( first posted 5/25/2011) My Dad was a Ford guy. Although most everyone else on both sides of my family were firmly in the GM camp, there was almost always a set of FoMoCo keys in Dad’s pocket. In early 1977, I was finally given the parental green light to buy my first very own car. I was open to a lot of things, but I really wanted a Ford. “Just don’t buy the first car you see” was the only mandate when my friend and I went out on the great search.
The Original JPC Mobile
The first car I saw turned out to be a 67 Ford Galaxie 500 convertible. Original owner, garaged in a nice neighborhood, and 60K miles. Although I looked at several other cars that day, the rest were nowhere near as nice. $700 and it was mine. So, I actually did buy the first car I saw.
At that time, the 62-64 Galaxies were starting to become collected. “Just be patient”, I thought, “and these big Fords will come into their own.” Well, I am still waiting. The 65 eventually became noteworthy for the first LTD that really was quieter than a Rolls Royce. People remember the 7 Litre package from 66. But the 67 (and 68) big Fords sort of disappeared into the mists. And it is a shame, because this was a nice car.
The story of the 65 Ford has been told here before. Ford had a major revision (with an increase in wheelbase from 119 to 121) planned for 1969, so the 67-68 was to be enough of a freshening to get them to the new model.
You could always tell a Ford – big single taillights with star-like backup lights in the middle.
The 67’s styling was a break from the laser-sharp lines of 65-66, probably a concession to Bill Mitchell’s attractive and fluid 65-66 Impala. The 67 Ford became the median between an even sleeker 67 Impala and the really angular 67 Fury. The front brought back the stacked headlights for a final year, while the rear was reminiscent of the 62 Galaxie’s taillights that sunk into the bumper. To me, the 67 big Ford was the best looking of the 65-68 models by far.
This front end bears an eerie resemblance to the 67 Cadillac.
Mechanically, the 240 cid 6 continued as the base engine (though not on the LTD), with the 289 V8 returning for its final year. The big engines remained the 390 and 428 versions of the FE block, along with the 427 (offered to keep the engine legal for NASCAR). The only real mechanical difference from 66 was that the 352 was dropped from the model lineup. Although 100 cubic inches was a big gap in displacement, the 352 had never offered much of a step up in performance from the 289, and it was not really missed.
Ford was among the last to eliminate metal frames around glass on hardtops. Other than the 1971-72 LTD wheelcovers, this car is bone stock.
These were quiet, comfortable cars. The power steering was light, and the power brakes were highly boosted, as was common at the time. The drum brakes were so-so at best, but Ford was the leader in equipping cars with disc systems, so you could get decent brakes if you wanted them. My car had the 270 hp 2 barrel 390, which saved me a lot of money in insurance as a teen (as opposed to the 315 hp 4 bbl version). The torque of the old 390 cannot be overstated, and it had no trouble pulling my 2 ton convertible through the 2:70 axle. The 390 may not have had the racing cred of the Mopar 383, but it was a really nice engine for lugging a big family car.
The 1967-only steering wheel hub. Who says GM pioneered air bags?
One interesting item unique to all of Ford’s 1967 models was the huge foam rubber steering wheel hub. I recall reading somewhere that that Ford’s collapsible steering column was not ready for its mandated appearance on the 67 models. So, the company met the regulation with the collapsible foam hub mounted on the 1966 steering wheel across the entire model line.
The clear plastic inlay in the steering wheel is unique to the LTD. Also note the factory air, still relatively rare in 1967 (at least in the midwest).
There was one fatal flaw in these cars, which may be the reason they are not seen more today. These Fords suffered badly from rust-through of the perimeter frame. I saw an early victim in the late 70s – a very rusty 66 LTD with the right rear wheel halfway into the trunk. This was not the kind of flaw that one could overlook in salt country, and certainly killed many of these cars prematurely.
It was a strange coincidence that after my debut piece on the 59 Plymouth Fury (My 4th car), I stumbled across this nice 67 LTD at a local used car lot. These may still be common on the back roads of the southern and pacific states, but understand – they are just not seen anymore in the midwest. This car takes me back to about 1980. The faded and dull Clearwater Aqua paint, the bubbles under the vinyl roof and the slightly rusty lower fenders – this is what they all looked like then with any sort of normal use in our difficult climate. This car was plainly cared for during much of its life to make it this far.
That this is a 289 car is evident from the lack of a 390 or 428 badge on the front fender behind the wheel.
My 67 Galaxie was a very nice driving car, and was quite rigid for a convertible. It was significantly smoother and quieter than the C body Mopars I later owned (although it did not handle as well). It also got amazingly good gas mileage (I once hit 19 mpg on the highway, although 10-12 was more common in town). In all, it was a very polished and well finished car. Style-wise, it struck a near perfect balance between curves and angles. I would buy another if the right one came along. The first owner of this 67 LTD would have been rightly proud of this very attractive new car. I hope that someone buys this car who can appreciate its many charms and its attractive lines. But check the frame first and keep it out of the salt.
My Dad had a ’67 Galaxie 500 convertible – the second in a string of 3 straight ragtops. The Galaxie had the ‘big six’ and automatic, and was red with black top and interior, great looking car.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c30/ddibiase/WebpagePics/twocars.jpg
The first thing I thought of was the 67 Caddy nose. Very strange indeed! Though I guess it gave the car the upscale look they were after.
This handsome mug was shown all around the world in it’s day (a la Roy Thinnes in the ‘The Invaders’ of ’67/’68) ..he drove a big black ’67 throughout the series which ran for 26 episodes . .
Interesting that during the opening credits of The Invaders, we see the big Ford with the vertical headlights swinging into the foggy mystery. If you look carefully, each season showed a newer Ford. I think the original was a 65 or 66.
They were nice cars…for nice Detroit-style big cars.
My family had a ’68 – so I’m partial. But for my money, the 1968 was the cleanest exterior style; and an interior that was head-and-shoulders above the painted-metal full-size Chevrolet of the same year.
I’d always wanted to play mix-and-match with the 1968 variants: The hidden headlights of the LTD on a stripper two-door coupe…and if I could have grafted the two-door forward section to a wagon rear quarter, I’d have had a really-slick “shooting brake.”
…Ahhh. Dreams of kit-bashing….
Although I prefer the 67 overall, I will confess to liking the huskier looking 68 Fastback. But in truth, I liked the 68 Mercury Monterey and Montclair fastback even better.
Back in the days when kids were allowed to stretch out in the package shelf under the rear window while your parents hurtled down the interstate at 80, that 68 Ford/Mercury would accommodate 2 of us side by side. Amazing we’re still here.
Yeah, I used to do that too. It was an amazing view, laying down on the package shelf, looking straight up through that huge rear glass.
If you did it today your parents would be arrested for child endangerment.
Me too – I did that on the package shelf of my parents’ 1963 BelAir. I loved looking up through the glass at the stars on long night time drives.
The ‘Good ol’ days’
It’s been done, although not quite by the factory. Rankin Ford of London, Ontario had thier own exclusive variant in 1968-69, the RF500.
They DSO’d a run of Custom 2 door posts with LTD hideaway fronts on them.
Since Ontario is salt country, I doubt any are left.
I always liked the 1965-68 Fords better than the big Chevys and Plymouths of those years. While the 1965 model was the best of the bunch, in my opinion, the 1967s were a very nice package, and the one that is really better looking than contemporary Chevys and Plymouths. As the article notes, the Ford was a nice alternative to the voluptuous Chevys and very boxy Plymouths of that year.
Or maybe I’m being influenced by memories of the Hunter Green Galaxie fastback Aurora slot car.
From what I’ve read, the frame rust was caused by Ford’s decision to use a fully boxed frame. This gave the car a very solid feel, but if any moisture got INSIDE the frame, it would rust from the inside.
Your comment on the boxed frame makes sense. I recall this Ford being very stiff for a body on frame car. Much moreso than my 59 Plymouth and than contemporary Chevys. It was also much, much stiffer than the 71-78, and even the 79-91 big Fords.
The frame rust thing was surprising, because the rest of the car was pretty good against the tinworm (the 65 particularly – Lee must have shaved some rustproofing cost out of the 66-67 as they were not quite as rust-resistant in the fenders and doors)
As for the Aurora versions, I remember the light yellow and the robin’s egg blue ones:)
The frame-rust issue was very real. It hit ours with only four years on it….repair was expensive but at the time, trading it in was out of the question.
Hell of it was, the sheet-metal was holding up much better than our previous cars, the Rambler or the 1957 Ford. No perforations…yet the frame had broken apart from rust and was leaving the body to fend for itself.
On the whole, it was a good car and worth the cost of repair. But dam, Lido! What would a galvanized frame have cost, per car? And what a sales feature that would have been!
I had the robins egg blue one, but my favorite “street” car was the dark green 68 Charger and favorite race car was the red/black Ford GT.
A ’67 Galaxie 500 four door (not sure if it was sedan or hardtop) was my brother’s first new car. He was finishing his stint in Vietnam in the fall of ’66 and wanted a new car for the drive with his family to San Antonio to finish his ROTC service, so he had our dad line it up with the Ford dealer in Medford, NJ. I recall it was Sauterne Gold with a light tan fabric interior. Pretty sure it had the 289 and that bro sprang for factory air and disc brakes. At the time I thought it was a pretty sweet looking ride.
The science teacher at my grade school had a ’67 Galaxie 500 2 door hardtop he bought brand new, and was still driving it daily, though his wife had a new Aerostar. This would have been around 1989. Light blue metallic with white top and blue interior, and the mag wheelcovers like the 7-Litre had. He lived in Florida previously, so it had surface rust on the hood and trunk, but was still very solid at the time. He retired in 1993 and moved to Southern Illinois. I’ve lost touch with him but wouldn’t be surprised if he still has it. Anyway, for that reason, I really like the 1967 full-size Fords, though I haven’t seen any for a long time. And I go to a lot of car shows!
The 1967 was the best looking of this generation IMHO. The 1967 LTD was a particularly unique combination of “lasts”, and “one year onlys”.
It was the last LTD to include, in it’s base price, an automatic transmission.
Downgraded to 3-on-the-tree for 1968 to quote a lower base price. It was the final year for a truly nice interior in the base price. It included a rear folding armrest, cut-pile carpeting and door courtesy lights. Also the final year for door courtesy lamps on the rear doors as well as the front. All deleted for 1968, restorable by ordering the “Brougham Interior Group”. But the rear door lights were gone forever.
It was the only year to have as standard a feature called “Comfort Stream Ventilation”.
A powered vent system utilizing 2 AC-like registers on the dash. Optional for ’68, then gone until 1971. And it was the only year the 2 door LTD had it’s own unique roofline,
with a standard padded vinyl top. That vinyl top was there for a reason. The standard Galaxie roof was altered by welding in triangular pieces of metal, then using convertible quarter windows. Rather than metal finish the whole thing properly, they just covered it in vinyl.This roof was shared by the 1967-68 Mercury Marquis as well as the 1968 Meteor Montcalm, and they all have viny tops for this reason.
I still fondly remember the road trip to see Expo 67 in the summer of ’67 I took with my parents in this car. It had an indelible effect on me and to this day I always hear the call of the road beckoning to me because of this trip as a 6 year old.
The car was well optioned, including disc brakes, the 5 speaker in dash tape system, and a speed-activated vacuum lock system which malfunctioned on the Expo trip.
The vacuum refused to release, and it was very strong. It was extremely difficult to pull up the lock plunger while opening the door. And, no dealer could repair it.
Yes, the frame rot. Collectors of these cars tend to become well versed in frame swaps.
Being it was a company car, it was gone when my dad quit his job in January 1968.
I always vowed I would have one but I work overseas.
By the way, that AC unit is an add-on, but it’s a FoMoCo unit. The factory AC was completely integrated into the dash, and had been since 1965.
I still have my first car. It was not what I was looking for originally. Like every 16 year old kid, I wanted a 67-69 Camaro. I ended up with this car. 1968 Ford Ltd Brougham, 2 door hardtop. 390 2 barrel. This is 1 of 1249 built with 2 tone paint, (according to the Marti report). Lime gold with a black top. NO VINYL TOP!!!
The top was well finished by Ford. It was bought from the original owner and still wears its original black paint on the top. I had the rust repaired and painted 1975 Ford truck light green with metallic added to darken the lighter color. This was in 1987 and it had 60,000 miles on it when I bought it for $400. And yes, the frame was rusted where it was boxed ( I live in the rust belt). The frame was welded twice (each time for cash, of course). I have another frame from a 68 fastback that came from Nebraska. When the time and funds allow, I intend to swap it out and freshen the car up.
I have fond memories of this car. As I stated, I bought the car for $400, invested $650 in body work, $125 to install dual exhaust with glasspacks, and was able to buy used 15X7 inch Keystone Raider mag wheels for $200. Added were the white letter tires, 60s on the rear, 70s on the front. So for less than $2000, I had a car that turned heads wherever I went. It sounded very nice also with dual glasspacks behind the 390.
The car now has 110,000 miles on it and the 390 still runs good. My intentions are to freshen up the drivetrain and body and enjoy it.
This car has the entire trim package consisting of the middle and lower trim, as well as the wheel well trim. As most of you know, this trim usually was dinged up and mine is no exception. This stuff is not reproduced and each year of the full size Fords had different trim. So part of the fun of this car is hunting those rare boneyards in search of parts.
Even though I own a 68, I will always love the 67s, especially the fastbacks. In my opinion, the 67s have the coolest taillights of the 65-69 era Fords. Of course the ultimate full size Ford is the 63-64 fastbacks. However they are unobtainable by most.
I have enclosed a pic. Not a very good one. To the lovers of the full size Fords; remember, the big ones need lovin too!!!
Very cool ride! Beats the heck out of my first car… a ’74 Pinto Runabout.
The collapsible steering column wasn’t federally mandated until 1968, along with sider marker lamps — some cars had them earlier, but it wasn’t required until the 68 model year. IIRC, 67 was the last year before federal intervention started rearing it’s head.
Nice article……..love the big 60’s Fords.
GM , Chrysler & AMC had collapsible columns for the entire 1967 run. This was because Chryco and AMC used Saginaw designed lower sections.
Ford’s was in-house, and began to appear midway through the year.
I think you’re right. GM fitted collapsable steering columns across the board for ’67 (Even on the lame duck Corvair!), but they weren’t mandated until ’68.
My favorite year for big Fords. A Galaxie 500 or LTD hardtop sedan like this with the 390 would be a great cruiser. And to think – this was a run of the mill family car! This Ford is much more striking, interesting, and dare I say luxurious than anything Lexus, Cadillac or the Germans offer today.
Aside from being safer, more comfortable and more efficient than ever before, modern cars really suck.
My dad did body-and-fender work, and used to buy rebuildable wrecks, repair them, and drive them for a while, then sell it. In late ’66 he got hold of a 1966 Galaxie 500 XL two-door coupe with the 390 and C6 automatic. It was cinammon metallic with cream-colored interior, bucket seats and console. IIRC it was a theft recovery and had been banged up a little bit while being joyrided. Daddy repainted the whole car the original color and gave the roof a spray-on finish that looked like a black vinyl top.
It was one good-looking car, dead-nuts reliable and actually fairly good on gas for its time. We kept it until 1972, when he replaced it with a ’71 Galaxie 500 that had also been rescued from a junkyard. The one thing that stands out was the inability to keep a muffler on it. Lean into the pedal too quick, and that 390 back-pressure would blow the single exhaust right out. Once Mom blew the muffler completely off the car, and it went tumbling out the back into traffic. Daddy finally solved the problem by installing an all-one-piece dual exhaust system made for a stock car. He didn’t like dual exhausts (I don’t know why) so he welded the two tailpipes together to make a single exhaust.
Sadly, the old girl died the death of a thousand cuts. Mom was sideswiped on the passenger side from the door trailing edge to the taillight, and it just wasn’t worth fixing. So we kept it rolling until the next Galaxie was ready, then broke her up. The front cap went to another body shop, the engine and transmission to someone else, the bucket seats went into our boat (where they held up amazingly well), and the doors, taillights, back bumper, etc. went into the attic of Daddy’s body shop, where they still were when it burned down in 1979. I still have the emblems off the quarterpanels as keepsakes.
The 67 was my favorite big Ford of all time. The sharp creases of the 65 and 66 were softened and refined to create a look that rivaled anything coming out of style leader GM. My stepdad wanted a new 67 LTD to replace our 63 Fairlane. He found a baby blue 2 door hardtop with black vinyl top and dark blue cloth interior. The car had a very rare option under the hood, a 427 (with automatic not a 4 speed). This was a special order car that the dealer got stuck with when the prospective owner’s deal fell through. My mom nixed buying that car and he settled for a 67 Country Sedan, that served our family well for the next 8 years. I’ve often wondered how it would have been to borror that LTD for a night of hooning. What a sleeper it would have been. I also never heard of that engine mated with anything but a four speed, but back in those days Detroit would let you custom order any combination of options even if they were not listed in their catalog.
Boy I’d love to see the Marti Report on that.
My formative years were spent in the middle and “way back” of a ’68 LTD Country Squire wagon (auto, 390 four-barrel!). I think my parents bought it in ’69 or ’70, and we called it “Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang” because of all the dashboard lights and gizmos (this car replaced a Rambler American if I recall correctly).
Dad had a massive full-frame trailer hitch installed, and we pulled a camper trailer every summer out on vacation.
Upon reaching driving age, I was eventually entrusted to convey my brothers and me back and forth to school, which is where I learned how four-barrel carbs work! Thankfully, my hooning never ended up badly.
The car caught fire twice, once in the driveway (easily put out) and once on the road (an alert driver flagged us down). Dad cleaned up the mess, rewired it, and it was good to go for another half-decade, albeit with a big pink spot on the hood from where the heat discolored the paint.
Blown head gaskets and general worn-outedness finally did the car in. Dad sold it to someone for a few hundred, and that was the last we saw of the car.
See articles regarding the 67 LTD brought back memories…
I was stationed at Scott AFB, Illinois in 1967 and had just returned from Southeast Asia, where I had been TDY. Returned thru Honolulu, Hawaii, an was really impressed with the place.
So much so, that when I got back I vowed to return there on an assignment. Which I worked out with the magic of friendship in the military…
Anyway, I had a 64 Chevy and a 57 Chevy Convertible that I sold and traded in, and ordered a 1967 Ford LTD, beige with a Black Vinyl top, air conditioning but, get this, I did not get the electric windows… (duh) Neither of the Chevy’s had Air Cond. that was my excuse for the deal.
First crack out of the barrel, the 428 showed its muscle by running down a 67 Galaxie, CID and
promptly blew his doors off!
Sold it to a Roger Starcher in 1970-71 while stationed at Hickam AFB, Hawaii. He was being stationed near Boston and put new freeze plugs in the 428 an shipped it to the west coast to pick it up and travel to the East Coast with his family to their new assignment…
Was a fun car, of course, My wife did not like the big engine… Don’t have a pic handy to attach…
An older couple at my Mom’s church once owned a ’67 Ford, the Country Squire wagon in turquoise (or was it simply a light blue, I forget now) and it had the AM radio with the rear speaker in the cargo hold and I don’t know what all else it had in the way of options it had. Their son Bill and his wife would I think borrow it when they needed to take a bunch of us youth group kids on a jaunt somewhere as we’d fit in there pretty well although often it was at least 2 cars going since there were that many kids in the group at the time, the other being I think a ’78 SAAB 900 4 door.
This being the early 80’s and by 1983-84, Bill was inflicted with Leukemia and passed away and I don’t recall seeing the wagon much after that. I believe his parents bought it new back in the day. Being that we live in the Puget Sound area, rust isn’t a big deal here as it is in the Midwest or wherever its salt country so it had a long life as far as I know.
Some good friends we once knew had a dark green ’69 or 70 Country Squire wagon with the rear side facing seats in the way back, and I think it had the “wood” paneling as well.
Beautiful family cars.
I have always had a soft spot for these vehicles.
The 6 and 289 versions were underpowered, but still dependable and wonderful cruisers.
The 352 comments are incorrect, as there was little difference between the 390 and 352. Anyway, the 390 was the best motor choice for the year. A better alternative for these cars is the later 351 Windsor (not available at the time this was made). I built one of these with that motor, and the fuel economy and power to weight ratio is the best of all worlds.
The 351W was probably Ford’s best older motor, all things considered. it was more efficient than the FE blocks, had better reliability than the 351 Cleveland, and remains a favorite high performance engine with all the aftermarket parts.
Having said that, the sound and torque of an FE block is fantastic too.
I even liked the 289 in these cars.
Just picked up the 1967 LTD 2 door hardtop fastback pictured below.
I love the way this car looks. I have always been a blue oval guy when it comes to American cars. Can’t wait to get her road ready. The 390 is purring like kitten just got to get the brakes squared away and some new rubber to keep her on the road. All original and number matching. Had been sitting for 20 years but she is solid with no rust issues. Built in LA and never lived out of CA.
The picture you have is exact to the 67 I bought brand new before going to Honolulu… Note my little story just above yours…
Does it have power windows???
thanks…
I have 67 4door LTD and am looking for a frame-any help would be appreciated.
It has the 390. I am also looking for the front grille LTD badge.
The car is a dream to drive, especially with its Hooker Headers.
I stumbled across this chat room. Very nice! I grew up in the 60s My dad always had Fords in the drive way. I remember a 68 wagon white with the wood sides. Nice car.390 motor. As it got older if it sat out in the rain it wouldn’t start! He would use a hair dryer on the cap and wires and then it would fire up. I think the frame broke on that one too.and it was junk yard bound.He had Torinos and the smaller fairlane wagons. Thanks for the memories!!
In 1989, I was living in San Diego,Ca. and had made friends with an older gentleman who I helped several times with various repairs on his vehicles. One day he asked me if I’d be interested in an old Ford he had stuffed way back in his garage/workshop. He said he had not had it out of the garage since 1975 or so, and it was covered with several blankets, and had old cardboard boxes piled on top of it. I said yes, so we cleared everything off, and pulled the blankets off it. It was a 1967 Ford LTD 4 door hardtop, with 390 badges. He said in the mid-60’s he was a California State Trooper, and this car was ordered by the highway patrol for the division’s Captain. When the Captain got a new car in 1973, it was slated for retirement, and he had bought it.
Along with the car, I got a big cardboard box containing the original window sticker, all the tags and what-nots that were hung on the dash, the clear plastic covers that the seats had on them when delivered, the paper floormats from the dealer, and a book with it’s full maintenance records from the date it was sold, to the day he parked it in 1975.
A look at the window sticker was shocking, it was three pages long due to the options added. The car had a 390 4bbl Interceptor 375hp engine, C6 Super Duty Police trans., Super Duty Police power brakes (with huge 4 piston disc Kelsey Hayes up front, and 13″X4″ rear drums),9″ Traction-Loc rear, 40 gal extended range fuel tank, Desert Cooling Paackage (4 core radiator,19″ HD fan and clutch, aux. Trans cooler, engine oil cooler, rear end oil cooler, and power steering oil cooler.), Factory A/C, 15″X8″ HD rims and a Super Duty suspension package that gave it HD coil springs (stiffer and 1 1/2″ shorter than stock, massive front & rear sway bars, fully boxed upper and lower control arms up front, and severe duty shocks. I came with dual exhaust, and had steel headers on it that had Ford part numbers on them, but the guy I bought it from said he had purchased those and installed them in 1973, as the cast manifolds had cracked, and he had bought them from the local Ford dealer. It oddly was not equipped with a spotlight, nor a shotgun mount in the front floorboard (as most police cars were), It was wired for a magnetic bubble light and siren, but those had been removed prior to it being sold by the highway patrol, as well as the police radio, but the dash had holes under it where the brackets had been mounted.
I bought it for just $600, and it only took me about a week to get it running and driving. I remember that the car was extremely fast, especially for it’s size and weight, and it handled as well as, or better than my 1987 Z-28. It made a fantastic “Sleeper”, and I made a fair amount of money off it racing it on Friday and Sat. nights on the streets. It was in fantastic condition due in part to it being the Capt.’s car and not a daily driven patrol unit, and in big part to it being covered in blankets for all those years. It was Wimbledon White, and did not have a vinyl roof, the interior was a dark grey, but might have been what Ford considered black. the carpet was black, as was the vinyl on the dash and door panels. After buffing, the paint looked freshly applied, and all the chrome and stainless polished out to like new as well.
I enjoyed that car for several years, but when I moved back to Alabama, I was forced to sell it… a decision I have regretted ever since. I recently purchased a 1967 LTD to restore, and I’m intending to keep it this time… It’s just a standard 390 4bbl Thunderbird 315hp version though, but I’ve got all the pieces needed to make it a police-spec Interceptor w/ 375hp.
Great story! Wow; you must have had regrets about letting that one get away.
What’s a bit curious is that the CHP was such a heavy buyer of Dodges for years and years. But I guess there were other brands mixed in too. And maybe the captain’s car was ordered separately.
Wow, sounds like you had the ultimate 67 LTD. I am quite certain that had I owned your car instead of the one I had, I would have killed myself or someone else. My 2bbl lopo 390 with the flaccid suspension placed some reasonable limits on what 17 year old me could do with the car.
I’ve regretted selling it since the day I sold it. I originally wanted to drive my pickup and trailer to Alabama, then turn around and drive back to Calif., get the LTD and load it on the trailer, and bring it home too… but I didn’t have the money, nor time, to make the extra 2,200 mile each way trip.
I’ve seen a few wierdly optioned government cars over the years. a mid-70’s Plymouth Fury station wagon with 440 and 3/4 ton 4wd in Forestry Service Green, a 427 dual quad side oiler in a ’66 Country Squire station wagon (I can only assume some guy told the dealer he was going to tow a big travel trailer and wanted the biggest, most powerful engine Ford made…lol), and also a 427 powered Copo Nova that was used by a local police dept. for pursuit duties…they still have that car and it’s on display at their police station.
Back in the good old days, if a big fleet wanted something different, the manufacturers would usually do their best to accomodate them…provided it was possible. Nowadays, they are pretty much stuck with what the manufacturers offer as standard…. although there are still some unusual offerings available if an agency has the funds. ie: Police version of the Corvette
My dad had one! What a car! Weither you were cruising at 30 mph or 120+ It was a blast to drive!!!
Looking at a 67 Ford LTD. White with black top. Four door. Sitting for 20 plus years. One owner. Org miles. Any thoughts on what a fair offer would be?
I love mine, It has always treated me well, gets lots of looks. I found it in a estate sale in south carolina that had been stored indoors for 37 years. Its something different and unique. Had a 289 but now it has a fully built 302 in it, just an awesome car all around. I won’t be selling it anytime soon thats for sure.
I think you may have bought my fathers car that I have been looking for. Can you please check to see if the VIN is 7G66C198660? Please let me know it would mean the world to me!
I’ll check when I get home, but my Ltd is a z code.
My vin is 7J66Z154017.
Hi suzette, I have a shop book for 67 ford ltd. According to my book your dad’s car was built in Chicago and c code engine is a 289cu. In 2v carburetor. Hope I was some help.
In Dec. of 1966 my dad bought a 1967 LTD 2-door fastback with a 4 bbl 428. He still had it in 1973 when I turned 16. WOW! I dreaded parallel parking on the driver’s test. It turned out the only thing I got dinged for was “control of speed”.
When friends asked about the 428 badge I told them that was the engine size. When they didn’t believe, I started it up on an asphalt parking lot, put the pedal to the floor and smoked the tires. I shut off the engine after having moved no more than 2 inches.
My mom had a 1967 LTD coupe, black with burgundy interior, that my dad bought for her second hand around ’69-70. I have pictures of us standing alongside it when I was 3 or 4 (I was born in ’67 thus even more reason I love the car!). In 1971 we moved across town into a new neighborhood. I have a pic of it parked in the driveway of our new home (and the rear end of my aunt’s ’65 T-bird I might add). An interesting side note is that one of our new neighbors recognized it as the same one they traded in. I know we had it until at least ’73-74 because I recall my newborn little brother’s car seat in the front, with me having to sit in the back. My dad is a Ford guy too. My parents drove Fords more than any other make so it was a common to see two Fords in our driveway (always one brand new for Dad & slightly used for Mom). The LTD was traded in for a ’73 Gran Torino Sport coupe around ’74-’75 (which I also loved!). In addition to the two mentioned they also had a ’69 Mustang, ’73 F150, ’67 F100 (literally a barn find he had restored in the late ’70s), a ’90 Ranger and an ’01 Explorer Sport-Trac (which they still own!). In 1983, before I had my learner’s permit my dad bought me my first car. It was low mileage ’79 Fairmont 4speed which is what I learned to drive on. Many accidents and close to 100,000 miles later it was still going when I traded it in. My LTD pics are in storage but I plan to find them ASAP and post here!
well i enjoyed reading all the stories, i just bought a 1967 ford LTD four door hardtop, 390 V8 four barrel, automatic, power steering, power brakes, power windows, factory air conditioning, 41,300 original miles, white with the black vinyl top and black interior. the same family had owned it since it was two years old. the lady i bought it from is the grand daughter, now in her 70’s. the car sat in her garage for the last nine years, since her husband died. he passed away before he finish upgrading the 390 engine, changing the two barrel carb set up with a four barrel set up, new chrome valve covers, chrome air cleaner, new belts, hoses, spark plug wires. i will check out the fully boxed frame, the hubcaps look like mag wheels. found the car on craigslist she was asking for only $1,000.00 for the LTD.
i forgot to add that the LTD has a new vinyl top, and a new black interior. i could only find a very small amount of rust bubbles behind the left rear tire on the rear fender.
I have quite enjoying reading these stories. In 1991 I decided I wanted a vintage personal luxury car. I focused primarily on the Continental Mark III as it was one of my all time favorite cars. One ad I responded to for a beautiful Mark III which turned out unfortunately to have numerous electrical problems looked like it was going to be another bust in a fruitless search but next to the garage was a very nice 1967 Mercury Brougham hardtop (Mercury’s twin to the 4-door LTD) with only 53,000 miles which had spent it’s whole life garaged. It was a true survivor, very nicely optioned with nearly all of the comfort accessories and equipped with the standard 410 CID 4 barrel (390 block with the longer stroke 428 crank) and disc brakes and had the most gorgeous metallic maroon paint and dark red broadcloth interior with a black top. I was immediately smitten and although the guy had just bought the Mercury from the original owner’s estate I talked him into selling me that car instead of the Continental.The original owner had added an aftermarket stereo and cruise control and replaced the troublesome Autolite carburetor with a Holley unit (which I recently found was originally for a 1969 302 marine engine application and that he had acquired it through his membership in a boat club). Based on the door tag code I believe the car was originally special ordered as a dealer demo which appears to be backed up by documentation showing delivery to the ‘original’ owner as February ’68. (The car’s build date is April ’67.) As stated in a prior story the vacuum power locks were a bit quirky. They were comprised of a myriad tangle of vacuum lines and a couple of one way valves along with the switch and actuators. The system was fairly rare and was not covered in the original service manual so many dealers could not service them properly. There was a service bulletin released later which contained a schematic and some procedures. It was common for one of the valves to fail and full vacuum then constantly applied to either the lock or unlock side of the circuit which would then render the locks immovable. This had been corrected on mine by cutting a tiny hole in a vacuum tee to release vacuum so that they wouldn’t freeze in one position. The car was unfortunately caught in a hail storm in 1996 which caused enough sheet metal and trim damage that it had to be completely dissembled and repaired. Although a disability and 60+ hour work weeks have stalled progress since the paint work and new vinyl top were completed it has allowed time to locate nearly all of the damaged trim with NOS pieces over the years. When she is finally done she will truly be a beauty.
Re the vacuum lock system: End of the mystery. I guess that’s what happened to ours.
I bought this ’67 Mercury Monterey in Gustine, Ca for $1500.00 the engine a 410 was in need of a rebuild my dad owned one back in “67 and I fell in love with it I’ve rebuilt the motor, brakes, and, suspension. It is a beautiful riding car my dad, and uncles had Ford Galaxie’s or full size Mercury’s. My aunt had a ’66 7 Litre Galaxie my uncle had a ’65 Montclair breezeway, my other uncle had a ’68 Galaxie 500, ’68 Bronco, ’63 Monterey breezeway.
One Saturday in ’68 my dad went somewhere with the next door neighbor, who worked for Philco (the electronics division of Ford). He came home with a gorgeous dark blue ’67 LTD, 390, black vinyl top, and luxurious blue fabric interior, and 11,000 miles on the odo. It had been a Philco company car and they were selling them off that Day. I remember my sage older cousin saying “Uncle Jim, I think this car is about a half step down from a Lincoln Continental.” I learned to drive in that car, went on my first dates in it; loved that car! One day in 1975 I came home from college to find that my brother had run into the tang of a garbage truck fork(that lifts dumpsters). It had penetrated the passenger side headlight and about ripped off the fender. I wanted to cry.
I have begun a search for a 68 500XL convertable. My parents had a 68 country squire wagon in sunlit gold with gold vinyl seats and those famous “Dual facing” rear seats that would fold flat when not needed. It had the wonderfull 390 four barrel and automatic trans combo that would tow anything we could attach to the rear bumper hitch.We kept it until the bitter end with over 160k on it when it finally “gave up” in 1978. My brother also had a 67 galaxie 500XL fastback that he purchased used in the early 80’s for three hundred bucks and a old 125cc dirt bike! It was really quite a deal in that it was a southern car (in MIch) and had a 390 four barrel with a 4 speed. We learned that one could only get a manual trans by special order by 67. Ford made few of them and rather than stamp a hole in the transmission tunnel, they just flame cut the holes when a manual trans’ Galaxie was specified! That was a very unusual car. I have pretty much good memories of all our large fords. I am getting older and want another one for me this time!
Oh my, my very first real CC. I still have a thing for the 67. And I have never seen this one again.
My favourite years for the big Ford cars are 1965 and 66.
I learned how to drive in the corporate cousin of this LTD, my parents’ 1968 Mercury Marquis coupe. It was black roof over tan with a 390 and I remember it being a nicely roadable car. Both the LTD coupe and the Marquis shared the same semi-fastback roofline for 1967, but Ford changed the roof on the LTD to a notchback for 1968, leaving the old roofline as a Marquis exclusive (but later seen as an option on the Montclair).
These weren’t pretty cars, the wheel wells were too small and the proportions were off somehow. My Dad’s first car he bought for around $800 in ’72 was a ’67 Fairlane with a 289 V8 and 3-on-the-tree, white with red vinyl interior. I think these Fairlanes are nicer looking than the big Galaxies, and have a similar front end with stacked headlights.
What a great first-piece about an equally great first-car. I just researched this: $700 in ’77 translates to about $2,800 in 2015, which seems like a lot of car for the money. You must have gotten a steal, especially considering the nice condition of yours apparent from the period photo.
This may be an “after” picture. When I bought the car, it was very clean but had a bit of rust in the lower rear quarters as well as dull paint on the decklid. After graduating high school, I paid for metal repair and a paint job. The shop did beautiful work.
I well remember these in 1967 , they were beautiful then and have not lost any luster since .
Truly the frames were bad on these , I left new England in 1970 ans most were gone or going fast ~ I put my foot on the back bumper of a $75 Ford and it ripped clear of the frame , sorely pissing off the boob who was trying to sell it as a ‘ good daily driver ‘ .
These old Fords were *so* quiet , if you junked the factory exhaust system with it’s many bends , for a nice dual system , they sounded great and ran *much* cooler do the the reduction in back pressure .
-Nate
(un apologetic GM Fanboi but you have to give Ford it’s due here)
I am amazed how nice Ford was able to make these at the prices they were charging. Nothing was from China, all done by UAW, who were getting a living wage and could send their children to college and enjoy one of these themselves. Quieter than a Rolls, quieter than a Mercedes, quieter than an Imperial, quieter than a Jaguar, what an achievement. What a stab at the heart of Mercury, Olds, Buick, and Chrysler.
My favorite would be a 66 2 door with a 289. The small block weight was only 3750, 200 pounds lighter than a 352. These aren’t about speed but are all about cruising the then new interstates, effortlessly in quiet comfort and dare I say economically. I also love the early angularity combined with the stacked headlights and great taillights all these were blessed with.
You say they rusted, unless in one the better climates and with a careful owner. I would say Ford sold you a dream, unimaginable to any previous generation. A dream has a right to be ephemeral. Thanks for bringing back this great classic curbside classic.
What is exactly “from China” in modern cars? As for living wages, well, I can recall hearing a lot of folks complaining about how bad unions are, and how high wages were “ruining America.” The race to the bottom benefits no-one.
Canadian Honda Fits, High value V6 in 1st gen Equinox, MT parts in Ford Mustang, S60 long wb plus many small bits. More to come. It is not a diss on China, they have come along way. Ford in the sixties offered one heck of a value, and did so profitably while paying well. In this case, good for Henry Ford III, good for Iaccoca, good for the UAW, and good for the USA and Canada as I believe you made and bought some of these. The sixties LTD was no race to the bottom.
Re: The frame rust issue….One of my early cars was a ’65 Galaxie 500 LTD 2 dr hdtp/352 four barrel/Cruise-o-matic. My father bought it for me used, it was about 5 years old (in the $800-$1000 range). I was going through that sort of crazy type of overdrive you get at that age and you’re obsessed with the “new” car and had to be doing things to it. But I told my father I was having trouble closing and opening the doors. It was almost like I had to lift up, as I was closing them. He took it to a neighbor who used to do welding on the side, put it up on his lift, and the perimeter frame was rusted through between the front fender opening and the front of the door opening. So, the neighbor got some form of scrap iron and welded under that point and it basically cured the problem. But it seems like everyone knew about this Achilles Heel except for us. I went on to wreck the car, but I always liked the ’67 style and prefer it to the ’68. And the ’65 I had was identical to the blue used in the other CC article on those cars.
I love all these late-60s Fords. First car I recall growing up was our 69 LTD Coupe, Dark Green, Black Vinyl Top and Green Panty-Cloth Interior. 390 2V, seemed the fastest thing in the world growing up. Can’t decide what I like better, the hidden head lights of the 69 or the stacked-quads of the earlier cars.
It really is a shame rust claimed so many of them.
Yeah very nice looking cars I see a 390 convertible here on a semi regular basis someone has a rust free example and drives it< I must try to shoot it for the cohort.
Fortunately rusty frames tend to be rare in Northern California. I know where two sit behind a restoration shop waiting for a buyer to stop by and talk to the owner of the shop. I did but wasn’t thrilled with the shaved door handles and opening the doors via a hidden switch in the front grille. One is a 4dr hardtop and the other a Country Sedan.
However, while they didn’t didn’t fit my needs 3 years ago I still had a full size 67 FoMoCo product. The poor thing languished on Craigslist for maybe 4 months, at 3 figures, and I couldn’t take it anymore. Had to save it and was the only person to ever call about the car owned by a fellow in a sister Cougar Club. It is, without a doubt, the smoothest driving highway cruiser I have been in. Just need to have lots of dollars for the gas tank. The only one I have seen in at least 20+ years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxdp_nyE5II&feature=youtu
.be
…not sure how this magnificent beast gets a current WoF with the fan shroud missing …a good way to get a ‘bunch of fives’ clipped-off !! (it’s a 460)
darnit guys !!!! why did you get us onto the ’67 Galaxie????? ..now it’s a major struggle to keep my hands off one
I want this darned thing now
Well Craig ;
Go put the blue one up on a hoist and check the frame ~ if it’s solid $3K is a good price .
-Nate
These cars remind me of the dentist. Why? Because most dentists that I’ve been to in the last 40 years have a light that they shine in front of you while you’re in the chair, and it’s the one thing you notice when you’re in the chair, and it looks just like the tail lights off of one of these with a couple of “T” handles on either side of it. It’s just one of those things that you have an eye for or you don’t.
The earliest car I barely remember my parents owning was a Lime Gold ’67 LTD coupe. Traded for a new ’72 LTD when I was about 3 1/2 years old. Probably the closest Dad ever came to owning a “performance” car as it was a 390 4 bbl. Also had factory air
I never owned a 68 LTD but my parents bought a new one the same color as this one. They drove it for about 10 years and traded it on a new LTD.
My aunt/uncle had a 68 LTD hardtop (4 door) from 1968-75. It got a repaint and seat redo in 1972. Oil leak\ tranny issues spurred the 75 trade in. Milage was not really high. Maybe 66k.
I cannot understand why they put the wide black trim on the sides of these, it is so ugly and distracting to me.
Always thought the ’67 LTD 2 door hardtop was the best looking of the ’65-’68 models. Dad had a ’67 Monterey 4 door in puke green in and out. Nice looking car and survived my stupid teen abuse without a complaint. Too bad about the color choice. These cars seem to be very under rated by collectors.
I’ve always liked the more flowing lines of the ’67 compared to the overly angular ’65-’66 cars. And while the pointed grille does have some uncanny similarities with the same year’s Cadillac, it imparts a sense of forward motion. The hidden-lamp ’68 nose is very nice too, but if I could only keep one, it’d probably be the ’67.
That these cars rusted prematurely is an understatement. In fact it was a joke in Canada that on a quiet day you could hear Fords rusting. My Great Aunt and Uncle had a 1968 LTD that was rarely driven given they also had a pickup, and one day backing it out of the garage Uncle Sam heard a clunk and the rear frame had fallen apart and fell out onto the drive. They car was eight years old and had perhaps 30,000 miles on it. Another incident I recall from 1974 was my aunt and uncles neighbours striking off from northern Ontario to North Bay in a 1968 wagon to get new glasses as both were blind as bats…..the car was condemned on arrival as the frame in the front end had totally failed….she could not figure why the motor accelererated when the brakes were applied. They came home on the train.
Hey JP I found this article because I found an LTD..67…same color. Possibly buying it this Saturday!
I saw your post two years ago and bought myself a 67 FORD Ltd 390 4 barrel carb 4door hardtop. I actually bought the car because I saw your site. The car is a Los Angels California car. I’m restoring the car now. I love the lines and body of the car. In the two years I’ve been working on the Ltd I have never seen another one and I have to say that I love that about the car.
Modern Toyota pickups suffer from frame rust threw issues – their rear suspension mounts are toast and the rear axles separate from the body. This is not an uncommon issue. Shameful in 1966 – outrageous in 2016.
67 FORD LTD ALMOST DONE
Need more photos ! .
.
This looks lovely .
.
-Nate
Getting there.
Finishing last details.
After almost two years my 67 ford Ltd Hardtop 390 is finally done. No longer forgotten Ford!
Very nice. Is that an original color? Looks a little more vivid, more like the 68-69 version, but I know that it is getting tough to match those old paint formulas. Whatever it is, I like it.
It’s not the original blue. Your right it’s a more vivid blue. I had such a hard time matching the color. I finally decided on this pacific blue with white pearl. Thanks for your comment I appreciate it.
Looking good! That’ll definitely turn some heads–riding in style!
Thank you.
Hello, I’m from Germany. I have read with interest. I bought a 67 FORD Ltd 390 4 barrel carb 4door hardtop. Please could help me with a few addresses where can I get parts for this car? If these are the same as in Galaxy?
Greets
Rita
Hi, just saw your post I have the same car and was hard for me to find parts. You might find some mortor parts from a galaxy, but not body parts. Some mustang motor parts will work too. I wish you luck sweet car… If you can find a place to rebuild your parts would be best. It’s hard to find places that still work on old parts, but possible.
Thank you for your post. it’s nice to drive this car, i love it…
Many, many years ago I got a used ’67 4-Door LTD from the Pontiac Car Dealer I worked at. The vinyl top had some rust under it & I had a friend paint the car Ford Grabber Blue & the top a Cream White. It had 2 noisy lifters (hydraulic) & I only replaced those two. A mistake. That rocker arm shaft broke into 3 pieces & it bent a couple push rods. I didn’t know it before I bought parts to start rebuilding it. I had bought piston rings & they didn’t fit. When I took them back to the TRW dealer (& a piston), he said it was the right set. I went back out & got the piston. He took it to the back & came back after a couple minutes with a set of rings on it. He said I had a police intercepter engine in it. It was a strong running one. Unfortunately, I had a blow-out on the right front & flipped it, totaling it. A week after I paid it off & 2 weeks before I got married.
My dad bought a 67 Ltd 4 door when it was 2 years old. It had the 390 4bbl and was loaded with options. I had been driving since I was 14 & it was the first family car I drove legally. It had plenty of power for sure but we had the car only a couple years before it started to rust. Not just the frame, the body rusted to the door handles. I liked the looks of the car & it drove great but wow the rust. Dad somehow kept it going til 1974 when he bought a new 74 Pontiac Catalina. He never owned another Ford. By the way, we lived in the rust belt of Michigan.
A buddy drove one of these in high school. I had a few rides in the back seat of his car. It certainly felt large and solid. It must have had the 289 under the hood or his parents wouldn’t have let him drive it.
And what’s this? Looks like a 1974 Olds Cutlass Supreme photobombing your shot of the rear of the Ford.
I’d say these were a marked improvement in styling over the 1966s. The sharp edges were rounded off and the slant added to the grille made a more appealing package. I want to say that Efrem Zimbalist Jr drove one of these in the 1960s FBI tv show, but it could have been a 1968. Nice writeup.
About 1976, my mom bought a “67 Ford Galaxie 500 post sdn. Milage was waay high. I think she paid 600.00.
Drove it back\forth to work. (34 mile round trip)
Car always started,ran well and strong.Looked respectable.
Passed unofficially to married sister in 1978. Car caught fire in summer of 79. Dump truck driver in stopped traffic had fire extinguisher thnk goodness. Car, of course, was total loss.