Ford LTD (North America)

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See Ford LTD (Australia) for the Australian-built vehicle of the same name.
Ford LTD
Ford LTD
Manufacturer Ford Motor Company
Production 1965-1986
Successor Ford LTD Crown Victoria (for full-size LTD)
Ford Taurus (for mid-size LTD)
Class Full-size (1965-1982)
Mid-size (1983-1986)
Layout FR layout
1971 Ford LTD convertible
1971 Ford LTD convertible

The Ford LTD was a car model name that has been used by the Ford Motor Company in North America.

The LTD designation is considered by some an abbreviation of "Luxury Trim Decor" and by others as a limited body style classification for the Galaxie. There is evidence that, at least in Australia, it originally stood for "Lincoln Type Design." The original "Car Life" review at the time the first LTD was released suggests that it stood for nothing and was just three meaningless letters (that article also noted it could not stand for "Limited" as Chrysler at the time already was using and had the copyright on that car name/designation).

A range of cars wore the LTD badge from 1965 to 1986 in the United States. The LTD name debuted as the highest trim level package on the Ford Galaxie 500, but became its own model in 1967. The Galaxie name continued for the lower levels until 1974.

In 1977, the name was used on two different cars. The full-size LTD continued, but a rebodied version of the Ford Torino was sold as the LTD II. Both offered coupe, sedan, and wagon body styles. This arrangement continued until the standard LTD was moved to the Panther platform in 1979.

In 1983, the LTD was again split into two separate lines, with the LTD Crown Victoria remaining full-size and the LTD name placed on a mid-size car based on the Fox platform. The smaller LTD continued in sedan and station wagon forms through 1986, overlapping slightly with the first model year of the Ford Taurus in 1986, the car that became its successor.

Contents

[edit] 1965-1967

The line was introduced in 1965 as the Galaxie 500 LTD (and for the first year was badged as such), in response to the introduction of the Chevrolet Caprice and the similar Dodge Monaco and Polara. These upscale models had features found primarily on luxury models from these same manufacturers, but were sold with much lower retail prices. The standard upgrades on these cars were power windows, a power drivers seat, power brakes, power steering, air conditioning, a full or half-vinyl top (called a landau or brougham randomly across different models by the same manufacturers). Another list of upgrades were interiors made of better materials and more powerful engines. Most of these upper trim models were usually all hardtops as opposed to pillared bodies.

The LTD was split off into it's own model for 1967, while the Galaxie name continued on lower-line models through 1974. The Custom 500 remained as a fleet model in the U.S. and the base model in Canada through 1978.

[edit] 1968-1972

From 1968 to 1970, the LTD shared its grille, trim pieces, and hidden headlamps with the Galaxie XL sport coupe and the Country Squire station wagon. The hidden headlamps were removed in 1971, making the grille, trim pieces, and taillamp treatment the only differences in the body.

[edit] 1973-1978

Third generation
Production 1973-1978
Engine(s) 302 in³ Windsor V8
351 in³ Cleveland V8
351 in³ 351M V8
400 in³ Cleveland V8
429 in³ 385 V8
460 in³ 385 V8
Wheelbase 121.0 in
Related Mercury Marquis
Lincoln Continental
Ford Country Squire
Mercury Colony Park

The LTD was redesigned for 1973. While the new LTD weighed less than earlier models, it was still far in excess of two tons, meaning that agility and fuel economy were both weak points. The base engine was the 302 in³ V8. The next largest engine was Ford's 351 in³ V8, which was the most common choice. Still larger was Ford's 400 in³ V8, and topping the range was Lincoln's huge 460 in³ V8, which gave good power but got less than 10 mpg in city traffic. In the case of at least some of the 400 models, this fuel economy problem has been traced to a fuel system and manifolds designed to run on methanol fuel, which was unsuitable for gasoline applications.[citation needed] In addition, these engines were choked by emissions systems, with the 400 engine producing large amounts of torque but a power output of 192 hp.

After the Galaxie line was discontinued, the LTD Landau was introduced at the top of the series above the Brougham. The Landau came with hidden headlamps and rear fender skirts, and was available with the luxurious Crown Victoria package. The Brougham trim was dropped from the lineup for 1977.

[edit] 1977-1979

Main article: Ford LTD II

When Ford decided to phase out the Torino in 1976, they adopted the successful LTD name for its replacement. Since the first and full-size LTD was still on the market, the product planners added a "II" after the LTD. The LTD II was essentially a restyled Torino, and continued until 1979.

[edit] 1979-1982

Fourth generation
Production 1979-1982
Assembly St. Thomas, Ontario
Pico Rivera, CA
Platform Ford Panther platform
Engine(s) 255 in³ Windsor V8
302 in³ Windsor V8
351 in³ Windsor V8
Related Mercury Marquis
Lincoln Continental
Lincoln Town Car
Ford Country Squire
Mercury Colony Park

Downsized two years after its main rival, the Chevrolet Impala, the new 1979 LTD was seven inches shorter than the old one, and four inches shorter than the LTD II. The interior remained just as large as the previous LTD though, and the whole design became more efficient; the reduced size and weight led to improved road manners and maneuverability, which had been major drawbacks in the previous LTD. Ride quality improved as well with the new car, as did fuel economy. Originally, the LTD was offered with the 302 and 351 in³ V8s. For 1981 and 1982, Ford offered a 255 in³ V8.

In the U.S, LTD and LTD Landau models were available as before. In Canada, the Custom 500 continued as the base model through 1981. For 1980, the LTD S was added as a lower-priced model and the LTD Landau was replaced by the LTD Crown Victoria, which had a landau roof with a targa-like chrome band. Low-end cars were identifiable by single square headlamps, while the higher models received duals.

The LTD name went on a smaller Fairmont-based sedan for 1983, and the full-size cars became LTD Crown Victoria.

[edit] 1983-1986

Fifth generation
facelifted Fox-body Ford LTD sedan
Production 1983-1986
Assembly Chicago, Illinois
Atlanta, Georgia
Platform Ford Fox platform
Engine(s) 2.3 L Lima I4
200 in³ Thriftpower Six I6
3.8 L Essex V6
5.0 L Windsor V8
Related Ford Thunderbird
Mercury Marquis
Mercury Cougar
Lincoln Continental
Lincoln Mark VII

Ford's final family sedan based on the Fox platform, the LTD, and its Mercury twin, the Marquis, were basically a restyle of the unsuccessful 1981 to 1982 Ford Granada and Mercury Cougar, and the popular 1978 to 1983 Ford Fairmont and Mercury Zephyr. In fact, the running gear was identical to the Fairmont, sharing the Fairmont's controlled ride and handling, and all of the virtues of the later Fairmont, including its reputation for reliability. The LTD and Marquis monikers were also used on the full size sedan and wagon, named LTD Crown Victoria and Grand Marquis.

Both inherited the Fairmont's 2.3 L four-cylinder, 3.3 L inline-six, and 5.0 L V8 engines; the V8 gained fuel-injection in the LTD and Marquis however. Inherited from the Granada was Ford's 3.8 L Essex V6, which gave smooth and reliable power. The Essex engine gained fuel injection for 1984 in the US; it was carbureted in Canadian markets until 1986. An odd option from 1983 to 1984 was an LPG (propane)-powered four-cylinder engine, but was discontinued due to poor sales and few propane fueling stations. The LTD's final year was 1986, when Ford kept it alive due to the radical nature of its replacement, the Taurus.[citation needed] This car was the third-best-selling car in the United States in 1983 and 1984.[citation needed]

In the middle in the 1984 model year, Ford introduced a performance LTD called the LX. It came standard with the high output 5.0 L CFI V8 engine, four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive, 600 lb-in front and 270 lb-in rear coil springs, front and rear sway bars, 10 inch front disc and 10 inch rear drum brakes, and a 3.27:1 rear gear ratio with a Traction-Lok differential. The LX model was the only LTD to have a center console with a floor-mounted shifter for the transmission, and a tachometer in the instrument cluster. Roughly 3,260 LXs were produced from mid-1984 to 1985. The Mercury version of the LX was the Marquis LTS and was available only in Canada in much smaller numbers.

[edit] Police usage

Because of the sturdy body-on-frame construction of the full size LTD, the car was a popular choice amongst police agencies, primarily in North America, but in US-influenced countries abroad as well.[citation needed] The present-day Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor — although it does not use the LTD name — is a direct descendant of the Ford LTD Crown Victoria.

The midsize Fox-platform LTD was also used for police duty in smaller numbers.

[edit] Brazil

The LTD was also produced locally in Brazil between 1967 and 1983, based on the 1966 Ford Galaxie. A locally-produced stretch limousine was also produced.

[edit] External links

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