Abandoned 1975 Ford LTD Gets Second Chance, Does Massive Burnouts to Celebrate

But since it's not as desirable as the performance-oriented Fords of the era, the LTD is a rather common sight in junkyards. Especially the models built beyond 1972, when the Malaise era began. But from time to time, some of these land yachts get second chances and are put back on the road after decades of sitting. This 1975 LTD Landau is one of the lucky ones.

The Landau is actually one of the more desirable LTD trims from the mid-1970s. Introduced in 1975 as a range-topping model alongside the Brougham, the Landau was more or less Ford's alternative to the Mercury Grand Marquis. It featured a similar roof with wide B-pillars and a tall and narrow "opera" window, rear fender skirts, unique body trim, and hidden headlamps (an exclusive feature).

The same year also saw the 429-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) V8 replaced by a 460-cubic-inch (7.5-liter) mill, the largest incarnation of Ford's 385-series engine. This mill was initially exclusive to the Lincoln brand, but it eventually founds its way into Ford and Mercury products in 1973.

But don't let the massive displacement fool you. Although it was rated at a healthy 360 horsepower in the early 1970s, government regulations enforced as a result of the 1973 oil crisis reduced output to only 218 horses by 1975. As a result, the Ford LTD was rather slow from 0 to 60 mph (97 kph), needing more than 10 seconds to hit the benchmark.

But it was still plenty powerful for a full-size and, more importantly, the 460 V8 was highly reliable. The video below is actually a solid proof of the engine's rock-solid construction. Even though it's been sitting in a field for a few years, the LTD fires up and moves under its own power with little maintenance. And the old 460 still packs enough oomph to spin the rear wheels into massive, smokey burnouts. It has a nice, muscle car-like burble too.