I feel like I’m traveling in a time machine whenever you display a vehicle from your collection, Adam. That ‘68 is really gorgeous in and out. Your mechanic’s knowledge is impressive, but I think your real gift is finding these low mileage gems that don’t take a huge time or money investment to restore to nearly new condition. I don’t think I’d have the patience! Thank you, Adam. 👍👍👍
The 1968 model year was unique for several reasons. Ford was chosen as the strike target of the UAW. Which resulted in it having a shorter model year and a lower production total. The full size Ford's in 1968 received a number of mid year changes that were evident by the replacement of the the 289 v8 with the 302 v8 mid year. There were several other changes in trim and safety equipment that were most visible on the XL and XL\GT convertible and two door fastbacks. Previously standard bucket seats and floor console shift became optional in mid year. There was also some interior trim added mid year that was safety related. I have been doing some research on the 68 ford in preparation for the purchase of a 1968 Country Squire wagon. Your LTD is looking great, Adam!
There's also one additional thing to be aware of around the strike -- Ford stored some completed (put unpainted/untreated) LTD frames outside during the strike, then built cars on them when the strike ended. My dad bought one of these new, and it was the car I learned to drive on. Unfortunately, his car was one of the 'outside frame' cars, and the chassis rusted though when the car was only 5 years old. He ended up selling the car to someone that owned a body shop, as he was the only one that could afford to disassemble the car and put it on a new (and properly treated!) frame. 😞
some of those "mid year changes" were due to regulations that changed for vehicles made after January 1st of the year, others were to use up parts already in the supply chain.
The owner's manual for my 1968 Galaxie cited a 302 engine, but not a 289. The Marti report for my 302 powered 1968 Cougar shows that it was started in August of 1967, but due to the strike mentioned, was not produced until November of 1967. In mid year, standard equipment was cut back, and this was when some of the smaller FoMoCo products apparently got 289s; possibly leftovers, since some small block engines were a mix of parts. I've seen a purported VIN for 1968 Cougar that had an extreme low serialization, considerably lower than even my own.
I noticed it, too. Can’t see the house just a few lots down from him. Collecting here in the mountains of Virginia. Reminds me of when Mt St Helen’s went up. Yes, I’m old.
So nice to see someone caring for these cars. I grew up in the era where you had brand loyalty. We were GM/Pontiac people. Wish we’d looked at other cars. If I’d only talked my Dad into a ‘71 Riviera. Sigh.
Hey Adam, your 68 LTD Brougham looks spectacular now with the paint work you had done!!! This certainly is a great car & one of Ford's best!!! Thanks for sharing another fun video!!! 👍👍🙂
Because of the car's rarity and condition and options, this, I think is my #1 favorite out of your collection. Hope you have good insurance! WELL DONE!!!!!!
Gorgeous car! You've done just enough, not too much, to bring it back. An aunt of mine owned a 1968 station wagon, red with the "wood," trim. It was a lovely, smooth riding, super quiet, super comfortable car. Sadly, a kid gawking at some girls on a sidewalk rammed into the rear and it was totaled. A sad end to a beautiful car. This is a beautiful example and I'm glad you have it in your stable!
Funny how my two favorite years for the LTD fastbacks are the 1967 and 1968. The styling is different, "stacked vs horizontal" headlights, dash layout to name two differences, but I still like those two years. Nice job Adam on cleaning up the car.......
Beautiful car and paint restoration. Great overview as always, with great tech tip on Ford hood hinge maintenance. Thank you for sharing this beauty with us.
I do have much more of an appreciation for 4 door cars after watching some of your videos. These cars were more likely to have been originally purchased by an older person and tended to be cared for and appreciated by their owners. As a kid, these Fords were everywhere never really gave them a thought but today I see them as almost art and they take me back to a much more simple time when things were much less complicated.
You said it a few times, Adam "Tasteful"; this describes the LTD Brougham, this one specifically to a T. It all feels at peace with itself. There's a bit of Thunderbird in there as well. Super classy care and options. Who wouldn't want to turn up in this, at ANY occasion? Why did this get lost? Ford had style!
My first car, a hand me down from my Dad in the spring of 1978 when I first got my driver"s license at age 17. It was a four door LTD with the 302 Cleveland V8. I loved the butterfly windows, they created a really cool breeze on a hot day. The trunk was massive, I remember hauling crates and crates of LP records for my buddy who was a party DJ. this was many years before streaming music was an option. they say you never forget your first love, I think the same is true of your first car. Long live the 1968 Ford LTD, I hope someday to find one to restore.
I grew up with a 68 LTD Country Squire aqua colored station wagon with 'wood' sides and side facing seats in the back. Great car. Family had it for many years and all the kids took their driving tests in it. Hidden headlights always worked flawlessly,
To my eyes 68 full size fords are candy. My teenage years were spent restoring a factory red Galaxie 500 fastback , black vinyl interior with the ford cragar styled wheel covers . What a beautiful car ! And you could balance pocket change on the air cleaner wing nut of the 302. It wasn't fast but more than enough. I dare say cars haven't gotten any better than this era in terms of comfort, style ,simplicity, and even reliability. The only downfall of these cars were rust prone frames. It was interesting to compare the Galaxie to the Ltd, lots of small details ! Beautiful car, and a well done video.
My father purchased a new 1968 LTD when I was a kid. It had the 390 engine, but none of the power accessories like your car does. I can remember helping my father put snow tires on it in the winter. I would help hold the car steady on the bumper jack, while he removed the tires to install the winter tires. I thought that it was a quiet, car with a good soft ride.
Are you sitting down? I owned and regularly drove, a 1967 Ford Fairlane Ranchero with a straight, in-line six (banger). Three speed, on the column. A clutch on the floor and full drum brakes on all 4. It was one very rare and highly special machine. An absolutely amazing powerhouse. It topped out at over *** MPH!
Adam - I find your channel to be absolutely incredible. I am a diehard car guy for the last 69 years. Growing up a Ford dealer was my next door neighbor, he came home with T-birds, Lincolns and a DeTomaso when Ford sold them. I should have been born in Detroit. Your videos with the designers are fascinating to me. The designer’s openness taking about issued they faced are extremely informative. Based on conversations I gather that you are a financial guy that has a love for cars. Videos with production people and other aspects of the auto industry would be equally educational. Thank you for your work, I for one greatly appreciate your efforts.
I loved Heston's red, 1970 Ford XL, which I think was the Galaxie, in the flick The Omega Man. That red convertible was sweet. (There's never a cop around when you need one). I have a passion for both the 1971 LTD, and the 1971 cougar.
It's a beautiful car and while the hidden headlights are cool, I'm a real fan of the stacked headlights on the '64-'67s. They gave the car a more aggressive, Pontiac-like appearance.
My favorite year for these big fords, the styling, especially the front with the hidden headlamps. Rolling pieces of art!. Hey, I thought the Hawaiian F6-3958 plate was retired after Jack Lord (aka Steve Mc Garrett), ended the Hawaii 5-0 series in 1980, and I that his plate was green, or yellow. Thanks for your vlog, and for preserving such fine cars, as this!
I had almost the exact one as my first car. Mine was a 69. Burgundy Red, Black Vinyl roof, All the extras and Red embossed Linen Fabric, tucked. I loved it.
Hi Adam, This 1968 is a great example of a quality build car from Ford in the 1960's. My personal favorite was the 1962 Galaxie 500 Sunliner convertible due to my father owning one. His was also in black with a white roof. Black and any dark color does show dust and dirt more than a lighter color. I have noticed that on my 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis LS which features the Dark Shadow Blue metallic paint scheme as well as the full cloth carriage roof. My two Crown Victoria wagons are easier to keep clean as the 1987 is in Sand Beige color and my 1991 is in Pastel Alabaster very similar colors. Thank you for another special video.
I owned a 68 Galaxie 500 XL fastback with black interior, buckets and console shift. It was a 390 car. Watching this video brings back great memories of my favorite car. Thanks
My parents had a 68 LTD Country Squire Station Wagon with the wood paneling on the sides, the paint was Forrest Green. It was their first Brand New Car. It had a 390 with a 2bbl carb. We did a lot of family trips in that wagon. I always loved the hideaway headlights, although they did give my Mom a fit one night when she left work in a snow storm and they refused to open. She ended up prying them open and sticking her Thermos in to keep them up so she could drive home my Dad fixed them, I think it was a vacuum line or the vacuum motor went bad. Your car is a total beauty, reminds me of much younger days.
@@danielulz1640 My parents had both a 68 LTD Brougham, and a 1972 Marquis Brougham. The doors on the Ford were slow to open and close, actually took a second or two once you pulled the switch before they started to open. Same when you pushed the headlight switch off, took a second or two before the doors started moving, then closed with a "boom"! And I don't remember them defaulting to open when the vacuum was depleted. The Marquis in comparison opened quickly and without delay. And they did default to open if the vacuum was depleted. The Marquis also had a knob in the left front corner of the engine compartment, next to the big vacuum reservoir. You could manually open and close the doors for cleaning, or leave them open for winter driving. Maybe Adam can do a headlamp door race between the Ford and Mercury! :D
My Mothers 1966 Galaxie antenna was exactly like that! So its interesting you mention about the A/C being weak...I recall my friends Dad's 1968 LTD wagon as having FREEZING A/C...with the green tinted glass.
My family had a Meadowlark yellow '68 Galaxie 2 door with black vinyl interior. I don't remember ever complaining it was hot in there. I do remember my crayons melted in a bucket on time in the car though.
This car is so classic Hawaii Five-0. Especially with the Hawaii license plate on the front. Although most Ford products on Hawaii Five-0 were Mercurys. Great video! Keep them coming. “Book ‘em Dano. Murder one.”
The LTD in 1968, 1969 & 1970 came standard with the same interior as the Galaxie 500. The steering wheel used in 1968 drew a lot of complaints when new because of the distance you had to stretch to blow the horn.
What? My mom would drive with her knuckle touching the horn ring at the bottom just in case. No reaching necessary. Now the rim blow wheels were a chore to find the horn in a place it worked.
@@mexicanspec Refer to June and July, 1968 Popular Mechanics magazine where they would survey 1000 owners of new cars. In June they surveyed Ford Torino owners and in July they surveyed Mercury Monterey owners.
I went to college with a blue 1969 Ford XL sports roof that I'd driven constantly in high school and loved. That thing was a dependable car that just kept going and going. When it came time for grad school, it was replaced with a 1973 Ford LTD Brougham 4-door in gold with a brown vinyl roof. Front interior had high back, well-padded brown with brocade-style inserts. The seats had a large fold-down armrest between them. The car was a beauty and also proved dependable considering the long drives between campus and home. I was surprised to get several friends in the dorm who had muscle cars that expressed their like of the car. It was a great cruiser and boulevard car and extremely comfortable.
I had a '68 LTD two door. Mine was a beauty but nothing like yours. AM radio, aftermarket air and none of the fancy bells and whistles, but she was a high school boys dream in '76. Seeing that wood grain steering wheel brought back sweet memories.
Though not my taste, it is very easy to see how thoughtful ford was in giving a buyer very good content when this vehicle was new. 1968 was amongst the best year for ford
Love your car. Absolutely stunning. I had a dark blue 2 door 68 Brougham with the 390/4V. I think it was 1980 when I had it. Loved it. Had a hard time keeping it from pinging with that high compression.
Mint! My dad had one of these and later the 1973 brougham. We had a 68 ford wagon too. I always liked the 68 steering wheel and it was a quick way of knowing when a Ford was a 68.
In 1969 I was in the Royal Australian Navy on HMAS Stalwart and we transported a brand spanking new 68 Ford LTD Brougham from Australia to New Zealand to act as a Limo for I think the Australian Ambassador. So if it survives, there is one of these beauties floating around New Zealand somewhere your video was the first time I had seen one of these since 1969 - lucky you.
I really like those cars. A friend of mine had a white'85 in the late '80's, it was a great car, quick, good fuel mileage, very comfortable smooth. I would love to have one to cruise around in.
Beautiful LTD, Adam. My parents owned a 66 Caprice Coupe, bought new. It was black with a maroon vinyl interior. I remember riding in that car as a preschooler. Felt very upscale, like a Buick. Alas, my folks drove the wheels off it & the Caprice traded on a 69 Impala Custom Coupe that we had for 7 years...
So lucky to have a small piece of motoring masterpiece from the 60’s …favourite shade , black on black… Would love to pull it apart piece by piece and perfectly put it back together again better than the day it was built…❤
Dougie, so this went through New England then Hawaii, coast to coast (to coast!) Love these vids, and make me remember when these were merely '70s Beater cars, driven by some jean-short wearing, moustachio-sporting ne-er-do-well, cigarette dangling from lip, corner of hood in the air, bungied-down but still driving "until the insurance check came in" lol Love these classics, for all intents and purposes this is a Ford Cadillac. Peace out
My late father was a Ford guy, he had bought many new cars but his favorite was the 1968 Ford Galaxie 500 2 door fastback 390 ci. It was also my favorite one.
My late father, being a GM guy, mostly Buicks and Cadillacs was tempted to by a LTD in 1968. He would have, except the local Ford dealer here in Tucson (which still is in business and its founder still alive) just would not budge on the list price. So, my dad ended up with some Chrysler (boo). This Ford dealership is such that many people who have the time drive 2 hours to Phoenix to get a much better deal, which my brother did and as did his girlfriend when they each bought Ford trucks and my then wife did when she bought her 1986 Mustang coupe 5.0. We each took turns showing up at the Tucson dealership showing our sales slips PROVING YES! it IS possible to get a Ford at a significantly lower price than they could in Tucson. The problem then was this dealership's owner's only competition in town was his father-in-law. They fixed the prices. The 1968 LTD was the only Ford my Dad ever was impressed with.
It’s great that you are a connoisseur on these cars and that you share this. This car looks very important going along - elegant powerful and serious. It’s like back in the day the owner would always appear as though he had a good reason to be wherever he drove that car to. Although a strong case can be made that this year is best for the LTD, I will always be partial to the 1976 LTD landou- I had one that looked just like the TV show “Streets of San Francisco.” Yes that car did command respect where it went. It had the hideaway headlamps too (400m 2V, C6, all wheel disks, traction lock). The 76 was very well balanced for its full size, no prob on mountain roads, great at high speed on highways.
Masterworks does superb paint repairs! Here in the San Francisco Bay Area (of California) there is no legal use of solvent based automotive paint (no lacquer, enamel, urethane) only water-borne products, yet the body shops are able to make very good repairs - all topped with clear coat. Decades ago I began covering ridges and proud edges with masking tape when machine polishing.
You have mentioned the two piston AC compressor. I have always replaced bad two piston compressors with rebuilt ones until the last few years. I ended up getting two bad ones in a row so I guess the rebuild places are just struggling with bad parts or inexperienced people. On my recent 64 Bird I bought a new one off of rock auto and it works great and is quiet. It looks like your 68 has a new one also.
Got my York compressor for my 67 Ford XL convertible at O'Reilly replaced 2 under warranty 3 on have no issues with the 3rd, I clatters a bit when I first turn the A/C on but quiet's down after a few minutes of running
@@ericheld4382 I put a NAPA rebuilt unit on my 66 TBird a few years ago and the front seal blew within 5 minutes. I put another NAPA unit on my 61 Lincoln and it had a clunking noise immediately and lasted about five miles before locking up. The problem is, they treat you like an idiot and it must be your fault, when I know what I am doing, I put the proper type and amount of lubricant in, I replace the filter-drier, etc I just got fed up with it all and besides, having to do all the work over again is a pain. I put a new one on my 64 TBird a month ago. Never any unusual noises and works great even with today's 99 degree temperature. So I will never buy another "rebuilt" unit.
Both the '65 and '68 LTDs are my favorite large Fords. The '68 had a very sophisticated look with those hidden lamps and the mid-century modern grill pattern.
Thoroughly enjoyed this and well recall when this car came out. This is a fine and well preserved example! Such a survivor & that exhaust gives it just the right touch og ganstah.😅😉 Thank you!
Beautiful car!!! It’s interesting how Ford continued certain design cues across all their lines. I had an as basic as you could get (except for the 2-tone paint) 69 Falcon and many the look of the dash is very similar, just smaller. However, the door armrests are the same!!
My first car was my grandfather’s 1968 LTD Brougham sedan with A/C. No vinyl top, surprisingly, and no power windows or convenience panel, but an AM/FM radio (I don’t remember if 3 speakers or 5…). The exterior was Sea Foam Green and I think the interior was the darkest green, Dark Ivy Gold Poly, but no dual comfort front seat (hood for a college kid on date nights, but not so good on those long road trips home for breaks!). I kept the car until it had 129k miles and no major problems, except with the front control arms, as you mentioned, and eventually after living in PA and OH and not being garaged and being taken care of to the standards of a college kid with limited resources, the left rear side of the frame basically broke (the bumper close to dragging on the road on that side) and my dad made me scrap it - I still remember the mixed memories I felt driving behind him to the scrap yard! Thanks for some great insights (wish I had figured out the hidden headlight alignment fix!) and some even better memories. I really enjoy your channel - you do your homework and you seem to have a magic touch for knowing what content to mention and how much time to spend on any particular point. As a FoMoCo guy (for instance, my grandmother had a ‘61 Lincoln Continental sedan - Sheffield Blue, I think - and a ‘72 - black w/ black vinyl roof), I REALLY appreciate your comparisons and historical commentary on comparable Big 3 models and the evolution of particular specific model lines and trims.
OMG. That's same car I bought in 1985 just after I was stationed at Ft. Riley. Yes, it was a bro-ham, as many of my friends remarked. My favorite part of the car is the coffee can vacuum reservoir. The craziest and strangest of mechanical quirks.
parents had a 66 Mustang. Also, I was a fan of Hawai'i 5 0, so I saw Jack Lord tool around in big Fords and Mercury's. So . . . for the those reasons, I guess, I've always been a fan of old Fords. This is a very nice ride. Good luck with it!!
I haven’t even begun to watch the video, but I have watched this catalog of great videos I think from the beginning. Quickie. Family has always been a Ford family, parents had a green 1971 Grand Marquis, and then a silver 1978, the Silver Streak, which my oldest brother and his best friend used to run “blocker” for our Superior motorhome when we moved from Springfield, VA, to Modesto CA. Dad is retired Army Colonel. An engineer’s engineer. First car was a 1971 Torino 500, two door. Later inherited my grandmother’s 1985 Crown Vic. There was something going on with that which no one seemed to be able to fix, and all I knew was that of it had been points and carb, I could fix it. Right on Savannah Hwy here in Charleston, SC, a stunning car caught my eye. For sale to boot. For $950. Ok. And it had just gotten a valve job done on its 390. Maroon, faded but all there. Wood grain appliqué down the sides, also faded, but just the right patina. Hide-away headlights, worked, never a problem. I immediately put the Vic up for sale, it was getting long in the tooth, and besides, who can live with the horrors of 8.5:1 compression, and not even 200hp out of 302 ci? There is a line in the Geneva Convention against that kind of atrocity. Yes, I could get the Vic sideways, airborne, smoke tires, but it had no balls, and every single house party I went to, everyone would drop their cup of beer as soon as I rolled up, even though mine had the half vinyl roof! Oh, the humanity. So sold that and paid the dude for the 1968 Country Squire. Oddly enough, he was the parts manager at the BMW dealership, and he had Lexus floor mates in the Squire, as well as Lexus wheel covers. The car didn’t drip one drop of fluid for the entire time I had it. I was madly in love. I always had a thing for wagons. And two doors. And four door hardtops. And convertibles. Post cars kinda suck. The steeped shape of that hood is just the classiest thing I’ve ever seen, Rolls Royce, eat your heart out. The rear quarters were gorgeous, and the car overall had the most peculiar yet extraordinary blend of being sensual, AND masculine, mean, all biz, yet understated, and elegant. It reminded me of a picturesque couple, both being incredibly attractive, yet not ostentatious. On the non-wagons, those taillights were the shape all the other designers wanted, but missed. The lines from headlight to tail are just superb, flowing, muscular and statuesque. On my Country Squire, you could set a beverage right about where the gas cap was. The tailgate swung both ways, not like my friend Chris, but sideways and up and down, and that’s not a euphemism. BUT, foxy hippie chics were drawn to the wagon like bees to honey. So that’s always nice. I married one. Yes, best year. First year for collapsible steering column, dual reservoir master cylinder standard, as well as shoulder belts. My best friend had an honest accident and overcorrected after dropping a tire off of a shoulder, and hit a tree at about 30 mph, and I cried. My baby was done. In high school an older guy who worked at a gas station had a red ‘68 Convertible XL, cherry, and he had Mopar Rallye wheels on it,which looked great. That car was simply stunning, and the 428 sounded meeeeaaaaaan. Ok so here’s the clincher. I have a standing lottery acquisition desire. One of each body style 1968 Ford Full-size, save for the post four door, yuck. Maroon for the lot. 390s or 428s only. A wagon, a convertible, a fastback coupe, a formal roof coupe, and a four door hardtop. Claaaaaasy. The finest. I now have a Dodge Magnum. It is fast. It does everything better than the Squire, except tick that box which can only be satisfied with CHARACTER. The Squire had character for days. It oozed it. I ended up with the wheel covers so common on Ford trucks and Broncos of that era, and BF Goodrich T/A Radials, P235/65R15, for that hunkered down bootlegger look. I even replaced all of the suspension and steering box, and it still looked hunkered down. Gangster. As gangster as a wood grain wagon can be. No roof racks, clean man. Clean. Not one spec of rust and not one dent. Maybe tow very slight dings but the steel was so tough it was hard to ding it. Yes. Best year.
I feel like I’m traveling in a time machine whenever you display a vehicle from your collection, Adam. That ‘68 is really gorgeous in and out. Your mechanic’s knowledge is impressive, but I think your real gift is finding these low mileage gems that don’t take a huge time or money investment to restore to nearly new condition. I don’t think I’d have the patience! Thank you, Adam. 👍👍👍
El mejor cambio de diseño para un coche tamaño grande.
The 1968 model year was unique for several reasons. Ford was chosen as the strike target of the UAW. Which resulted in it having a shorter model year and a lower production total. The full size Ford's in 1968 received a number of mid year changes that were evident by the replacement of the the 289 v8 with the 302 v8 mid year. There were several other changes in trim and safety equipment that were most visible on the XL and XL\GT convertible and two door fastbacks. Previously standard bucket seats and floor console shift became optional in mid year. There was also some interior trim added mid year that was safety related. I have been doing some research on the 68 ford in preparation for the purchase of a 1968 Country Squire wagon. Your LTD is looking great, Adam!
My dad had a '68 Country Sedan wagon (no wood trim) with the 390 that he bought new😃
@@77hodag We had the lumber version.
There's also one additional thing to be aware of around the strike -- Ford stored some completed (put unpainted/untreated) LTD frames outside during the strike, then built cars on them when the strike ended.
My dad bought one of these new, and it was the car I learned to drive on.
Unfortunately, his car was one of the 'outside frame' cars, and the chassis rusted though when the car was only 5 years old.
He ended up selling the car to someone that owned a body shop, as he was the only one that could afford to disassemble the car and put it on a new (and properly treated!) frame. 😞
some of those "mid year changes" were due to regulations that changed for vehicles made after January 1st of the year, others were to use up parts already in the supply chain.
The owner's manual for my 1968 Galaxie cited a 302 engine, but not a 289. The Marti report for my 302 powered 1968 Cougar shows that it was started in August of 1967, but due to the strike mentioned, was not produced until November of 1967. In mid year, standard equipment was cut back, and this was when some of the smaller FoMoCo products apparently got 289s; possibly leftovers, since some small block engines were a mix of parts. I've seen a purported VIN for 1968 Cougar that had an extreme low serialization, considerably lower than even my own.
Dad bought a ‘66 Caprice coupe. Nice interior but did not have front/rear fold down armrests. This LTD had a fabulous interior.
You can tell you truly love this car. And it's one of my favorites of your collection.
Look at the smoke from the Canadian wild fires. Hope that goes away from our friends in the upper midwest. Nice work on your car.
It’s awful here in Wisconsin
I noticed. Wow!
@@stevevogelman3360yup I could almost taste the smoke in Milwaukee lol
3-4 weeks ago we had that here in New England - from both the Quebec and Nova Scotia fires.
I noticed it, too. Can’t see the house just a few lots down from him. Collecting here in the mountains of Virginia. Reminds me of when Mt St Helen’s went up. Yes, I’m old.
So nice to see someone caring for these cars. I grew up in the era where you had brand loyalty. We were GM/Pontiac people. Wish we’d looked at other cars. If I’d only talked my Dad into a ‘71 Riviera. Sigh.
The LTD turned out beautiful, never let that talented bodyman go.
Hey Adam, your 68 LTD Brougham looks spectacular now with the paint work you had done!!! This certainly is a great car & one of Ford's best!!! Thanks for sharing another fun video!!! 👍👍🙂
Because of the car's rarity and condition and options, this, I think is my #1 favorite out of your
collection. Hope you have good insurance! WELL DONE!!!!!!
Gorgeous car! You've done just enough, not too much, to bring it back. An aunt of mine owned a 1968 station wagon, red with the "wood," trim. It was a lovely, smooth riding, super quiet, super comfortable car. Sadly, a kid gawking at some girls on a sidewalk rammed into the rear and it was totaled. A sad end to a beautiful car. This is a beautiful example and I'm glad you have it in your stable!
Terrific interior!
What a beauty !!
Man, cars these days just dont have the style or character these old boats had. So many great memories of these classics !
Funny how my two favorite years for the LTD fastbacks are the 1967 and 1968. The styling is different, "stacked vs horizontal" headlights, dash layout to name two differences, but I still like those two years. Nice job Adam on cleaning up the car.......
Beautiful car and paint restoration. Great overview as always, with great tech tip on Ford hood hinge maintenance. Thank you for sharing this beauty with us.
I do have much more of an appreciation for 4 door cars after watching some of your videos. These cars were more likely to have been originally purchased by an older person and tended to be cared for and appreciated by their owners. As a kid, these Fords were everywhere never really gave them a thought but today I see them as almost art and they take me back to a much more simple time when things were much less complicated.
You said it a few times, Adam "Tasteful"; this describes the LTD Brougham, this one specifically to a T. It all feels at peace with itself. There's a bit of Thunderbird in there as well. Super classy care and options. Who wouldn't want to turn up in this, at ANY occasion? Why did this get lost? Ford had style!
Beautiful car, I like how the shape of the center of the one year only steering wheel perfectly matches that of the instrument cluster surround.
My first car, a hand me down from my Dad in the spring of 1978 when I first got my driver"s license at age 17. It was a four door LTD with the 302 Cleveland V8. I loved the butterfly windows, they created a really cool breeze on a hot day. The trunk was massive, I remember hauling crates and crates of LP records for my buddy who was a party DJ. this was many years before streaming music was an option. they say you never forget your first love, I think the same is true of your first car. Long live the 1968 Ford LTD, I hope someday to find one to restore.
This is one beautiful LTD! What a pleasure it must be to drive!
I grew up with a 68 LTD Country Squire aqua colored station wagon with 'wood' sides and side facing seats in the back. Great car. Family had it for many years and all the kids took their driving tests in it. Hidden headlights always worked flawlessly,
To my eyes 68 full size fords are candy. My teenage years were spent restoring a factory red Galaxie 500 fastback , black vinyl interior with the ford cragar styled wheel covers . What a beautiful car ! And you could balance pocket change on the air cleaner wing nut of the 302. It wasn't fast but more than enough. I dare say cars haven't gotten any better than this era in terms of comfort, style ,simplicity, and even reliability. The only downfall of these cars were rust prone frames. It was interesting to compare the Galaxie to the Ltd, lots of small details ! Beautiful car, and a well done video.
My father purchased a new 1968 LTD when I was a kid. It had the 390 engine, but none of the power accessories like your car does. I can remember helping my father put snow tires on it in the winter. I would help hold the car steady on the bumper jack, while he removed the tires to install the winter tires. I thought that it was a quiet, car with a good soft ride.
Are you sitting down? I owned and regularly drove, a 1967 Ford Fairlane Ranchero with a straight, in-line six (banger). Three speed, on the column. A clutch on the floor and full drum brakes on all 4. It was one very rare and highly special machine. An absolutely amazing powerhouse. It topped out at over *** MPH!
Adam - I find your channel to be absolutely incredible. I am a diehard car guy for the last 69 years. Growing up a Ford dealer was my next door neighbor, he came home with T-birds, Lincolns and a DeTomaso when Ford sold them. I should have been born in Detroit. Your videos with the designers are fascinating to me. The designer’s openness taking about issued they faced are extremely informative. Based on conversations I gather that you are a financial guy that has a love for cars. Videos with production people and other aspects of the auto industry would be equally educational. Thank you for your work, I for one greatly appreciate your efforts.
Thx!
Beautiful LTD! You always teach me something I didn't know, especially on the Ford's.
Wow, 68, unbelievable shape. Great find.
I loved Heston's red, 1970 Ford XL, which I think was the Galaxie, in the flick The Omega Man. That red convertible was sweet. (There's never a cop around when you need one). I have a passion for both the 1971 LTD, and the 1971 cougar.
It's a beautiful car and while the hidden headlights are cool, I'm a real fan of the stacked headlights on the '64-'67s. They gave the car a more aggressive, Pontiac-like appearance.
1965 - 1967. The 1964 model did not have stacked lights.
@@mexicanspec Ahh, you're right. My bad.
I like the Hawaii license plate in the front. Overall beautiful Ford LTD car.
My favorite year for these big fords, the styling, especially the front with the hidden headlamps. Rolling pieces of art!. Hey, I thought the Hawaiian F6-3958 plate was retired after Jack Lord (aka Steve Mc Garrett), ended the Hawaii 5-0 series in 1980, and I that his plate was green, or yellow. Thanks for your vlog, and for preserving such fine cars, as this!
We had a two door 1968 LTD when I was a kid. Rare car.
What a pretty car. A time capsule to be cherished. I wouldn’t change a thing.
I had almost the exact one as my first car. Mine was a 69. Burgundy Red, Black Vinyl roof, All the extras and Red embossed Linen Fabric, tucked. I loved it.
Hi Adam, This 1968 is a great example of a quality build car from Ford in the 1960's. My personal favorite was the 1962 Galaxie 500 Sunliner convertible due to my father owning one. His was also in black with a white roof. Black and any dark color does show dust and dirt more than a lighter color. I have noticed that on my 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis LS which features the Dark Shadow Blue metallic paint scheme as well as the full cloth carriage roof. My two Crown Victoria wagons are easier to keep clean as the 1987 is in Sand Beige color and my 1991 is in Pastel Alabaster very similar colors. Thank you for another special video.
That year's LTD was so beautiful. As a kid I was a 1965-66 full-size Ford lover until I saw one of those.
Wonderful analysis of one of my favourites too. Thank you, Adam.
I owned a 68 Galaxie 500 XL fastback with black interior, buckets and console shift. It was a 390 car. Watching this video brings back great memories of my favorite car. Thanks
Your Ford turned out just beautifully, Adam. And that LTD growl!
I have learned so much from this channel in a short time. Thx
Nice video! My folks had a 68 LTD Sedan in seafoam green with a black vinyl top. I thought the front end looked so cool. That car rode so smooth.
Loved my dad's 2 Dr '68 Ltd. I am happy to see your review of these great cars.
My parents had a 68 LTD Country Squire Station Wagon with the wood paneling on the sides, the paint was Forrest Green. It was their first Brand New Car. It had a 390 with a 2bbl carb. We did a lot of family trips in that wagon. I always loved the hideaway headlights, although they did give my Mom a fit one night when she left work in a snow storm and they refused to open. She ended up prying them open and sticking her Thermos in to keep them up so she could drive home my Dad fixed them, I think it was a vacuum line or the vacuum motor went bad. Your car is a total beauty, reminds me of much younger days.
Open is the default position with loss of vacuum. I think that you Mom's linkage must have frozen!
@@danielulz1640 My parents had both a 68 LTD Brougham, and a 1972 Marquis Brougham. The doors on the Ford were slow to open and close, actually took a second or two once you pulled the switch before they started to open. Same when you pushed the headlight switch off, took a second or two before the doors started moving, then closed with a "boom"! And I don't remember them defaulting to open when the vacuum was depleted. The Marquis in comparison opened quickly and without delay. And they did default to open if the vacuum was depleted. The Marquis also had a knob in the left front corner of the engine compartment, next to the big vacuum reservoir. You could manually open and close the doors for cleaning, or leave them open for winter driving. Maybe Adam can do a headlamp door race between the Ford and Mercury! :D
The default to open system started in 1969.
@@danielulz1640 in 68, the default position was closed, Ford realized this was a boo boo and changed it a year or so later.
@@drewrosch43 I stand corrected, thanks for the info.
My dad had the 68 Galaxie 500 4 door hardtop. Great car, no real issues, I learned to drive with this car.
Thank you for the video. It really brings back memories! Keep it up.
It never gets old viewing this beauty of a car Adam, stellar!
Wow. Just beautiful. The chrome is amazing.
My Mothers 1966 Galaxie antenna was exactly like that! So its interesting you mention about the A/C being weak...I recall my friends Dad's 1968 LTD wagon as having FREEZING A/C...with the green tinted glass.
My family had a Meadowlark yellow '68 Galaxie 2 door with black vinyl interior. I don't remember ever complaining it was hot in there. I do remember my crayons melted in a bucket on time in the car though.
This car is so classic Hawaii Five-0. Especially with the Hawaii license plate on the front. Although most Ford products on Hawaii Five-0 were Mercurys. Great video! Keep them coming.
“Book ‘em Dano. Murder one.”
Love it!! Love that "cold" light! Never saw that on any car, ever!
That is a very beautiful car Adam. I appreciate you sharing your collection and your knowledge with us
The LTD in 1968, 1969 & 1970 came standard with the same interior as the Galaxie 500. The steering wheel used in 1968 drew a lot of complaints when new because of the distance you had to stretch to blow the horn.
What? My mom would drive with her knuckle touching the horn ring at the bottom just in case. No reaching necessary. Now the rim blow wheels were a chore to find the horn in a place it worked.
@@mexicanspec
Refer to June and July, 1968 Popular Mechanics magazine where they would survey 1000 owners of new cars. In June they surveyed Ford Torino owners and in July they surveyed Mercury Monterey owners.
In 1968 they introduced the Brougham with the interiors like 1965-67 LTD, so they would have have a cheaper base LTD with lower trim inside.
I went to college with a blue 1969 Ford XL sports roof that I'd driven constantly in high school and loved. That thing was a dependable car that just kept going and going. When it came time for grad school, it was replaced with a 1973 Ford LTD Brougham 4-door in gold with a brown vinyl roof. Front interior had high back, well-padded brown with brocade-style inserts. The seats had a large fold-down armrest between them. The car was a beauty and also proved dependable considering the long drives between campus and home. I was surprised to get several friends in the dorm who had muscle cars that expressed their like of the car. It was a great cruiser and boulevard car and extremely comfortable.
I had a '68 LTD two door. Mine was a beauty but nothing like yours. AM radio, aftermarket air and none of the fancy bells and whistles, but she was a high school boys dream in '76. Seeing that wood grain steering wheel brought back sweet memories.
Though not my taste, it is very easy to see how thoughtful ford was in giving a buyer very good content when this vehicle was new. 1968 was amongst the best year for ford
Thank you for showing us this wonderful LTD.😊
Greetings from Brazil! Beautiful LTD❤!
I took my first driver's test in our neighbor's '68 Country Squire in 1974. Brings back lots of memories.
Joes Body Shop in Perry is amazing as well!
Perfectly Matched my deer damaged Pearl White Buick Park Av Ultra!
Love your car. Absolutely stunning. I had a dark blue 2 door 68 Brougham with the 390/4V. I think it was 1980 when I had it. Loved it. Had a hard time keeping it from pinging with that high compression.
Adam, you have to build a museum to appreciate and enjoy your beauties the rest of us...
Mint!
My dad had one of these and later the 1973 brougham. We had a 68 ford wagon too. I always liked the 68 steering wheel and it was a quick way of knowing when a Ford was a 68.
One of the most beautiful LTDs around! You did it proud
Another great video Adam, your doing the lords work!
I have a sense that you really like this car; that it has a special place in your heart.
I love the '68 Ford LTD's but my favorite would be the 1967's, you definitely can't go wrong with the 1965-72 Ford LTD's.
Turned out just perfect, Adam. That paint is so good that it showed up the dust specks on my phone screen!
Beautiful job matching the paint.👍
The car turned out very well Adam. Kudos to your body shop.
In 1969 I was in the Royal Australian Navy on HMAS Stalwart and we transported a brand spanking new 68 Ford LTD Brougham from Australia to New Zealand to act as a Limo for I think the Australian Ambassador. So if it survives, there is one of these beauties floating around New Zealand somewhere your video was the first time I had seen one of these since 1969 - lucky you.
I really like those cars. A friend of mine had a white'85 in the late '80's, it was a great car, quick, good fuel mileage, very comfortable smooth. I would love to have one to cruise around in.
Beautiful LTD, Adam. My parents owned a 66 Caprice Coupe, bought new. It was black with a maroon vinyl interior. I remember riding in that car as a preschooler. Felt very upscale, like a Buick. Alas, my folks drove the wheels off it & the Caprice traded on a 69 Impala Custom Coupe that we had for 7 years...
So lucky to have a small piece of motoring masterpiece from the 60’s …favourite shade , black on black… Would love to pull it apart piece by piece and perfectly put it back together again better than the day it was built…❤
That neighborhood looks like something out of a dream...a very good dream....
I wish they can make cars like this again, I'd buy 1 for sure. Big cars with ROOM & zoom.!
The 68 came out beautifully....congrats!..Personally I favor the 1966 Fords. The metal was stronger and the trim was more elegant, the styling superb.
Yes, the '66 was trimmer and more elegant - probably my favourite year for Ford. Not as bulbous as the 67/68 models.
@@jaygatz4335 Yes, and more sleek than the boxy 65'.
Great tour of this car
Dougie, so this went through New England then Hawaii, coast to coast (to coast!) Love these vids, and make me remember when these were merely '70s Beater cars, driven by some jean-short wearing, moustachio-sporting ne-er-do-well, cigarette dangling from lip, corner of hood in the air, bungied-down but still driving "until the insurance check came in" lol Love these classics, for all intents and purposes this is a Ford Cadillac. Peace out
My late father was a Ford guy, he had bought many new cars but his favorite was the 1968 Ford Galaxie 500 2 door fastback 390 ci. It was also my favorite one.
Beautiful example, thanks for sharing. Joe Friday would be proud.
My late father, being a GM guy, mostly Buicks and Cadillacs was tempted to by a LTD in 1968. He would have, except the local Ford dealer here in Tucson (which still is in business and its founder still alive) just would not budge on the list price. So, my dad ended up with some Chrysler (boo). This Ford dealership is such that many people who have the time drive 2 hours to Phoenix to get a much better deal, which my brother did and as did his girlfriend when they each bought Ford trucks and my then wife did when she bought her 1986 Mustang coupe 5.0. We each took turns showing up at the Tucson dealership showing our sales slips PROVING YES! it IS possible to get a Ford at a significantly lower price than they could in Tucson. The problem then was this dealership's owner's only competition in town was his father-in-law. They fixed the prices. The 1968 LTD was the only Ford my Dad ever was impressed with.
It’s absolutely beautiful Adam.
The paint sure looks great. Yeah, removing the fender is a pain... But a whole lot easier than pulling the whole dash apart on the GMs.
It’s great that you are a connoisseur on these cars and that you share this. This car looks very important going along - elegant powerful and serious. It’s like back in the day the owner would always appear as though he had a good reason to be wherever he drove that car to. Although a strong case can be made that this year is best for the LTD, I will always be partial to the 1976 LTD landou- I had one that looked just like the TV show “Streets of San Francisco.” Yes that car did command respect where it went. It had the hideaway headlamps too (400m 2V, C6, all wheel disks, traction lock). The 76 was very well balanced for its full size, no prob on mountain roads, great at high speed on highways.
Beautiful car and great video!
Masterworks does superb paint repairs! Here in the San Francisco Bay Area (of California) there is no legal use of solvent based automotive paint (no lacquer, enamel, urethane) only water-borne products, yet the body shops are able to make very good repairs - all topped with clear coat. Decades ago I began covering ridges and proud edges with masking tape when machine polishing.
You have mentioned the two piston AC compressor. I have always replaced bad two piston compressors with rebuilt ones until the last few years. I ended up getting two bad ones in a row so I guess the rebuild places are just struggling with bad parts or inexperienced people. On my recent 64 Bird I bought a new one off of rock auto and it works great and is quiet. It looks like your 68 has a new one also.
Got my York compressor for my 67 Ford XL convertible at O'Reilly replaced 2 under warranty 3 on have no issues with the 3rd, I clatters a bit when I first turn the A/C on but quiet's down after a few minutes of running
@@ericheld4382 I put a NAPA rebuilt unit on my 66 TBird a few years ago and the front seal blew within 5 minutes. I put another NAPA unit on my 61 Lincoln and it had a clunking noise immediately and lasted about five miles before locking up. The problem is, they treat you like an idiot and it must be your fault, when I know what I am doing, I put the proper type and amount of lubricant in, I replace the filter-drier, etc I just got fed up with it all and besides, having to do all the work over again is a pain. I put a new one on my 64 TBird a month ago. Never any unusual noises and works great even with today's 99 degree temperature. So I will never buy another "rebuilt" unit.
Beautiful 68 LTD. Love the hideaway headlights
Simply stunning 🤤!!!
Both the '65 and '68 LTDs are my favorite large Fords. The '68 had a very sophisticated look with those hidden lamps and the mid-century modern grill pattern.
Thoroughly enjoyed this and well recall when this car came out. This is a fine and well preserved example! Such a survivor & that exhaust gives it just the right touch og ganstah.😅😉 Thank you!
Beautiful car!!! It’s interesting how Ford continued certain design cues across all their lines. I had an as basic as you could get (except for the 2-tone paint) 69 Falcon and many the look of the dash is very similar, just smaller. However, the door armrests are the same!!
Look at the dash boards of a 64 Falcon and a 65 Mustang, same thing. Most all the car makers share parts between models to hold down the cost.
Definitely a beautiful car and that wheel base with the rear wheel sitting behind the seat filler must ride amazing
Great information! 🏆
My first car was my grandfather’s 1968 LTD Brougham sedan with A/C. No vinyl top, surprisingly, and no power windows or convenience panel, but an AM/FM radio (I don’t remember if 3 speakers or 5…). The exterior was Sea Foam Green and I think the interior was the darkest green, Dark Ivy Gold Poly, but no dual comfort front seat (hood for a college kid on date nights, but not so good on those long road trips home for breaks!). I kept the car until it had 129k miles and no major problems, except with the front control arms, as you mentioned, and eventually after living in PA and OH and not being garaged and being taken care of to the standards of a college kid with limited resources, the left rear side of the frame basically broke (the bumper close to dragging on the road on that side) and my dad made me scrap it - I still remember the mixed memories I felt driving behind him to the scrap yard! Thanks for some great insights (wish I had figured out the hidden headlight alignment fix!) and some even better memories. I really enjoy your channel - you do your homework and you seem to have a magic touch for knowing what content to mention and how much time to spend on any particular point. As a FoMoCo guy (for instance, my grandmother had a ‘61 Lincoln Continental sedan - Sheffield Blue, I think - and a ‘72 - black w/ black vinyl roof), I REALLY appreciate your comparisons and historical commentary on comparable Big 3 models and the evolution of particular specific model lines and trims.
good* for a college kid on date nights, not hood
I agree with you about the LTD’s best years. Leave the loud mufflers, matches the look of the car. 👍🏻
OMG. That's same car I bought in 1985 just after I was stationed at Ft. Riley. Yes, it was a bro-ham, as many of my friends remarked. My favorite part of the car is the coffee can vacuum reservoir. The craziest and strangest of mechanical quirks.
another great car and informative video the 4 door hardtop is not seen very often & that interior design is amazing for a everyday Ford
parents had a 66 Mustang. Also, I was a fan of Hawai'i 5 0, so I saw Jack Lord tool around in big Fords and Mercury's. So . . . for the those reasons, I guess, I've always been a fan of old Fords. This is a very nice ride. Good luck with it!!
I haven’t even begun to watch the video, but I have watched this catalog of great videos I think from the beginning. Quickie. Family has always been a Ford family, parents had a green 1971 Grand Marquis, and then a silver 1978, the Silver Streak, which my oldest brother and his best friend used to run “blocker” for our Superior motorhome when we moved from Springfield, VA, to Modesto CA. Dad is retired Army Colonel. An engineer’s engineer. First car was a 1971 Torino 500, two door. Later inherited my grandmother’s 1985 Crown Vic. There was something going on with that which no one seemed to be able to fix, and all I knew was that of it had been points and carb, I could fix it. Right on Savannah Hwy here in Charleston, SC, a stunning car caught my eye. For sale to boot. For $950. Ok. And it had just gotten a valve job done on its 390. Maroon, faded but all there. Wood grain appliqué down the sides, also faded, but just the right patina. Hide-away headlights, worked, never a problem. I immediately put the Vic up for sale, it was getting long in the tooth, and besides, who can live with the horrors of 8.5:1 compression, and not even 200hp out of 302 ci? There is a line in the Geneva Convention against that kind of atrocity. Yes, I could get the Vic sideways, airborne, smoke tires, but it had no balls, and every single house party I went to, everyone would drop their cup of beer as soon as I rolled up, even though mine had the half vinyl roof! Oh, the humanity. So sold that and paid the dude for the 1968 Country Squire. Oddly enough, he was the parts manager at the BMW dealership, and he had Lexus floor mates in the Squire, as well as Lexus wheel covers. The car didn’t drip one drop of fluid for the entire time I had it. I was madly in love. I always had a thing for wagons. And two doors. And four door hardtops. And convertibles. Post cars kinda suck. The steeped shape of that hood is just the classiest thing I’ve ever seen, Rolls Royce, eat your heart out. The rear quarters were gorgeous, and the car overall had the most peculiar yet extraordinary blend of being sensual, AND masculine, mean, all biz, yet understated, and elegant. It reminded me of a picturesque couple, both being incredibly attractive, yet not ostentatious. On the non-wagons, those taillights were the shape all the other designers wanted, but missed. The lines from headlight to tail are just superb, flowing, muscular and statuesque. On my Country Squire, you could set a beverage right about where the gas cap was. The tailgate swung both ways, not like my friend Chris, but sideways and up and down, and that’s not a euphemism. BUT, foxy hippie chics were drawn to the wagon like bees to honey. So that’s always nice. I married one. Yes, best year. First year for collapsible steering column, dual reservoir master cylinder standard, as well as shoulder belts. My best friend had an honest accident and overcorrected after dropping a tire off of a shoulder, and hit a tree at about 30 mph, and I cried. My baby was done. In high school an older guy who worked at a gas station had a red ‘68 Convertible XL, cherry, and he had Mopar Rallye wheels on it,which looked great. That car was simply stunning, and the 428 sounded meeeeaaaaaan. Ok so here’s the clincher. I have a standing lottery acquisition desire. One of each body style 1968 Ford Full-size, save for the post four door, yuck. Maroon for the lot. 390s or 428s only. A wagon, a convertible, a fastback coupe, a formal roof coupe, and a four door hardtop. Claaaaaasy. The finest. I now have a Dodge Magnum. It is fast. It does everything better than the Squire, except tick that box which can only be satisfied with CHARACTER. The Squire had character for days. It oozed it. I ended up with the wheel covers so common on Ford trucks and Broncos of that era, and BF Goodrich T/A Radials, P235/65R15, for that hunkered down bootlegger look. I even replaced all of the suspension and steering box, and it still looked hunkered down. Gangster. As gangster as a wood grain wagon can be. No roof racks, clean man. Clean. Not one spec of rust and not one dent. Maybe tow very slight dings but the steel was so tough it was hard to ding it. Yes. Best year.
"The tailgate swung both ways like my friend Chris" You should do stand up comedy, lol!
Adam, another great video. We had a '66 Ford LTD with a 390. Really great car.