Panther Premier: 1979 Ford LTD Coupe 45K Survivor – SOLD!

When Ford ceased production of its full-size, four-door, body-on-frame, Crown Victoria in 2012, it’s hard to believe the Panther Platform on which that car was based dated back 33 years. That’s right: the last Crown Victoria could trace its chassis lineage back to the downsized for 1979 Ford LTD exemplified by this 45K original mile white-over-green coupe originally listed in September 2021 on Craigslist in Moosic, Pennsylvania (Scranton).  Offered for $6,000 firm currently, Comparing that price against the Collector Car Market Review Online Tool confirms the private seller has their LTD Landau Coupe priced between this guide’s #3 “Good” estimate of $4,300 and its #2 “Very Good” appraisal of $6,300.

Two model years after GM downsized its full-size, body-on-frame, full-size models, Ford responded with the launch of the new LTD coupe, sedan, and Country Squire station wagon. In comparison to its 1978 predecessor, the 1979 LTD shed approximately fifteen inches in length, seven inches of wheelbase, and nearly seven hundred pounds in weight in curb weight. Despite also being slightly narrower overall, engineers managed to increase both interior and trunk space through more efficient packaging design. In its quest for better fuel economy,  Ford engineers replaced the big-block V8’s of the LTD’s prior generation with the small-block 302 cubic inch V8 standard and a Windsor 351 cubic inch V8 optional.  In contrast to Chrysler and General Motors, Ford Panther-chassis vehicles retained V8 engines as standard equipment.

Adopting the sharp-edged styling of the Fox Body-based Ford Fairmont launched one year earlier, the 1979 LTD shed its optional hidden headlamps from the previous generation with all versions adopting exposed rectangular headlights. Base-trim examples were fitted with dual headlamps and clear parking lamp lenses; higher-trim versions used quad headlamps with amber lenses.

The Bionic Disco YouTube Channel features this fall 1978 commercial launching Ford’s freshly redesigned and downsized 1979 LTD Landau:

Not only does this LTD appear to be a nicely preserved, low mileage example, based on the seller’s description it comes across as nicely sorted as well.

Here’s the seller’s description:

“1979 Ford LTD Coupe, 45000 original miles, very rare production Grill, garage kept since new, registered as antique, fantastic running 351 Windsor, excellent shifting automatic transmission, Ice Cold Air Conditioning, AM FM radio, many new parts within the last year including rebuilt carburetor plugs cap rotor distributor ignition coil ignition module, runs and drives 100% perfect, also has complete new brake system including wheel cylinders, calipers, brake pads, and brake shoes. Tires have less than 5000 miles, new aluminized dual exhaust with stock mufflers, completely rust-free, reliable enough to drive anywhere anytime, nice enough to take to a car show, must see and drive to appreciate not perfect but very very nice… I just reduced the price by almost $1,500 vehicle runs and drives excellent ..price is firm cash only​“

Show or go: what would you do with this LTD survivor?  Comment below and let us know!