1974 Ford LTD Country Squire

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/ford/ltd/2224205.html

 

Wonder if that’s the same one, with the ridiculous low miles. I think it was on EBay not long ago for an also ridiculous price. In the $30’s I think. Not overly done as far as options either as I remember. Nice car though.

 

Might be the same.

 

Yeah the odometer says 1,400 miles. You have to wonder why the original owners bought this car. They obviously had other transportation. Also obviously never went on any trips with it. Very strange to see them that low mileage. I felt like I was fortunate to find a ‘71 Country Sedan with 33,000 and a ‘77 Colony Park with 30,000. 1,400 miles just seems inconceivable to me.

 

My next door neighbor still has a 77 (give or take a year) Chrysler Newport with about 3,300 on it. He probably picked it up expecting it to appreciate in value and it never did, he tried selling it on eBay in 2006 or so and it only got bid up to about $6,500.

 

Is it one he’s had since nearly new, or an old gal car he thought he’d make a killing on? I have to say a ‘77 Newport wouldn’t be one I’d buy new and put on a pillow. I could see a guy with a Trans Am or something like that thinking investment, but not a Newport, unless it’s an exotic. I used to argue with a friend of mine that had a ‘53 Packard cheapo club coupe. He’d say”there were only 493 made”. I was like yeah cause it’s a cheap Packard and people smelled blood in the water. Low production can mean a bomb sales slot for that car too. Don’t ever see the Newport brushing 15-20k cause it’s the best example of it.

 

He's owned it since new and he was mostly fond of being a Chrysler mechanic (he's 76 or so now.) He also owns two 1963 Plymouth Fury III models, one with the Max Wedge engine in it. He restored both of them starting in 2005 and ending a few years later.

I've seen the Newport up close and although the red paint could be lightly polished because of light scratches, I haven't seen a better example (not as though I'm looking.) He won't sell it for under $10k.

True, low production numbers might indicate it wasn't very desirable in the first place and although that may change (58 Desoto Adventurer 4 Door?) you might still have people looking at it oddly (such as Edsels and then the AMC Pacer.)

 

Yeah. What is that Barnham said you’ll never go broke underestimating the Americans taste, or something to that effect. I’m sure that Newport is a pretty one. When I was in an organized Studebaker club, they thought that was the only car around, and that the big three screwed them. I couldn’t show up to a show driving anything but my Hawk, and they would act like it was treason. I’m sure a died in the wool Mopar guy would eat that car up, and he’ll get his price. I guess it’s a good thing that we all don’t fawn over a ‘57 Bel Air. I’d be a strange world otherwise.

 

I got a 66 mustang 9 years back with 4400 miles on it. Young couple bought it new. Lived in Chicago. Drove the odd weekend. He died in 67. She never drove it again. Got it with receipts for a tow, new battery, oil change in 77, 87 and 98. She died, family donated to Case Reaerve. They traded it to one of my people for some painting work. I ended up with it restored in 13 from him. His family were noted auto restorers.

I bid on and lost an 82 Cadillac sedan. Had 7 or 8 thousand miles. Can’t remeber exactly. Belonged to a senator in DC and sat in his condo garage until he he left around 2012.

When I see a super low mile wagon, I think summer home in the Hampton’s and only driven a few days a summer.