Ford LTD Crown Victoria
Encyclopedia
The Ford LTD Crown Victoria is a full-size rear-wheel drive sedan that was produced by the Ford Motor Company
from 1983 to 1991. As part of a redesign for the 1992 model year, it was renamed the Ford Crown Victoria
. While the Crown Victoria uses a completely different body and drivetrain, it shares the Ford Panther platform
with its predecessor.
-like chrome band across the roof, usually paired with a landau vinyl roof
. While the chrome band was unique to the LTD Crown Victoria, the vinyl roof was a common option on its Lincoln-Mercury counterparts, the Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car.
In order to boost mid-size car sales, the LTD nameplate was moved to the mid-sized
Ford Fox platform
in 1983 to replace the Granada. The LTD Crown Victoria remained on the full-sized
Ford Panther platform
, becoming a standalone model line. For 1983, the full-size sedans and wagons received a minor facelift consisting of a new grille and taillight lenses; a more distinctive change was the return of the Ford "Blue Oval" badge to the grille. The old LTD 'S' front fascia was dropped, leaving only the former high-end quad-headlight fascia. Under the hood, the 122hp 4.2L V8 from 1981-1982 was discontinued. Electronic "Central Fuel Injection" (CFI), which involved two fuel injectors spraying fuel at the throttle plate of a carburetor-like device, was now standard on the 5.0L V8 engine. In 1986, on all civilian models, this was replaced by "Sequential Fire" electronic fuel injection
, based on Ford's OBD-1 compliant EEC-IV computer.
In 1990, the LTD Crown Victoria received several major safety updates with the addition of a driver's side airbag and rear outboard shoulder belts; the former brought with it a new steering column and a completely new dashboard. To increase its appeal after 11 years on the market, the standard equipment list grows again to include power windows along with other previously optional features. 1991 was the last year for the LTD Crown Victoria and the last year for the station wagon; these models were distinguished by clear front turn signal lamps (rather than amber ones).
automatic transmission
with overdrive, power steering
, power front disc brakes, full carpeting, and bumper guards. The base model added a reclining cloth bench seat, full wheel covers, full courtesy lighting, the landau-style padded vinyl roof with targa trim band and AM/FM stereo radio.
The budget "S" model was comparable to the former base LTD series, and as such had such features as a vinyl bench seat, AM radio (stereo radios were available at extra cost) and lower-grade carpeting. The landau vinyl roof was deleted (a full, non-padded vinyl roof was available at extra cost). Several other items were deleted (such as several of the courtesy lights). The "S" model was the designated fleet model, although a budget-conscious private customer could also order this version.
An Interior Luxury Package was offered on the base model, and included upgraded interior fabrics (including a higher-grade of carpeting), split-bench dual recliner front seats, full-bench center armrest rear seats, additional sound insulation, door-mounted courtesy lights and power windows (on a dedicated control panel, where the power remote mirror and door lock switches also were placed when ordered). This trim package became its own model (designated the "LX") for the 1986 model year.
Options included air conditioning (made standard in 1987), tilt steering wheel, cruise control
, power door locks
, cast aluminum wheels, cornering lamps, an illuminated entry system, a TripMinder computer, automatic headlights, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Buyers could also upgrade the stereo system and wheel covers, and order various paint and vinyl roof treatments as well.
Police cars often (but not always) used the 351-cubic-inch (5.8 L) Windsor V-8
, which in later years used Ford's 7200 series Variable Venturi carburetor
. The police package was made available for public purchase upon paying a $1000 "gas guzzler" tax to the EPA.
The LTD Crown Victoria was available in coupe form until 1987, when it was discontinued due to lack of sales. By the late-1980s large 2-door cars had fallen out of favor with American buyers, prompting Ford to drop out of the full-size coupe market. For the coupe's final model year only 5,527 vehicles were ordered, compared to 105,789 LTD Crown Victoria sedans.
A station wagon
version was also produced, both as the LTD Crown Victoria and also as the LTD Country Squire
. The Country Squire featured the traditional wood-grained body side panels. The car came with standard roof racks, and fold flat dual 3rd row seats, which opened sidefacing. The tailgate opened two ways, down like a pickup truck, or sideways much like a Honda Ridgeline
. The car also came with plush seats and dual rear cigarette lighters.
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
from 1983 to 1991. As part of a redesign for the 1992 model year, it was renamed the Ford Crown Victoria
Ford Crown Victoria
-1992–1994:Released in March 1991 as an early 1992 model, the Crown Victoria sedan was completely redesigned with a rounder, eight-window roofline . The redesign reduced the coefficient of drag from 0.42 to 0.34; the suspension setup was also heavily revised...
. While the Crown Victoria uses a completely different body and drivetrain, it shares the Ford Panther platform
Ford Panther platform
The Ford Panther platform is an automobile platform that was used by Ford Motor Company for full-size, rear-wheel drive sedans. Introduced in late 1978 for the 1979 model year, it was progressively updated over 33 years of production. In September 2011, the last car produced on the platform was...
with its predecessor.
History
In 1980, the Crown Victoria name was revived by Ford for the upper-level trim package on the Ford LTD, replacing the LTD Landau. These cars had a targaTarga top
Targa top, targa for short, is a semi-convertible car body style with a removable roof section and a full width roll bar behind the seats. The term was first used on the 1966 Porsche 911 Targa, and it remains a registered trademark of Porsche AG....
-like chrome band across the roof, usually paired with a landau vinyl roof
Vinyl roof
Vinyl roof refers to a vinyl covering for an automobile's top. This covering was originally designed to give the appearance of a convertible to models with a fixed roof, but eventually it evolved into a styling statement in its own right. Vinyl roofs were most popular in the American market, and...
. While the chrome band was unique to the LTD Crown Victoria, the vinyl roof was a common option on its Lincoln-Mercury counterparts, the Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car.
In order to boost mid-size car sales, the LTD nameplate was moved to the mid-sized
Mid-size car
A mid-size car is the North American/Australian standard for an automobile with a size equal to or greater than that of a compact...
Ford Fox platform
Ford Fox platform
The Ford Fox platform is a rear wheel drive, unitized-chassis, automobile architecture used by Ford Motor Company in North America. Introduced for the 1978 model year, it would go on to be produced until 1993 in its original version; a substantial redesign of the Ford Mustang in 1994 extended its...
in 1983 to replace the Granada. The LTD Crown Victoria remained on the full-sized
Full-size car
A full-size car is a marketing term used in North America for an automobile larger than a mid-size car. In the United States, the EPA uses "large car" to denote full-size cars....
Ford Panther platform
Ford Panther platform
The Ford Panther platform is an automobile platform that was used by Ford Motor Company for full-size, rear-wheel drive sedans. Introduced in late 1978 for the 1979 model year, it was progressively updated over 33 years of production. In September 2011, the last car produced on the platform was...
, becoming a standalone model line. For 1983, the full-size sedans and wagons received a minor facelift consisting of a new grille and taillight lenses; a more distinctive change was the return of the Ford "Blue Oval" badge to the grille. The old LTD 'S' front fascia was dropped, leaving only the former high-end quad-headlight fascia. Under the hood, the 122hp 4.2L V8 from 1981-1982 was discontinued. Electronic "Central Fuel Injection" (CFI), which involved two fuel injectors spraying fuel at the throttle plate of a carburetor-like device, was now standard on the 5.0L V8 engine. In 1986, on all civilian models, this was replaced by "Sequential Fire" electronic fuel injection
Fuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
, based on Ford's OBD-1 compliant EEC-IV computer.
1988 facelift
As late as 1985, the LTD Crown Victoria and its Panther-platform counterparts had been slated to be replaced by the front-wheel drive Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable. As it was likely to be cancelled, Ford had spent comparatively little on the further development of the LTD Crown Victoria. However, the stabilization of gasoline prices and continued demand for full-size cars led to the continuation of the Panther platform at Ford. In 1988, the front and rear styling was given a mild update. On the front, a slightly smaller grille switches from an eggcrate to a waterfall pattern; a longer rear trunklid receives wraparound tailllights. The bumpers were redesigned to become better integrated into the bodywork. Several items available previously as options, such as AutoLamp (the automatic headlight system), now become standard equipment.In 1990, the LTD Crown Victoria received several major safety updates with the addition of a driver's side airbag and rear outboard shoulder belts; the former brought with it a new steering column and a completely new dashboard. To increase its appeal after 11 years on the market, the standard equipment list grows again to include power windows along with other previously optional features. 1991 was the last year for the LTD Crown Victoria and the last year for the station wagon; these models were distinguished by clear front turn signal lamps (rather than amber ones).
Models
When introduced in 1983, two model ranges were available: the "base" model and a lower-priced "S" version. Both ranges came standard with the CFI V-8 engine, an AODFord AOD transmission
The AOD is a four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive. Introduced in 1980, it was Ford's first four-speed automatic overdrive transmission. The design is based on the same gearset as the 1960s and 1970s...
automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
with overdrive, power steering
Power steering
Power steering helps drivers steer vehicles by augmenting steering effort of the steering wheel.Hydraulic or electric actuators add controlled energy to the steering mechanism, so the driver needs to provide only modest effort regardless of conditions. Power steering helps considerably when a...
, power front disc brakes, full carpeting, and bumper guards. The base model added a reclining cloth bench seat, full wheel covers, full courtesy lighting, the landau-style padded vinyl roof with targa trim band and AM/FM stereo radio.
The budget "S" model was comparable to the former base LTD series, and as such had such features as a vinyl bench seat, AM radio (stereo radios were available at extra cost) and lower-grade carpeting. The landau vinyl roof was deleted (a full, non-padded vinyl roof was available at extra cost). Several other items were deleted (such as several of the courtesy lights). The "S" model was the designated fleet model, although a budget-conscious private customer could also order this version.
An Interior Luxury Package was offered on the base model, and included upgraded interior fabrics (including a higher-grade of carpeting), split-bench dual recliner front seats, full-bench center armrest rear seats, additional sound insulation, door-mounted courtesy lights and power windows (on a dedicated control panel, where the power remote mirror and door lock switches also were placed when ordered). This trim package became its own model (designated the "LX") for the 1986 model year.
Options included air conditioning (made standard in 1987), tilt steering wheel, cruise control
Cruise control
Cruise control is a system that automatically controls the speed of a motor vehicle. The system takes over the throttle of the car to maintain a steady speed as set by the driver.-History:...
, power door locks
Power door locks
Power door locks allow the driver or front passenger to simultaneously lock or unlock all the doors of an automobile or truck, by pressing a button or flipping a switch....
, cast aluminum wheels, cornering lamps, an illuminated entry system, a TripMinder computer, automatic headlights, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Buyers could also upgrade the stereo system and wheel covers, and order various paint and vinyl roof treatments as well.
Police cars often (but not always) used the 351-cubic-inch (5.8 L) Windsor V-8
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, which in later years used Ford's 7200 series Variable Venturi carburetor
Carburetor
A carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
. The police package was made available for public purchase upon paying a $1000 "gas guzzler" tax to the EPA.
Coupe
Station wagon
Station wagon
A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
version was also produced, both as the LTD Crown Victoria and also as the LTD Country Squire
Ford Country Squire
- Third generation :Prior to 1961, all Ford wagons used a two-piece tailgate assembly that required the operator to lift the rear window up and locking it into place via a mechanical support, and then drop the tail gate down to fully access the rear compartment.For the 1961 Ford adopted a tailgate...
. The Country Squire featured the traditional wood-grained body side panels. The car came with standard roof racks, and fold flat dual 3rd row seats, which opened sidefacing. The tailgate opened two ways, down like a pickup truck, or sideways much like a Honda Ridgeline
Honda Ridgeline
The Honda Ridgeline is a mid to full size sport utility truck produced by the Japanese automaker Honda. The Ridgeline was released in March 2005 as a 2006 model and is Honda's intended first foray into the North American pickup truck market. Until 2009, the Ridgeline was built in Alliston,...
. The car also came with plush seats and dual rear cigarette lighters.