Faults:

Nothing major has ever gone wrong with this car. This car has never been in a shop other than for a tune up...

General Comments:

This is a 77' LTD 2 two door with a 351 Windsor; one of the best made engines I think... there is nothing bad about this car...

Faults:

Only age related stuff, like rust, instrument connections, etc.

General Comments:

This was the nation's number 1 limosine in its day...A stylish way to travel, with a "sittin in ya rocking chair" don't-care attitude.

The Australian Ford LTD of this era is more a deriverative of the US Lincoln type. The cabin area is more a stretched Falcon, with a large boot deck, and a nose similar to a Lincoln Mk 111 with single 7" headlights and inboard 5" diving lights.

The engine is a 351 Cleveland.

I bought the LTD in 2004 as a bit of an art project. I had always admired the shape and wanted to model something on George Barris' "The Car" (Movie of 1977).

So mine ended up satin black with hammertone gunmetal roof, de-chromed, flat alloy wheels, with a few other minor custom details like spoilers, scoop, and flamethrowers just to add to the theatrics.

Despite the rust in the doors, and dodgy power windows, the car had been very well maintained by an old guy used to tow his horses to the races, and pull his trailer on vacation.

He updated to a later model Fairlane, but two months after selling the LTD to me was phoning to see how it was and telling me the problems he was experiencing with his newer car. He was lamenting the simplicity and driving pleasure that the old LTD gave him.

The car is heavy on gas. 95% of the time I run on LPG, but this is only returning about 9 mpg. Luckily this fuel is cheaper to buy, but still an indulgent exercise.

The great thing about the car is despite its nearly 30 years and 460,000 it is easy to maintain. A few electrical problems are usually traced to bad earths, fixed with a bit of scraping and screwing.

The turning circle is ancient with some of the newer drive-thru's best avoided.

As one can guess, the biggest letdown is not being able to afford to drive this baby more often.

Cars are best used and not sitting too long, so my advice to anyone contemplating this era LTD; Go ahead and preserve or custom your piece of nostalgia, and enjoy a driving style that the seventies was famous for.

It's an easy ownership and maintenance icon.

Faults:

Nothing Major.

Alternator replaced (Bad Bearing).

Foot Dimmer Switch (Original quit after 27 years)

General Comments:

I love this car.

It is my first car, I bought it for 500 bucks with minor surface rust and a dent in the door. My mom and dad got the body fixed up for me as a birthday present.

Its really a good first car. It very forgiving, even at its limits. It's got the Punch you need and then some. It really motivates for a 4100LB Coupe.

It handles well, with just a touch of understeer when being shoved hard around a corner, but it never breaks free.

This car is one of the most reliable I've ever seen.

I kicked the timing up about 5 degrees and it really pulls hard now, but it was really powerful before. Don't let the numbers fool you, these things have the torque.

The inside is like sitting on a living room sofa. Its got tons of room, and the knobs are easy to read, grab, and work. Its got a very basic Dash, Speedo, Temp, and Fuel, with idiot lights for Alternator, Oil Pressure, and Brakes.

Parking it is somewhat hard, with a ocean liner turning radius and a hood as long as a pickup bed, but it isn't bad once you get used to it.

Gas mileage isn't even that bad, about 12 around town and up to 20 on the highway.

What I like is I know its safe, and it is just a fun car to drive and own.