The LTD II Sports Appearance Package added the flashy white letter tires and Magnum 500 wheels seen here, along with the special stripe graphics. There was also a Sports Touring Package on the regular LTD II with two-tone paint and other goodies. The seller has this 1979 Ford LTD II posted here on craigslist in Chesapeake, Virginia and they’re asking $7,950. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Rocco B. for sending in this tip!
The Sports Appearance Package, as the name suggests, didn’t add any go-fast goodies or anything other than giving the LTD II a sporty look. I have a vehicle with 500 horsepower but I don’t need that much. I just like unusual vehicles that I can sit and look at (hey, I lead an exciting life), or ones that I enjoy seeing when I leave a store and see it at the other end of the parking lot. This is one of those cars. I’m weird but I bet there are others out there who own vehicles that they just like the looks of, whether they’re stoplight champs or not.
Ford made the LTD II for three short model years, 1977, 1978, and 1979. Its resemblance to the Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar is unmistakable but it was a really interesting model on its own, back when car makers would offer a model for just a few years, unlike today. Unless you can think of a current vehicle model that was made for just three years? I probably could if I cared about new vehicles more than I do, which is less than zero.
The Rossano Cloth front seat looks fairly dirty in the photos but it appears to be in nice condition otherwise. There’s a crack on the padded dash but I don’t see any huge and glaring issues inside. Well, a pretty rusty automatic column gear selector is concerning. I’d want to see some underside photos given this car’s location and that rusty column shifter. And, there appears to be some cracking in the panel on the left rear side of the interior.
Kudos to the seller for providing not just one engine photo but three! That’s unheard of in the craigslist world. This one has the base engine, Ford’s 302-cu.in. OHV V8, which was rated at 132 horsepower and 238 lb-ft of torque. It sends power through a Cruise-O-Matic transmission to the rear wheels and the seller says it has headers, dual exhaust, new tires, and it runs great. Any thoughts on this LTD II?
I always kind of liked these, recognizing that they were just a trim package. But the combination of stripes, white letter tires, and styled wheels brought a bit of sportiness to this big coupe.
Not a perfect example but not bad. Could be a decent cruiser.
I used to think that these were silly stickered-up boats. Seeing one now, in this shape is interesting. Maybe everything with Magnum 500’s can look good, but I agree, Bob, could be a unique cruiser for someone.
I’m walking up on our local Friday afternoon car show at Wal-Mart during the summer, looking down the line I see all the Camaros, GTO’s and Mustangs. I see the nose of this thing sticking out. It’s the one I walk down the line to see. The town I lived in (1970’s) had four door versions of these for police cars, they were yellow, we called them banana boats. What they did have was the earliest use of strobe lights for emergency lights I know of. I f the underside is OK, with a bit of detailing too this would be a great summer car.
Always liked these probably the Starskyish stripe, like the black ones better but nothing wrong with any color.
The seats and the shift lever may be signs that this car has been through some kind of water event. I’d proceed with great caution.
I agree with you, the seats look like they maybe wet and not necessarily dirty. I also thought that the carpet in one spot might be wet. I do think it looks great form the outside but there’s just a couple things in the pictures that could be concerning. Such a nice car, I’m also surprised it don’t have A/C.
Maybe a sweaty driver! , build that motor to more HP. Looks great. Looks like a dodge magnum if nose was flatter.
1st ex wife had one just like it a brazzilion years ago. Absolutely floated down the freeway. No spirited driving in that with the aircraft carrier hood and way to over assisted power steering there was no way to know for sure which way the front wheels were pointed.
Given the quality of American cars in the late 1970’s, the shifter could just have a poor quality chrome job (or paint). I would have a look under the dash and see what shape the dash structure and brake pedal and brackets are in.
After years of anti-malaise sentiments it warms my heart to know that some people actually appreciate these cars. Over styled? Excessive size? Brown, gold and green? Yes, and more. No, they don’t win pinks but they can compete if you don’t break out of your bracket. They run on most any grade of fuel and are still pretty easy to keep on the road.
Manufacturers made cars for all customers. Some are just appearance packages and it is still a thing today. SRT appearance on modern Chargers just like regular fuel 2bbl 442s and GTOs in 67-8(?). Everyone deserves to drive the car that pleases them.
FoMoCo milked that horribly handling design (Torino,tbird, elite, mercury equivalents) . Sharp looking front end and it stops there. I am a ford guy but these were horrible driving cars. The LTD (Barnaby jones model)handled better and were better designed.
Nice to look at, but pitifully underpowered, and no A/C, make this a no for me.
I had one similar. Same red exterior with red cloth interior. I had a white landau top and a sunroof. Along with wire wheel covers with matching red center cap. It was a beautiful car. Mine had a/c and power windows and seat. Incredibly smooth ride and woefully under-powered. One of the last big cruisers.
I went to high school with a guy whose father had one in this exact scheme, even the wheels. Theirs was either a 351 or 400 m and had ac. His dad had over 200,000 miles on it when he got rid of it in our 12th grade year. Enduro and general dislike by the late 80s sent thousands to their death. It is nice to see a few survivors. These cars drove nice and in today’s world are a breeze to maintain. As with all cars rust and hard parts, I. E. sheet metal can be a challenge as few are left in yards or lying about.
The rusty gear lever doesn’t bother me as the rest if the interior doesn’t suffer from it. Nothing some metal polish & elbow grease wouldn’t improve.
I’d be more concerned about the under bonnet wiring on the passenger side.
I had owned one of these in high school. My parents must have thought it was a good compromise for me. Sporty and large. Mine was a black 1978 with white stripes with beige interior with a console and buckets. Had a 351. After the 100k mark the engine was smoking pretty bad and not enough cash to fix it. All of my friends really liked that car. Could take the whole gang in style. Was traded for an 87 mustang. I hope the person who got I preserved it. My Dad tough me defensive driving with it. Going in quick circles till it fell out of the circle and quick reverse dining into the opposite direction. It handled a lot better than its looks. Miss that car….
I had one mine had t-tops and a built 71 351c in (about 4-450hp with the 100 shot nos ) and for first car at age 16 and from a small town not a car in school or the three towns around could touch it Thanks to a dad who loved speed and helped me well ok taught me how to build a motor and car N50-15’s in rear and ladder bars to stop the wheel hope car hauled and would hit 140-150 quick and easy.
I had one in the late 80s. This one is weird because it has extras on the outside like the bumper group and cornering lights but super plain on the inside with no ac. I would love to find one in near perfect condition and loaded.
The same seller that is selling the 75 Cordoba. He seems to like the $7950 price for his cars. I like that price too. Happy New Year to the staff at Barn Finds and to all the readers.
Where have I seen that steering wheel before?!?!?!?
My family sort of had a Mercury version of this FOMOCO. In the form of a 79 Montego MX Beach Wagon, Dad bought for Mom to replace the 68 Chrysler Town&Country 440/TNT he bought new, so not our first wagon, or last. The Montego was very sharp looking and comfortable, came with the biggest engine and towing package he could get to tow the family boat around. So it had a 400/2V, dual exhaust with lower ratio posi gears. That was a total DOG! Nothing at all like the Chrysler I had the speedometer buried past 120 into the clock! But the Montego could barely get passed 85! It did do a decent job towing, but you had to plan every move and forget passing, or carrying the speed limit over Interstate hills in NH. With terrible mileage. Dad was actually lucky the wagon was stolen, or actually car-jacked off my youngest brother after the hitch hiker he picked up pulled a knife on him, good for my brother he bailed out at a light! They found the wagon all bashed up in a ravine a week later. That’s when Dad just brought Mom a nice new little 1985 Mercury BobCat wagon, with a small 4 cyl and manual transmission. That was a decent fun little wagon with lots of usable room and decent mileage.
Why offer this when Ford had the GREAT selling more attractive ’78 T-bird? Aren’t they both basically the same car? I would think the roof on the T-bird is safer in a rollover, as well.
Nonetheless, a lot of car for the money & EZ to work on & vintage air can be added, if desired.
Kinda looks like the newer version of Starsky and Hutch vehicle.
Really 132 hp yet a gas guzzler on top of it. It is nice to look at and now that I did see ya