I’ve given the original 1965 Ford LTD credit for launching the Great Brougham Epoch. It was the first in the low price field to offer the overt signals of luxury, including its legendary “panty cloth” upholstery. Over time, the LTD came to define the affordable big “luxurious” sedan, but I put that in quotation marks, as all too soon, the LTD suffered from name debasement as within thirteen years every big Ford, even taxis, would carry that enigmatic acronym.
Chevrolet’s quick answer to the LTD, the Caprice, was launched six months after the LTD’s arrival. It’s interesting to note that although the Caprice got off to a strong start, outselling the LTD in its first full year (1966), it never achieved the relative success and stature of the LTD. Part of that may have been that Chevrolet didn’t debase the name as quickly as Ford did, but in looking at the sales stats, it’s quite apparent that the LTD’s trajectory was much steeper. Let’s let the charts speak for themselves:
(1970 Caprice sales were likely impacted by a prolonged GM strike)
Here’s the sales stats of the two from their first year through 1973. There are no production figures available for the 1965 Caprice, as it was an option package, and became available mid-year. The surprise for me was just how strong Caprice sales were in their first full year, 1966. I had started to tally up the numbers for the Plymouth VIP, but since they never got out of the teens, they were essentially irrelevant. Folks were more likely to buy a Chrysler Newport, if they were Chrysler loyalists.
That strong showing in 1966 for the Caprice may well be in substantial part to the exclusive new roof that the coupe had that year (the ’65 Caprice package was only available on the four door hardtop).
By doing so, Chevrolet differentiated the Caprice much more effectively than Ford, where the LTD coupe was virtually indistinguishable from the sporty semi-fastback Galaxy 500/XL/7 Litre (shown) coupes.
Ford rectified that for 1967, although only partly so, inasmuch as all they did was to add a filler panel in the C pillar of the semi-fastback coupes, unlike the Caprice’s roof, which was all-new. But then in these early years, the coupes clearly were not the LTD’s forte.
The ’68 LTD finally got its unique coupe roof, for better or for worse (count me in with the latter). I consider the ’68 Ford to have the weakest styling of the ’60s Fords. The ’65 – ’68 LTD coupes were generally outsold by the four doors by a very healthy margin. But it didn’t seem to matter much, as soon enough LTD sales, coupes and four-doors, really perked up.
1969 was the year the LTD really come into its own, with sales almost doubling. Unlike previous years, where the LTD was something of an afterthought, a tarted-up Galaxie, now the ’69 Fords clearly were designed to be LTD’s first and foremost.
While the lesser Fords all looked like poverty-mobiles in comparison. The LTD’s front end and hood were exclusive to it, and the increasingly marginalized XL.
The results speak for themselves, as in this chart that shows their respective share of full size Fords and Chevrolets. And the LTD’s trajectory quickly headed to 100%, as 1974 was the last year for the Galaxie and 1977 the last for the stripper Custom 500.
From 1978 on, every big Ford was at an LTD, even police cruisers and taxi cabs. The LTD’s saturation was complete. As was its name debasement.
No wonder only two years later the Crown Victoria appeared. And eventually the LTD name would be tossed overboard, as the Galaxie and Custom had been.
Meanwhile, back at Chevrolet, the Caprice had only a 52% share of big Chevys in 1978. Of course the Impala would also eventually disappear, its last year being 1985. But by the mid ’80s, these big RWD cars were the last of their breed, clinging on to a combined 5% of the total market. Having multiple name plates/models certainly wasn’t warranted.
So let’s take a closer look at this LTD. The youngish owner came out and told me that he’s acquired it fairly recently. And that it came with the original wheels and wheel covers in the trunk (yea!). He also told me he was thinking of painting it black.
I understand that impulse. On the other hand, it’s acquired its patina honestly and wears it proudly. How many original ’67 LTD four door hardtops are left in the world? I gently encouraged him to not rush into a decision, and consider leaving it as is.
That was reinforced when I saw its interior, which is also totally original, right down to the “panty cloth” upholstery. Admittedly, this shot through the window on a bright summer day did not do it justice. What exactly is this stuff?
Here’s a better shot, from a decidedly non-stock ’66 LTD, except for its upholstery. It has a strong sheen, is slippery, and is obviously woven from some of the wonderful new space-age synthetics of the time. It had very distinctive feel, and although I’m not sure who originated the “panty cloth” moniker, it really does suit it. Or it did back in the day; panties have changed too over the decades, to the extent they even still exist.
The brochures aren’t much help either; the best one is from the 1965. Let’s just say it was quite different and new, especially on a big old Ford.
The front seats were covered, but according to the owner, the upholstery up there is in fine fettle too.
My one disappointment was the lack of a vinyl roof. These LTDs just cry out for one, and in my mind’s eye, that’s all I see when I think of one. But no such luck. And the ’65 coupe I found some years back was a slick top too.
It’s got a 390, but I forgot to ask which version: the 270 gross hp two-barrel or the 315 gross hp four barrel. It probably doesn’t matter much anymore, as this car is intended for easy cruising with the kids in the back and the missus in the front. If you were a speed freak, you could still get a wild and wooly 427, in either 410 or 425 hp guise, for the last time. There undoubtedly were a handful of buyers who did, along with the obligatory four speed stick.
The optional mild 428 was of course the better alternative to those seeking the ultimate LTD experience that included a bit of a shove into that panty-cloth upholstery.
Note: a rerun of an older post.
Related CC Reading
CC: 1965 Ford LTD – It Launched the Great Brougham Epoch
CC: 1965 Chevrolet Caprice – The LTD Reaction
CC: 1966 LTD – “Remarkable, I Do Believe Your Ford Is Quieter”
CC: 1967 LTD – The Forgotten Ford
“From 1978 on, every big Ford was at an LTD, even police cruisers and taxi cabs. The LTD’s saturation was complete. As was its name debasement.”
Let’s add also the streching of the LTD monicker to other models like the 1977-79 Torino based LTD II and the Fox-body Fairmont/Granada rechristened as LTD in 1983,
And more trivia on the table, in Argentina, the LTD was the top trim model of the Argentinian Fairlane.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ifhp97/6845014987/
Interestingly enough, pretty much my entire extended Irish family drove GM products. I can only recall one distant cousin who drove Fords. In my circle, it was a widely held belief that Fords rusted to dust faster than GM cars. That was probably not the case as all 1960s cars rusted like crazy. When I was a kid, it was normal for three year old cars to have holes in the sheet metal.
I drove a multitude of 69 and 70 full size Ford company cars, delivering them to the salesmen in the field. They hated them and abused them terribly in hopes of getting a newer one sooner than the three year cycle. Rode terribly, ours were all equipped with the 302, emission compromised and way to weak for such heavy vehicles. They wandered all over the road and under heavy braking (no discs) slewed in and out of the traffic lanes. The 68 was a favorite, I liked the style, but it’s not for everyone. The 71’s cured a lot of the faults, primarily by having the 351 under the hood.
I found out about car people versus non-car people in the back seat of a LTD. Was 18 and made a comment about the car to the driver and front seat passenger to which they replied “it’s just transportation”. He was the business manager at a Ford dealer and they got two new cars every year. Some people care and others don’t.
The LTD-ification of full-size Fords was, to me, the first nail in the coffin of the entire Mercury brand. Over at GM, if you climbed the brand ladder you got better engines and some materials. Mercury was just a fancy Ford. Once you could get a Ford that was just as nice as a Mercury, there stopped being much point to buying a Mercury. From 1965 on, Mercury only had a very few unique models but the majority of the line were not significantly better than you’d find at the Ford dealer.
Still, the Cougar and the tagline useds as “built in the Continental tradition” and “at the sign of the cat” in print and tv ads showing a big cougar at the top of the Lincoln-Mercury sign keeped the Mercury brand alive in the 1970s.
I sat in the back of an early LTD as a kid, and yep, that stuff is “panty cloth”, no other way I could describe it. Sort of nylon or rayon weaved into tiny squares. Although dark blue, not a common panty color, at least back then. I don’t think actual panties feel like this anymore – not sure, as my life of late doesn’t involve handling panties very often…
Ford of this era was almost always good at showing when you paid more for a car, but the 67 LTD was an exception. In a Chrysler-league move, they used a completely different die cast grille on the LTD, but it looked so much like the regular grille that I don’t think most people noticed. In 66 the upgraded grille at least got visibly different parking/signal lights with the expensive grille, but the 67 didn’t even get that.
68 was practice for the 69 due to the hidden headlight look coming only with the LTD/XL. On this car, I agree that it looks kind of naked without the vinyl roof!
I thought these were good looking cars, certainly an improvement over previous years’ boxier designs. That the LTD outsold the Caprice comes as a surprise to my eyes. I suppose the ubiquity or at least that perception of full size Chevs everywhere is what influenced my perceptions the most.
Hopefully this full size Ford got some TLC with some new paint!
Hope it gets a different color, painted roof. (different than the color picked for the rest of the car)
Another nice survivor, this one has a 390 so I imagine once tuned it’ll go like a scalded cat .
I know that original color wasn’t standout but a color change on a nice survivor seems wrong to me .
-Nate
Ugh, realistically I had little intention of buying it but since it was in the neighborhood I tire kicked a 69 Javelin I found in my mom’s neighborhood in Denver that had a very similar turquoise patina that was very pretty as is. The seller hated how it looked, very much emphasizing it NEEDS paint. Much later I and saw the same Javelin still for sale online by the same owner but it was sprayed flat black. I’m not that into patina beyond being glad it’s more acceptable to enjoy a car as is but that really ruined that car to my eyes.
The LTDification of the big full size ford effectively mirrors the decline of the full size car as a “standard” car that appealed to everyone via differing trim/option combinations. Boxy and conservative would come to define all full size cars after the LTD took hold.
The LTD! Paul’s favorite car!
I’ve written about a 1973 LTD Brougham 2 door that my dad bought for my sister many years ago. It was a rare car having the power sun roof, which was one of only 629 made from my research. That car had all the options except for the climate control A/C, an 8 track and a rear defroster.
I wanted that car so badly until I rode with my sister one time. We were on the freeway doing about 60 and she had left the transmission in second! That 400 was screaming. After that a persistent tick came from under the hood, she had wrecked it twice and dad said to sell it for whatever I could get-$350!
Hope everyone has a great 2026! I’ve been out with blood clots in my lungs. Yea, I almost cashed out. Thanks to Rich for checking in on me.
As a kid my next-door neighbor was the former minister of the Methodist church at one end of our two-block street, and his 1967 retirement gift from the parish was an LTD 4 door hardtop like this, in triple dark green with a below-dash AC unit. To my eyes, these were the best looking of the ’65-’68 cycle and much more elegant than the increasingly flabby Chevys.
I don’t remember anyone owning a Caprice in the neighborhood, even though we had a big Chevy dealer in town, but amazingly one of my neighbors had a ’69 VIP.
We closed our Mon Valley Chrysler-Plymouth dealership at the end of the ’67 model year, and while I don’t have the sales figures, I’d be willing to bet we sold more Imperials than VIPs in those last two years.
I will never understand the attitude which produces statements like: “On the other hand, it’s acquired its patina honestly and wears it proudly…I gently encouraged him to not rush into a decision, and consider leaving it as is.”
Imagine buying a new house and saying “yeah, half the siding is falling off, and most of the paint is chipping and peeling everywhere. But the house acquired it’s worn-down appearance honestly, and I’m considering leaving it as is.”
Patina looks like crap, and this car demands a good new paint job.
100%.
I like shiny paint, especially on old cars. Most people see a “Classic Patina’d Car” as a POS when you roll into a parking lot.
(And I agree).
Lack of a vinyl roof is one reason it is a survivor. With that option, it would have rusted through. I have seen it happen.
The 1969-’70 design emphasis directed towards both the LTD and Marquis relegated both the Galaxie and Monterey to poverty-rig/fleet car status in terms of styling and interior content. It affectively rendered the Monterey irrelevant since the Galaxie was so nearly the same. The concept of a stripped medium-priced car became an oxymoron.