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CC Follow-Up: 1971 Ford LTD Convertible – The Owner’s Name Really Does Start With an “N”

By
Jason Shafer
– Posted on April 15, 2015

IMG_3927

It’s not very often I get to see a former CC model for a follow-up, but finding this car originally was like fishing in a bathtub; Ray, the owner, is friends with my wife’s parents.

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While hard to believe, it’s been about two years since the CC for this 429-powered LTD first graced the internet (CC here).  If you haven’t read it, it’s a cornucopia of all things related to the 1971 Ford LTD, a model and year of car that has wormed its way into the collective consciousness of this gathering of people, proving itself to be a very popular Ford.

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The last time around, I wrote about a high speed ride and the trunk being full of beer.  This time it was déjà vu all over again as Ray and I were sent on a mission to obtain wine for Easter lunch.  The store was five miles away and Ray has never had a problem with carbon buildup in an engine.

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On the way to the store, Ray confessed our last trip had seen a blast to 100 mph; He kept it at a sedate 80 mph this time.  Very near my in-laws’ house, the county road has a low-water crossing with a very steep hill on both sides.  After crossing the creek, Ray nailed the 429 in this LTD. While at the threshold of breaking traction the entire way up the hill, the 429 pumped out more than enough torque to keep my back pressed up against the white bucket seats.

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While Ray had his foot planted, he commented on how he has had to retard the timing about 6 degrees to accommodate 91 octane fuel.  He said setting it to factory specifications results in a lot of chatter from the engine.

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The only demerit this LTD has is a noisy bearing in the alternator.  However, the melodious exhaust note from seven liters of V8 quickly drowns out any trifling bearing noise.

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If you look to your right, you’ll notice this is the same car that headlines the Ford portal.  Since it’s been put there, Ray has frequently bragged to others about his LTD being seen by people around the planet.  Perhaps this follow-up will create more fans of this most photogenic Ford.

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← Curbside Outtake: Holden Calibra – The Sexiest Vectra
QOTD: What Is Your Biggest CC-Related Regret? →

34 Comments

  1. Reply
    avatar Christofear
    Posted April 15, 2015 at 10:09 AM

    Nice. I’ve always kinda sorta wanted a ’71 full sized Ford ever since I saw “White Lightning” With Burt Reynolds in it when I was a young boy.

    The closest that I’ve gotten so far was a ’67 Custom 4 door that had a 390 in it with a 3 speed w/ overdrive to back it up. Not quick, but had an unlimited top end, or so it seemed. I miss that car…

    • Reply
      avatar jpcavanaugh
      Posted April 16, 2015 at 5:15 AM

      Yup, White Lightning made adolescent me think of these as high performance cars.

  2. Reply
    avatar 210delray
    Posted April 15, 2015 at 10:31 AM

    Nice condition, nice color, nice power!

    But the Bunkie Beak hasn’t aged well, and I didn’t like the sight of these in my rear-view mirror as a novice driver in our family’s ’67 Chevy Bel Air 6!

    • Reply
      avatar Jason Shafer
      Posted April 15, 2015 at 10:36 AM

      Did they have a gumball machine on the roof? 🙂

    • Reply
      avatar nlpnt
      Posted April 15, 2015 at 1:37 PM

      I have to wonder if Bunkie’s heart wasn’t still with GM and he spent his entire time at Ford trying to get them as close as he could to replicating the Edsel nose in the greatest act of trolling ever.

  3. Reply
    avatar Brendan Saur
    Posted April 15, 2015 at 10:34 AM

    Great looking LTD. I’ve always loved the taillights on these!

  4. Reply
    avatar Dave
    Posted April 15, 2015 at 11:23 AM

    Great story of a cool old Ford ‘vert! I’ve always been fond of the ’69-’72 full size Fords, simply out of nostalgia. My mom drove a a ’69 and ’72 Country Squire back in the day, and I learned to drive on her ’72.

    Any idea what the rear axle ratio is on this particular LTD? Not sure if you could get anything shorter than a 3.50 with the auto trans (would be a C6 trans with the 429). I’m guessing most of them left the factory with either a 3.00 or maybe a 3.25 axle ratio, probably most without a Traction Lok diff. A 3.50 ratio w/ Traction Lok might have been optional, and this would have really awakened that big thirsty 429 mill. Of course, at the expense of even more abysmal fuel economy and lower top end.

    • Reply
      avatar Jason Shafer
      Posted April 15, 2015 at 12:03 PM

      I’m guessing it’s about a 3.0. It has been changed out at some point to help with fuel economy.

  5. Reply
    avatar steve
    Posted April 15, 2015 at 1:48 PM

    If the car ever dies, I know just the spot to park it. Saw these nine arranged in a field somewhere in western MN or eastern SD.

    • Reply
      avatar Dave
      Posted April 15, 2015 at 10:44 PM

      If that is not a photoshop, it seems quite interesting to see that many parked in same location with identical paint schemes…

      • Reply
        avatar steve
        Posted April 17, 2015 at 10:19 PM

        Not a Photoshop, I promise. I would have loved to stop and ask about the story, but I didn’t have the time.

    • Reply
      avatar RogueInLA
      Posted April 16, 2015 at 11:21 AM

      Wow, someone sure likes them some Red and White Fords

    • Reply
      avatar Chris M.
      Posted April 16, 2015 at 11:34 PM

      That is…most peculiar. Especially considering they’re all identical 2-doors with the little window in the B-pillar. The remains of some company’s fleet?

      Love to know the story behind that!

    • Reply
      avatar Scott Brown
      Posted April 19, 2015 at 11:44 AM

      I remember an old episode of the Rockford files. In it Jims dad, Rocky, is trying to give some advice regarding not doing detective work anymore(because jim was always getting beaten up) and he tried to relate living a long time to being a red ford that was well taken care of as opposed to one that was just driven hard and blown up. This must be the ones that were gently used and retired intact! But, Life is not like a red ford.My mom had a 75 LTD like the ones pictured except light blue. A nice solid,if numb feeling car to drive.It did have the most powerfull and effective A/C i ever experienced in a large ford

  6. Reply
    avatar Minstrel_Gallery
    Posted April 15, 2015 at 3:06 PM

    Nice car, always liked the 1971-72 Ford LTD’s a lot (I consider it to be the last great era of the Ford LTD’s), I think red is a very good color these kind of cars.

  7. Reply
    avatar Dave
    Posted April 15, 2015 at 3:54 PM

    There are some videos on YouTube by a fellow that has a blue 71 LTD or Galaxie 4 dr hardtop….He has either a 429 or a hopped up 460….He does acceleration runs in the videos and originally had a 3.0 rear axle before he swapped it out for a 3.70…..He did acceleration runs before and after the axle swap and there was a noticeable difference……He was turning 2000 rpm at 60 with the 3.0 axle…..and turning nearly 2800 rpm at 60 with the 3.70 axle.

    • Reply
      avatar Chris
      Posted April 17, 2015 at 6:31 AM

      I believe it!!! I swapped a 3.70 for a 3.00 in my 72 F100 with an inline 6 (300 CID) and 3 speed manual. Much much better on the highway, but struggled to pull a boat and trailer out of the water.

    • Reply
      avatar Rob Evans
      Posted July 2, 2015 at 10:51 AM

      I learned how to drive with this Red/white LTD. My parents bought a red two door with the white vinyl top brand new off the show room floor. It had the 400 CID 2bbl. I always loved this car. I’m actually looking to purchase one soon in good condition.

      • Reply
        avatar Dan
        Posted February 25, 2017 at 1:21 PM

        I have a friend who has one in blue for sale. 2nd owner in San Diego. $9k. All original. Contact me at powaydan63@gmail.com if interested.

  8. Reply
    avatar Dave
    Posted April 15, 2015 at 3:59 PM

    I could never figure out until recently what the difference in front ends between the 71 and 72 full sized Fords was……On the 71, the front bumper dips down below the beak or center grill area while on the 72’s, the bumper runs straight across….

    The only way I could tell otherwise was by the revised taillights on the 72’s.

    • Reply
      avatar Carroll
      Posted July 18, 2016 at 12:05 PM

      72’s had a fine egg-crate grill design that was also not set so far in the front end; taillights were also much larger.

      For some reason I just love the 71 Ford – considering how bland the 1968-1970 Fords looked, the 71 was a nice refresh – even with the beak. I want a two door in dark green.

  9. Reply
    avatar Colin Ciolli
    Posted April 15, 2015 at 5:16 PM

    Great car!

  10. Reply
    avatar Minstrel_Gallery
    Posted April 15, 2015 at 7:30 PM

    I never knew how intimidating the Ford LTD front end was for the 1971 model, the 1972 front end looked a lot tamer by comparison.

    • Reply
      avatar nlpnt
      Posted April 15, 2015 at 8:39 PM

      Of course, the ’72 had the Bunkie Beak bisected by a straightened bumper with a Wallace-and-Gromit-mouth grille extension built into it.

  11. Reply
    avatar Sally Sublette
    Posted April 15, 2015 at 10:42 PM

    “Diamonds are Forever” (1971 Bond film) on TV this evening–Ford was involved, and these 1971 Ford sedans everywhere (including, IIRC, police cars too).

    ***********

    A relative had a Thunderbird of about that vintage with the 429. Amazing torque and acceleration, and I always wondered how fast it could go. MPG in city driving never quite broke into double digits, though.

  12. Reply
    avatar jpcavanaugh
    Posted April 16, 2015 at 5:19 AM

    I have never driven anything with the 429. This reminds me that I would like to.

    The 71 LTD convertible is a looker.

    • Reply
      avatar Paul Niedermeyer
      Posted April 16, 2015 at 10:41 AM

      Sadly, I never did either. Not one 429-equipped car came through Towson Ford during my tenure there.

      • Reply
        avatar Paul Niedermeyer
        Posted April 16, 2015 at 10:44 AM

        I forgot that I did move around a T-Bird or two, but was not in a position to really experience it properly.

    • Reply
      avatar RogueInLA
      Posted April 16, 2015 at 11:19 AM

      Had several 429 Fords in the late 70s, a BIG Marauder, which moved out pretty well with that engine. An LTD, ditto. Thank god gas was cheap tho. They were fun to smoke the tires with. Left the Merc parked in a field on my brother’s farm when I moved to CA, and basically forgot about it. He called one day, someone stopped by and wanted to buy the 429, he wanted to know if it was ok to sell it. Heck, I thought that car was long gone. He offered $250, which is more, even adjusted for inflation, than I’d paid for the car, so SOLD!

  13. Reply
    avatar Don Andreina
    Posted April 16, 2015 at 5:31 AM

    I’m a fan. Nice car, Ray.

  14. Reply
    avatar Dman
    Posted April 16, 2015 at 9:08 AM

    If you had asked me anytime from 1970 to this morning, what I thought about this generation of Ford, I would have made discreet retching noises. But this is a really nice looking car! And I don’t even like red.

  15. Reply
    avatar 67Conti
    Posted April 16, 2015 at 3:56 PM

    Nice car.

  16. Reply
    avatar Chris M.
    Posted April 16, 2015 at 11:37 PM

    I like the somewhat sinister visage of the ’71–heck, I like the whole thing. Beautiful old convertible, from the end of the era when you could still get a BIG droptop. And at least it escaped the fate of the Ranchero, pickup, and Mercury(?) slowly rusting away in the background there…are those part of Ray’s “fleet” as well?

    • Reply
      avatar Jason Shafer
      Posted April 17, 2015 at 4:19 AM

      No; this is at my in-law’s house.

      https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/backyard-classics-a-saturday-afternoon-stroll-at-the-in-laws/

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