In a desperate attempt to save its full-sized LTD from extinction in the face of the OPEC fuel crisis, Ford partnered with Mercedes Benz to offer a five-speed floor-shifted turbo-diesel LTD for model year 1973. No… of course not; none of that is true, but here we have a custom version of that exact creature, looking stock but for the gangster tint and blacked-out steel wheels. Sadly the listing here on Facebook Marketplace leaves out whatever fun led to its creation, or any details at all, but let’s take a look at this Pleasant Plain, Ohio classic. Thanks to PRA4SNW for spotting this bizarre slice of automotive imagination. The paltry price of $3750 makes it yours, and the ad says you can “drive it home today.” Where do I sign?
Painted industrial yellow, the inline powerplant looks like it was pulled from duty as a backup generator at a waste treatment plant. What may be a larger-than-stock turbo and some custom plumbing promise more horsepower than stock, though details escaped the listing. It resembles the Mercedes-Benz OM617, and perhaps someone with specific knowledge can identify it in the comments below.
That sporty steering wheel and cue-ball floor shifter scream performance while the green vinyl and wood grain whisper “I smell old people.” Meanwhile the drilled and lightened clutch pedal adjacent the original one-foot wide disc brake pedal calls out “M-I-C… K-E-Y… M-O-U-S-E.” What looks like an aftermarket engine management readout rests in front of what might be some cardboard covering the original instruments. I might still go $3750 on novelty alone, though. Someone spent considerable time getting this thing running and driving. Who are we to judge?
While the high-zoot LTD wouldn’t have served law enforcement, this body style certainly did in lower trims, and this one manages a certain amount of menace. Taking a clue from the Jeep in the background, we learn that QuickDraw has an interesting business involving multiple brands of diesel engines. At around 4500 lb with its original V8, this LTD weighs about the same as a 2025 Mustang GTD while offering far more room for passengers and luggage. Fling both Fords beyond their limits on a twisty two-lane and nine out of ten passengers will agree that the LTD delivers a more authentic near-death experience. We’d love to hear from this rig’s new owner. What’s your opinion of this custom-built turbo-diesel five-speed land yacht?
I would drive this, very cool, but there really is no information. Is it a truck engine? Can be driven on highway, I know it’s cheap but still would love to know more it’s a cool idea.
This is where the “it will draw a lot of attention at a coffee and cars” people need to step up and put some money on the table. While not flashy, it could provide decent transportation for a few years, especially if it’s on a limited basis. The stick shift is a definite plus.
Steve R
Whoever built this thing, I’ll give ’em credit for creativity anyway. Or maybe a Cuban mechanic built it. No slam on the Cuban people though, I’ve seen and read that those guys
can fix almost anything. Might be good for hurricane season
here in Florida too. While other drivers are paying $10 a gallon after a storm, all you have to do is stop by a local restaurant, pick up a meal and some fry grease to go and you’re set. I think the recipe for biodeasel is still up on wikiHow. At least that’s where I saw it several years ago. And once you make your biodeasel, the only problem you’re
gonna have is making folks hungry when you idle at a traffic light. They’ll smell you coming a mile away and crave a big plate of onion rings or fried mushrooms as you pass them by. Would like to see this car in person just to see it run and drive. This may not be one of Ford’s better ideas, but only in
America will you see someone build a car like this and live to tell the tale.
I remember swaps like this back in the day. Knew a guy who I would qualify as a mechanical genius, put a 108 Perkins out of a reefer unit in a Gremlin. A little slow, but more than 30+ mpg on 17 cent diesel fuel.
Perkins diesel, very popular and reliable choice in the marine industry Jim. 👍
For many years Perkins engines were common than SBCs, worked on bunches of them in Ag equipment.
Hey Jim, I don’t remember too many Perkins motors on reefers I pulled, they were mostly Isuzu 4 cyl. diesels with glow plugs in the 80s. Boy, they made a racket, but a far cry from the old “bunker and blower” jobs, way before my time, thank goodness.
Went on a poker run a while back. Guy was there with a diesel powered chopper! This LTD isn’t my cup of beer. But I do like the creativity.
Awww such a waste of a great Ford. This probably came new with either a 302 or a 351 both very good engines. I’m a retired trucker and I can tell you this diesel fuel is more expensive than gas. This car seems to be in good shape. Someone should buy it and remove that awful diesel and put a Ford engine and transmission back in it IMHA to the seller good luck.
Re: 1st sentence. Hey, with all the mishigosh that comes through here, nothing surprises me. Tell you what though, you’d have the hottest taxi in Cuba,,, :)
Considering the seller is in the diesel business and the engine management hookup I wonder if he used it as a test mule. I would guess based on the yellow paint it is some sort of industrial engine.
why not,you could order a lincoln with bmw diesel
Says right in the Marketplace ad that it’s a Mercedes turbo diesel. This will run most of forever. It’s so weird I like it!
Maybe not quite forever, I deliver truck parts (part time) for a large truck dealership. We had/have two Mercedes Sprinter delivery vans with turbo-Diesel engines. One of them crapped-out at 266 thousand miles, the other at 288 thousand. The first one sat at a M-B dealership for about a month and then was brought back to our facility, unrepaired. I was told that the engine replacement cost was going to be $27,000.00 per unit. Years back (early ’80s) I went to the Detroit auto auction with a dealer to buy cars, one of the first through the line-up, brought in by Ford Motor Company was a brand new Mercedes Benz large sedan, turbo-Diesel model with only 17 miles on it. The brand new auto was towed in because it had no engine or transmission and was being sold as-is.
Dare to be different? Just weird enough to work. I’d love coming and going in this.
…nine out of ten passengers will agree that the LTD delivers a more authentic near-death experience. Hilarious! Actually, isn’t it harder to roll one of those big boats?
Thanks, Fox owner! It’s encouraging to learn that people actually read this stuff. Your comment reminded me of a dark night in the early ’90s on US 62 North around Tionesta, PA. I was piloting a 1978 Buick LeSabre about the same size as this LTD. The roads were dry and I was going about 60 when I crossed a stretch where melting snow had refrozen for about 30 feet. The Buick eased into a graceful slide. I kept the steering wheel still. The tires grabbed on the far side of the ice and all was good except for a temporary cardiac event. I remember thinking if I’d been driving my ’84 Colt GTS Turbo, I’d have done three or four 360s, but the LeSabre’s generous wheelbase saved me. Happy motoring!
Engine swaps. Takes me back to my time in Ankara, Turkey, when I was property of the army, ’63-4.
Those who were alerted to go there were advised to buy a 6-cylinder Ford, Chevy, or Mopar to use while there as private transportation. Oh, and stick shift. The reason was that Turkey wasn’t in the car business and good, clean Yank iron was most desirable, the simpler, the better.
I saw (heard!) some Perkins quad-bangers swapped into what had been a V-8 but most wound up with Turk-built knock-off Stovebolt-6s. And IFS, once worn out, was replaced with two semi-elliptics and a forged beam axle.
I recall seeing once a gorgeous ’54 Merc wagon, wood-grain and all, which was labeled V-8 and Merc-O-matic but was obviously the recipient of a bogus six, some sort of 3-speed manual and a hiked-up front end on leaves.
Go figure.
A guy I worked with bought/brought (Uncle’s nickel) a 6/stick ’57 Plymouth. Paid $1500 for it in the States, sold it to a Turk for $3000. Then the buyer had to pay an equal amount in customs! I’d paid $1550 for my FIAT 1100 sedan in ’61, sold it there for $1450 and the Turk then paid another $1400 customs.
This high customs at the time was meant to spur someone to locally produce cars to stop the cash outflow. It worked… several years later they were producing box loads of FIAT 124s.
Maybe a 606 or 603,617 is not big enough for a big car, I was expecting a 7.3 with a 5 speed.
Must have the exhaust through the hood, and roll coal.
Cool swap and a fun write up, especially the ending about “more authentic near-death experience”.
Nice looking car. It’s a shame that it wasn’t available at the time with a turbo diesel engine. With the right engine/gearbox combination, along with a good service network to maintain the car, I’ll bet it would’ve made a great taxicab. 🚕