly look over, or under, a 1974 LTD before I bought it. It definitely could have used a Ziebart or Rusty Jones treatment when new, as shortly after buying it I went to change a flat tire and the rear bumper twisted up and almost off when using the bumper jack.
This is neat but only because it’s so clean. I had a 78 LTD Landau 4 door with a 302 2bbl and it was pitifully underpowered, hopefully the 400 in this one is better at getting out of it’s own way. Those hideaway headlights were notorious for not working well, and most people just disconnected them and left them open all the time, and that is what I had to do.