Ok... the 86 LTD only has dummy lights... (the main reason I hate most cars made after 1980). But, in the interest of getting an accurate answer on why it died....
My wife has been driving the car for a couple months now with no problems. Then all of a sudden in one night, then, bam no power after traveling to work and travelling about 15 miles. Then the power suddenly dropped off, and the car acted like it had overheated (but no dummy lights... storey to be continued)