All these years, and we’ve never had a proper ’65 or ’66 LTD four door. I wrote my ’65 LTD CC “It Launched the Great Brougham Epoch” using a two door hardtop, which was really all wrong, as the semi-fastback coupe was hardly a proper brougham. And I can hardly ever remember seeing any of those coupes back then. The LTD was all about the four door, at least the first two years. In 1967, the LTD got its own unique roofline, although that was really just thanks to a fatter C pillar.
But here at last, we have a proper ’66 LTD four door, shot in front of the Capitol, no less, by Rui Meireles, a new Cohort poster.
There’s only two shots, including this one from the front. And I see the license plate leaves no doubt as to its identity.
It seems a bit retrograde comparing the ’66 LTD against a Jaguar Mk X for quietness, given that the ’65 was pitted against a Rolls-Royce.
And quieter than a Grosser 600, even. Gott im Himmel! These Amerikaner…what’s next? That their damn LTD handles better than our European cars?
Well, it most likely does than Lord Bath’s 7 passenger Daimler limo.
Enough of that. It seems Ford scoured the continent for cars to show up with its quietness.
Let’s wrap this quickie look at Ford’s Brougham for the People with a shot of one of the Lehmann-Petersen stretch sedans, which is unusual in being a hardtop.
As is apparent from this shot of a ’65, there’s a third side window that apparently rolls down too. I wonder if that sealed well and was as quiet as the factory sedan?
More on the original LTD: CC 1965 LTD – It Launched the Great Brougham Epoch PN
A ’66 with ’69 wheelcovers. Interesting, because in ’72 my dad bought a ’69 LTD that was wearing ’66 wheelcovers, lol.
My best friend’s family had a 1966 four-door hardtop. It was maroon with a white roof, and had the black “panty-cloth” interior. It was quite luxurious compared to our 1965 Chevrolet Bel Air wagon. Although it lacked the power windows and seats that made a car seem really luxurious at that time.
The Rob Walker in the first ad is the scion of the family that owned Johnnie Walker whiskey. He was quite the car enthusiast. He raced cars in his youth, and later owned racing teams.
In Formula One, costs began sharply to rise in the 1960s and the days of the gentleman owner were nearly done. When asked why he was withdrawing, Rob Walker replied: “People don’t drink that much whisky”.
The first picture in front of the Capitol really looks like the prototypical image I have of the LTD, no matter the year. It’s one of the best big car profiles in my eyes. The Brazilian big Fords, even though they always were pillared hardtops, in that particular angle look exactly the same.
Paul, just a simple note…the coachbuilder was Lehmann-Peterson, not Petersen.
The contemporaneous Bronco also wore ‘66 wheel covers (the big medallion hole made it possible for the front locking hub to pass through).
Seeing the LTD in front of the Capitol reminds me of all those Ford Mustangs Efrem Zimbalist Jr. drove around DC during the credits of “The FBI.” Product placement par excellence…
The Wikipedia entry on the Marquess of Bath says: “From 1960 onwards he amassed what would become the largest collection of paintings by Adolf Hitler, numbering sixty by 1983. To some extent an admirer of Hitler, the Marquess is quoted as saying ‘Hitler did a hell of a lot for his country.'”
Clearly a man of impeccable discernment!
If the Daimler wasn’t as quiet as the LTD, it would at least have been sonorous; both Daimler V8s issued a pleasing burble. Lord Bath should have been reminded Hitler also did a hell of a lot TO his country and many others.
The big Daimler was also said to be a very good-handling big car, a category in which Ford was unlikely to want to enter the LTD!
Fascist sympathies are not unusual among the British aristocracy or even some sections of the royal family historically ( talking about you Edward VIII)
That may explain why his son, the 7th Marquess, turned out to be a wackadoodle.
The stretched Ford LTDs and also Mercury Park Lanes were not done by Lehmann-Peterson. They were done by Andy Hotton’s DST, Dearborn Steel and Tubing.
http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/a/aha/aha.htm
From the information in the above link: “But the project that really got Hotton started in the limousine business was the design and fabrication of a series of 85 1965-66 Ford LTD and Mercury Park Lane stretches that were sold through authorized Ford and Mercury dealers in the mid 1960’s. It’s unknown as to how many limos were LTDs and how many were Park Lanes, although a couple of the Fords are known to exist.”
DST also did the ’64 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolts and the ’67 Thunderbird Apollos for Abercrombie & Fitch.
Paul’s least favorite cars … funny thing but last night we were going through some old papers and found the title to our 1977 LTD Landau!
I don’t know why we have it other than it was forgotten when the next owner totaled the car a few weeks after buying it.
Perhaps you’d like to have it Paul? Early Christmas gift!
Seriously, I never thought much of the LTD. But then, my dad worked for North American Aviation who was owned by GM, and that’s mostly what he owned. Maybe a corporate discount?
GM divested NAA in 1948 and NAA was acquired by Rockwell in 1967 to become North American Rockwell. The remains of NAA was later sold to Boeing when Rockwell International was broken up in 2001. You must be pretty old if your Dad worked for NAA when it was owned by GM.
Although no direct connection has been made, I see the fine hand of Iacocca in the creation of the LTD. FoMoCo was focused on the machinations of Pontiac as it was perceived to be breathing hard on Ford for the number two sales slot. Not that was very likely to happen but any tarted-up model that could bolster volumes was to be pursued. Pontiac offered the 1964 Bonneville Brougham trim options which was conceptually the same as the LTD. What did Ford have to lose?
That gold/black top, one in the magazine ad is the same colors as my aunt/uncle’s
“68” .
Was a “4dor”, hardtop as well.
Lasted till “75”. The rust was getting the better of it by then. “74k” on the odometer I believe.Tranny was slipping a bit too.
It still looks good all these years later .
-Nate
Much better than Ford’s later straight-lined cars in the 70s.
Great advertising on the part of Ford. The text is secondary to the image putting the LTD in classy old money settings, the semiotics really sing.
Can’t get enough of ‘Four Door Pillarless Hardtops’ this unique body style remains a hall mark of American design from 1956 through to 1976. 1964 & 1965 Ford Galaxies look particularly nice in 4 door hardtops.
Ford Australia’s managing director in 1965 used to drive a Right Hand Drive 1965 Ford LTD 4 door hardtop in dark blue. I often wonder whether this unique RHD ‘65 LTD has survived in Australia?
Love 4 door hardtops. So, much better than common 2 door hardtops.
The funny thing I remember about my father’s 66 Country Squire was not about how quiet it was, but how many little jiggly squeaks it had from the more structurally challenged station wagon body. I do remember his 69 LTD 4 door hardtop as being very quiet, however.
Were vinyl roofs standard on LTDs?
Even as common as they were, The Standard Catalog of American Cars, 1946-1975, edited by John Gunnell states under popular LTD options “vinyl top ($76)”. The 289 V8 and Cruise-o-Matic was the standard powertrain, a 390 V8 ($137) optional.
A vinyl roof was standard on 1967 2-door hardtops only.
The SoCal Galaxie Club also has an extremely useful 1966 guide with VIN codes, different trim and color codes, and prices (including prices for common options): https://www.so-calgalaxies.com/1966
The prices are obviously scanned from a Ford salesman’s guide, so they’re probably more reliable than the Standard Catalog. (The latter tends to have a lot of minor errors, although sometimes it’s the best information available.) In any event, that guide lists the 390/315 Z-code engine as a $153.07 option on the LTD and 500/XL. The vinyl top is listed as $73.82 for two-door hardtops and $82.81 for four-door hardtops.
The 1966 Ford full-size brochure doesn’t include the vinyl top as LTD standard equipment, but it was apparently very common on the four-door LTD. It’s not too unusual to find a two-door LTD with a plain roof, but I think the only four-door I’ve actually seen without the vinyl top had had it removed by a later owner.
the only four-door I’ve actually seen without the vinyl top had had it removed by a later owner
That seems to be true of many late 60s to ~’80 higher-end cars.
I am fron a Ford family. In 1965 I was 15 when I first got a close look at an LTD. On of the teachers at school got one soon after they were introduced. Looking at the interior through the windows I couldn’t believe it. Luxury! More like a Buick or Oldsmobile. Ford hit the nail on the head with that model.
“…More like a Buick or Oldsmobile. Ford hit the nail on the head with this model.”
Luxury for all! The Ford LTD – in a way a socialist car !?
This LTD seems to get driven regularly. I’ve seen it parked on the streets a few times over the last 5+ years or so – once at the National Arboretum. But the general straightness of the chrome and non-disintegrating vinyl top mean it must be garaged at home, and rare is the DC garage that can accommodate a car this long.
I have a 1966 LTD with vinyl top. It has the 390 4V engine