Pick Of The Day: 1974 Ford Ltd Four-door Sedan

Many of us can relate to being drawn to the car that we drove in high school. That’s how I ended up with a lifelong enthusiasm for third-generation Honda Preludes. It’s a strong indication that nostalgia helps drive the car collecting hobby in a big way. The Pick of the Day, a 1974 Ford LTD, was acquired by the seller back in 1998 for sentimental reasons. It’s now listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Appleton, Wisconsin.

“I owned a 1978 in high school back in the 90s, and that is why I decided to buy this particular car,” the seller says.

A magazine ad for the LTD said, “The closer you look, the better we look.” It went on to encourage buyers to scrutinize — and sometimes, even get aggressive with — the cars:

“Slam the doors. Listen for a good, solid sound. Check how the doors hang. Lines should be straight, space around them even and narrow. Check for easy operation and accessibility of door handles. Roll down the windows. Note the pocketless weather strip, designed to help create a tight and quiet seal.”

The LTD had classic American land-yacht appeal. It weighed over two tons (4,280 pounds) and measured over 19 feet long, giving it unmistakable road presence as well as a smooth ride. One of the main reasons the car had such heft was because of the new-for-1974 “five-mph bumper” regulations that were imposed by the U.S. government on all new cars.

Exterior features include chrome bumpers, quad headlights, body-side and rocker moldings, driver-side mirror, vinyl roof covering, and steel wheels with whitewall tires. A sticker on the windshield says Tuff-Kote, the name of a rustproofing protection that was popular in the 1970s.

The brown cloth and vinyl bench-seat interior features woodgrain trim, radio, clock, manual-crank windows, and floor mats.

Moving this big machine is a 400ci V-8 mated to a SelectShift three-speed automatic transmission. The odometer shows just 29,721 miles, and recent work (performed within the last 1,000 miles) has been extensive: fuel tank and sending unit, carburetor rebuild, fuel filter, master cylinder, brake lines and hoses, rotors and drums, wheel bearings, tires, battery, and air filter. The car will come with spare parts, including valve cover gaskets, belts, spark plugs, and distributor cap.

Did seeing this LTD bring back some memories for you like it has for others? Maybe it’s time for you to take the reins as the next caretaker. The asking price is $14,000.

Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com