I'm watching this from the UK. I'm 66 years old now but started driving and got my licence in the 70s... I used to watch and love all the Ameican cars like this of the period on US tv shows.. Now all these years later the cars from the 70s are now classics and I still love them.. just something about them I guess...
As a Canadian visitor, I remember seeing a 1970s, full-size Ford LTD on a British motorway but my biggest shock was spotting a Plymouth Superbird near Blackpool.
We need cars like this again. The "yacht deck" paneling (with the lines) went away in 1975 (from then on it was without those dark horizontal lines) as did the seatbelt interlock. The dad of a friend of mine owned the Lincoln Mercury dealership in our town and they always had the latest 1970's models to drive (all "loaded" of course) and they had several of these wagons over the decade. I remember one had an emblem of the USA on the back bumper that said "Trailer Towing Package" with a factory trailer hitch installed. They were big plush cars.
Love these classic cars wish they have never left. Cars today don't have any style. This wagon looks nice and the start up sounded good. Thank for the video
I remember the old T.V. Commercial with the guy cutting a diamond in the back seat, it was a Lincoln/ Mercury ad if I’m thinking correctly. Great video, thanks for taking me back to my childhood.
I’m really enjoying this channel. We motorheads are accustomed to thinking of the big American cars from the 70s as undesirable. But you explain their appeal, and it is definitely there. A genuine car buff should appreciate cars in all their forms. And you’re right - torque is far more important than horsepower when driving on the street.
My dad, Jim Bernard, financed a '77 Mercury Marquis station wagon w/a 460cid (7-5litre) V8, AC, stereo radio, tinted glass, rear defog, and power windows! He drove it until Summer 1985, when he bought a 2dr. '77 Monarch!
Thank you for owning this Lazyboy couch on wheels. It is way more luxurious than any modern day SUV or electric vehicle. That dashboard is art. Congratulations and be proud Give this car a hug for me.
I used to have American wagons here in the UK for many years. I had a '74 Colony Park and it was brilliant. However; my absolute favourite by a long way was a '69 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser with a tuned 455cu-in under the hood. For me, this was the ultimate station wagon; it still is - because I still own it after 34 years! My daily driver is a Lexus GS300, but my Vista Cruiser still comes out for shows, meets and long driving holidays.
@@andrewjacobson556 : actually not at all bad. These cars are only a few inches longer than a Rolls Royce - plenty of those in London. Out on the open road, or on motorways, they really are superb.
@@andrewjacobson556 : strange you should say that. It's 5:15pm here and I'm about to set off with friends to Leeds, (a comfortable 120 mile round trip), but I'm taking my Lexus this time. The sun's just going down so it's going to be a pleasant drive.
In 1974 I needed a big powerful wagon to pull a 18 ft camping trailer and hold 4 men to go to Alaska from Indianapolis. We were planing to be gone for 1 month and we were packing "heavy ". I was a GM guy but ended up buying a Colony Park wagon in dark blue with matching interior and every conceivable option to the surprise of my friends. The wagon was fantastic in every way doing very heavy duty. We all loved it and raved about the comfort and power. When we got back 2 of my friends bought Mercury's and I kept mine for another 6 years of comfortable trouble free driving.
Love these types of old station wagons. Especially those hidden headlamps. I know those could get finicky in their old age, but I always loved how those opened and closed, like a big set of eyes. Cool features you just don't see anymore.
I learned to drive in a 1976 Country Squire. It was nearly identical, down to the covered headlights. (It had the 400). Before that we had a 1971 with the police package including a 429 under the hood. More than a few muscle cars were dusted by my dad in a Country Squire.
You offer a great mix of consumer, or 'non-tech' information alongside design and technical information for the gearheads. I also like that you compare a broad range of car makes and models. Good stuff!
I was a Boy Scout in this era, and another scout family had one of these babies. I loved riding in it to and from troop campouts. Everything about it declared luxury. I love these old boats, and I appreciate Adam’s love for them.
My parents sold me their 1977 Mercury Colony Park Wagon in 1986. It was well optioned and a dream to drive. All vinyl seats with no cloth sections. Even with a smaller 400 with a 2 bbl, it only got about 12 mpg. I'm 73 now, and I enjoy these videos of the older cars.
My parents had the same color Colony Park as this one but ours was a ‘73. Ours was the dealer’s left over demo so it was loaded with twin comfort luxury seats, dual power seats up from, game board in the third row, cornering lamps, tile wheel with cruise control and rim blow horn. We drove it well into the late 80’s (appearing in photos of my college graduation in ‘85) and then it succumbed to rust (northeast). It was my Dad’s car and oddly my Mom had a clamshell ‘76 caprice eatate so we had the best of both wagons!
wow nice my grandma had 74 LTD coupe sedan 460 V8 and later a 87 LTD Crown Victoria 4 door sedan and Now a taurus and my grandpa had a 64 F-100 in teal over white then a 70 4 door torino 429 with the basic fomoco dog dish hubcaps really wish He'd kept that one because my dream car Now is a 70 Montego 4 door 429 just like that because the torino and montego are the same car and Now there extremely uncommon
smoothest of all except the side-to-side bum jerking over driveway curb. Fuel consumption was soooo bad, I will never tell my grandkids how we were so irresponsible to burn 6mpg town 13 highway. Cornering was excessive steering turns.
@@chrisjohnson5776 Fair points, what words would you use to describe the social responsibility of today's 3 ton Suburbans, Grandest Wagoneers, 'family friendly' mega-pickups etc?
Wow this brings back memories. My dad had a '73 Mercury Marquis station wagon, gold in color with the wood panel siding. It had the 351W V8 motor. That car was both durable and reliable. He had a Rochester carb put on and a dual exhaust. It towed our family trailer on vacations. We used that car from 1973-1981 and then he bought a 1981 Buick Electra station wagon with the GM 305 motor. He said that was the biggest mistake he ever made. Just about every component on that car broke down within a year. It was an absolute disaster. He traded that one in and got a 1981 Mercury station wagon, again with the 351W V8. That car was good he kept it for many years.
Beautiful wagon. If Lincoln made a wagon, it would have been a Colony Park. My best friend’s father owned a loaded and beautiful ‘74 Country Squire and later sold it and ordered a loaded ‘78 Country Squire from the factory. Full power options, cornering lamps, deluxe bumper strips, luxury interior. Only had the 400 in ‘78. He kept both absolutely showroom mint. He later traded it in on a mid 80’s SUV. I thought about buying that wagon but I was only 20 and still in college so wasn’t feasible. It was gorgeous and loaded. I should have bought it. A few years back, I found a ‘74 loaded, one owner, always garaged Country Squire with 40K original miles. The real BONUS was it had a factory optional full vinyl top. That has to be super rare. I ended not buying it because it was in Canada and from my research, it seemed like quite the pain to get it over to the U.S. In retrospect, I should have dealt with it and bought it. 😢
In 1974 I had an acquaintance that had a new one (74) that he said he couldn't get enough driving. He invited to test drive it, and I did! Holy crow it handled like a baby! With the over assist steering and smooth soft ride, with nice excelleration, and quiet cabin. Although it was new then, it looks like all those characteristics stand the test of time. Good job by Ford. And you too Adam! Love your collection.
Even the Panther-body full-size Fords had a nice quiet ride. I test drove two Mercury Grand Marquis sedans 20+ years ago. One was a 1990, and the other one was a 1993. The only thing that prevented me from buying them was the fact that I couldn't afford them at the time, even after one of the used car dealers offered to take some money off of the price.
I have a original paint survivor 1973 Ford Country Sedan station wagon which would have been more of a “Mid-Level” trim wagon. It’s still the original light green-gold with the dark green vinyl interior. Mine has the 400 V-8 with a 2 barrel. Mine doesn’t have the 3rd seat, but did get A/C and a tilt steering wheel and luggage rack. I did have a 1973 Chevrolet Impala wagon from 1999-2004, wished I still had it so I could make a comparison video. I loved this video. I actually did a road trip in 2020 to Amelia Island Florida with it for the Concours and I had it in Concours D’ Lemons down there. The wagon was a hit cruising around Amelia Island that weekend, even with all the fine automobiles down there. I also have a 1996 Buick Roadmaster Estate and a 1985 Dodge Aries Wagon.
This is a beautiful car and wonderful wagon, Ford/Mercury's were very nice. I remember how popular wagons had become in the 1970's. A majority of my neighbors had bought new wagons around the years 1973 - 1976 a nice mix of brands (gm's, fords, chrysler;s) Car pool for school was a big memory as the neighborhood moms would haul us neighbor kids to school in the morning and back home in the afternoon. My one neighbor had bought a new Dodge Monaco wagon in 1974, aztec gold, a that car was very impressive, it looked nice, rode nice, quiet and had a great smell. I always remember the smell of new cars in the 1970's, they had a distinct smell that is for that time only. I remember my dad's brand new 1973 Caprice had a great new car smell. I always think 1974 was a peak year in 1970's design, I think the big bumpers that year made all the models look beefy and good looking (in my opinion). Since I lived through the 1970's decade, experiencing life then and products we had in real time is a lot different a perspective then people who didn't live during that time and then look back to critique (now day's, to negatively criticize).
OMG I was obsessed with these wagons when produced, sixth grade, such a nerd haha. We used to take a similar, ‘72 LTD Country Squire - same color and wood grain - that was owned by the University my dad was a Dean at and traveled on many family trips to Yosemite and the foothills of NorCa, I felt so proud while in it. I still am a wagon man, ‘02 bugeyes WRX bought new when I was 40 and still going strong at 74K original miles!
I had a 70 Galaxie Country Sedan with the 429, C6 tranny, and 9" rear-end. It was in Mint condition like this one with only 70,000 miles. I really miss that car!
I am old enough to remember that the USA was crawling with full size station wagons everywhere. As a teenager, I thought Ford and Mercury had the absolute best looking wagons. I'll watch "The Stepford Wives" movie (1975) every so often to remind me of just how prolific they really were.
I'll gladly second that! I still wonder what the reasoning was in killing them off in favor of SUVs. Seems crazy to me. Imagine the big 70s mushy ride combined with modern engineering, no squeaks or rattles, not designed to rust and fall apart from salt, wide enough to sit four-across if needed, a long wheelbase, ability to carry lots of cargo, loaded with tech, lots of leg room for us tall guys... and did I mention how awesome a nice soft ride is (especially for us as we're getting older and have lots of our own aches, pains, squeaks and rattles that would really appreciate a nice soft mushy ride).
My dad bought a 1972 Ford Country Squire. It had the 400-2v. It was a dealer demo so it had most of the available options including the auto air conditioning. It would get 11mpg in the city and 16mpg on the hwy. Great to drive on long trips.
When I was a kid my parents leased a 1968 and then a 1970 Ford Country Squire! It was great unless I had to sit in the two side facing rear seats, because there wasn’t enough air conditioning flow back there when we visited Tucson, Arizona in August. We had old cars before that and after our previous old wagon had wiring that was burning, that was enough for dad.
Hey Adam, the Colony Park is the most comfortable station wagon!!! My mother-in-law had a fully equipped 75 Colony Park that we called the Ark. It Hauled the entire family with ease!!! Sue Ellen Ewing drove a Colony Park in the first season of Dallas!! Thanks for sharing another exciting video!!! 👍👍🙂
I love the eclectic nature of your collection. I recall riding in a Ford wagon of this year: wonderful. The door closing on Fords was very pleasing both in feel and sound -and you included a couple of examples in this video. Thanks for the great content!
After seeing so many of your 50 year old near perfect cars I am almost not surprised when I see another of your great cars. However, you did surprise me again with this "wagon". You probably would never find another one as nice as this. What a great survivor that you never see anywhere.
This video brings back such fond memories of my childhood. My dad bought his 73 Colony Park wagon new and it was his pride and joy. There was always a fight for which of us kids were going to get the way back on any of our family journeys. I appreciate your dedication to keeping these classics alive, great video!
Parents had a 76s Colony Park. It had power everything! Windows, locks, seats. Cruise control was nice for the long trips. What my little sister and I enjoyed was the checkers table/board that would lock in between the very back seats. And surprisingly those small seats did ride quite nice on 18 hour drives to Florida. Growing up in a family of 7 we used that station wagon up until 1988 when we traded it on a Pontiac 6000.
Wow. My friend's Mom had this same car in the same color (with leather interior) and I used to get driven to school all the time in it. Sitting in the back seat was a pure experience of luxury since my family did not own a car that was anything like this. Gas hog to the max. Wonderful car memories.
My Dad had the 68 version of this wagon, it came with the 390 Cid engine. What a beautiful looking and running vehicle to be a station wagon.We owned at least 7 of the Ford types ,no Gms when it came hauling the family 👪.
We had a 1973 dodge Monaco wagon with hidden headlights and a 440 under the hood. We would tow our 17-foot water ski boat to the lake with it going up over the Mountain Pass east of Salt Lake City and it made it like a champ. I don’t remember it being noisy or poor riding and at the time my father had a 68 Cadillac coupe Deville so those would’ve been noticeable. Those were good days
The Mopar wagons had a little bit firmer ride , and were a bit noisier due to the more rigid unibody , and the torsion bar - leaf spring setup . The leaf springs were better for towing , and the torsion bars made the car more stable going down the highway . I certainly wouldn't call them " rough riding " or " noisy ".
Thank´s Adam. As a European, who 20 or so years ago had a skewed opinion of these so called ´American land Yachts¨, you really bring home what great vehicles they truly were; Luxery, more than adequate performance and a unique sense of style. Thank goodness you and some other´s still preserve these wonderful cars for us.
As a fellow European I completely agree. I just love these huge road yachts with them comfy seats and comfy suspension set ups. Literally made for worse roads. These days every car is sporty, sports seats etc...
@@p2p104 I would willingly replace my current 2 piece sofa for my living room with the luxery front and rear seats of some of those early 70´s Mercury Marquis´ or Lincolns!.
My parents had a 74 or 75 Colony Park for a few years in the 70’s before trading it for a new Chevette in 1979. I don’t remember the big Merc’ too well because I was still a real little kid at the time but I know we took it on a trip from PA to FL for Christmas of 78. I think Dad told ours had the 400 V8. Such a nice car and I really wish they still built cars like this today, with the ultra plush seats and thick pile carpeting. The closest thing currently is the Ford Flex which was discontinued in 2019
My neighbors growing up had the almost identical vehicle. The only difference was the color. They were the largest family in the neighborhood with five children and a Old English Sheepdog. I was amazed how enormous it was compared to my mother's Opel Sportwagon and my father's BMW Bavaria.
I love those wagons! As a kid, I only ever saw them on American TV shows, and I was fascinated by the idea of a tailgate that opened two ways, and had a window that opened. We had to make do with a 1973 Hillman Avenger (license plate OEI 59, in case it survived), which was very basic compared to an American car. My parents used to fold down the back seat and put four sleeping bags running side-to-side for when we visited family on the other side of the country (all of 3.5 hours away in those days). My last wagon was a 2011 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon, which was a nice car despite its issues.
I grew up in the sixties with no wagons in the family 'cause my mother hated driving them. One thing that Mopar had that the other makers didn't offer was dual a/c on their biggest wagons. A friend's parents had a Town & Country with that dual air and here in TX it was great in the summer 'cause it sat over the rear seat and cooled the whole back part. Great video, as usual!
Thanks for the tour, Adam! I’m taken by all the lock cylinders, including: Hood release, rear gate and even the rear seats/compartment. Nice ride! Greetings from Scottsdale 🌵
I'm totally in love with all of your videos; they are so informative. On this video it would be nice to add that the unique Ford/Mercury tailgate feature allowed it to be open like a car door or drop down like a regular tailgate, a Ford first. Also, if I'm not mistaken, Ford promoted the opposed facing rear seating as a feature of ease of entry and exit, unlike the competition at that time. The Deluxe Mercurys of this era were truly like "baby" Lincolns.😍
Adam, we used these as follow-ups in the USSS before we switched to Chevy Suburbans. The cars in DC were then used as carpooling vehicles. If you have another way I could send you a picture of one in action.
Boy, does this one bring back memories. Dad owned a transportation company and there (the Ford versions) were part of the fleet. And since there was a big family, my mother drove them as well. My recollection was that the ones post-73 handled better than the '73's. Maybe it was the radial tires. I recall the lower-level ones being called Ranch Wagons. Took my driving test on a '73 Country Squire. And yes, the back-back was not a great place to ride - even if you were a kid.
What a sweet family hauler. Had a '74 Ford Country Sedan with the 400 2v. It served as my work truck/daily driver for several years in the early '90s. It NEVER seemed underpowered even when fully loaded with family members or sheets of plywood, and even with well over 140,000 on the clock, it maintained a quiet comfortable ride, loaded or not. She was arctic white with a blue vinyl interior. Thanks for sharing another great one from your collection Adam👍...
Thanks for the timely reminder that wagons of that era could carry people or full sheets of plywood unlike today's 3 ton mega pickups with their 5 foot beds. 😉
Country Sedan's were nice car's. Basically a Country Squire without the fake wood paneling. Then there was the Ranch Wagon for those on a budget. I think around 76/77 Ford changed the name Country Sedan to LTD Wagon? I don't think Ford built any Ranch Wagons after 1976?
My parents had a clamshell--- a 1974 Buick Estate Wagon. The lower tailgate was forever getting stuck, not partly due to the fact that trash and toys and other detritus would find its way underneath in the track. And that big 455 just sucked gas. My mother said it averaged around 8 mpg, especially after getting caught in a dust storm which must have scored up the engine as it started heavily consuming both oil and gas. It also featured that legendary 70s quality--- with only 30,000 miles on a roadtrip the alternator died. Thank God this was back in the era of service stations and relatively common parts as we were back on the road within an hour or so. One thing I liked as a kid was the fact that the third race faced forward, not backwards or to the sides as in the Fords.
OK Story time: When my dad was in high school/college he ran deliveries for a butcher shop (that in and of it self a story) and used a GM clamshell wagon. He would always tell me how badly it leaked and unsurprisingly, the wagon my mother had when I was a kid was a Mercury. She actually had at least two, one before I was born, which I think was a Ford but may have been a Merc, and one when I was a little little kid that was an 83 Colony Park. I would LOVE to have one again, and YES we took family road trips all the time in it, and YES I would sometimes sit in "the way back" I loved the side facing seats that Ford had, as opposed to the rear facing seats the other brands had. I currently daily drive a 2004 Mazda6 Sportwagon (also built by Ford, same platform as the first gen Ford Fusion). I really miss the days of full sized wagons.
Beautiful wagon Adam! I had 1974 Country Squire with 40,000 miles in 1979. Super clean wagon with the 400 engine. Tough on gas though, only kept it a couple of months but it did ride and drive well.
Ok this is crazy. Yesterday I was wondering how come Adam didn’t show any wagons. Today??? Adam show us one of the most pimpin wagons to ever come out of Detroit!!!! Well done sir. Love it!!!
Love this car, this vid made me VERY nostalgic because my Uncle had a 1972 Colony Park Wagon that all us kids would pile into and head for our annual Summer vacation to Houghton Lake Michigan. P.S. Since Halloween is coming up, it might be fun to strap a "Aunt Edna" mannequin to the luggage rack and drive around!🙂
This is identical to what the "Doctor's Family" down the street from us drove. They typically replaced it every couple of years or so...with an identical newer version. Our neighborhood was a mix of family and other unique automobiles.... Across the street neighbor...owned an HVAC contracting firm...new Eldorado every couple of years...either silver or dove gray. Across the street neighbor...School principal....69 Impala Coupe and a mid 60s VW Bug Across the street neighbor....teen age kids had a late 60s Corvair. Neighbor on the west....had a vintage Mustang and a Ford F1 pickup. Neighbor to the east...VW Bug and a series of Plymouth Fury wagons.... We had a 70 Kingswood wagon and a 71 AMC Hornet SST couple. Was a great place to grow up back in the 70s. We moved away to a more rural community and it seemed the vehicles were more "truck" like....neighbor had a 77 GMC Sierra. And our across the street neighbor had an early 80s AMC Eagle wagon which was his company car as he traveled around rural areas of the state. And most people had Suburbans, Blazers and Broncos.....
Hi Adam! Your piece on the 1974 Marquis Colony Park took me right back to my childhood! My family owned three of these beasts, starting with a 1969, in Medium Blue Metallic, that we bought when I was 5 years old. We followed that car up with a 1973 Marquis Colony Park in a beautiful Medium Yellow Gold that was originally ordered for the dealer's wife (but he sold it to us). Our car had a 400/2bbl with plenty of pep, cruise control, power windows and door locks, and almost all of the other desirable options. I spent a lot of time in those back seats and I can tell you that they were fine for short trips, but I would not have wanted to ride in them as an adult, lol! One thing I would mention, to your point regarding comfort and luxury, is that Mercury did an excellent job of maintaining the "Lincoln wagon" impression with this model for many years following your 1974 example. We owned a 1986 Marquis Colony Park that I frankly believe was the best of the three wagons we owned of this model. That car only had a 351 as it's most powerful engine choice, but the addition of a well-geared four-speed automatic, versus the three-speeds on the 1970's cars, made for a vehicle that had as much, if not more acceleration than the big blocks of the '70s. We towed a 3,000 pound boat with it regularly and had no issues. The '86 also had a better suspension and was more capable towing our boat than the '73 was. From a luxury standpoint, I would agree that the 73 had a more "cushy" interior, but the '86 was still extremely comfortable for long trips and was much better on fuel than the big 400 in our '73. I loved all three of our big Merc wagons! 😉😎
I love all of your classic Ford's, but this might be my favorite. Rare and well-optioned with the 460, and room for eight. Really brings me back to my elementary school days in the '80's. I had a green 1978 Colony Park Matchbox car that was a favorite. Thanks Adam.
Amazing, when I was a kid, I hated these full-size wagons. Never understood the appeal, now I do, thanks to your presentation. I sincerely believe you are good enough to sell snow cones in Antartica. After each of your videos I think to myself: Man....I need one of these (whatever it is)!
As a wagon man, I must say I really loved this episode. I always wanted my parents to buy a wagon. They finally did … my freshman year in high school … the time I started liking coupes. In going back in my mind to 1974, I can take inventory of all the wagons among my parents’ friends. Two had Mercury Colony Parks (one light yellow, one rust, both with woodgrain - probably the two richest of my parents’ friends). One had a Ford Country Sedan (white). One had a Ford Falcon (white). One had a Chrysler Town & Country (light blue - no wood grain). Three had big Dodges (1 Monaco, light blue with woodgrain / 2 Polara, both medium blue). One had a Dodge Coronet Crestwood (olive green with woodgrain). One had a Plymouth Custom Suburban (gold with woodgrain). One had a Plymouth Belvedere white, with red interior - it was pretty). One had an Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser with clamshell (blue, with woodgrain - another wealthy family). One had a Pontiac Catalina (white - pre clamshell) Two had Chevrolet Kingswoods (one a woodgrain Estate, white, one plain, orange) with the clamshell tailgates. Two had Chevrolet Malibus (one a sickly light yellow, one brown - for some reason I really liked that plain wagon). We would eventually get an Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser, maroon. I drove the wheels off that wagon … literally. This mix is clearly not synced to national sales statistics … just a peak at one neighborhood in a medium sized Southern city in 1974, where blue wagons were really popular. I think dealerships had much more sway on car buying back then. Where my neighborhood’s main street joined the highway, there sat three automobile dealers - Dodge, Lincoln-Mercury and AMC. Everyone knew the owners of those dealerships. Nowadays people aren’t as loyal and dealerships are owned by big conglomerates. At the time, I really liked the clamshell wagons. I liked the forward facing third seats and the extra space at the back. BUT, I remember seeing many of them, after a few years, with tailgates sagging and off center or with the woodgrain scuffed … and I remember a few where the windows no longer met the gates. If I could go back, I would get a mid-70s Torino Squire or Montego Villager with woodgrain. Those are gorgeous! Those were good times to be a kid!
Fascinating! I was 10 in 1974 and it would be easier to recount the relatives and family friends who did NOT have a wagon than the ones who did. Let's just say from the late 60s to the late 70s they ranged from a very compact, manual Toyota Corona wagon driven by a family at our church to the massive Blue Mercury an uncle drove in the early 70s . Another uncle and aunt drove a 1972 Mercury Montego in dark green with wood paneling and green vinyl interior. Sadly, the Ontario salt knocked it off the road by the early 80s.
@@toddbonin6926 My uncle had a large property and was quite prosperous. For some reason he left his old cars disintegrating in the depths of the back yard for years . The rusty Montego had the same fate. I have been hoping Adam has a Montego in his collection but so far we have not seen it.
They were the times, you could tell what kind of car it was from a distance, even at night! Now all the cars look the same. I have to see the grill to know what kind of car it is.
Back in the early '70s I had a Hot Wheel (or maybe a Matchbox) of a red 1968 Colony Park with 2 dogs looking outside the back window. One of my friends jokingly threw it out in the yard and I never found it. I'm still sad.
Oh, yes, my favorite car ever, the 70s Colony Parks, Sure I was born in the 2000s, years after station wagons were popular, but the archaic aesthetic of these cars are grand!
A slogan Ford used around 1970: "Marquis Colony Park: If Lincoln Continental made a station wagon, this would be it". Sounds like the ride certainly lives up to that! Interestingly, the Mercury wagons brochure for 1974 shows a model similar to this, though more orange looking and with cornering lamps and the optional wheel covers Adam mentioned. This same interior is featured, plus an even more luxurious "Grand Marquis Luxury Trim Option" in leather and vinyl.
With so much horror and frustration today, we can turn to your channel for balm to the spirit. Non-political, non-traumatizing topics. 🙏Peace Be With You. Mr Adam.🙏
Thank you for sharing Adam. The Mercury Colony Park was indeed luxurious. I think they were quite luxurious inside compared to the GM versions in the 1970's and 1980's even though I would take a Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser version 1987-1990 because of the location of certain controls. Mercury put better interiors on their cars. GM put base model interiors in their wagons until they were redesigned in the early 1990's. This is great example.
The similarity of your 1974 wagon's features to my 1987 and 1991 Crown Victoria wagons is striking. I see many features in your Mercury that are either the same ( interior ) as my Fords or similar. My 1987 was one of about 18,000 produced and by 1991 my other wagon, they were down to only 3,800 approx.. This was the last year that Ford produced the big wagon and also Mercury. My other car is a 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis LS 50th Anniversary Edition in dark blue metallic paint with gold anodized exterior trim and trunk lid luggage rack. The Fords ride great but the Mercury rides even better. And due to the fuel injection system and overdrive transmission she has given me 24 mpg on a long trip and 16 to 19 around town. Love your 1974. She is definently a keeper !
My family owned many memorable wagons through the years; a '71 Olds Vista Cruiser with a 350 4 barrel Rocket V8 and that beautiful full fixed glass roof over the rear seat; a '73 Custom Cruiser Clamshell, which was quite luxurious, actually, and a '78 Chrysler Town & Country Wagon with the 440 4V- THAT was quite the land yacht. I must say though, my last wagon was a 1995 Buick Roadmaster with the 350 engine taken straight out of that year's Corvette, making 330bhp, and that car was a true joy to drive. Thank you for your wonderful videos.
I love wagons!! Wagons are, in my opinion, very under rated. My grandfather traded in a Chevrolet wagon every 3-4 years. As a kid the one I liked the most was a ‘74 Caprice Estate (similar in color), however after seeing this Colony Park I will say it is more luxurious and “Lincoln like” compared to the Caprice. Beautiful example!
Essas station wagons eram realmente únicas, aqui no Brasil a GM fez a Chevrolet Caravan, que era baseada em um modelo da Opel. Tivemos algumas dessas station wagons americanas por aqui que pertenciam aos consulados.
@@privatedata665 Here in Brazil GM use to make a station wagons based on the Opel Rekord station wagon. It was colled Chevrolet Caravan, this model was produced from mid 1970 until 1992, If I remember correctly.
Great video! Of all your cars, this is now my all-time favorite. I grew up with station wagons and still love them. This 1 is a gem. Funny side note, as a police officer in 1975, we had a Ford Galaxie wagon for "utility" use. Was the 400 ci engine. Did pretty well, except for trying to chase down a Corvette one night, but that's another story.
I love this Adam. I have quite a few wagons incl a 1978 Colony Park. I drove it across the USA and it was terrific. Rides better than my 74 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser. Your Colony Park is terrific. Love the colour. In terms of hidden headlights. The 72 and 73 Monaco wagons had them too (I don’t have a wagon but do have two sedans and a 72 Plymouth Sport Suburban). One accessory I found for my 74 LTD Country Squire is the original Ford checker board table with magnetised checkers, complete with Ford crest. Very cool.
I wish that I would have kept mine. I'm sure that back in the day, there would have been the right chick to come along who would accept me for my Mercury.. 😆
I'm a forever wagon guy. And this tickled my pickle. Awsom. And in amazing shape. I see in the future a high demand for older wagons. You just cant find anything in the market today that compares as far as functionality. These fit so many chanras. Utility, sport, family, apocalyptic, lol. Whatever you need it to do it dose. Lol. God bless. Great video.
Great wagon, Adam. Just curious… how do you keep the batteries in your collection from fully discharging? Do you have trickle chargers on them, or do you just start them all on a regular schedule? And how about keeping your gasoline fresh? Thanks! 👍👍👍
My grandfather bought a new 1976 country squire. He died in 1986. He left me the car. We were close and I could not bear to sell nor drive it. It has been in the barn until this summer. It looks like new. The motor was stuck. It's almost back to road ready. Red duro-weave interior. 56k on the odometer. Going to get her back to cherry and go fishing with my grandpa again.
I'm watching this from the UK. I'm 66 years old now but started driving and got my licence in the 70s... I used to watch and love all the Ameican cars like this of the period on US tv shows.. Now all these years later the cars from the 70s are now classics and I still love them.. just something about them I guess...
As a Canadian visitor, I remember seeing a 1970s, full-size Ford LTD on a British motorway but my biggest shock was spotting a Plymouth Superbird near Blackpool.
We need cars like this again. The "yacht deck" paneling (with the lines) went away in 1975 (from then on it was without those dark horizontal lines) as did the seatbelt interlock. The dad of a friend of mine owned the Lincoln Mercury dealership in our town and they always had the latest 1970's models to drive (all "loaded" of course) and they had several of these wagons over the decade. I remember one had an emblem of the USA on the back bumper that said "Trailer Towing Package" with a factory trailer hitch installed. They were big plush cars.
Love these classic cars wish they have never left. Cars today don't have any style. This wagon looks nice and the start up sounded good. Thank for the video
I remember the old T.V. Commercial with the guy cutting a diamond in the back seat, it was a Lincoln/ Mercury ad if I’m thinking correctly.
Great video, thanks for taking me back to my childhood.
There is another commercial of a man assembling a miniature TV in the rear seat of a moving Montego.
I’m really enjoying this channel. We motorheads are accustomed to thinking of the big American cars from the 70s as undesirable. But you explain their appeal, and it is definitely there. A genuine car buff should appreciate cars in all their forms. And you’re right - torque is far more important than horsepower when driving on the street.
My dad, Jim Bernard, financed a '77 Mercury Marquis station wagon w/a 460cid (7-5litre) V8, AC, stereo radio, tinted glass, rear defog, and power windows! He drove it until Summer 1985, when he bought a 2dr. '77 Monarch!
Thank you for owning this Lazyboy couch on wheels. It is way more luxurious than any modern day SUV or electric vehicle. That dashboard is art. Congratulations and be proud Give this car a hug for me.
I used to have American wagons here in the UK for many years. I had a '74 Colony Park and it was brilliant. However; my absolute favourite by a long way was a '69 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser with a tuned 455cu-in under the hood. For me, this was the ultimate station wagon; it still is - because I still own it after 34 years! My daily driver is a Lexus GS300, but my Vista Cruiser still comes out for shows, meets and long driving holidays.
Yeah I would think parking it around London would be a pain? But on the country roads I'm sure it's a nice cruiser!!
@@andrewjacobson556 : actually not at all bad. These cars are only a few inches longer than a Rolls Royce - plenty of those in London. Out on the open road, or on motorways, they really are superb.
@@davidmwood560 I think you should go for a drive today how is the weather today? It's cloudy just outside Chicago today....
@@andrewjacobson556 : strange you should say that. It's 5:15pm here and I'm about to set off with friends to Leeds, (a comfortable 120 mile round trip), but I'm taking my Lexus this time. The sun's just going down so it's going to be a pleasant drive.
@@davidmwood560 Strange indeed its a small world... Enjoy the drive!!
Great to see a well equiped wagon in a good color with the woodgrain siding, lovely!
Quintessentially 1970s in every way. Shades of brown. Love it!
Rivalled only by Clark Griswold's Family Truckster
In 1974 I needed a big powerful wagon to pull a 18 ft camping trailer and hold 4 men to go to Alaska from Indianapolis. We were planing to be gone for 1 month and we were packing "heavy ". I was a GM guy but ended up buying a Colony Park wagon in dark blue with matching interior and every conceivable option to the surprise of my friends. The wagon was fantastic in every way doing very heavy duty. We all loved it and raved about the comfort and power. When we got back 2 of my friends bought Mercury's and I kept mine for another 6 years of comfortable trouble free driving.
They’re great, aren’t they? I love GMs too, but the CP was the best wagon.
Love these types of old station wagons. Especially those hidden headlamps. I know those could get finicky in their old age, but I always loved how those opened and closed, like a big set of eyes. Cool features you just don't see anymore.
I learned to drive in a 1976 Country Squire. It was nearly identical, down to the covered headlights. (It had the 400). Before that we had a 1971 with the police package including a 429 under the hood. More than a few muscle cars were dusted by my dad in a Country Squire.
You offer a great mix of consumer, or 'non-tech' information alongside design and technical information for the gearheads. I also like that you compare a broad range of car makes and models. Good stuff!
I was a Boy Scout in this era, and another scout family had one of these babies. I loved riding in it to and from troop campouts. Everything about it declared luxury. I love these old boats, and I appreciate Adam’s love for them.
They were expensive cars for 1974. Very nice!
My parents always bought ford stationwagon I remember one had a 390. That brought back so many memories of sitting in the back with my brothers.
My parents sold me their 1977 Mercury Colony Park Wagon in 1986. It was well optioned and a dream to drive. All vinyl seats with no cloth sections. Even with a smaller 400 with a 2 bbl, it only got about 12 mpg. I'm 73 now, and I enjoy these videos of the older cars.
My parents had the same color Colony Park as this one but ours was a ‘73. Ours was the dealer’s left over demo so it was loaded with twin comfort luxury seats, dual power seats up from, game board in the third row, cornering lamps, tile wheel with cruise control and rim blow horn. We drove it well into the late 80’s (appearing in photos of my college graduation in ‘85) and then it succumbed to rust (northeast). It was my Dad’s car and oddly my Mom had a clamshell ‘76 caprice eatate so we had the best of both wagons!
We only had a 73 Caprice Estate so you beat our family by a full Colony Park. 😉
My parents had the same Colony Park as you described.
wow nice my grandma had 74 LTD coupe sedan 460 V8 and later a 87 LTD Crown Victoria 4 door sedan and Now a taurus and my grandpa had a 64 F-100 in teal over white then a 70 4 door torino 429 with the basic fomoco dog dish hubcaps really wish He'd kept that one because my dream car Now is a 70 Montego 4 door 429 just like that because the torino and montego are the same car and Now there extremely uncommon
smoothest of all except the side-to-side bum jerking over driveway curb. Fuel consumption was soooo bad, I will never tell my grandkids how we were so irresponsible to burn 6mpg town 13 highway. Cornering was excessive steering turns.
@@chrisjohnson5776 Fair points, what words would you use to describe the social responsibility of today's 3 ton Suburbans, Grandest Wagoneers, 'family friendly' mega-pickups etc?
You picked the perfect house to stage this Colony Park in front of! Nice touch!
Beautiful Car! I remember seeing an ad in an old National Geographic for these. The slogan was "If Lincoln made a station wagon, this would be it"
Wow this brings back memories. My dad had a '73 Mercury Marquis station wagon, gold in color with the wood panel siding. It had the 351W V8 motor. That car was both durable and reliable. He had a Rochester carb put on and a dual exhaust. It towed our family trailer on vacations. We used that car from 1973-1981 and then he bought a 1981 Buick Electra station wagon with the GM 305 motor. He said that was the biggest mistake he ever made. Just about every component on that car broke down within a year. It was an absolute disaster. He traded that one in and got a 1981 Mercury station wagon, again with the 351W V8. That car was good he kept it for many years.
Beautiful wagon. If Lincoln made a wagon, it would have been a Colony Park. My best friend’s father owned a loaded and beautiful ‘74 Country Squire and later sold it and ordered a loaded ‘78 Country Squire from the factory. Full power options, cornering lamps, deluxe bumper strips, luxury interior. Only had the 400 in ‘78. He kept both absolutely showroom mint. He later traded it in on a mid 80’s SUV. I thought about buying that wagon but I was only 20 and still in college so wasn’t feasible. It was gorgeous and loaded. I should have bought it. A few years back, I found a ‘74 loaded, one owner, always garaged Country Squire with 40K original miles. The real BONUS was it had a factory optional full vinyl top. That has to be super rare. I ended not buying it because it was in Canada and from my research, it seemed like quite the pain to get it over to the U.S. In retrospect, I should have dealt with it and bought it. 😢
In 1974 I had an acquaintance that had a new one (74) that he said he couldn't get enough driving. He invited to test drive it, and I did! Holy crow it handled like a baby! With the over assist steering and smooth soft ride, with nice excelleration, and quiet cabin. Although it was new then, it looks like all those characteristics stand the test of time. Good job by Ford. And you too Adam! Love your collection.
Even the Panther-body full-size Fords had a nice quiet ride. I test drove two Mercury Grand Marquis sedans 20+ years ago. One was a 1990, and the other one was a 1993. The only thing that prevented me from buying them was the fact that I couldn't afford them at the time, even after one of the used car dealers offered to take some money off of the price.
I have a original paint survivor 1973 Ford Country Sedan station wagon which would have been more of a “Mid-Level” trim wagon. It’s still the original light green-gold with the dark green vinyl interior. Mine has the 400 V-8 with a 2 barrel. Mine doesn’t have the 3rd seat, but did get A/C and a tilt steering wheel and luggage rack. I did have a 1973 Chevrolet Impala wagon from 1999-2004, wished I still had it so I could make a comparison video. I loved this video. I actually did a road trip in 2020 to Amelia Island Florida with it for the Concours and I had it in Concours D’ Lemons down there. The wagon was a hit cruising around Amelia Island that weekend, even with all the fine automobiles down there. I also have a 1996 Buick Roadmaster Estate and a 1985 Dodge Aries Wagon.
The Colony Park, Custom Cruiser,Estate wagon, and Chrysler Town and Country were the peak of great wagons
@Filthy Peasant Oh...a Dodge Dart, we had a Green one, a Dodge Dart Swinger.
What a time capsule. And you did a great job telling / showing us all about it. It's like we were there. How fun !!
This is a beautiful car and wonderful wagon, Ford/Mercury's were very nice. I remember how popular wagons had become in the 1970's. A majority of my neighbors had bought new wagons around the years 1973 - 1976 a nice mix of brands (gm's, fords, chrysler;s) Car pool for school was a big memory as the neighborhood moms would haul us neighbor kids to school in the morning and back home in the afternoon. My one neighbor had bought a new Dodge Monaco wagon in 1974, aztec gold, a that car was very impressive, it looked nice, rode nice, quiet and had a great smell. I always remember the smell of new cars in the 1970's, they had a distinct smell that is for that time only. I remember my dad's brand new 1973 Caprice had a great new car smell. I always think 1974 was a peak year in 1970's design, I think the big bumpers that year made all the models look beefy and good looking (in my opinion). Since I lived through the 1970's decade, experiencing life then and products we had in real time is a lot different a perspective then people who didn't live during that time and then look back to critique (now day's, to negatively criticize).
OMG I was obsessed with these wagons when produced, sixth grade, such a nerd haha. We used to take a similar, ‘72 LTD Country Squire - same color and wood grain - that was owned by the University my dad was a Dean at and traveled on many family trips to Yosemite and the foothills of NorCa, I felt so proud while in it. I still am a wagon man, ‘02 bugeyes WRX bought new when I was 40 and still going strong at 74K original miles!
I had a 70 Galaxie Country Sedan with the 429, C6 tranny, and 9" rear-end. It was in Mint condition like this one with only 70,000 miles. I really miss that car!
I am old enough to remember that the USA was crawling with full size station wagons everywhere. As a teenager, I thought Ford and Mercury had the absolute best looking wagons. I'll watch "The Stepford Wives" movie (1975) every so often to remind me of just how prolific they really were.
Wagons rule!! They are overdue for a comeback.
I'll gladly second that! I still wonder what the reasoning was in killing them off in favor of SUVs. Seems crazy to me. Imagine the big 70s mushy ride combined with modern engineering, no squeaks or rattles, not designed to rust and fall apart from salt, wide enough to sit four-across if needed, a long wheelbase, ability to carry lots of cargo, loaded with tech, lots of leg room for us tall guys... and did I mention how awesome a nice soft ride is (especially for us as we're getting older and have lots of our own aches, pains, squeaks and rattles that would really appreciate a nice soft mushy ride).
Love the start up of this engine. Reminds me of my parents 1973 Thunderbird with 429 engine. Great video!
I absolutely loved these growing up.
Such a beautiful car! And though I may be just a bit biased, I agree -- they have the quality, the ride, the comfort, and the power.
My dad bought a 1972 Ford Country Squire. It had the 400-2v. It was a dealer demo so it had most of the available options including the auto air conditioning. It would get 11mpg in the city and 16mpg on the hwy. Great to drive on long trips.
We had a 69 country Squire wagon
What a great wagon!! LOVE the hidden headlights/wood paneling combination
Thx Mark!
Great car and video! These cars ruled the American highway in the 1970s.
RULED!!
When I was a kid my parents leased a 1968 and then a 1970 Ford Country Squire! It was great unless I had to sit in the two side facing rear seats, because there wasn’t enough air conditioning flow back there when we visited Tucson, Arizona in August.
We had old cars before that and after our previous old wagon had wiring that was burning, that was enough for dad.
Love the dual exhausts out the side in the back!!! Thanks for the ride Adam!
Hey Adam, the Colony Park is the most comfortable station wagon!!! My mother-in-law had a fully equipped 75 Colony Park that we called the Ark. It Hauled the entire family with ease!!! Sue Ellen Ewing drove a Colony Park in the first season of Dallas!! Thanks for sharing another exciting video!!! 👍👍🙂
ahh... good ole Sue Ellen. Such a classy lady. Not surprised she drove a classy car. No one could toss a drink in JR's face like Sue Ellen.
As a wagon driver (68 AMC Ambassador), I particularly enjoyed seeing your wagon. Nice!!
Most of your cars you own/showcase are nice but nonetheless this one I am truly envious of. Thanks for the video.
I love station wagons. If I had a car collection like yours they would be station wagons.
I love the eclectic nature of your collection. I recall riding in a Ford wagon of this year: wonderful. The door closing on Fords was very pleasing both in feel and sound -and you included a couple of examples in this video. Thanks for the great content!
After seeing so many of your 50 year old near perfect cars I am almost not surprised when I see another of your great cars. However, you did surprise me again with this "wagon". You probably would never find another one as nice as this. What a great survivor that you never see anywhere.
This video brings back such fond memories of my childhood. My dad bought his 73 Colony Park wagon new and it was his pride and joy. There was always a fight for which of us kids were going to get the way back on any of our family journeys. I appreciate your dedication to keeping these classics alive, great video!
Parents had a 76s Colony Park. It had power everything! Windows, locks, seats. Cruise control was nice for the long trips. What my little sister and I enjoyed was the checkers table/board that would lock in between the very back seats. And surprisingly those small seats did ride quite nice on 18 hour drives to Florida. Growing up in a family of 7 we used that station wagon up until 1988 when we traded it on a Pontiac 6000.
Back in the early 90s we had a century and celebrity wagon All related A Bodys
Wow. My friend's Mom had this same car in the same color (with leather interior) and I used to get driven to school all the time in it. Sitting in the back seat was a pure experience of luxury since my family did not own a car that was anything like this. Gas hog to the max. Wonderful car memories.
My Dad had the 68 version of this wagon, it came with the 390 Cid engine. What a beautiful looking and running vehicle to be a station wagon.We owned at least 7 of the Ford types ,no Gms when it came hauling the family 👪.
So many memories brought back! My sister and I used to fight to be in the back of our '72 Marquis wagon.
We had a 1973 dodge Monaco wagon with hidden headlights and a 440 under the hood. We would tow our 17-foot water ski boat to the lake with it going up over the Mountain Pass east of Salt Lake City and it made it like a champ. I don’t remember it being noisy or poor riding and at the time my father had a 68 Cadillac coupe Deville so those would’ve been noticeable. Those were good days
The Mopar wagons had a little bit firmer ride , and were a bit noisier due to the more rigid unibody , and the torsion bar - leaf spring setup . The leaf springs were better for towing , and the torsion bars made the car more stable going down the highway . I certainly wouldn't call them " rough riding " or " noisy ".
Thank´s Adam. As a European, who 20 or so years ago had a skewed opinion of these so called ´American land Yachts¨, you really bring home what great vehicles they truly were; Luxery, more than adequate performance and a unique sense of style. Thank goodness you and some other´s still preserve these wonderful cars for us.
As a fellow European I completely agree. I just love these huge road yachts with them comfy seats and comfy suspension set ups. Literally made for worse roads. These days every car is sporty, sports seats etc...
@@p2p104 I would willingly replace my current 2 piece sofa for my living room with the luxery front and rear seats of some of those early 70´s Mercury Marquis´ or Lincolns!.
We had a 1971 Ford LTD Country Squire wagon. My dad had it for 11 years. It was a great ride. I'm sure my dad misses it.
Pops had a 72 Country Squire, dark metallic green, 351 and green interior. Great family car for the time.
My parents had a 74 or 75 Colony Park for a few years in the 70’s before trading it for a new Chevette in 1979. I don’t remember the big Merc’ too well because I was still a real little kid at the time but I know we took it on a trip from PA to FL for Christmas of 78. I think Dad told ours had the 400 V8. Such a nice car and I really wish they still built cars like this today, with the ultra plush seats and thick pile carpeting. The closest thing currently is the Ford Flex which was discontinued in 2019
Which did you like better? The Colony Park or the Chevette?
My neighbors growing up had the almost identical vehicle.
The only difference was the color.
They were the largest family in the neighborhood with five children and a Old English Sheepdog.
I was amazed how enormous it was compared to my mother's Opel Sportwagon and my father's BMW Bavaria.
Love all the sounds - starter, exhaust note and the familiar door closing sound. Thank you for sharing this with us.
I love those wagons! As a kid, I only ever saw them on American TV shows, and I was fascinated by the idea of a tailgate that opened two ways, and had a window that opened. We had to make do with a 1973 Hillman Avenger (license plate OEI 59, in case it survived), which was very basic compared to an American car. My parents used to fold down the back seat and put four sleeping bags running side-to-side for when we visited family on the other side of the country (all of 3.5 hours away in those days).
My last wagon was a 2011 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon, which was a nice car despite its issues.
The British and Europeans continue to have the good sense to buy wagons in large numbers to this day.
I grew up in the sixties with no wagons in the family 'cause my mother hated driving them. One thing that Mopar had that the other makers didn't offer was dual a/c on their biggest wagons. A friend's parents had a Town & Country with that dual air and here in TX it was great in the summer 'cause it sat over the rear seat and cooled the whole back part. Great video, as usual!
We had a ‘73 T&C and I can’t imagine needing it! The air on that car great.
Thanks for the tour, Adam! I’m taken by all the lock cylinders, including: Hood release, rear gate and even the rear seats/compartment. Nice ride!
Greetings from Scottsdale 🌵
That hood lock was part of the "Security Package". Hood lock, locking gas cap, and a spare tire lock.
@@karltork6040 thanks for that info, Karl.
@@karltork6040 That the "round" glove box key opened. The tailgate though, used the ignition key.
god i always wanted a mercury wagon like this with a wayback, or a buick estate, but this is just so above and beyond.
my uncle had one of these in 78. I loved riding in the 'way back'
I'm totally in love with all of your videos; they are so informative. On this video it would be nice to add that the unique Ford/Mercury tailgate feature allowed it to be open like a car door or drop down like a regular tailgate, a Ford first. Also, if I'm not mistaken, Ford promoted the opposed facing rear seating as a feature of ease of entry and exit, unlike the competition at that time.
The Deluxe Mercurys of this era were truly like "baby" Lincolns.😍
I was going to mention the tailgate opening options in case Adam doesn’t know which I doubt but you beat me to it
Adam, we used these as follow-ups in the USSS before we switched to Chevy Suburbans. The cars in DC were then used as carpooling vehicles. If you have another way I could send you a picture of one in action.
We had a '73 Ambassador Brougham with the 401. Green over the faux wood...absolutely loved that thing, especially on long road trips.
What was the gas mileage? My Uncle had an Ambassador sedan with the 401 and even by 70s standards, the gas mileage was scary!
@@rightlanehog3151
If Mom kept her foot out of it, it wasn't too bad...but she could never keep her foot out of it. Lol
It's about time you show a wagon!!!!!
Got any more?? Your collection never disappoints, always a treat.
Boy, does this one bring back memories. Dad owned a transportation company and there (the Ford versions) were part of the fleet. And since there was a big family, my mother drove them as well. My recollection was that the ones post-73 handled better than the '73's. Maybe it was the radial tires. I recall the lower-level ones being called Ranch Wagons. Took my driving test on a '73 Country Squire. And yes, the back-back was not a great place to ride - even if you were a kid.
What a sweet family hauler.
Had a '74 Ford Country Sedan with the 400 2v. It served as my work truck/daily driver for several years in the early '90s.
It NEVER seemed underpowered even when fully loaded with family members or sheets of plywood, and even with well over 140,000 on the clock, it maintained a quiet comfortable ride, loaded or not.
She was arctic white with a blue vinyl interior.
Thanks for sharing another great one from your collection Adam👍...
Thanks for the timely reminder that wagons of that era could carry people or full sheets of plywood unlike today's 3 ton mega pickups with their 5 foot beds. 😉
Country Sedan's were nice car's. Basically a Country Squire without the fake wood paneling. Then there was the Ranch Wagon for those on a budget. I think around 76/77 Ford changed the name Country Sedan to LTD Wagon? I don't think Ford built any Ranch Wagons after 1976?
@@rightlanehog3151
Right?!?
I also used a Pinto wagon for awhile and even that lil' brute could carry 4x8s with the tailgate partially open...
Parents had a Buick Wagon when I was a child. Fond memories
My parents had a clamshell--- a 1974 Buick Estate Wagon. The lower tailgate was forever getting stuck, not partly due to the fact that trash and toys and other detritus would find its way underneath in the track. And that big 455 just sucked gas. My mother said it averaged around 8 mpg, especially after getting caught in a dust storm which must have scored up the engine as it started heavily consuming both oil and gas. It also featured that legendary 70s quality--- with only 30,000 miles on a roadtrip the alternator died. Thank God this was back in the era of service stations and relatively common parts as we were back on the road within an hour or so. One thing I liked as a kid was the fact that the third race faced forward, not backwards or to the sides as in the Fords.
OK Story time: When my dad was in high school/college he ran deliveries for a butcher shop (that in and of it self a story) and used a GM clamshell wagon. He would always tell me how badly it leaked and unsurprisingly, the wagon my mother had when I was a kid was a Mercury. She actually had at least two, one before I was born, which I think was a Ford but may have been a Merc, and one when I was a little little kid that was an 83 Colony Park. I would LOVE to have one again, and YES we took family road trips all the time in it, and YES I would sometimes sit in "the way back" I loved the side facing seats that Ford had, as opposed to the rear facing seats the other brands had.
I currently daily drive a 2004 Mazda6 Sportwagon (also built by Ford, same platform as the first gen Ford Fusion). I really miss the days of full sized wagons.
Wagons are overdue for a comeback!
Beautiful wagon Adam! I had 1974 Country Squire with 40,000 miles in 1979. Super clean wagon with the 400 engine. Tough on gas though, only kept it a couple of months but it did ride and drive well.
Drove a ‘75 forest green LTD Country Squire wagon to high school back in the day. What a boat!
Ok this is crazy. Yesterday I was wondering how come Adam didn’t show any wagons. Today??? Adam show us one of the most pimpin wagons to ever come out of Detroit!!!! Well done sir. Love it!!!
Love this car, this vid made me VERY nostalgic because my Uncle had a 1972 Colony Park Wagon that all us kids would pile into and head for our annual Summer vacation to Houghton Lake Michigan.
P.S. Since Halloween is coming up, it might be fun to strap a "Aunt Edna" mannequin to the luggage rack and drive around!🙂
Interesting color. I like the T&C wagons because they had rear passenger a/c.
I remember that!!!
This is identical to what the "Doctor's Family" down the street from us drove. They typically replaced it every couple of years or so...with an identical newer version. Our neighborhood was a mix of family and other unique automobiles....
Across the street neighbor...owned an HVAC contracting firm...new Eldorado every couple of years...either silver or dove gray.
Across the street neighbor...School principal....69 Impala Coupe and a mid 60s VW Bug
Across the street neighbor....teen age kids had a late 60s Corvair.
Neighbor on the west....had a vintage Mustang and a Ford F1 pickup.
Neighbor to the east...VW Bug and a series of Plymouth Fury wagons....
We had a 70 Kingswood wagon and a 71 AMC Hornet SST couple. Was a great place to grow up back in the 70s.
We moved away to a more rural community and it seemed the vehicles were more "truck" like....neighbor had a 77 GMC Sierra. And our across the street neighbor had an early 80s AMC Eagle wagon which was his company car as he traveled around rural areas of the state. And most people had Suburbans, Blazers and Broncos.....
Hi Adam!
Your piece on the 1974 Marquis Colony Park took me right back to my childhood! My family owned three of these beasts, starting with a 1969, in Medium Blue Metallic, that we bought when I was 5 years old.
We followed that car up with a 1973 Marquis Colony Park in a beautiful Medium Yellow Gold that was originally ordered for the dealer's wife (but he sold it to us). Our car had a 400/2bbl with plenty of pep, cruise control, power windows and door locks, and almost all of the other desirable options. I spent a lot of time in those back seats and I can tell you that they were fine for short trips, but I would not have wanted to ride in them as an adult, lol!
One thing I would mention, to your point regarding comfort and luxury, is that Mercury did an excellent job of maintaining the "Lincoln wagon" impression with this model for many years following your 1974 example. We owned a 1986 Marquis Colony Park that I frankly believe was the best of the three wagons we owned of this model. That car only had a 351 as it's most powerful engine choice, but the addition of a well-geared four-speed automatic, versus the three-speeds on the 1970's cars, made for a vehicle that had as much, if not more acceleration than the big blocks of the '70s. We towed a 3,000 pound boat with it regularly and had no issues. The '86 also had a better suspension and was more capable towing our boat than the '73 was. From a luxury standpoint, I would agree that the 73 had a more "cushy" interior, but the '86 was still extremely comfortable for long trips and was much better on fuel than the big 400 in our '73.
I loved all three of our big Merc wagons! 😉😎
I love all of your classic Ford's, but this might be my favorite. Rare and well-optioned with the 460, and room for eight. Really brings me back to my elementary school days in the '80's. I had a green 1978 Colony Park Matchbox car that was a favorite. Thanks Adam.
Amazing, when I was a kid, I hated these full-size wagons. Never understood the appeal, now I do, thanks to your presentation. I sincerely believe you are good enough to sell snow cones in Antartica. After each of your videos I think to myself: Man....I need one of these (whatever it is)!
As a wagon man, I must say I really loved this episode. I always wanted my parents to buy a wagon. They finally did … my freshman year in high school … the time I started liking coupes.
In going back in my mind to 1974, I can take inventory of all the wagons among my parents’ friends.
Two had Mercury Colony Parks (one light yellow, one rust, both with woodgrain - probably the two richest of my parents’ friends). One had a Ford Country Sedan (white). One had a Ford Falcon (white). One had a Chrysler Town & Country (light blue - no wood grain). Three had big Dodges (1 Monaco, light blue with woodgrain / 2 Polara, both medium blue). One had a Dodge Coronet Crestwood (olive green with woodgrain). One had a Plymouth Custom Suburban (gold with woodgrain). One had a Plymouth Belvedere white, with red interior - it was pretty). One had an Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser with clamshell (blue, with woodgrain - another wealthy family). One had a Pontiac Catalina (white - pre clamshell) Two had Chevrolet Kingswoods (one a woodgrain Estate, white, one plain, orange) with the clamshell tailgates. Two had Chevrolet Malibus (one a sickly light yellow, one brown - for some reason I really liked that plain wagon). We would eventually get an Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser, maroon. I drove the wheels off that wagon … literally.
This mix is clearly not synced to national sales statistics … just a peak at one neighborhood in a medium sized Southern city in 1974, where blue wagons were really popular. I think dealerships had much more sway on car buying back then. Where my neighborhood’s main street joined the highway, there sat three automobile dealers - Dodge, Lincoln-Mercury and AMC. Everyone knew the owners of those dealerships. Nowadays people aren’t as loyal and dealerships are owned by big conglomerates.
At the time, I really liked the clamshell wagons. I liked the forward facing third seats and the extra space at the back. BUT, I remember seeing many of them, after a few years, with tailgates sagging and off center or with the woodgrain scuffed … and I remember a few where the windows no longer met the gates.
If I could go back, I would get a mid-70s Torino Squire or Montego Villager with woodgrain. Those are gorgeous!
Those were good times to be a kid!
Fascinating! I was 10 in 1974 and it would be easier to recount the relatives and family friends who did NOT have a wagon than the ones who did. Let's just say from the late 60s to the late 70s they ranged from a very compact, manual Toyota Corona wagon driven by a family at our church to the massive Blue Mercury an uncle drove in the early 70s . Another uncle and aunt drove a 1972 Mercury Montego in dark green with wood paneling and green vinyl interior. Sadly, the Ontario salt knocked it off the road by the early 80s.
@@rightlanehog3151 that 72 Montego sounds like the car I would have loved to have.
@@toddbonin6926 My uncle had a large property and was quite prosperous. For some reason he left his old cars disintegrating in the depths of the back yard for years . The rusty Montego had the same fate. I have been hoping Adam has a Montego in his collection but so far we have not seen it.
They were the times, you could tell what kind of car it was from a distance, even at night! Now all the cars look the same. I have to see the grill to know what kind of car it is.
@@paulne1514 😁
Thanks for this video. I spent the duration absolutely drooling
Back in the early '70s I had a Hot Wheel (or maybe a Matchbox) of a red 1968 Colony Park with 2 dogs looking outside the back window. One of my friends jokingly threw it out in the yard and I never found it. I'm still sad.
Oh, yes, my favorite car ever, the 70s Colony Parks, Sure I was born in the 2000s, years after station wagons were popular, but the archaic aesthetic of these cars are grand!
A slogan Ford used around 1970: "Marquis Colony Park: If Lincoln Continental made a station wagon, this would be it". Sounds like the ride certainly lives up to that!
Interestingly, the Mercury wagons brochure for 1974 shows a model similar to this, though more orange looking and with cornering lamps and the optional wheel covers Adam mentioned. This same interior is featured, plus an even more luxurious "Grand Marquis Luxury Trim Option" in leather and vinyl.
I remember our similar '76 Country Squire quite fondly. Very "proud" looking cars.
With so much horror and frustration today, we can turn to your channel for balm to the spirit. Non-political, non-traumatizing topics. 🙏Peace Be With You. Mr Adam.🙏
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Thank you for sharing Adam. The Mercury Colony Park was indeed luxurious. I think they were quite luxurious inside compared to the GM versions in the 1970's and 1980's even though I would take a Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser version 1987-1990 because of the location of certain controls. Mercury put better interiors on their cars. GM put base model interiors in their wagons until they were redesigned in the early 1990's. This is great example.
The similarity of your 1974 wagon's features to my 1987 and 1991 Crown Victoria wagons is striking. I see many features in your Mercury that are either the same ( interior ) as my Fords or similar. My 1987 was one of about 18,000 produced and by 1991 my other wagon, they were down to only 3,800 approx.. This was the last year that Ford produced the big wagon and also Mercury. My other car is a 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis LS 50th Anniversary Edition in dark blue metallic paint with gold anodized exterior trim and trunk lid luggage rack. The Fords ride great but the Mercury rides even better. And due to the fuel injection system and overdrive transmission she has given me 24 mpg on a long trip and 16 to 19 around town. Love your 1974. She is definently a keeper !
I had a 1991 Grand Marquis sedan and it provided impressive highway fuel efficiency when driven at a sensible speed.
My family owned many memorable wagons through the years; a '71 Olds Vista Cruiser with a 350 4 barrel Rocket V8 and that beautiful full fixed glass roof over the rear seat; a '73 Custom Cruiser Clamshell, which was quite luxurious, actually, and a '78 Chrysler Town & Country Wagon with the 440 4V- THAT was quite the land yacht. I must say though, my last wagon was a 1995 Buick Roadmaster with the 350 engine taken straight out of that year's Corvette, making 330bhp, and that car was a true joy to drive.
Thank you for your wonderful videos.
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I love wagons!! Wagons are, in my opinion, very under rated. My grandfather traded in a Chevrolet wagon every 3-4 years. As a kid the one I liked the most was a ‘74 Caprice Estate (similar in color), however after seeing this Colony Park I will say it is more luxurious and “Lincoln like” compared to the Caprice. Beautiful example!
We had a 73 Caprice Estate and I can say Ford's wagons were definitely smoother.
Essas station wagons eram realmente únicas, aqui no Brasil a GM fez a Chevrolet Caravan, que era baseada em um modelo da Opel.
Tivemos algumas dessas station wagons americanas por aqui que pertenciam aos consulados.
what you say ?
@@privatedata665 Here in Brazil GM use to make a station wagons based on the Opel Rekord station wagon. It was colled Chevrolet Caravan, this model was produced from mid 1970 until 1992, If I remember correctly.
Great video! Of all your cars, this is now my all-time favorite. I grew up with station wagons and still love them. This 1 is a gem.
Funny side note, as a police officer in 1975, we had a Ford Galaxie wagon for "utility" use. Was the 400 ci engine. Did pretty well, except for trying to chase down a Corvette one night, but that's another story.
I'm 69 YO...and I appreciate these classic cars from the 70's. What a beautiful classic car!
It's an overlooked decade, full of excellent vehicles.
I love this Adam. I have quite a few wagons incl a 1978 Colony Park. I drove it across the USA and it was terrific. Rides better than my 74 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser. Your Colony Park is terrific. Love the colour. In terms of hidden headlights. The 72 and 73 Monaco wagons had them too (I don’t have a wagon but do have two sedans and a 72 Plymouth Sport Suburban). One accessory I found for my 74 LTD Country Squire is the original Ford checker board table with magnetised checkers, complete with Ford crest. Very cool.
I wish that I would have kept mine. I'm sure that back in the day, there would have been the right chick to come along who would accept me for my Mercury.. 😆
@@ryanpotts4322 she would be a keeper too Ryan 😀
Adam, all your cars run beautifully. Could you make a video of how you set your carburetors (choke & idle mixture screws)?
I believe he does have a few videos on that topic
If I remember Ford put plastic limiting caps on the idle mixture screw's so they can't be adjusted out of factory spec. Don't know about the choke?
Hey there I know how to tune them.. usually it's all about the choke/idle screw. I do it by ear and the choke is easy too on these morotcraft 2150
I'm a forever wagon guy. And this tickled my pickle. Awsom. And in amazing shape. I see in the future a high demand for older wagons. You just cant find anything in the market today that compares as far as functionality. These fit so many chanras. Utility, sport, family, apocalyptic, lol. Whatever you need it to do it dose. Lol. God bless. Great video.
My parents bought a brand new one in '76, that thing was amazing.
Great wagon, Adam. Just curious… how do you keep the batteries in your collection from fully discharging? Do you have trickle chargers on them, or do you just start them all on a regular schedule? And how about keeping your gasoline fresh? Thanks! 👍👍👍
My grandfather bought a new 1976 country squire. He died in 1986. He left me the car. We were close and I could not bear to sell nor drive it. It has been in the barn until this summer. It looks like new. The motor was stuck. It's almost back to road ready. Red duro-weave interior. 56k on the odometer. Going to get her back to cherry and go fishing with my grandpa again.
Good for you!
Really great that you kept it and that you are going to get it back on the road.
@@jeffreysproul9110 It has hydroboost brakes. That's been a learning experience to say the least.
Awesome car. My uncle had a 74 country squire camper special. Brings back good memories
Still want a station wagon. Great road trip cars. Great memories