Smooth, Comfortable & Affordable: The 1971-72 Ford LTD & LTD Brougham

A lot of people make fun of these old, big, floaty, plush 'land yachts'. But, really, they were a pleasure to drive. They accomplished what they were intended to accomplish very well. Ford's offerings were usually more quiet than others....and some of the models were very handsome. They deserve some respect !

"Quiet is the sound of a well made car." So true, as having owned an LTD Brougham.

Cars from the big 3 in this era were at their high point as far styling goes. I recall dad saying he would like a car with a Chrysler power train, a Ford suspension, and a GM body. Thanks for yet another trip down memory lane.

I loved four-door hardtops. So elegant and classy. It's a real shame they do not make them anymore.

I had a 1971 Galaxy 500 2 door back in the late 70's and early 80's. Drove it when I was in college and in the US Navy. Man that trunk was huge! It was a great vehicle for a single college student and sailor. 351 2V Windsor.

A couple family cars dad got were a '69 and '73 LTD Brougham. Both were loaded with the optional equipment offered. In my opinion, they were faster and quieter than an uncle's '72 Sedan de Ville or a neighbor's '73 New Yorker. The '69 became my first car. It was fun riding around with friends in their hot rod sports cars which often broke down, but when it came to long-distance road trips, it was my turn to drive. Never broke down and the A/C always worked.

Nineteen sixty-seven was the year Ford launched the cars from ski jumps in their advertising to demonstrate how strong their cars were. As a 16 year old driver, I can vouch for how strong the chassis was, it was hard to bottom out.

Rod Sterling was a four pack a day chainsmoker and died of multiple heart attacks. Supposedly he went in for open heart surgery and died from complications but there was also allegations of malpractice.

My friend had a 72 LTD 2 door back in high school . Brown with brown interior and the 400 engine. The high back seats were so nice and it had a great ride. It sure nose dived on quick stops and hard turns. The 400 was pretty fast for such a heavy car. Its also had dual exhaust with glass packs. I had to walk over to his house in the morning for a ride to school and could hear it warming up in his driveway with that exhaust a block away.

I once had a loaner car with the 429 engine in it and it always chirped the tires unless you were very careful on the accelerator. The one car that you could actually see the speedometer rise and the gas gauge drop at the same time 😊

My dad had an LTD Brougham in green. Everyone who saw it and sat in it wanted it when he was done with it. The high back seats saved my grandfather’s life when we had a blowout on a travel trailer we were towing that flipped the car on its roof.

The 351W (Windsor) was based on the 302 and had rocker-arm shafts and non-canted valves. The 351C (Cleveland) was a completely different engine. It was a newer design with sophisticated lighter casting technique and high volumetric efficiency. The blocks bear no resemblance at all to the Windsor x other than headbolt and cylinder spacing (one notable feature was the integrated timing sprocket/chain housing with the block). The engine heads used larger canted valves, stud-mounted rocker arms with oil coming up hollow pushrods. The 400 was a taller deck (hence stroke) version of the 351C. It only came with a 2bbl. The 351M was a 400 block with 351C crank and slightly longer connecting rods to give it the stroke as the 351C. This was done so only one block casting could cover both displacements. Many think the “M” means Mexico, Modified, whatever… The Cleveland series of small block Ford V8s were dropped because its architecture was not amenable to forthcoming emission controls. Too bad, it was one of Fords best engines ever along with 385 series 429\460 cid

I'm old enough to remember when all the well off neighbors had one or two of these behemoths, and later when you couldn't give these land yachts away. Now they're classics.

My mom had a blue 71 four-door LTD. My dad bought it for her shortly after I was born. It was the first car I remember my parents having and going on trips in it. To this day that car remains one of my favorites.

Adam, You need one of these in your collection. The pre 5 MPH front end styling on these FORDS was truly iconic.

Test drove a 1972 Country Squire with my parents. A- plan corporate car. Salesman was freaking when mom put her seat belt on, dad clipped the shoulder harness in the buckle, I got into the drivers seat. I WAS 16. Worked it hard, 429,4V C6, 3.51 traction-loc differential. HD BRAKING, SWAY BARS, AIRLIFT REAR SYSTEM, TOW PACKAGE, 3.5" REAR DRUMS. Full power equipment, Great car for 10 years.

One of nicest vehicles that I've ever driven was a 1972 Country Squire with a 429 cu in V8. It was total comfort and a joy to drive.

Love the 1971 styling the best of this generation. But the 1965 and 1966 are my all time favorite.

As a kid growing up in England in the 1970's, i loved seeing these beautiful cars on TV. The low rumble of the V8, even the way they pitched back and forth when the brakes were applied. I loved them.

I'm a Brit but love these Yank Tank, Land Yacht type cars. They were ideal for American roads long and straight large capacity low revving engines so they could travel long distances comfortably and reasonably quietly. They weren't built for twisty European roads and therefore never cracked the foreign markets