On my 16th birthday I took my driver's license test in my dad's 1977 Mercury Grand Marquis, parallel parked that tuna boat in one try and passed my test no problem. One of the happiest days of my life.
Same here - nailed it 1st time in my dads 1978 Eldorado. Test dude hated that the doors locked every time I put the Caddy in drive. He demanded that I unlock the doors every time we rolled away.
I thought my daughter to drive and we went to an empty parking lot. After a while, I made her back up figure eights between trees. So many times that she got annoyed and tired. Then parallel parking. Even though it wasn’t required. But she now can impress her friends.
The trucks today seemed to be built as penis extensions... Who can have the tallest front end, while the planet has not given you an exemption from actual physics, such as the monstrous Wind Resistance?
I agree, the RR grill is super distinctive and adds a touch of class and extra elegance to them vs the older models. Plus they were real chromed metal, not plastic chrome like Cadillac.
Same with me. Growing up in the late 1970s and early 1980s, I detested them for being "fake" luxury cars. Now, I yearn for their simplicity and over-the-top comfort. Not to mention their astoundingly powerful air conditioning system...
I went with my dad to test drive a 1979 Town Car from his friend who owned a Lincoln dealership. It was black with red leather. I loved the power vent windows. But all his life he aspired to own a Cadillac (I've made it). So he bought a 1979 Sedan de Ville. I still own it.
My uncle Irving Kaufmann was a Vice President of operations for Lincoln-Mercury from 1954 to 1988. I always looked forward to he and my Aunt Mary coming to visit because they always drove a different brand-new Lincoln. My two favorites were a 1977 Town Coupe in a gorgeous triple deep metallic teal/turquoise with leather interior. The rear fender had to be fifteen feet long! Their 1978 Continental 4-door sedan was all black with a leather interior. The carpet in that car was like a sheepskin rug....it was deep enough to lose change in.
Great story. I know the '77 your are referring to and it is one of my favorites as well. The Town Coupe was just awesome! Oh to have one new today. Why can't we have cars this beautiful and comfortable today?!? :)
I remember my dad picking up 79 town car triple black with a moonroof in the mid 80s. We all thought we were driving around in limousine. He only kept a couple of years and then had to get rid of it because it was too expensive to run with the 400 engine. I remember he sold it for the same $6000 that he had bought it for two years earlier. It was a beautiful car!
We owned a 77 Town Coupe in metallic orange from 2005 to 2010. Drove it all over the country as a trip car - loved every minute. Amazing car. I can tell you that people LOVE these cars. Never has so many folks stop and talk in my life. Still miss it!
As a kid (born in 1977), I loved whenever I saw one of these roaming around, they had such visual impact to me. My mother worked in reposessions at her bank at the time and we ended up with one for a few days. I was so excited to go for a drive in it. I don't think my parents particularly liked it, though, probably for a few reasons. We also had a Mark IV for a bit longer, a couple of weeks. I think they considered buying that one but maybe couldn't afford it. Anyway, great to drive around in.
Mark III and Mark IV had slightly better build quality in the interior and dashboard material. I think the whole series of Mark III, IV, and V's were the pinnacle of American luxury cars. Its to bad the EPA and emission controls took the out the driving excitement of these cars but they were great luxury highway cruisers. I bought a 1991 Lincoln Town car in 1993 which was the closest I ever got to owning a Lincoln Luxury car.
I owned a 77 Lincoln town car for 10 years. It was metal flake gold with a gold vinal top, real leather seats with a gold interior and a huge trunk. It had the power vent windows. It ran very smooth and quiet on the highway. Kind of a gas hog but handled like a smaller car. Never had a mechanical problem with it. It could be difficult to park at times. But out on the highway it was pure luxury. I sold it and bought a 95 T Bird which was ok but found every bump in the road.
I have a '75 Continental Town Coupe just like the one pictured here. But, mine had the burgundy top and interior. It's a good car... and, personally, I LOVE the boxy look.
Back in those days I was driving a 1982 Tercel that would fit in the trunk of a Town Car. My wife had a 1984 Thunderbird. When we wanted to take a trip from Milwaukee to Dearborn, MI with another couple. I rented a new 1988 Town Car. Absolutely amazing car to drive. Later I rented two different 1992 Continental’s. They were even nicer. Unfortunately I was not in the market for a car that expensive. Absolutely terrific vehicles.
The pre-1979 Lincoln models were always renowned for their beautiful ride, comfort and quietness. These were also beautifully built cars....very solid with razor-thin shutlines and beautiful paintwork. They were truly "classical" luxury barges. Their upright, boxy styling has held up rather well over time.
The picture that you used for the 77 Town Car is one with the Cream and Cordovan Luxury Group, much like the one that I used to have. One of the best and most luxurious cars that I ever had. I miss it dearly.
A co-worker back in the '90s had a '78 Town Car, a big green monster, and I really wanted one! I was driving a '94 T-Bird SC at the time - a very different car.
I had a 1976 2dr of this model that I purchased in early 1988; it was a light green color with a dark green velour interior and the rolling drum speedometer. To date, it was the roomiest and most comfortable vehicle I've ever owned. And that 460cid V8 had ample power.
The most fantastic ride on a blacktop highway of any American car..... I don't think a Mercedes or BMW of Rolls-Royce Ever rode as smoothly as this era Town Car ...we managed 800 miles in one day on a vacation in the 80s because of how comfortable and luxurious the front and rear seats were. Whenever you pulled into a parking space with one of these beauties you felt people were watching... Really sad to see big sedans that were comfortable disappear completely, I would trade in any SUV for an old American comfy station wagon😊
If you have never driven a Rolls, trust me, you ain't missin' nothing. I drove a 1979 Silver Shadow and a 1997 Silver Spur LWB. My 2002 Ford F-350 Diesel Crew Cab drives FAR nicer than those RR's. No lie.😂 I agree! Give me a Marquis Colony Park, Olds Custom Cruiser, Buick Estate, or Chrysler Town & Country over ANY modern SUV.
@@MarkWG Thanks, funny thing the Family rented the Olds Vista Cruiser in 1974 and drove it through the pikes peak mountain side in Colorado and the desert plains of Arizona,New Mexico, top to bottom of California (before it was ruined!) and into Nevada ..it handled the Heat the altitude changes no problems One year we rented a Woody sided estate wagon and got stranded by a super early freak ice storm . We pulled over at night and 2 Adults and 2 big kids slept comfortably in that big wagon till Sun 🌞 Up
My father owned a W124 Mercedes (300SD) and the ride was stiffer than you might imagine. It got better on the highway (and I suspect more stable than American cars, as I recall), but around town you definitely felt the bumps. No American car had its fit and finish, though. Just opening and closing the doors was something else--like a bank vault.
Call me old fashioned. I loved these when new and still do today. My grandad, who drove Cadillacs, called these Lincoln’s “lumber wagons” to annoy my dad who was a diehard F/M/L man. That was a win/win for me cause I got to experience both the caddy’s and Lincoln’s of that era.
I have a 1979 Lincoln Continental Town Car and I love it! Yes by 79 it was sort of out of date but I just love driving it and looking down that hood and following the Lincoln Star hood ornament and listening to my 8 tracks. Takes me back to happier times! It’s not miles per gallon, but smiles per gallon.
My dad and our family went to the States years ago and he rented a Lincoln Town car. It was great we don't have Lincolns in Australia it was a real treat.
I make absolutely NO apologies. Give me back my spacious, long-wheelbased, turnpike cruisers of the 1960's through 1979. No one built cars better for comfort and travel like our traditional luxury cars like REAL Cadillacs, REAL Lincoln Continentals. Please give me the great, traditional, American family sedans like LTD's, Marquis', Caprice Classics, Catalina's, Ninety-Eights, Delta 88's, Le Sabres, Electra 225's, New Yorkers, Three Hundreds, etc. There is NOTHING today that is built that will ever come close to the ride, handling, and passenger comfort as cars with 122" - 133" wheelbases that allow stretch-out relaxation and travel comfort. There is simply no substitute for wheelbase length when it comes to ride quality. I thank God that I grew up with and drove many of these fabulous American cars. They were beyond reproach and incomparable.
Young people today think bouncing down the highway is normal. It was not normal back then. These luxury cars had a smooth quiet ride that was like riding on a cloud. Happy I got to enjoy it for as long as I did. Now I have an Expedition that can find every bump in the road. 😑
@@GaryH-pw9cmI have a "phobia" about the tin-can, jelly bean shaped generic small cars of today and including the very small sub-compact sized 1986-and later "Cadillacs". I had too many friends and family who lost their lives in tiny cars. Yet, they had large station wagons and large sedans at home as well that would have saved their lives. I hated my mother's small 1993 and 2000 Sedan de Villes. Sitting in the driver's seat you could reach out and touch the pavement just inches below you. The short wheelbase made for a choppy, rocking sensation unacceptable in a true luxury car. When luxury cars got small, I switched to large extended cab and crew cab trucks to have real metal and frame surrounding me. I have the misfortune of being in SIX drunk driver encounters in the last 35 years. Each time, when a state trooper came to the scene, my large Cadillacs and large trucks saved my life.....with no air bags. It is a matter of physics. The larger, heavier vehicle will always win and save you. Today, I drive a Ford F350 Crew Cab Power Stroke that weighs 7,735 pounds and huge frame. Yet amazingly with it's Twin - I - Beam front suspension and enormous 152" wheelbase, that beast cruises very similar to my 1976 Sedan de Ville of years ago. I also installed oversized, 12" wide, LT315R70 tires meant for highway cruising that make it float, yet tucked within the fender wells. I still get about 18mpg.
Modern cars are pieces of crap IMO. And ride like it too. Yes, nothing built today comes close to ride and absolute comfort to these huge luxury battleships of the past. You can’t beat the super long wheelbase, body-on-frame chassis, super soft spring rate and shocks, “real” full size tires 235/75 on 15’s baby! Tons of real thick plush pile carpeting, thickly padded, wonderfully designed seats that had real springs in them that acted like a 2nd suspension for your body, solidly built body’s and weight that again, is incomparable to todays modern vehicles which all ride like trash, and have seats that feel like a park bench that’s hard as a rock! Old school luxury did it best for so many decades. That all changed in the 90’s with Japanese and European cars influencing the American car companies to do away with its traditional way of doing things especially in the luxury car market. By the late 90’s and 2000’s, gone were the true full size Cadillacs, Buicks, Olds, and even Chryslers. The panther platform was really the last of the traditional American built car. It worked so well, and still does today, but unfortunately with crash standards, CAFE requirements and safety protocols by the US government, there’s no way that the old way of building cars will ever make a comeback. Unless you live in a city or town with perfectly paved roads with no potholes and bumps, than maybe a modern Toyota Camry will be fine to drive everyday, but where I live, potholes, bumps, deep cracks and the over all lack of maintenance of the roadways where I live, something like a 70’s Lincoln is probably the only car that could handle the punishment of driving on my shitty streets, unless one owns a truck or a full size SUV like a lot of people do where I live. You need to own a truck where I live with huge tires just to be able to drive on regular streets, it’s that’s bad out here.
But today's vehicles are much more fuel-efficient, are built better, handle better and last much longer with less maintenance. They're also much safer.
I remember seeing these everywhere (along with the MK4-5) back in the day. My sister/brother-in-law had a '77 Town Car that was dk brown/dk brown with dk brown leather that the wife and I road tripped with them in from Houston to Ft Lauderdale when it was brand new and will never forget how quiet and smooth it was. It was basically trouble free for them and was eventually traded in on a new '83 four door MK6 after racking up over 200,000 on the Town Car - they now drive a Camry, go figure!!
I drove the ever loving wheels off of a 76 Towne car 4 door, it was beautiful bronze gold with the beige velour interior, the back seat was more comfortable than a flex steel sofa. & Floated down the straightway's on the highway smoother than anything ever made.
I had a triple black two-door Town car, it was difficult to pass a DX or a Shell service station ⛽ back when we had service stations. It got less than 7 mi to the gallon!
Those cars were beautiful in their day, and the interiors were so luxurious. My grandma used to say that those cars were so big you needed a 10 acre field to turn them around. Great video.
The headlight covers leaking open weren't always the motors. There's a one-way vacuum valve on the driver side fender that sends vacuum to them that also leaks.
I'm an Aussie but I love those full size "Yank Tanks" from the '60's and 70's so I look forward to these videos I find them very informative. Thanks for putting them out.
Thanks for highlighting the '78 Lincoln. I think this is the first video where I share a different opinion. I agree with you 100% on the dash styling, as I particularly liked the speedometer on the prior models. However, I like the '78 and '79 exterior styling best with the smaller fender skirts and tall grille. I actually have a white '79 Collector's Series...I just wish they came with the 460 engine. As always, great videos!
My grandmother had a Town Car from the very last year of this body style, 1979, and it was enormous, a gold sedan with padded gold half-vinyl roof and gold leather interior, super plush.
I love these huge rides of the 60's/70's and some 80's!! My brother had a 1976 Buick Electra 225 and came home for a visit when I had my permit, so of course he wanted to see if I had any skills to pilot his massive ride. Turns out I did. During a left hand turn the driver on the other side of the road swerved into my lane, I swerved into his, and then back narrowly missing a school bus that was next along. This all happened in about a 3 second time frame. Wish I had the video!
The GM downsized cars of 77 and 78 are my favorite. Especially the B-Body cars. I do love cars of the 60s and early 70s for their style, quality and engine sizes. But driving a 1977-1990 GM B-Body car is pretty freaking nice. I would love to have your 1977 Impala. My first car was a 1977 Impala, but yours is light-years better than mine
17 years old, in 1988. A friend sold me his 1979 Town Car. To this day, it’s the car that left the biggest impression on me. No pun intended. Admittedly I drove it very hard. Even put a suicide knob on the steering wheel to facilitate drifting (that term did not exist then) we just called it ‘gettin sideways’..and Gabriel air shocks in the rear to keep from bottoming out during extreme driving. Silver, crushed red velour interior with thick pile carpeting. I’d love to have another and treat it with the respect it deserves.
I'm so happy you featured this car -- I owned one of these exact cars for a couple of years in that same color combination of Dark Champagne Metallic with a Champagne vinyl top (mine had the half coach roof) with the Town Car interior in Champagne leather. This color combination was the feature car in the '78 brochure. Being a California car, mine had the 400, which was just fine for this car. My grandparents had had a couple of these cars when they were new. As a teenager, it was my job to keep them clean and waxed -- they have a lot of sheetmetal! Also, FYI, the Town Car/Town Coupe option of this era included the mini-vent windows as standard equipment.
On the comedy TV show SCHITT'S CREEK the "Riches to Rags" spoiled and formerly pampered Rose family buys a 1978 Lincoln Town Car as it's the most luxurious vehicle they can afford because they are flat broke. Beautiful car and the Catherine O'Hara character looks so elegant riding in it.
Adam, the car is actually called the “Continental” and the “Town Car” was the package or trim level for the car. 1979 was the last year of this massive body style, not ‘78. I personally love these cars. I used to own a 1978 Continental base trim with the bench style seating. It was the smoothest, softest riding car ever made IMO, and I also have owned vintage Cadillacs from all decades, but nothing rides as smooth as 1970’s Lincoln’s period. Even a modern day S-Class doesn’t compare to utter comfort and silence of these things. Unfortunately my 78 was hit on the street from behind and totaled out, the damage was far too great to repair 😢. So I found and bought a 77 Continental Town Car, which I like even more! I personally love the Rolls Royce style grill and think that the sharp knife edge, flat and boxy look of these late 70’s Lincoln’s are very masculine, bold and just beautiful. The RR grill truly gave these cars great distinction and added that extra touch of luxury compared to Cadillacs of the same era which IMO felt cheaply made and didn’t ride as nice, not screwed together all that well compared to these Lincoln’s which were like driving a Tomb or coffin down the road, they are that quiet and well put together. Now after owning a 77, I will say that compared to my 78 I used to own, the 78 definitely felt like something changed. The doors felt lighter, and that dash was absolutely atrocious compared to the 77 on down Lincoln dashboards which feel extremely well put together and solid, while the Mercury style dash felt cheap and super flimsy by comparison to my now 77. The 77 just feels more solid and even quieter than the 78. The doors are heavier and close with a much more solid “clank” or “thud”. My 78 had the 400 engine which was very very smooth and had plenty of enough power to move the huge battleship out of the way. My 77 has the 460, which is even better of course and is ultra smooth too. All in all, these Lincoln’s, besides for the 60’s Continentals and Mark lll’s, are my favorite Lincoln’s of all time, probably one of my favorite cars to drive as well. A friend of mine used to own a 72 canary yellow Continental which i found to be just “ok”, the seats were sorta flat and wasn’t nearly as cushy and comfortable as the mid to late 70’s Twin comfort lounge seats that are in these Lincoln’s. Plus the lower door armrest in the 72 was hard cheap plastic that is known to crack and break. This isn’t a problem on the later years however. As you can tell, I am a huge fan of this particular year of Lincoln and have a lot of experience with them. They are truly one of smoothest cars ever made, and are built so well. Nothing modern today can touch them. Prices are going up on these cars, and are expensive for well kept examples. I remember when you used to be able to buy em for only a grand, not anymore.
How you bring up that armrest reminds me of a funny story. We had a 73 as our family car and I would at times drive it. The rear armrests as I remember were vinyl with a plastic insert that had a series of square holes for a speaker grille that in our car, contained no speaker. My younger brother and I used to go bowling. One time for whatever reason I set the bowling ball bags on the back seat on the way home. I was coming up on a yellow light for a left turn and accelerated to Make the turn and of course the balls went across the seat and slammed into the armrest smashing that plastic insert into two or three pieces. When we got home I got out the glue somehow put it back together and clipped it back in. Since ours had a dark green interior and my dad never sat in the backseat I gambled that he would never figure it out. Had anyone gotten close to it, they would have easily seen the cracks and where the glue oozed out. The glue also yellowed over. However, I got lucky as that was in 1981 and he sold the car in 1988 and he never figured it out. In 2001, long after the car had probably hit the wrecking yard and when I was 37 I told him the story. I thought he would get a kick out of it. I could not have been more wrong as he lit into me like it had just happened. I guess he loved that car more than I thought.
Home of the Whoppers! GM a/c parts were also used by Rolls-Royce motor cars because they were the best available (THM400 gets honorable mention as well). The deep trunk really only bothered me when I was wearing a suit and an overcoat as bending that far down was complicated. What I really loved were the polished deep dish aluminum wheels. Such a simple design and so easy to clean.
You beat me to it. The Ford-Mercury style dash didn't make its way into the Continental until the '78 model year (although admittedly it would have been during calendar year '77).
1977 still had the rolling drum speedometer and better dashboard. The silver speedometer dash was fitted in 78-79. My aunt had a fantastic 77 Continental Town Car in triple navy blue - vinyl top, leather interior, and exterior paint. My dad, aunt, and uncles tended to drive luxury cars that matched my grandfather's funeral home fleet, as the cars could be pressed into service if extra limousine capacity was needed.
My Dad had a '79 Continental, last of the big cars. I remember it having a 400 cu. in. engine, with plenty of go for a big car. I drove the car on a few vacation trips back then. It was a light gray non-metallic with maroon pin stripes and maroon interior and roof. To this day I remember how luxurious and comfortable that cabin was, quiet and smooth. I loved those big highway cruisers...Later I bought a '70 Coupe de Ville that I kept for 20 years.
this is the model with which my father replaced his 74 Town Car (the first and according to him the best Lincoln he ever owned -6). I was tasked in '83 with selling it after previous success. It was in immaculate condition with low miles but impossible to move. Finally, my father sold to a dealer for pennies
My grandparents had a 4 door champagne colored 1979 Continental Town Car (I believe “Town Car” was then a trim) with velour seats, the small triangular windows, an outdoor temperature thermometer built into the driver side exterior mirror, an 8 track player stereo with digital display including seek/scan, which could be operated with a button on the floor just like the old bright light buttons, but this one was to the right of the gas pedal (for when you were using cruise control). One of my parents cars broke down when I was a senior in high school in 1991 and we borrowed that Lincoln, which was in cherry condition, and I drove it to school most of that year. It was a blast. Wish I still had it!
I believe the sales numbers for the last of these large Ford/Lincolns remained quite strong. Back in those days there were still quite a few people who preferred the extra sheet metal. According to Consumer Reports the Marquis in particular was also quite reliable.
To be honest, this is my favorite body style. The last of the behemoths. But it LOOKED like luxury to me. Also, you couldn’t beat the ride. It just floated . You could barely feel the bumps in the road.
The narrow grill that Lincoln adopted for the 77 Continentals really made it one of my favorite cars. What a great looking, boxy design. I love how much it stands in contrast of so many of the other, more rounded designs that came before and after. That said, I think they look their best in bright colors- baby blue with a white top and matching white leather interior makes the list of one of my favorite Lincolns I've ever seen. As far as I'm concerned, 78 was the last of the great old Lincolns- the panthers of 79 and ownward were great cars, but lacked the complete insanity and presence of the earlier cars. And of course, the 79s which were stuck with the 400 engine...
I've been lucky enough to have driven several of these cars from different years. I enjoyed them all. The 75 through 78 models were very underpowered. The 70 through 74 were very powerful and all were fuel hungry.
The power though from '72 onward isn't really much different than a '78 if equipped with a 460. 1972 - 212 1973 - 208 1974 - 220 1975 - 220 1976 - 202 1977 - 208 1978 - 210 Though it doesn't pertain to sedans and coupes, the Marks offered dual exhaust optionally from 1974-78, which added likely around 15-20 horsepower. The 1970-71 do indeed have more power, but you have to adjust for gross to net. They were rated at 365 gross horsepower, but likely had around at least 25% less if the same engine was rated in net. GM actually rated their engines down 30% in net. Not sure if that is true with Ford, hence my saying at least 25%.
I loved these land yachts when they were new and often got to drive them at work. I’m hoping to find a nice specimen. Nothing like them for cross country travels
I had one of those 78 Lincoln, 4 door town cars. I decided to kick it in the tail one night. From a dead stop I matted it. With the selector in D. I dropped the hammer, At 65 miles per hour, it shifted to second. At 95 miles per hour, it made its last shift. The speedometer needle disappeared, I raised up to try to see where it went. Just then the hood separated. I couldn't see anything. I had to look at the yellow line to keep it straight. As the car slowed to about 45 miles per hour. It started shaking violently. I got off to the side of the road and climbed on top of the hood. And started stomping it down. I. Couldn't figure out why it was shaking so badly. I had no flashlight using a bic lighter. I inspected the tires and realized all 4 of them had separated with huge footballs on them. I wobbled back to the house. And had to buy 4 used tires the next day. To this day that is the fastest. I've ever been in an automobile.😂
You and I are just the opposite in taste. I love the straight lines and boxier styling. The 64 Impala was the last Chevy that I liked and the 66 Full size Fords were the last of the full size models i liked. I loved the 67-68 Plymouth Fury models.
I loved the '77 Lincoln Continental Town Coupe with the full fender skirts and that rare fixed glass roof option. Some may argue but I still think the '78-'79 Continental fender skirts were opened up as a concession to Cadillac eliminating fender skirts and having great success with their '77-'79 downsized cars.
Here's a bit of trivia. The LTD was downsized for 1979. The same basic chassis layout was used by Ford until the Crown Vic and corporate siblings went out of production in 2012. The Crown Vic being the last American made body on frame sedan sold in the US.
Adam, great video as always. I rarely disagree with you on styling of various cars, especially 1970s cars, but the 1977 Lincoln Town Car is one of my favorite designed cars of all (the '77 particularly because it had the RR grill but also finder skirts)! I have loved it since they were being made. I was 7 years old in 1978 and my buddy's mom got a brand new Lincoln Town Car in that sort of metallic, silvery blue color. It was massive and just beautiful inside and out. It, like my Mom's 1978 Mercury Marquis, would simply float down the highway. I also remember the 460 being in my Mom's Marquis and as a little kid, I can remember it raising up the front of the car when my Dad would press the gas pedal to the floor and that car would just zoom down the road. I would just squeal with delight! :)
I absolutely adore those behemoth Lincolns. Especially the Town Coupes…those massive massive doors…swoon. I hated the 1977 downsized GM cars when they came out, they looked cheap and uninspired. The Lincolns were beautiful, luxurious and stately.
Had an apartment neighbor with a brown one exactly like what you showed in the mid 90s. It was mint. He was in his late 50s and single.. so he traded it for a late 80s Buick LeSabre coupe to better impress the bar ladies. I liked the Lincoln better. I never knew the vent windows was a power up down window- that's cool. I wish we had those today. The old style vent window went away because you could easily snap off the outside hinge with pliers to break in.
I’m a GM guy, mostly. My cousin had a 77 Town Coupe and ever since then I have loved this incarnation of the big Lincolns might still have to get one 🤔🤔
Yes 🙌👍🏾👏🏾 the Lincolns of the 60’s & 70’s town cars, coupes and convertibles even the Mark Series from 68 to 79 mark III, IV and V from 77, 78 & 79. The expression what a Luxury Car Should Be still holds true for me even to this very day I’ll be 63 years young. I remember our dad had good friends had nothing but luxury rides back in the day of all the big 3 i had an uncle who had and drove a top of the line Mark V with a moon roof and a cousin who had a top of the line town coupe with a moon roof. I remember one friend our dad knew had a 72 or a 73 Lincoln Town Coupe with every option you could name what ever it was it was factory 🏭 built, made, manufactured and installed it had a dark brown vinyl roof light beige exterior and champagne 🥂 leather interior. I remember to this very day when our dad’s ride had to be serviced his friend would let himr use it to run around and do errands and take us to our appointments drop us off pick us up and take our mom to work and pick up his friend would be at meetings and by the time our dad was done with what he had to do he would go to his friends place of work sit and wait for him to come out and we would go pick up his ride that was finished being serviced oh by the way our dad’s ride at that time was a 1975 Mercury Grand Marquis top of the line big light yellow Colonial Park Beach 🏖️🏝️ Wagon Station 🚉 Wagon Cream Puff, that to was loaded with every option that you could think 🤔 💭🧐 of and of it had the Big 4BBL 460 V8 Power Plant under the Hood and it passed everything but the gas station ⛽️. I remember both of those rides to this day man oh man what rides they were. I still would choose those rides over whatever else they make and manufacture today maybe it’s me but that’s my opinion. Adam as always your knowledge of the Big 3 is absolutely 👍🏾💯 amazingly awesome 👏🏾😎🤩 right along with your videos keep up the great 😌👍🏾😊 work and keep those great 😌👍🏾😊 videos coming. Sincerely Yours Truly Ivan I J
Love the styling of these years a real intimidating presence on the road and those ford deepwell trunk I fit a 50s RCA tv in my 93 Grand Marquis and could close the lid
That thing that looks like an oil filter on the side of the air cleaner was called the Anti Hoot Valve. As I recall, it was to quiet the function of the secondaries on the carburetor.
Hi from Ontario. My Dad had a 75 T-Bird with the 460. It used an AC-Delco starter motor. I was very surprised when I had to replace it and saw the label.
Had one of these as a winter beater car (I was the 4th or 5th owner) in the 90s. It was a mutt and a guzzler, but it always started, never got stuck, and the heater worked great. Definitely worth the $500 I paid for it.
The 72 Continental Town Coupe is the one to get or the 72 Mark IV one year only body style...the year before the emissions started kicking in across the board and before the huge ungainly bumpers. These mogs are a beast though even in the late 70s. Vault like interior and smooth as glass to ride in.
On my 16th birthday I took my driver's license test in my dad's 1977 Mercury Grand Marquis, parallel parked that tuna boat in one try and passed my test no problem. One of the happiest days of my life.
I did mine on my dad’s 74 Buick Electra 225. My kids today are total shocked when I parellel park easily
I took my driving test and parallel parked my Dad's 61 Lincoln. It, however is probably a foot shorter than your 77. Good job.
Same here - nailed it 1st time in my dads 1978 Eldorado.
Test dude hated that the doors locked every time I put the Caddy in drive. He demanded that I unlock the doors every time we rolled away.
I thought my daughter to drive and we went to an empty parking lot. After a while, I made her back up figure eights between trees. So many times that she got annoyed and tired. Then parallel parking. Even though it wasn’t required. But she now can impress her friends.
parking a big heavy car is a breeze, the cars ahead and behind it just seem to move right out of the way, with enough gas.
The real monsters are today's 7 foot tall Escalades, Suburbans, Grand Wagoneers and Navigators.
Perhaps surprisingly, all of which are shorter than this vehicle.
But much, much heavier@@Aquineas
You took the words out of my mouth!
The trucks today seemed to be built as penis extensions...
Who can have the tallest front end, while the planet has not given you an exemption from actual physics, such as the monstrous Wind Resistance?
@@user-pgchargerse71actually there is only 100 pounds difference in weight between this and a Cadillac Escalade ESV
77 through 79 are the best looking Town cars and coupes ever.
YES
I agree, the RR grill is super distinctive and adds a touch of class and extra elegance to them vs the older models. Plus they were real chromed metal, not plastic chrome like Cadillac.
I agree. And the 1977 Town Car was my favorite since it had the finder skirts. :)
Definitely
You don't like the styling of these, but I love it. That's one of my favorite generations of Lincolns, stylingwise.
I owned a 77 TownCar & a 77 TownCoup. I wish I still had them.
yea I hated those newer T birds when they showed up, and you can't get much uglier than the Taurus.
77-79 Continental was magnificent!
YES!
Not going to lie, the older I get (in my 40s now), the more I like these slab sided Lincolns.
Same with me. Growing up in the late 1970s and early 1980s, I detested them for being "fake" luxury cars. Now, I yearn for their simplicity and over-the-top comfort. Not to mention their astoundingly powerful air conditioning system...
I'll be 50 next week and I totally agree, lol. Me at 20 would have laughed at this boat. Now, heck, I'd drive it!
@@HoosierDaddy_ I am 22 years old and I have started to like 70s luxury cars. Early middle-age maybe
Why would anyone lie about something like that?
@@HerkkaW123 * you just have good taste!
I went with my dad to test drive a 1979 Town Car from his friend who owned a Lincoln dealership. It was black with red leather. I loved the power vent windows. But all his life he aspired to own a Cadillac (I've made it). So he bought a 1979 Sedan de Ville. I still own it.
WOW! AWESOME!
Adam, your content is freaking fantastic!!! I'm 58 and you always seem to dabble in my era and timeline.
That is awesome!
Agreed! My era too!
My uncle Irving Kaufmann was a Vice President of operations for Lincoln-Mercury from 1954 to 1988. I always looked forward to he and my Aunt Mary coming to visit because they always drove a different brand-new Lincoln. My two favorites were a 1977 Town Coupe in a gorgeous triple deep metallic teal/turquoise with leather interior. The rear fender had to be fifteen feet long! Their 1978 Continental 4-door sedan was all black with a leather interior. The carpet in that car was like a sheepskin rug....it was deep enough to lose change in.
Great story. I know the '77 your are referring to and it is one of my favorites as well. The Town Coupe was just awesome! Oh to have one new today. Why can't we have cars this beautiful and comfortable today?!? :)
I remember my dad picking up 79 town car triple black with a moonroof in the mid 80s. We all thought we were driving around in limousine. He only kept a couple of years and then had to get rid of it because it was too expensive to run with the 400 engine. I remember he sold it for the same $6000 that he had bought it for two years earlier. It was a beautiful car!
Just a gorgeous vehicle!
That color would make it extremely striking driving down the street. A very stately design.
We owned a 77 Town Coupe in metallic orange from 2005 to 2010. Drove it all over the country as a trip car - loved every minute. Amazing car. I can tell you that people LOVE these cars. Never has so many folks stop and talk in my life. Still miss it!
My family had a triple green ‘78 Town Car w/ factory CB radio. Awesome car.
My Uncle had a 77 Lincoln and I loved to drive it. What a smooth ride. I loved the mph dial.
As a kid (born in 1977), I loved whenever I saw one of these roaming around, they had such visual impact to me. My mother worked in reposessions at her bank at the time and we ended up with one for a few days. I was so excited to go for a drive in it. I don't think my parents particularly liked it, though, probably for a few reasons. We also had a Mark IV for a bit longer, a couple of weeks. I think they considered buying that one but maybe couldn't afford it. Anyway, great to drive around in.
I love the Lincoln’s!!! Way more than Cadillacs!! They were what American Luxury was meant to be! Mark V!!
Mark III and Mark IV had slightly better build quality in the interior and dashboard material. I think the whole series of Mark III, IV, and V's were the pinnacle of American luxury cars. Its to bad the EPA and emission controls took the out the driving excitement of these cars but they were great luxury highway cruisers. I bought a 1991 Lincoln Town car in 1993 which was the closest I ever got to owning a Lincoln Luxury car.
I owned a 77 Lincoln town car for 10 years. It was metal flake gold with a gold vinal top, real leather seats with a gold interior and a huge trunk. It had the power vent windows. It ran very smooth and quiet on the highway. Kind of a gas hog but handled like a smaller car. Never had a mechanical problem with it. It could be difficult to park at times. But out on the highway it was pure luxury. I sold it and bought a 95 T Bird which was ok but found every bump in the road.
I have a '75 Continental Town Coupe just like the one pictured here. But, mine had the burgundy top and interior. It's a good car... and, personally, I LOVE the boxy look.
Me too, say what you will be they are distinctive, you can't confuse these old Lincolns with anything else.
Back in those days I was driving a 1982 Tercel that would fit in the trunk of a Town Car. My wife had a 1984 Thunderbird. When we wanted to take a trip from Milwaukee to Dearborn, MI with another couple. I rented a new 1988 Town Car. Absolutely amazing car to drive. Later I rented two different 1992 Continental’s. They were even nicer. Unfortunately I was not in the market for a car that expensive. Absolutely terrific vehicles.
The 79 Town car collector series blue has always been my personal ultimate behemoth..
The pre-1979 Lincoln models were always renowned for their beautiful ride, comfort and quietness. These were also beautifully built cars....very solid with razor-thin shutlines and beautiful paintwork. They were truly "classical" luxury barges. Their upright, boxy styling has held up rather well over time.
I worked at a Funeral Home when they bought 79 and 79 Lincoln. They proved to be well built and very durable.
The picture that you used for the 77 Town Car is one with the Cream and Cordovan Luxury Group, much like the one that I used to have. One of the best and most luxurious cars that I ever had. I miss it dearly.
Cordovan? Nice. Haven’t heard that word since my last pair of 1983 Bass Weejun loafers. Great memory.
It was mostly Cream, actually butter yellow, with Cordovan, maroon, accents. Beautiful car. @@jdlamb1690
A co-worker back in the '90s had a '78 Town Car, a big green monster, and I really wanted one! I was driving a '94 T-Bird SC at the time - a very different car.
I’ve been in love with that behemoth since it was new.
Gorgeous, one-of-a-kind styling! Sophisticated simplicity!
I fully agree.
I had a 1976 2dr of this model that I purchased in early 1988; it was a light green color with a dark green velour interior and the rolling drum speedometer. To date, it was the roomiest and most comfortable vehicle I've ever owned. And that 460cid V8 had ample power.
The most fantastic ride on a blacktop highway of any American car..... I don't think a Mercedes or BMW of Rolls-Royce Ever rode as smoothly as this era Town Car ...we managed 800 miles in one day on a vacation in the 80s because of how comfortable and luxurious the front and rear seats were. Whenever you pulled into a parking space with one of these beauties you felt people were watching... Really sad to see big sedans that were comfortable disappear completely, I would trade in any SUV for an old American comfy station wagon😊
If you have never driven a Rolls, trust me, you ain't missin' nothing. I drove a 1979 Silver Shadow and a 1997 Silver Spur LWB. My 2002 Ford F-350 Diesel Crew Cab drives FAR nicer than those RR's. No lie.😂
I agree! Give me a Marquis Colony Park, Olds Custom Cruiser, Buick Estate, or Chrysler Town & Country over ANY modern SUV.
@@MarkWG Thanks, funny thing the Family rented the Olds Vista Cruiser in 1974 and drove it through the pikes peak mountain side in Colorado and the desert plains of Arizona,New Mexico, top to bottom of California (before it was ruined!) and into Nevada ..it handled the Heat the altitude changes no problems
One year we rented a Woody sided estate wagon and got stranded by a super early freak ice storm . We pulled over at night and 2 Adults and 2 big kids slept comfortably in that big wagon till Sun 🌞 Up
My father owned a W124 Mercedes (300SD) and the ride was stiffer than you might imagine. It got better on the highway (and I suspect more stable than American cars, as I recall), but around town you definitely felt the bumps. No American car had its fit and finish, though. Just opening and closing the doors was something else--like a bank vault.
I owned a 1978 Lincoln Town Coupe. It was my favorite car ever. Best road car for long trips. Wish I still had it.
Call me old fashioned. I loved these when new and still do today. My grandad, who drove Cadillacs, called these Lincoln’s “lumber wagons” to annoy my dad who was a diehard F/M/L man. That was a win/win for me cause I got to experience both the caddy’s and Lincoln’s of that era.
First body shop I worked in 1978 Lincoln Mercury… big beauties.
I have a 1979 Lincoln Continental Town Car and I love it! Yes by 79 it was sort of out of date but I just love driving it and looking down that hood and following the Lincoln Star hood ornament and listening to my 8 tracks. Takes me back to happier times! It’s not miles per gallon, but smiles per gallon.
My dad and our family went to the States years ago and he rented a Lincoln Town car. It was great we don't have Lincolns in Australia it was a real treat.
I make absolutely NO apologies. Give me back my spacious, long-wheelbased, turnpike cruisers of the 1960's through 1979. No one built cars better for comfort and travel like our traditional luxury cars like REAL Cadillacs, REAL Lincoln Continentals. Please give me the great, traditional, American family sedans like LTD's, Marquis', Caprice Classics, Catalina's, Ninety-Eights, Delta 88's, Le Sabres, Electra 225's, New Yorkers, Three Hundreds, etc.
There is NOTHING today that is built that will ever come close to the ride, handling, and passenger comfort as cars with 122" - 133" wheelbases that allow stretch-out relaxation and travel comfort. There is simply no substitute for wheelbase length when it comes to ride quality.
I thank God that I grew up with and drove many of these fabulous American cars. They were beyond reproach and incomparable.
Young people today think bouncing down the highway is normal. It was not normal back then. These luxury cars had a smooth quiet ride that was like riding on a cloud. Happy I got to enjoy it for as long as I did. Now I have an Expedition that can find every bump in the road. 😑
@@GaryH-pw9cmI have a "phobia" about the tin-can, jelly bean shaped generic small cars of today and including the very small sub-compact sized 1986-and later "Cadillacs". I had too many friends and family who lost their lives in tiny cars. Yet, they had large station wagons and large sedans at home as well that would have saved their lives. I hated my mother's small 1993 and 2000 Sedan de Villes. Sitting in the driver's seat you could reach out and touch the pavement just inches below you. The short wheelbase made for a choppy, rocking sensation unacceptable in a true luxury car.
When luxury cars got small, I switched to large extended cab and crew cab trucks to have real metal and frame surrounding me. I have the misfortune of being in SIX drunk driver encounters in the last 35 years. Each time, when a state trooper came to the scene, my large Cadillacs and large trucks saved my life.....with no air bags. It is a matter of physics. The larger, heavier vehicle will always win and save you.
Today, I drive a Ford F350 Crew Cab Power Stroke that weighs 7,735 pounds and huge frame. Yet amazingly with it's Twin - I - Beam front suspension and enormous 152" wheelbase, that beast cruises very similar to my 1976 Sedan de Ville of years ago. I also installed oversized, 12" wide, LT315R70 tires meant for highway cruising that make it float, yet tucked within the fender wells. I still get about 18mpg.
Modern cars are pieces of crap IMO. And ride like it too. Yes, nothing built today comes close to ride and absolute comfort to these huge luxury battleships of the past. You can’t beat the super long wheelbase, body-on-frame chassis, super soft spring rate and shocks, “real” full size tires 235/75 on 15’s baby! Tons of real thick plush pile carpeting, thickly padded, wonderfully designed seats that had real springs in them that acted like a 2nd suspension for your body, solidly built body’s and weight that again, is incomparable to todays modern vehicles which all ride like trash, and have seats that feel like a park bench that’s hard as a rock!
Old school luxury did it best for so many decades. That all changed in the 90’s with Japanese and European cars influencing the American car companies to do away with its traditional way of doing things especially in the luxury car market.
By the late 90’s and 2000’s, gone were the true full size Cadillacs, Buicks, Olds, and even Chryslers.
The panther platform was really the last of the traditional American built car. It worked so well, and still does today, but unfortunately with crash standards, CAFE requirements and safety protocols by the US government, there’s no way that the old way of building cars will ever make a comeback.
Unless you live in a city or town with perfectly paved roads with no potholes and bumps, than maybe a modern Toyota Camry will be fine to drive everyday, but where I live, potholes, bumps, deep cracks and the over all lack of maintenance of the roadways where I live, something like a 70’s Lincoln is probably the only car that could handle the punishment of driving on my shitty streets, unless one owns a truck or a full size SUV like a lot of people do where I live.
You need to own a truck where I live with huge tires just to be able to drive on regular streets, it’s that’s bad out here.
I could not agree more. Well said.
But today's vehicles are much more fuel-efficient, are built better, handle better and last much longer with less maintenance. They're also much safer.
I remember seeing these everywhere (along with the MK4-5) back in the day. My sister/brother-in-law had a '77 Town Car that was dk brown/dk brown with dk brown leather that the wife and I road tripped with them in from Houston to Ft Lauderdale when it was brand new and will never forget how quiet and smooth it was. It was basically trouble free for them and was eventually traded in on a new '83 four door MK6 after racking up over 200,000 on the Town Car - they now drive a Camry, go figure!!
I drove the ever loving wheels off of a 76 Towne car 4 door, it was beautiful bronze gold with the beige velour interior, the back seat was more comfortable than a flex steel sofa.
& Floated down the straightway's on the highway smoother than anything ever made.
I loved the deep trunk on my 81 Continental. I had a big old subwoofer box in there and I could still toss my bike in and close the lid
I had a triple black two-door Town car, it was difficult to pass a DX or a Shell service station ⛽ back when we had service stations. It got less than 7 mi to the gallon!
78 Town Car, drove with over inflated tires and a very light foot, 10 mpg. My 500 cubic inch, 5600 pound Cadillac limo got 12.
My aunt in Kentucky had a 1979 Lincoln, 2 door, all black. She let me drive it once. I loved it.
I had a 1978 Lincoln Contintal and still think it is the most handsome car ever built.
Those cars were beautiful in their day, and the interiors were so luxurious. My grandma used to say that those cars were so big you needed a 10 acre field to turn them around. Great video.
The headlight covers leaking open weren't always the motors. There's a one-way vacuum valve on the driver side fender that sends vacuum to them that also leaks.
I owned a 1977 Lincoln Town Coupe, loved that car.
I am more of a Cadillac guy, but these were absolutely GORGEOUS Automobiles. I loved them. Love this Channel Adam, Incredible Knowledge you have. !!!
I'm an Aussie but I love those full size "Yank Tanks" from the '60's and 70's so I look forward to these videos I find them very informative. Thanks for putting them out.
Thanks for highlighting the '78 Lincoln. I think this is the first video where I share a different opinion. I agree with you 100% on the dash styling, as I particularly liked the speedometer on the prior models. However, I like the '78 and '79 exterior styling best with the smaller fender skirts and tall grille. I actually have a white '79 Collector's Series...I just wish they came with the 460 engine. As always, great videos!
My Dad's 1978 Navy Blue Cadillac. Loved that car, I was 17.
My grandmother had a Town Car from the very last year of this body style, 1979, and it was enormous, a gold sedan with padded gold half-vinyl roof and gold leather interior, super plush.
I love these huge rides of the 60's/70's and some 80's!! My brother had a 1976 Buick Electra 225 and came home for a visit when I had my permit, so of course he wanted to see if I had any skills to pilot his massive ride. Turns out I did. During a left hand turn the driver on the other side of the road swerved into my lane, I swerved into his, and then back narrowly missing a school bus that was next along. This all happened in about a 3 second time frame. Wish I had the video!
The GM downsized cars of 77 and 78 are my favorite. Especially the B-Body cars. I do love cars of the 60s and early 70s for their style, quality and engine sizes. But driving a 1977-1990 GM B-Body car is pretty freaking nice. I would love to have your 1977 Impala. My first car was a 1977 Impala, but yours is light-years better than mine
17 years old, in 1988. A friend sold me his 1979 Town Car. To this day, it’s the car that left the biggest impression on me. No pun intended. Admittedly I drove it very hard. Even put a suicide knob on the steering wheel to facilitate drifting (that term did not exist then) we just called it ‘gettin sideways’..and Gabriel air shocks in the rear to keep from bottoming out during extreme driving. Silver, crushed red velour interior with thick pile carpeting. I’d love to have another and treat it with the respect it deserves.
Adam, It sounds like subscribers are more enthusiastic about this 1978 Town Car than you are. 😉
I'm so happy you featured this car -- I owned one of these exact cars for a couple of years in that same color combination of Dark Champagne Metallic with a Champagne vinyl top (mine had the half coach roof) with the Town Car interior in Champagne leather. This color combination was the feature car in the '78 brochure. Being a California car, mine had the 400, which was just fine for this car. My grandparents had had a couple of these cars when they were new. As a teenager, it was my job to keep them clean and waxed -- they have a lot of sheetmetal! Also, FYI, the Town Car/Town Coupe option of this era included the mini-vent windows as standard equipment.
On the comedy TV show SCHITT'S CREEK the "Riches to Rags" spoiled and formerly pampered Rose family buys a 1978 Lincoln Town Car as it's the most luxurious vehicle they can afford because they are flat broke. Beautiful car and the Catherine O'Hara character looks so elegant riding in it.
Had a 77 Town Coupe, God I miss that boat!
Oh, and the VELOUR! So plush!
took my 77 towncar for nice lazy roll through the countryside yesterday. it's a great way to relax and reset.
Adam, the car is actually called the “Continental” and the “Town Car” was the package or trim level for the car. 1979 was the last year of this massive body style, not ‘78.
I personally love these cars. I used to own a 1978 Continental base trim with the bench style seating. It was the smoothest, softest riding car ever made IMO, and I also have owned vintage Cadillacs from all decades, but nothing rides as smooth as 1970’s Lincoln’s period. Even a modern day S-Class doesn’t compare to utter comfort and silence of these things.
Unfortunately my 78 was hit on the street from behind and totaled out, the damage was far too great to repair 😢. So I found and bought a 77 Continental Town Car, which I like even more! I personally love the Rolls Royce style grill and think that the sharp knife edge, flat and boxy look of these late 70’s Lincoln’s are very masculine, bold and just beautiful. The RR grill truly gave these cars great distinction and added that extra touch of luxury compared to Cadillacs of the same era which IMO felt cheaply made and didn’t ride as nice, not screwed together all that well compared to these Lincoln’s which were like driving a Tomb or coffin down the road, they are that quiet and well put together.
Now after owning a 77, I will say that compared to my 78 I used to own, the 78 definitely felt like something changed. The doors felt lighter, and that dash was absolutely atrocious compared to the 77 on down Lincoln dashboards which feel extremely well put together and solid, while the Mercury style dash felt cheap and super flimsy by comparison to my now 77. The 77 just feels more solid and even quieter than the 78. The doors are heavier and close with a much more solid “clank” or “thud”.
My 78 had the 400 engine which was very very smooth and had plenty of enough power to move the huge battleship out of the way. My 77 has the 460, which is even better of course and is ultra smooth too.
All in all, these Lincoln’s, besides for the 60’s Continentals and Mark lll’s, are my favorite Lincoln’s of all time, probably one of my favorite cars to drive as well.
A friend of mine used to own a 72 canary yellow Continental which i found to be just “ok”, the seats were sorta flat and wasn’t nearly as cushy and comfortable as the mid to late 70’s Twin comfort lounge seats that are in these Lincoln’s. Plus the lower door armrest in the 72 was hard cheap plastic that is known to crack and break. This isn’t a problem on the later years however.
As you can tell, I am a huge fan of this particular year of Lincoln and have a lot of experience with them. They are truly one of smoothest cars ever made, and are built so well.
Nothing modern today can touch them. Prices are going up on these cars, and are expensive for well kept examples. I remember when you used to be able to buy em for only a grand, not anymore.
How you bring up that armrest reminds me of a funny story.
We had a 73 as our family car and I would at times drive it. The rear armrests as I remember were vinyl with a plastic insert that had a series of square holes for a speaker grille that in our car, contained no speaker.
My younger brother and I used to go bowling. One time for whatever reason I set the bowling ball bags on the back seat on the way home. I was coming up on a yellow light for a left turn and accelerated to Make the turn and of course the balls went across the seat and slammed into the armrest smashing that plastic insert into two or three pieces.
When we got home I got out the glue somehow put it back together and clipped it back in. Since ours had a dark green interior and my dad never sat in the backseat I gambled that he would never figure it out. Had anyone gotten close to it, they would have easily seen the cracks and where the glue oozed out. The glue also yellowed over. However, I got lucky as that was in 1981 and he sold the car in 1988 and he never figured it out.
In 2001, long after the car had probably hit the wrecking yard and when I was 37 I told him the story. I thought he would get a kick out of it.
I could not have been more wrong as he lit into me like it had just happened. I guess he loved that car more than I thought.
Home of the Whoppers! GM a/c parts were also used by Rolls-Royce motor cars because they were the best available (THM400 gets honorable mention as well). The deep trunk really only bothered me when I was wearing a suit and an overcoat as bending that far down was complicated. What I really loved were the polished deep dish aluminum wheels. Such a simple design and so easy to clean.
Actually in 1977 Lincoln still had the metal dashboard from years prior, with the difference of having a 85 mph speedometer.
You beat me to it. The Ford-Mercury style dash didn't make its way into the Continental until the '78 model year (although admittedly it would have been during calendar year '77).
My dad had this car with the 460. For 1979, he bought my mom a Versailles. My first driving lesson was in his car. I took my driving test in hers.
1977 still had the rolling drum speedometer and better dashboard. The silver speedometer dash was fitted in 78-79. My aunt had a fantastic 77 Continental Town Car in triple navy blue - vinyl top, leather interior, and exterior paint. My dad, aunt, and uncles tended to drive luxury cars that matched my grandfather's funeral home fleet, as the cars could be pressed into service if extra limousine capacity was needed.
My Dad had a '79 Continental, last of the big cars. I remember it having a 400 cu. in. engine, with plenty of go for a big car. I drove the car on a few vacation trips back then. It was a light gray non-metallic with maroon pin stripes and maroon interior and roof. To this day I remember how luxurious and comfortable that cabin was, quiet and smooth. I loved those big highway cruisers...Later I bought a '70 Coupe de Ville that I kept for 20 years.
this is the model with which my father replaced his 74 Town Car (the first and according to him the best Lincoln he ever owned -6). I was tasked in '83 with selling it after previous success. It was in immaculate condition with low miles but impossible to move. Finally, my father sold to a dealer for pennies
My grandparents had a 4 door champagne colored 1979 Continental Town Car (I believe “Town Car” was then a trim) with velour seats, the small triangular windows, an outdoor temperature thermometer built into the driver side exterior mirror, an 8 track player stereo with digital display including seek/scan, which could be operated with a button on the floor just like the old bright light buttons, but this one was to the right of the gas pedal (for when you were using cruise control).
One of my parents cars broke down when I was a senior in high school in 1991 and we borrowed that Lincoln, which was in cherry condition, and I drove it to school most of that year. It was a blast. Wish I still had it!
My cousin had a 79 with a 400 cid . It was a bit slower than the previous 460. But it still was decent for its day
“Hi-C juice can” - what a great description! You always do such a fantastic job with your videos, Bravo!
77 was my favorite still had a full fender skirt on the rear wheel and the 460 V8
That must have been a lot of work to learn how to dock it. That car is so big it needs its own ZIP code. 😉
The 77 Lincoln Town Car I owned could be difficult to park, but on the highway, it excelled as it was like riding on a cloud.
I believe the sales numbers for the last of these large Ford/Lincolns remained quite strong. Back in those days there were still quite a few people who preferred the extra sheet metal. According to Consumer Reports the Marquis in particular was also quite reliable.
To be honest, this is my favorite body style. The last of the behemoths. But it LOOKED like luxury to me. Also, you couldn’t beat the ride. It just floated . You could barely feel the bumps in the road.
My Dad always drove Lincolns, especially the Town Car. I literally grew up in them. Awesome cars.
The mom of my best friend at the time had a 1979 Town Car. She was like 5 foot 2. Absolutely ridiculous car, but oh so roomy and comfortable.
Me too. I didn’t use to like these, but as time rolls on, I am softening to these cars.
I agree Adam, that 1970 Continental you showed first was stylish and handsome! 1978, designed with a "Ruler and T-square" is for sure!
The narrow grill that Lincoln adopted for the 77 Continentals really made it one of my favorite cars. What a great looking, boxy design. I love how much it stands in contrast of so many of the other, more rounded designs that came before and after. That said, I think they look their best in bright colors- baby blue with a white top and matching white leather interior makes the list of one of my favorite Lincolns I've ever seen.
As far as I'm concerned, 78 was the last of the great old Lincolns- the panthers of 79 and ownward were great cars, but lacked the complete insanity and presence of the earlier cars. And of course, the 79s which were stuck with the 400 engine...
I've been lucky enough to have driven several of these cars from different years. I enjoyed them all. The 75 through 78 models were very underpowered. The 70 through 74 were very powerful and all were fuel hungry.
The power though from '72 onward isn't really much different than a '78 if equipped with a 460.
1972 - 212
1973 - 208
1974 - 220
1975 - 220
1976 - 202
1977 - 208
1978 - 210
Though it doesn't pertain to sedans and coupes, the Marks offered dual exhaust optionally from 1974-78, which added likely around 15-20 horsepower.
The 1970-71 do indeed have more power, but you have to adjust for gross to net. They were rated at 365 gross horsepower, but likely had around at least 25% less if the same engine was rated in net. GM actually rated their engines down 30% in net. Not sure if that is true with Ford, hence my saying at least 25%.
I loved these land yachts when they were new and often got to drive them at work. I’m hoping to find a nice specimen. Nothing like them for cross country travels
They excelled on the highway. Like riding on a cloud.
The "squishy, poofy" seats were amazingly comfortable. Riding in one of these cars was an experience, smooth, comfortable, quiet. Very luxurious cars.
I remember my uncle having a 1978 town car that thing was so cool and oh so comfortable
I had one of those 78 Lincoln, 4 door town cars. I decided to kick it in the tail one night. From a dead stop I matted it. With the selector in D. I dropped the hammer, At 65 miles per hour, it shifted to second. At 95 miles per hour, it made its last shift. The speedometer needle disappeared, I
raised up to try to see where it went. Just then the hood separated. I couldn't see anything. I had to look at the yellow line to keep it straight. As the car slowed to about 45 miles per hour.
It started shaking violently. I got off to the side of the road and climbed on top of the hood. And started stomping it down. I.
Couldn't figure out why it was shaking so badly. I had no flashlight using a bic lighter. I inspected the tires and realized all 4 of them had separated with huge footballs on them. I wobbled back to the house. And had to buy 4 used tires the next day. To this day that is the fastest. I've ever been in an automobile.😂
Congrats on still being here today.
@@jackmeeellleee4896 The way the gearing was in that 9 inch. Rear. I guarantee you.I hit a hundred and thirty five or better
You and I are just the opposite in taste. I love the straight lines and boxier styling. The 64 Impala was the last Chevy that I liked and the 66 Full size Fords were the last of the full size models i liked. I loved the 67-68 Plymouth Fury models.
I also like boxy styling. I understand why Ford went aerodynamic, but I miss the traditional boxy Ford styling.
64 Impala, epic box car.
You have a fantastic channel. So well informed. 👍
I loved the '77 Lincoln Continental Town Coupe with the full fender skirts and that rare fixed glass roof option. Some may argue but I still think the '78-'79 Continental fender skirts were opened up as a concession to Cadillac eliminating fender skirts and having great success with their '77-'79 downsized cars.
Here's a bit of trivia. The LTD was downsized for 1979. The same basic chassis layout was used by Ford until the Crown Vic and corporate siblings went out of production in 2012. The Crown Vic being the last American made body on frame sedan sold in the US.
Full frame and no freak wheel drive. Great cars.
Adam, great video as always. I rarely disagree with you on styling of various cars, especially 1970s cars, but the 1977 Lincoln Town Car is one of my favorite designed cars of all (the '77 particularly because it had the RR grill but also finder skirts)! I have loved it since they were being made. I was 7 years old in 1978 and my buddy's mom got a brand new Lincoln Town Car in that sort of metallic, silvery blue color. It was massive and just beautiful inside and out. It, like my Mom's 1978 Mercury Marquis, would simply float down the highway. I also remember the 460 being in my Mom's Marquis and as a little kid, I can remember it raising up the front of the car when my Dad would press the gas pedal to the floor and that car would just zoom down the road. I would just squeal with delight! :)
Love them all in the 70s... I want my 78 4dr new Yorker back... Sad story on that one 😢😢😢
My brother had a 1977 model. He kept it longer than he’d kept any other car due to the fact that he couldn’t buy a BIG Lincoln any more.
I absolutely adore those behemoth Lincolns. Especially the Town Coupes…those massive massive doors…swoon. I hated the 1977 downsized GM cars when they came out, they looked cheap and uninspired. The Lincolns were beautiful, luxurious and stately.
Had an apartment neighbor with a brown one exactly like what you showed in the mid 90s. It was mint. He was in his late 50s and single.. so he traded it for a late 80s Buick LeSabre coupe to better impress the bar ladies. I liked the Lincoln better. I never knew the vent windows was a power up down window- that's cool. I wish we had those today. The old style vent window went away because you could easily snap off the outside hinge with pliers to break in.
I’m a GM guy, mostly. My cousin had a 77 Town Coupe and ever since then I have loved this incarnation of the big Lincolns might still have to get one 🤔🤔
Yes 🙌👍🏾👏🏾 the Lincolns of the 60’s & 70’s town cars, coupes and convertibles even the Mark Series from 68 to 79 mark III, IV and V from 77, 78 & 79. The expression what a Luxury Car Should Be still holds true for me even to this very day I’ll be 63 years young. I remember our dad had good friends had nothing but luxury rides back in the day of all the big 3 i had an uncle who had and drove a top of the line Mark V with a moon roof and a cousin who had a top of the line town coupe with a moon roof.
I remember one friend our dad knew had a 72 or a 73 Lincoln Town Coupe with every option you could name what ever it was it was factory 🏭 built, made, manufactured and installed it had a dark brown vinyl roof light beige exterior and champagne 🥂 leather interior. I remember to this very day when our dad’s ride had to be serviced his friend would let himr use it to run around and do errands and take us to our appointments drop us off pick us up and take our mom to work and pick up his friend would be at meetings and by the time our dad was done with what he had to do he would go to his friends place of work sit and wait for him to come out and we would go pick up his ride that was finished being serviced oh by the way our dad’s ride at that time was a 1975 Mercury Grand Marquis top of the line big light yellow Colonial Park Beach 🏖️🏝️ Wagon Station 🚉 Wagon Cream Puff, that to was loaded with every option that you could think 🤔 💭🧐 of and of it had the Big 4BBL 460 V8 Power Plant under the Hood and it passed everything but the gas station ⛽️. I remember both of those rides to this day man oh man what rides they were.
I still would choose those rides over whatever else they make and manufacture today maybe it’s me but that’s my opinion.
Adam as always your knowledge of the Big 3 is absolutely 👍🏾💯 amazingly awesome 👏🏾😎🤩 right along with your videos keep up the great 😌👍🏾😊 work and keep those great 😌👍🏾😊 videos coming.
Sincerely Yours Truly
Ivan I J
IMO Ford didn't pull off the down sizing style as well as GM.
Love the styling of these years a real intimidating presence on the road and those ford deepwell trunk I fit a 50s RCA tv in my 93 Grand Marquis and could close the lid
That thing that looks like an oil filter on the side of the air cleaner was called the Anti Hoot Valve. As I recall, it was to quiet the function of the secondaries on the carburetor.
That's no fun!
Thanks for mentioning that. I was wondering what the oil filter looking canister was for.
Hi from Ontario. My Dad had a 75 T-Bird with the 460. It used an AC-Delco starter motor. I was very surprised when I had to replace it and saw the label.
Thank God, at last, the town car OG. This one laid the track down.
Had one of these as a winter beater car (I was the 4th or 5th owner) in the 90s. It was a mutt and a guzzler, but it always started, never got stuck, and the heater worked great. Definitely worth the $500 I paid for it.
My late husband LOVED the Town Car. He said the back seat was made for making love.
Oh, what a lover he was!
The 72 Continental Town Coupe is the one to get or the 72 Mark IV one year only body style...the year before the emissions started kicking in across the board and before the huge ungainly bumpers. These mogs are a beast though even in the late 70s. Vault like interior and smooth as glass to ride in.
My leasing company sold several of these Lincolns to the Frank B. Hall company in Los Angeles. And I drove most of them. A solid six miles per gallon!