Such Brown wafty land yachtage

[Uncleben]

Hi all, was steered here by the previous owner of the car I've just bought, thanks@Justwatching so some on here may recognise the vast pile of brown  waftiness! 

It's a 1973 ford ltd with a 351ci (5.8l) V8, putting out a massive 165hp! Average mpg of around 12mpg, though did manage 15 on the 70 mile drive back from collectioning! 

Future plans are to just enjoy it! It's pretty sorted mechanically, thanks to the previous owner, but will need to sort the exhaust soon, and already fitted a new pair of rear tyres as the 30 odd yr old ones fitted were as round as a 50p!

Are there many other yank owners on here? 

As collected.. 

Old rear tyre! No wonder the car vibrated over 40mph!

[Uncleben]

New tyres fitted and original plates 

[jonathan_dyane]

Very very very nice

[ETCHY]

Superb. Yank tanks from that era are uber cool.

It's also for extra cool points..brown.

[eddyramrod]

21 minutes ago, Uncleben said:

Are there many other yank owners on here? 

Ohhhhhhhhhh Yes!  You'll find a few in here...

...And specifically the story of the vast brown land yacht we all came to know as Huggy Bear...

Huggy was my most recent brush with Detroit, but may possibly not be my last.  Anything can happen, even when I'm spending every penny I have on the Jag that followed Huggy!

See also @danthecapriman who has a gorgeous Mercury, also from 1973.

[eddyramrod]

Oh and... Welcome aboard!

[Captain Mainwaring]

Welcome along, that's absolutely brilliant. I would dearly love one of these silly full-size Yank barges one day, a Ford Country Squire or an old Caprice maybe...

[Bren]

Every 70's US cop show....

[Schaefft]

Welcome, that tire looks hilarious. Certainly a few yank tanks around here. I might have the odd one or seven...

[danthecapriman]

Welcome aboard!

That car is absolutely gorgeous! I’m so glad I can still see it on here.

Heres mine.

 

73 Mercury Marquis Brougham 429ci (7.0 litre) big block. Essentially the same car as your LTD but most likely bought new by an old person being a Mercury!😆

We’re almost number plate buddies too!

That old tyre is hilarious btw!

[Captain Mainwaring]

Sorry to hijack the thread but that is absolutely phenomenal Dan!

[Justwatching]

Jesus, look at that tyre! Psychedelic!

Glad the car's back on the forum. 

[stuboy]

ive never driven a LHD car... but thats a big brown beastie

[Uncleben]

13 hours ago, eddyramrod said:

Ohhhhhhhhhh Yes!  You'll find a few in here...

...And specifically the story of the vast brown land yacht we all came to know as Huggy Bear...

Huggy was my most recent brush with Detroit, but may possibly not be my last.  Anything can happen, even when I'm spending every penny I have on the Jag that followed Huggy!

See also @danthecapriman who has a gorgeous Mercury, also from 1973.

Oooh, i'll get stuck into that Huggy bear thread over the weekend! already read through @danthecapriman mercury thread, what an investment of time, money and patience! I doff thy cap to thee sir!

13 hours ago, Captain Mainwaring said:

Welcome along, that's absolutely brilliant. I would dearly love one of these silly full-size Yank barges one day, a Ford Country Squire or an old Caprice maybe...

I believe everyone should own a full size yank barge at some point in their lives!

13 hours ago, Bren said:

Every 70's US cop show....

Currently resisting the urge to purchase one of those red police lights so i can chase bad guys....

[Uncleben]

13 hours ago, Justwatching said:

Jesus, look at that tyre! Psychedelic!

Glad the car's back on the forum. 

Yeah, it was pretty bad! Completely lost its shape/structure, the passenger side wasn't much better! 

Completely transformed the way it drives with the new, round tyres! 

[danthecapriman]

1 hour ago, Uncleben said:

Yeah, it was pretty bad! Completely lost its shape/structure, the passenger side wasn't much better! 

Completely transformed the way it drives with the new, round tyres! 

I’ve never seen one look like that before! Did you drive it with that tyre on? I bet it felt horrendous!?🤣

It reminds me, I need to get the spare out of the Mercury trunk and check it really. It’s an ancient S rated tyre. Almost certainly not fit for use. Can you even buy S rated tyres anymore?

[wuvvum]

17 hours ago, Uncleben said:

Are there many other yank owners on here? 

My Vauxhall Ampera was built in Detroit, does that count?

[morrisoxide]

Welcome from a fellow yank barge owner.

Glad its gone to a good home.

[Uncleben]

6 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

I’ve never seen one look like that before! Did you drive it with that tyre on? I bet it felt horrendous!?🤣

It reminds me, I need to get the spare out of the Mercury trunk and check it really. It’s an ancient S rated tyre. Almost certainly not fit for use. Can you even buy S rated tyres anymore?

I drove it 70 miles home, Was a bit of steering wheel wobble! To be fair, the previous owner warned me it needed tyres and when inflated it wasn't that bad, just had a bit of a bulge, when the air was let out it kind of collapsed! 

[cort1977]

Welcome, love a yank of that era.

Here's mine.

Also my old one

[Three Speed]

Welcome @Uncleben! Very nice motor. 

Here's my yank. Currently my daily ride as all the others are broken. 

 

Driving a huge LHD barge is not a difficult as people think since it's no wider than many modern cars. Longer though.

[grizz]

Welcome

Love the whole rear lights and panel section.

Browness gets my tick.

 

I seem to have a procession of Americanness pass through my gates.

 

Current one, bought off @Rocket88  here. 

 

Also happen to own another car he and others on here have owned and driven.

 

 

[eddyramrod]

21 minutes ago, Three Speed said:

Welcome @Uncleben! Very nice motor. 

Here's my yank. Currently my daily ride as all the others are broken. 

 

Driving a huge LHD barge is not a difficult as people think since it's no wider than many modern cars. Longer though.

We're not worthy!

[Pieman]

23 hours ago, Three Speed said:

Welcome @Uncleben! Very nice motor. 

Here's my yank. Currently my daily ride as all the others are broken. 

 

Driving a huge LHD barge is not a difficult as people think since it's no wider than many modern cars. Longer though.

THAT is pure sex on wheels. ❤️ 

[Uncleben]

On 03/11/2023 at 21:14, grizz said:

Welcome

Love the whole rear lights and panel section.

Browness gets my tick.

 

I seem to have a procession of Americanness pass through my gates.

 

Current one, bought off @Rocket88  here. 

 

Also happen to own another car he and others on here have owned and driven.

 

 

Me also, I intend to attempt to try and illuminate the centre rear panel when lights are on, as I think it would look delightful. 

[Uncleben]

A pic from day of collectioning, Maestro van in background was the days transport.

It rained. 

A lot. 

[Justwatching]

That parking though...

[Uncleben]

Well, it's not like it would fit anyway.....😄

 

[Uncleben]

So, with it being nearly winter and the dark is more, I needed to address the lack of speedo light uppage. 

I could reach one of the bulb holders without taking the cluster out if I  folded myself at an unnecessary angle, changing the bulb didn't produce light. I don't fancy trying to remove the cluster because speedo cable and 50 yr old brittle plastic! Will need to at some point to investigate, but for now a temporary led strip plugged into the cigar lighter will suffice, I can now watch the fuel gauge empty in real-time! 

I will route the wires so they are hidden, but for now this will do, black and brown electrical tape ftw. 

[Uncleben]

So this happened tonight on the way home from work..