Pop quiz! What is the best summer car? Now, keep in mind that a summer car does not need to be practical, nor a daily driver. Rather, it is something out of the norm and fun, and never mind the MPGs! So here is my vote: A big, plush full-size convertible, with hidden headlights, V8, automatic transmission and lots and lots of style. With criteria like that, what could be better than a 1969 Ford XL?
Especially with a white “Comfortweave” breathable vinyl interior and center console with “stirrup” shifter! It is no secret that I love white interiors–why would you get a drop-top with black vinyl, unless you like flash-frying the backs of your legs. The 1969-70 full-size Fords featured an instrument panel that was centered around the driver, with the passenger-side sharply cut away. It was called Ford’s “front room.” And best of all, the radio was on the left side of the steering column. No nervy passenger will be changing the station when your favorite song is playing!
The XL, formerly the Galaxie 500XL, was on the way out by 1969; 1970 would be the final year. Only 7,402 convertibles and 54,557 hardtop coupes were made in the next-to-last model year. Sporty full-sizers were giving way to Broughams, and the XL’s time was just about up. But what a nice way to go!
Photos courtesy of my uncle, who spotted this beauty at the 2012 Nauvoo Grape Fest car show!
A college friend of mie had a 4 door hardtop version this. It was a smooth riding car, and the “cockpit” dash layout was a definite preventer of passengers fidiling w/ cradi/ac controls! 🙂
I’ve always liked the 1969-70 LTDs, XLs and Country Squires.
The contrast in appearance and character between the top-tier models, with their hidden headlights and different grilles, and the lower level version was quite striking during this era. From 1968 through 1970, an LTD did look like a cut-rate Lincoln, while a Galaxie 500 looked like a taxi cab.
But I never could figure out the logic behind that dashboard. A friend’s family had a 1969 Galaxie four-door sedan when I was in high school, and I thought that the dash layout was goofy even then!
A teacher that used to give me rides to junior high school bought a brand new red hardtop version with black interior in 1969. At the time I thought it was a really nice car, and I still like them. I heard at the time the cut away dash was a safety feature, so if the passenger was lap belted only they would still not hit the well padded dash. That car is a great summer cruiser.
I remember one of the few of these I’ve ever seen in person, she was a white convertible 500XL that was sitting in an apartment parking lot for a while, I used to bike past it and every once in a while, stop and take a look at it for a bit, it was white with a black top and blue interior, I remember the crazy dash with the AM radio on the drivers side of the car next to the speedometer. It also had the bucket and console combination like this car, I remember 429 engine call outs next to the front side markers too.
Nice car, and if someone wanted a full-size Ford convertible in 1969, it’d be the one to get.
But I’d rather have this (it’s even in the same colors as the Ford):
Good choice! 🙂
Chevy dominated the sporty big cars in the early 60’s with Impala SS [and SS 409], but dropped their SS’s before Ford XL and Plymouth Sport Fury after 1969.
They saw the writing on the wall, its not like either one of those other 2 cars was doing banging business.
My choice for a 1969 convert? How about a nice Buick Electra 225 convertible or a DeVille? If hidden headlights are a must, then I’ll go with a nice 427 equipped Impala SS convertible.
Though I’m a Ford guy at heart I think I would take a 69 Electra over this too.
Hidden headlights do it for me.Count me as a fan
My first car was a ’68 Galaxie 500 Fastback, and it had that same console shifter. I can still hear the sound of it as it would “CLINK” through the gears when I was feeling boy-racerish with the big FE 390.
Awesome car, and it was the ultimate summer cruiser. Even with buckets you could easily fix 5 or 6 people in it. And towing a boat behind it with a trunk full of firewood and beverages.
I always used to hate these, but they’ve lately grown on me, especially the LTDs.
My dad has always been a very persuasive man, and my maternal grandpa was always a GM guy, buying Impalas, Catalinas, etc. Dad converted him to Fords (three years before he and my mom got married) in ’69, and he bought a green LTD 2-door hardtop, the first of a succession of Fords in the ’70s, before finally going back to Buick in ’77.
I like the ’69, but Grandpa also had a ’71, ’72, and ’74 (? maybe a ’73 ?), so it’s no surprise he switched back to a new ’77 LeSabre coupe with a 301, which was his last new car. Big Fords of the early ’70s do absolutely nothing for me.
I am on record as loving the 69 Fords, and this one is no exception. If you could keep it away from road salt, these were great cruisers.
A family friend owned a bright turquoise 69 Galaxie 500 convertible that he bought new and may still own for all I know. It had gotten pretty rusty, but he had it restored some time in the 90s and had it looking pretty sharp again. However, as someone said above, these never looked quite as nice without the hidden headlights.
I thought the rear of these evoked the ’61(without the cats ears). What a difference 8 years meant back then.
I was so stuck in GM land when it came to the late ’60s and early ’70s that these didn’t register very much. Mopars also seemed more notable, partly because their terrific ’65-’68 cars where everywhere. The Ford design is a bit subtle, but I’ve grown to appreciate it. The covered headlights do make the car.
The sales figures are actually fairly impressive for the era. My Std. Cat of Am Cars says Impala SS was all of 2,425 cars in 1969.
Stretch the main portion of the taillight on each end down to the bumper and you have the Oldsmobile rear styling theme right through the 1990’s.
The 69 / 70 droptop big Fords are nice cars, but I’d still prefer either the 65-66 or the 71-72.
Owned and repaired a 69 xl 500 conv. with the 429 v-8 auto blue exterior with black top and interior got 20 mpg cruising 70 mph on freeway great ride
Black cherry paint,my favourite 60s Ford colour.Hidden headlights,black cherry paint,it’s a Ford I’m being tempted into becoming a full size car fan by you guys!
1963 Lincoln Continental 4dr. convertible. The one I have has a 429 in it and only gets driven on warm South Georgia nights.
Had a ’70 XL Coupe for a while in high school with a 429 Cobra Jet. It was a pretty awesome car. You could get a lot of folks in it because, dang it was a big car. made cruising around the Drive-In difficult. Had to make large turns. But still, I dug that car.