https://bend.craigslist.org/pts/d/powell-butte-1973-ford-ltd-project/7018994744.html
this is older than I. Learn me, why do I want an ancient BarcaLounger for this cheap?
Good thoughts- restore. Cruise. If there's a market to do so.
evil thoughts- dirt, backroad destroyer. Weld the diff. Put it in "1", and floor it, never lift. See what happens.
Put a good gear set and a locker and go with evil thoughts until the transmission pukes. They are hilarious to see sideways at 50mph my wife's cousin had a blast with his until the transmission turned into all Nuetrals like it was a 4l60e
I see no downside to this plan. Smokes bad? Compression in a can and an Italian tune-up.
Weld the diff and live out your Dukes of Hazzard fantasies.
In reply to dropstep :
This really sounds fun. Long wheelbases are ridiculously easy to drift.
In reply to _ :
Yup. My 85 grand marquis was a blast and really stable. Plus you can cruise in comfort too the tire shop for replacement rubber!
I had a 72 with a 351. It was all stock and really a great cruiser. I regret selling it.
Assuming it's the stock engine, what was power output this year? Was this pre smog? A buddy has a '79 ranchero and it's 351 has about 140hp.
That is the least rusty 1972 Ford I have seen since 1974.
In reply to Streetwiseguy :
Part of the reason for interest. I saw it and said, "I could blow this up and install a cooked 302 later"
The only thing I know about early LTD's is the first time I went over 100 mph it was in a 1972 LTD 2 door. And it smelled weird after that. Note, it was a kinda girlfriends' car and she was driving.
Oh dude. That thing is ballin.
I'd drive it like I stole it until the motor lets go. Then, either swap in a 460, or if you want to be different, rebuild the 400 with a mix of M and Cleveland parts and some custom stuff. Those things will make power if you do it right. Not cheaply, but y'know. Just throwing it out there.
I'm digging the old school aftermarket tach:
A 72 400 should be a better cam and carb away from being pretty stout. Last year of real compression, I think.
Restore and take it to Pebble Beach.
And I just came up with the name for this if I buy it. LTD? Liable To Die.
now if only SWMBO and the owner will return my calls.
_ said:Assuming it's the stock engine, what was power output this year? Was this pre smog? A buddy has a '79 ranchero and it's 351 has about 140hp.
I dynoed mine and it did 151HP and 232 FT LBS of torque at the wheels. This was completely stock through the 2bbl and single exhaust. Here is the thread:
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/stock-72-ltd-351c-dyno-results/82320/page1/
In reply to Cotton :
Yeah, just reading up on the '73 400ci now. Looks like an odd duck. Basically a stroked 351, but kept the same rod ratio as the 351's 1.65. But had compression and timing reduced for emissions that year. According to wiki the '73 400 had the holes for the big bellhousing and the small too, but wasn't drilled for both.
I like it.
I had a 79 LTD, the first year panther that got renamed Crown Victoria a few years later. Drove it for 14 years, 140k miles, from my last year training harness horses, through 10 years of school, and 3 years of practice.
Rebody it as a '49 Plymouth
Paging mr VCH
buzzboy said:Rebody it as a '49 Plymouth
Paging mr VCH
That's it. Lock the door, turn out the lights, we're done here.
I did heads on a Continental of that platform last summer. They are massive and hugely heavy and even with the 460 are not powerful. That is going to be a cruiser whether you want it to be or not. I personally wouldn't buy it assuming it would be fun to drive in a hooning sort of way.
_ said:Assuming it's the stock engine, what was power output this year? Was this pre smog? A buddy has a '79 ranchero and it's 351 has about 140hp.
Not pre-smog. It was one of the first years that they were deep into new smog regs and had no idea how to comply without neutering compression and cam timing. Factory hp was rated at 171hp/275 ish tq. The good news is, just like SBCs, it's pretty easy to turn up the oomph. It's not quite as cheap. Nice thing, though, a 460 is an easy swap and is one of my most favoritest big block. Not too heavy, short stroke and monster bore, lots of aftermarket.
By the way... 70s smog stuff is totally my bag. Massive swagger, dirt cheap to buy, easy to crank up the power.
70s behemoths are the superman lunchbox.
I had a '74 LTD with the 460 through part of high school...
If you haven't driven one, the suspension is softer than anything you've ever experienced. Think more in terms of helming a raft down a river than actually 'driving'. Think flying hubcaps and zero G moments over crests... oh, and screeching 75 series rubber.
With the 460, I could smoke the tires (well, one of them anyway) for a city block, and it was quicker than base V8 Camaros in the mid 80s.
13mpg. 19ft bumper to bumper. Lighter than a Hellcat (by ~100lbs).
It really was like driving a barcalounger down the road.
Ours was stone reliable. I did horrible, horrible things to that car and it never broke.
It was once conventional wisdom that you NOT buy any car sold in the US that was built in 1973 as none of the auto manufacturers had a car that ran decently that year. But, since you probably won't be leaving it in stock condition for long...that wisdom doesn't apply.
My sister had a 73 Torino once as a loaner when her Mustang II was at the dealer for service. She drove it less than a block from the dealership before she made me drive the rest of the 18 miles home. Even that smaller than an LTD car felt like a barge. Cars from the 70s don't have communicative power steering, so yes it is a Barcalounger to sit in, but the steering is like a tugboat and made worse with that huge beam sitting on the very front.
But hey, it could also/easily be fun.
You'll need to log in to post.
