• The 1972 LTD was a four-door sedan car developed by Ford Motor Company, an American vehicle manufacturer founded in 1903. It was part of a range that began in 1965 with the Galaxie 500 LTD. The LTD series ended in 1986 when it was replaced by the Ford Taurus.
  
  

Dimensions

• A chassis 218.4 inches long sits on a 121-inch wheelbase, which is a length-to-wheelbase ratio of 1.81. The frame is also 79.2 inches wide, 53.8 inches high and clears the ground by 4.6 inches. The Ford has a 63.3-inch front track and a 64.3-inch rear track. Once drained of all its liquids, such as oil and gas, the car weighs 4,189 pounds; this is called dry weight.
  
  

Engine

• The Ford's engine is a V8 design, meaning that two straight lines of four cylinders are placed adjacently on the engine and angled away from each other to create a V-shape. Each cylinder has a 4-inch diameter, commonly known as bore. Pistons travel 3.5 inches within these cylinders, known as stroke. The bore and stroke ratio is 1.2:1. All eight cylinders are equipped with two valves that maintain exhaust gases. The displacement of the engine is 351.9 cubic inches, and the unitary capacity of each individual cylinder is 44 cubic inches. The compression ratio -- the ratio of the cylinder head volume compared to the volume of the piston before and after a compression stroke -- is 8.6:1. An overhead cam design means that the Ford's camshaft is placed above the combustion chamber. This has fewer parts than an overhead valve design so it weighs less. The engine's temperatures are maintained by a water cooling system, ensuring it does not overheat and performs to its potential.
  
  

Performance

• The engine generates 163 brake horsepower at 3,800 revolutions per minute and 0.46 brake horsepower is derived from every cubic inch of engine displacement; this is called specific output. The torque -- a twisting force that rotates parts around an axis -- is 277 foot-pounds at a rate of 2,000 revolutions per minute. The brake mean effective pressure is 118.9 pounds per square inch, which is the power output from the pressure on the pistons in a power stroke. The power-to-weight ratio of the vehicle is 85.8 brake horsepower per ton.
  
  

Other Features

• Three-speed automatic transmission transfers the engine's power into the wheels. A wishbone front suspension with coil springs smooths out the bumps in the road, accompanied by rear radius arms with coil springs. Providing the stopping power are drum brakes positioned in the front and back of the LTD.