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My New 1978 Ford LTD

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    My New 1978 Ford LTD

    Well, I finally got one after years of searching!!! My last search fell through for the '76 but a '78 popped up in the same area a week or so ago and I hopped on it.

    It has some surface rust but no rust through anywhere. Thankfully the car was completely rust proofed in '78, and the underside shows it. The car was also kept inside until about 6 years ago which I'm sure also helped. It's actually amazing how much rust can start to form from sitting in someones yard that quickly. The worst part seems to be the chrome on the rear bumper... the frame mounts and bumper supports (which I now know are known to rust out) and inside bracing of the bumper seems completely fine though. I unfortunately don't have any pics of the underside yet... I only took video when I looked at it so I could document and cover more area quickly for reviewing before I purchased it.

    Interior and trunk are in excellent shape. Car was last on the road in 1991 and has 30k original miles on it. It currently starts and drives but I'm planning on tearing down the engine once I get the surface rust at bay... I would actually like to sand everything down and re-rust proof the whole car again but that's not on the immediate to-do list just yet.

    It's actually a relatively low optioned LTD (which I really like). It has crank windows, clock delete, non-landau, and full bench cloth seats. I'm 99% sure the engine is a 351M Sticker on the valve cover says "351W"C" (2X132)" though which is confusing. I'm assuming it has a C6 transmission... I'm not sure if they came with anything else.

    Not much planned for it until the spring. Basically getting it road worthy. Tires, fluids, tune up... (Even the spark plug wires are stamped 1978... )

    Should be a nice little project to work on!

    Pics below from when I went to go check it out. Has the original paper work from when the guy bought the car as well as a replacement exhaust pipe and muffler to replace the one that's one there. The guy who I bought it from already replaced the gas tank, carb, and fuel lines as the original fuel had become jelly from sitting for so long.
    Attached Files

    '78 LTD | '87 Grand Marquis | '89 Crown Vic (RIP) | '91 Grand Marquis (RIP) | '94 Town Car (RIP) | '97 Town Car (RIP)

    #2
    More Pics!

    More pics:
    Attached Files

    '78 LTD | '87 Grand Marquis | '89 Crown Vic (RIP) | '91 Grand Marquis (RIP) | '94 Town Car (RIP) | '97 Town Car (RIP)

    Comment


      #3
      Even more pics...

      Even more pics...
      Attached Files

      '78 LTD | '87 Grand Marquis | '89 Crown Vic (RIP) | '91 Grand Marquis (RIP) | '94 Town Car (RIP) | '97 Town Car (RIP)

      Comment


        #4
        So... may pics...

        More
        Attached Files

        '78 LTD | '87 Grand Marquis | '89 Crown Vic (RIP) | '91 Grand Marquis (RIP) | '94 Town Car (RIP) | '97 Town Car (RIP)

        Comment


          #5
          Last set

          Last set.
          Attached Files

          '78 LTD | '87 Grand Marquis | '89 Crown Vic (RIP) | '91 Grand Marquis (RIP) | '94 Town Car (RIP) | '97 Town Car (RIP)

          Comment


            #6
            Oh, one last thing I should mention just in case... those nasty orangey-yellow carpet things in the front seat floor are just there to protect the floor. The carpet is in nice shape underneath it.

            '78 LTD | '87 Grand Marquis | '89 Crown Vic (RIP) | '91 Grand Marquis (RIP) | '94 Town Car (RIP) | '97 Town Car (RIP)

            Comment


              #7
              Cool car. I dig that blue fabric on the seats.
              ~David~

              My 1987 Crown Victoria Coupe: The Brown Blob
              My 2004 Mercedes Benz E320:The Benz

              Originally posted by ootdega
              My life is a long series of "nevermind" and "I guess not."

              Originally posted by DerekTheGreat
              But, that's just coming from me, this site's biggest pessimist. Best of luck

              Originally posted by gadget73
              my car starts and it has AC. Yours doesn't start and it has no AC. Seems obvious to me.




              Comment


                #8
                That's a 351W, mang. Cool car!
                1983 Grand Marquis 2Dr Sedan "Mercules"
                Tremec TKO conversion, hydraulic clutch, HURST equipped!

                Comment


                  #9
                  Nice find. I bet rides like a cloud.
                  2020 Volvo XC90 T6 Momentum (Ice White / Blonde)
                  2022 Ram 1500 4x4 5.7 Etorque, Built to Serve Edition, (Granite Crystal / Black)
                  Past Panthers
                  1989 Grand Marquis LS (Cabernet/Grey), 1989 Lincoln Town Car SS (White/Blue), 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis Ultimate (White/Black)

                  Originally posted by Lincolnmania
                  if its got tits or tires it's bound to give you trouble

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Nice find.
                    When I was on the job, I was assigned a 78 LTD PI with that exact interior pattern/color.
                    Those clocks are all over ebay and are easy to install, if you get tired of staring at that blank. My dad bought a new 73 Country Sedan that came without a clock, I was in the Ford dealer ordering one up before we had the car a week, I hate blanks in dashes.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      I like it! Nice score.

                      1990 Grand Marquis GS
                      Bone Stock

                      Comment


                        #12
                        I agree that is a wild interior.
                        03 Marauder DPB, HS, 6disk, Organizer Mods> LED's in & Out, M&Z rear control arms, Oil deflector, U-Haul Trans Pan, Blue Fuzzy Dice
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                        12 Escape Limited V6 AWD, 225/65R17 Vredestein Quatrac Pro, Winter 235/70-16 Conti Viking Contact7 Mods>Beamtech LED headlight bulbs, Husky floor liners

                        Comment


                          #13
                          I am so glad you got your LTD. Very very nice. The body & interior is excellent. Don't you think the owner could have put blue 70s era shag carpet instead of yellow? It is nice that the car came with all the paperwork. If you have questions, I have the Ford ordering book and the shop manuals.
                          Just so you don't get the wrong one, the missing antenna is a three section one, not a one piece. If the rear bumper area is the only major problem, you have it made. At least you can focus on getting those parts instead of everything else as well. The motor is a small block 351. It is interesting that the small block was a cost option for that year. Most of the big Fords had 351/400 smog motor. That color blue buffs out well since it is a non metallic.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Nice find. The fact that its a Windsor is a good thing, too.
                            **2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302: 5.0/ 6 spd/ 3.73s, 20K Cruiser
                            **2006 MGM,"Ultimate": 4.6/ 2.73/ Dark Tint, Magnaflows, 19s, 115K Daily Driver
                            **2012 Harley Davidson Wide Glide (FXDWG):103/ Cobra Speedsters/ Cosmetics, 9K Poseur HD Rider
                            **1976 Ford F-150 4WD: 360, 4 spd, 3.50s, factory A/C, 4" lift, Bilsteins, US Indy Mags, 35s Truck Duties

                            Comment


                              #15
                              I agree with everyone else, thats a 351 windsor and that is a good thing.
                              Unfortunately it's smogged up and will need help to do it's best.
                              Now all you need is a police car from those years to get a few parts. including the 140MPH cluster.
                              Nice find!!!

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