NEW! Award 112: 1978 Ford LTD II Sport – Sold?

March 13, 2023, Update – We confirmed the listing for this “Classifind” expired, so with no replacement found, we’re assuming this ride is “Sold?” While this one got away, please reach out either by email or call us directly if you’d like to be informed when we come across something similar.

February 5, 2023 Update – Despite an anonymous comment posted earlier today saying this ’78 LTD is now sold. The seller posted a replacement listing for their soon-to-expire Craigslist ad. The already reduced asking price of $13,500 remains in place.

January 21, 2022 Update – The seller lowered their asking price in their about-to-expire Craigslist ad from $15,000 to $13,500.  As an incentive, the seller offers free shipment in the continental U.S. That’s an innovative way to help get a classic car sold in a world of six dollars a gallon diesel fuel.

In what some consider the height of brand engineering, in 1977, Ford merged its Torino and Gran Torino lines into the intermediate LTD II, which lasted only three model years.  These proved to be popular cars among Ford lovers at the time. However, these cars are not considered highly desirable classic cars.

Unfortunately, the seller of this 1978 Ford LTD II, last listed in February 2023 on Craigslist in Metairie, Louisiana (New Orleans), wants to convince buyers their car is rarer than it is. Not satisfied with the Marti Report (a dubious Ford-only database report enthusiasts use to determine the rarity of their car), the seller makes the dubious claim, “My sources indicate this color is a one-of-three left in the country.” Stop.  While the seller has a very clean, nice survivor quality LTD II built during the height of smog-controlled Malaise, not a rare muscle car.

Last offered for $13,500 (the original ask was $15,000), Classic.com, the analytics and search engine for the collector car market, confirms the ask is nearly double the one-year rolling average of this guide’s summary for Ford LTD IIs produced between 1977 and 1979.  By clicking on the green dots in the graph below, you can navigate to each comparable car sold as a way to help you evaluate the price of the car featured here:

As a second data point, the  Collector Car Market Review Online Tool reveals the seller’s ask is six thousand dollars more than this guide’s #1 “Excellent” appraisal of only $9,300.  Consequently, we’re giving the seller our latest “NEW!” (short for “No Effin Way!”) Award for asking a price much more optimistic than what the market will bear.

Ford launched the intermediate-sized LTD II for the 1977 model year. In doing so, Ford consolidated the Ford Torino and Gran Torino model lines, with the Ford Elite replaced by the Ford Thunderbird. Offered in a two-door sedan, four-door sedan, and station wagon, the LTD II also served as a basis for the final generation of the Ford Ranchero coupe utility (“UTE”).  During its production, the Lincoln-Mercury Division sold the LTD II under the Mercury Cougar badge, replacing the Mercury Montego.

The design of the Ford LTD II is notable as one of the largest vehicles ever produced as an intermediate, released just as the entire American auto industry began a period of downsizing. In terms of exterior footprint compared to full-sized sedans, the LTD II is longer in length and wheelbase and wider than the later Ford LTD Crown Victoria, Ford Crown Victoria, Ford Five Hundred, and the Ford Taurus.

For the 1977 model year, Ford Motor Company made substantial revisions to its intermediate-segment product lines involving both the Ford and Mercury brands to help boost sales. As part of the model changes, several product lines were given midcycle updates. Other model lines were consolidated to revive further interest and reduce internal brand and model cannibalization

Alongside a massive exterior update, the Ford Elite became the downsized Ford Thunderbird with a reduced price allowing Ford to better compete against the Chevrolet Monte Carlo (and its various General Motors counterparts) and the Chrysler Cordoba, reducing product overlap between the Thunderbird and the Continental Mark V.

The LTD II uses the body-on-frame construction shared with the 1972–1976 Torino/Montego. As with the LTD, the LTD II used a full perimeter frame; to isolate road shock from the body, the frame was fitted with 14 rubber body mounts and five cross members. On the rear suspension, the four-link solid rear axle used coil springs.

The LTD II carried over much of its powertrain line from the Torino, with one exception; in the interest of fuel economy, the 460 V8 was dropped from all Ford and Mercury intermediates, with the 302 V8 making its return as the standard engine (outside of California). As options, Ford offered the 351M V8 and the 351 Windsor V8, with a 400-cubic-inch V8 serving as the largest engine offering.

The Bionic Disco YouTube Channel features this 1978 Ford LTD II commercial targeting sporty guys:

While the slightly discolored light gray carpets, this 1978 Ford LTD II for sale appears to be a clean and nicely optioned survivor quality example.  Just don’t fall for the rarity story the seller is trying to pitch.

Here’s the seller’s description:

Show or go: What would you do with this survivor quality 1978 Ford LTD II for sale?  Please comment below and let us know!