Description
1977 Ford LTD American Police Car - 351W 5. 8L V8 - Holley Sniper EFI
A fantastic and increasingly rare 1977 Ford LTD, finished in its iconic American police car specification. A real head-turner and a genuinely enjoyable classic to drive, with plenty of presence wherever it goes.
The car is UK registered as a Historic Vehicle and comes with a V5C. The odometer currently reads 44, 844 miles. Being registered as historic, the car is MOT exempt.
I purchased the car from Duke of London in 2022 and have since invested a considerable amount of time and money into improving both its reliability and drivability.
Mechanical work & upgrades
A significant amount of work has been carried out during my ownership, including:
• Holley Sniper EFI fuel injection system
• Holley Hyperspark distributor and ignition system
• Holley ignition coil
• Holley ECU and integrated digital dash/ touchscreen tuning interface
• Edelbrock intake manifold
• Holley air cleaner
• 4 new shock absorbers
• New timing chain and timing cover
• New Harmonic balancer
• New Front main seal
• New Rear main seal
• Rear axle fluid change
• Driveshaft U joints
• New aluminium radiator
• Dual electric cooling fans
• New water pump
• New thermostat and housing
• New fuel tank & straps
• New fuel pump and filters
• 8 x E3 Iridium spark plugs and MSD leads
• New O2 sensor
• New battery, battery cables and terminals
• New belts
• Transmission fluid change, filter and pan gasket
• Recent brake fluid flush
• New rear drum brake hardware and springs
• New heater core and hoses
• Upgraded heater hoses
• New transmission modulator
The car has also had minor floor pan welding work carried out.
Interior & electrical
The interior was completely reupholstered prior to my ownership, including the headliner, and remains in excellent condition.
The car has also had significant electrical improvements, with much of the wiring replaced/ upgraded. It has new speakers and an Alpine amplifier, LED headlights and LED rear lights/ indicators.
The exterior has been machine polished recently and presents very well for a 1977 car.
Known faults/ areas for improvement
As with any 1977 classic, there are some areas that would benefit from further attention. I would rather be completely transparent about these:
• Two minor floor-pan repairs: Rust has been cut out and the exposed areas have been treated with primer to protect them. The replacement sections are relatively simple rectangular panels and require welding in.
• Front bumper bracket: The existing bracket is showing rust-related splitting. I've been quoted approximately £80 for a replacement. It has been in this condition throughout my ownership and has not deteriorated noticeably.
• Cosmetic rust/ flaking: There are various small areas of paint flaking and surface rust around the body, although I am not aware of any structural corrosion and the chassis presents very well.
• Emergency lights: The roof-mounted emergency lights illuminate but the rotating mechanisms are currently jammed. These would likely benefit from being removed, opened and lubricated.
• Alternator: Believed to still be the original/ factory unit and would be advisable to replace as preventative maintenance.
• Reverse light: Currently not operating, likely related to the conversion to LED lighting.
• Exhaust manifold smoke: There is currently some light smoke from the exhaust manifold area caused by residual oil from a previous spill burning off. This is not believed to be an active oil leak.
• Exhaust: The exhaust is believed to be original and would benefit from replacement in the future.
• Kickdown cable: The original kickdown arrangement is currently disconnected following the conversion to Holley Sniper EFI. This would need addressing if the buyer wishes to reinstate the automatic transmission kickdown function.
The car is being sold on the basis that the above items are known and will require attention, hence the realistic asking price.
This is a 50-year-old American classic, so it is not being advertised as a concours restoration and does have the usual imperfections and areas that could be improved by a perfectionist owner. I've always tried to be honest about the car and have concentrated my own money and time on making it mechanically reliable and enjoyable rather than simply making it look perfect.
I'm sure I've forgotten some smaller jobs given the amount of work carried out over the last few years, but I am happy to discuss the car in detail with genuinely interested buyers.
A very unusual car that gets attention everywhere it goes and would make an excellent addition to an American car collection, film/ TV vehicle, prom/ wedding event car or simply something different to enjoy on the road.
Viewing welcome and encouraged. The car is located in Wiltshire.
History
I don’t have a huge amount of history on the car myself. From the information and paperwork I’ve been able to find, it was imported into the UK in 2007 and spent some time in Spain before eventually making its way to London, where I purchased it in 2022.
I’ve also included paperwork I found online from a previous listing of this same vehicle, when it was sold through a Bonhams auction. I can’t personally verify the car’s complete history or confirm whether it originally served as a genuine police vehicle or was later converted to look like one, so I don’t want to make any claims that I can’t substantiate. I’m simply passing on the information and paperwork I’ve found so the next owner can make their own judgement.
Why you’re going to love it
I bought this car in 2022 because I wanted something completely different from the usual classic cars. There’s just something about a massive 1970s American police car that you can’t really beat, the size, the V8, all the chrome and, of course, the lights on the roof.
It’s a car that gets attention pretty much everywhere it goes. I’ve lost count of the number of people who have stopped to ask about it, and even when it’s parked up, it always seems to attract a crowd. The original-style speaker/ PA system also works, which makes it even more fun and is always a hit when people see it.
During my ownership I’ve enjoyed making a few improvements to it as well. It now has a Holley Sniper EFI and modern ignition system, which has been very reliable and makes the original 351 V8 much easier to live with while still keeping the character of the old engine. The interior was also completely reupholstered before I bought it and is still in excellent condition.
My favourite thing about the car is probably just the reaction it gets. You can turn up to a car meet surrounded by interesting classics and expensive supercars, but people will still make a beeline for the old police car. You can’t really take it anywhere without getting a smile, a wave or someone asking about it.
The car is ready to drive and I’ve continued to use it during my ownership. There are a few remaining jobs to do, but these are either cosmetic or relatively inexpensive items rather than anything that stops the car being enjoyed. I’ve tried to be completely upfront about these in the listing and I’d be more than happy to show you around the car and go through everything with you.
I’m only selling it because becoming a dad has left me with a lot less time to enjoy and work on it. I’ve spent a lot of time getting it to where it is, so I’d much rather see it go to someone who will actually get to enjoy it.
Lewis
