1985 LTD LX

[clmrt]

Seems like an 80's version of the Marauder story.

http://autopolis.wordpress.com/2013/02/23/1984-1985-ford-ltd-lx-the-original-four-door-mustang/

[LOWBUCKMM]

My friend had one of these cars. It was a cool car very hard to find now a days. It was his first car he put it in a big ditch and bent the frame. Sad day for all of us.

[TAKEDOWN]

Never heard of that version, thanks for the enlightenment!

[gdmjoe]

Had a 1984 with a 200CI I-6 and it was (purchased for and) used as my commuter beater (lived in Jackson, MI worked in Ann Arbor, MI - 120 miles round-trip each day).

Purchased in 1987 for $800 it had 84,000 miles on the clock, the body was in EXCELLENT shape, however the paint was neglected and had a matte, satin finish (called it my stealth mobile), the interior was WELL WORN.

1st mod' was to replace the shabby, worn-out front seats with new Mustang take-off buckets from Saleen ($20 each including shipping from CA http://www.gdmjoe.com/thumb.gif).

When it came time to replace tires, opted for new Mustang take-off wheels (rims+tires) from Saleen ($250 for the set shipping included).

*It's good to have a Fox platform vehicle. LOTS of get-up-and-go. *Which surprised a lot of folks.
GREAT highway cruiser. *Not too small, not too big.
MPG was 30-36.
NEVER leaked nor burned oil.
only non-scheduled maintenance was replacement of the windshield wiper motor.
EASY to work-on. *Heck, you could change the oil without crawling under or raising the vehicle.
put an addition 250,000 miles on it before selling it in 1990. *Was moving to NC.
sold it for $1100. *Lady that bought it said it was just what she was looking for and of all the cars she'd seen it was the one in the best shape.2nd best car I've ever owned. *1st best car was a bunch of 1970-1972 Mavericks - all 200-6s and ALL re-sold with over 200,000 miles.

Have to see if I can dig-up a pic'.
.

[Jeffonebuck]

Where can you find a 3 year old car with 80,000 miles on it today for $800, Try about 12-15k easy


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[Joe Walsh]

I convinced my Father to look at an LTD LX back in '84.
We test drove one and it was a hoot!...even with the lame CFI system.
(vs. the good 'ole Holley 4 barrel that the 5.0L Mustangs got in '84)
They are very rare cars.

BTW: My Dad ended up buying a loaded Turbo T-Bird which was even cooler!
plus he sold me his '79 Mustang Turbo.
(Yep FORD made a Turbo Mustang in '79...complete with non-intercooled, draw thru 2 bbl carb!)

[ChiTownMaraud3r]

Cool car, but what an utter horrible interior.

[jerrym3]

I still have the original 1985 Ford sales catalog with this car shown.

I also went for a new 85 TurboCoupe instead, probably for the 5 speed/style/2 doors.

[jlangmaid]

Don't recall ever having seen one of those, would be interested in reading something on the Mercury LTS.
Had a granada sport coupe with a stock 351W that was gone through and woken up a bit-that car was a sleeper. Ended up yanking the drivetrain and dropping in a '70 mustang coupe and junking the rest of the granada, didn't realize how uncommon it was at the time.

[Joe Walsh]

My Brother got Mom's hand-me-down '78 I6/auto Fairmont to use for college commuting.

When I upgraded the rims/tires on my '85 Mustang GT, I gave the OEM 10 hole rims w/Goodyear gatorbacks to my brother.
He bolted them on that 'tin can on 4 wheels' Fairmont....

Holy crap would that thing go around corners!
People couldn't believe how well it handled with those rims & tires.

[gdmjoe]

Welp ... Found a couple pic's from yesteryear of the stealth mobile (1984 LTD)
http://www.gdmjoe.com/pictures/vehicles/1984LTD01-75.jpg

http://www.gdmjoe.com/pictures/vehicles/1984LTD02-75.jpgIn the envelope next-to where I found the above, found yesteryear pic's of the 1986 Mustang that I bought *new* and still have (*sigh* really needs to be sold)
http://www.gdmjoe.com/pictures/vehicles/1986Mustang01-75.jpg

http://www.gdmjoe.com/pictures/vehicles/1986Mustang02-75.jpg

[Zack]

We had one in High School shop class. Awesome car

[gdmjoe]

Joe Walsh - My Brother got Mom's hand-me-down '78 I6/auto Fairmont to use for college commuting.

When I upgraded the rims/tires on my '85 Mustang GT, I gave the OEM 10 hole rims w/Goodyear gatorbacks to my brother.
He bolted them on that 'tin can on 4 wheels' Fairmont....
Gave this to my youngest son for HS graduation - 1982 Fairmont Futura Sport

http://www.gdmjoe.com/pictures/vehicles/1982FairmontFfuturaSport02-75.jpg

http://www.gdmjoe.com/pictures/vehicles/1982FairmontFfuturaSport01-75.jpg

[massacre]

I had a Mercury Zephyr, Merc version of a Fairmont. I loved that car it handled reasonably well and got great mileage was a great DD. but it got stolen and burned so that was the end of that lol.

I always wanted to put a Modular in one of those LTDs, maybe some day.

[jerrym3]

I had an 81 Ford Fairmont wagon, red/red, upper trim level, with the 255.

With two young daughters, it served it's purpose, but, that's about the best I can say. I'm pretty sure it had a 2nd gear start feature, which was nice in snow.

My dad had an 84 wagon with the 4 sp automatic, while my bro/in/law had the identical same car, 3 sp auto. Both V6's.

Again, they served their purpose.

(I used that 2nd gear start a lot when my 64 Galaxie was our everday car. Never had snow tires. The nice thing was that, with the Galaxie, you could start out in second, and it would shift to 3rd on it's own, then back to 2nd when you stopped. Never had to do a "2 to 3" shift manually.)

[Joe Walsh]

:hmmm:......they do make nice project cars.....and really nice sleepers!

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It would be cool to to find one cheap and shove a 427W stroker under the hood!

[L.Mark]

There was an ESS option if I recall right...I believe it was monochromatic...

[L.Mark]

Nope, the ESS was on the Granada...Instead there was an LX option that sounds a lot like the Marauder and CV Sport options...

[gdmjoe]

jerrym3 - I had an 81 Ford Fairmont wagon, red/red, upper trim level, with the 255.
DITTO. Except mine was a 1978 ...
http://www.gdmjoe.com/pictures/vehicles/1978FairmontSW-75.jpg

[JoeBoomz]

You guys make me miss my silver 82 Fairmont Futura 4-door with the I6. What a great car that was.

[TP Derrick D]

Welp ... Found a couple pic's from yesteryear of the stealth mobile (1984 LTD)

http://www.gdmjoe.com/pictures/vehicles/1984LTD01-75.jpg

http://www.gdmjoe.com/pictures/vehicles/1984LTD02-75.jpg
In the envelope next-to where I found the above, found yesteryear pic's of the 1986 Mustang that I bought *new* and still have (*sigh* really needs to be sold)

http://www.gdmjoe.com/pictures/vehicles/1986Mustang01-75.jpg

http://www.gdmjoe.com/pictures/vehicles/1986Mustang02-75.jpg

Is that a GT or SVO, hard for me to tell since I can't see front. Has SVO 5 lugs & 16" wheels , double - stack hatch, SVO fender badge but GT body molding. I'm leaning toward GT w/ SVO mods added since during that time non SVO Mustangs had 4 lug non rear disc brakes, 15" wheels and single stack hatchbacks and everyone including me wanted the SVO brakes and double- stack hatch. If it still look like that its nice just need a couple "nowadays" upgrades and its straight.

[UncleLar]

There were also V8 LTD cop cars,similar package to P71.One year only.
I had a brown & cream 84 LTD V6 and searched long and hard to find one of the retired cop cars to no avail.Would've made a nice sleeper as Rustang parts were bolt ins.
BTW,that V6 in the LTD was a nightmare to put plugs in with a/c and all the junk on it.

[L.Mark]

jerrym3 - I had an 81 Ford Fairmont wagon, red/red, upper trim level, with the 255.

Had an 82 Cougar XR7 with the 255 V8...decent on gas but no performance at all...still wish I kept that car...:(

[gdmjoe]

TP Derrick D - Is that a GT or SVO, hard for me to tell since I can't see front. Has SVO 5 lugs & 16" wheels , double - stack hatch, SVO fender badge but GT body molding. I'm leaning toward GT w/ SVO mods added since during that time non SVO Mustangs had 4 lug non rear disc brakes, 15" wheels and single stack hatchbacks and everyone including me wanted the SVO brakes and double- stack hatch.
Purchased *new* Sep'1986 (probably one of the last ones off the production-line for that year) as a GT.

The pic's are from the spring of 1987 when the SVO-ization began. Additional SVO mod's added later and not in the pic's are: sails
spats
body molding.
Interior-wise
leather wrapped steering wheel
leather wrapped Hurst shifter knob (with Hurst shifter)
leather wrapped parking brake handle
dash trim
... and probably other things that I've forgotten

If it still look like that its nice just need a couple "nowadays" upgrades and its straight.
Still looks as nice - 34,000 miles, always garaged, never driven in winter.
.

[L.Mark]

Love those mid year Stangs. Love the SVO's too but would have rather had em with the 5L...car looks sweet...

[TP Derrick D]

Purchased *new* Sep'1986 (probably one of the last ones off the production-line for that year) as a GT.



The pic's are from the spring of 1987 when the SVO-ization began. Additional SVO mod's added later and not in the pic's are:

sails
spats
body molding.
Interior-wise
leather wrapped steering wheel
leather wrapped Hurst shifter knob (with Hurst shifter)
leather wrapped parking brake handle
dash trim
... and probably other things that I've forgotten
Still looks as nice - 34,000 miles, always garaged, never driven in winter.
.
Nice job intermingling mods between both models. All of us Mustang guys was jealous of the SVO upgrades over the LX & GT's but just wanted V8's instead of the turbo-4. keep it looking good :2thumbs: