When you get older (like me), you discover that you are built more for comfort than speed! I really appreciate a smooth, comfortable car. Too bad that they are no longer built.
Well said! But my dream car, since age 8, has always been the Citroën DS 19/21/23 from the 50s, 60s and 70s. 30 years later I finally got to drive one-and I wasn't disappointed! But this is nice. Very big by UK standards, so parking will always be, er, awkward... Thanks for the video!
To see this car in motion is a real treat. Well done! I can not tell you how your videos of cars of an era gone by are a fantastic tutorial of the climate of the past. Your videos describe for a generation of this "tick tockey" crowd how important and justified these times truly were. Despite what they are taught to dismiss. I can appreciate the way you go through with the painstaking detail of the sculpture of a car. Your knowledge I have found to be impeccable. Not bad for a corporate bean counter..lol.
He says Pontiac Bonneville was the only GM car that was in the same class as Mercury......what ???? Did he ever hear of CADILLAC !!! Standard of the WORLD back in the day, ain't no way a Pontiac competes with a Cadillac.....Buick and Oldsmobile beat the Pontiac too in terms of ride,etc. Cadillac WAS the top, followed by Lincoln, Mercury, Chrysler
Dad had one for several years back in the late 80's till about the early 2000's. He lovingly referred to her as the "Uncle Buck Special". it was a '74 coupe, Brown on brown like yours. I remember driving down to Indiana University in Bloomington from Northwest Indiana. 200 miles of effortless travel visiting my brother & sis at school. In that ol' girl, the drive back at night on a mostly pitch black Interstate 65 required an extra large coffee because she was almost too comfy. Thanks again Adam for sharing another wonderful piece of American automotive history...
@@nealsidor1323 Thanks! Often wondered if the engine was really that "whooped", or did they just pull a few plug wires and inject oil into the carb somehow to get it to run so badly
Oh we are from the same area! I’m in Chicago Heights, IL and recently graduated IU a few months ago. It’s always cool to run into someone on the internet from your area. I can only imagine how great IU was back then with these boats roaming around. Today the campus is full of soulless Subarus and Hondas.
@@kingxcamm Well back in the early to mid '90s, most of the land yachts were parents dropping off or visiting. There were also a few campus cruisers. Bloomington, being a college town always had alot of small economy cars due to the parking situation. Congratulations on surviving IU 👍
I had one and it was amazing. You could drive non-stop from Lubbock to Dallas (300+ miles) and be as rested as you were when you started. Wish I still had it.
When I was in my 20's, My dad had a 1978 Grand Marquis for a few years. It was Dove Grey inside and out with cloth interior. It had the 400 not the 460 but I never found myself complaining about anything when driving that car. Most comfortable interior of any car I've driven. One of my friends found & gave me a gaudy Captains hat as a gag but to his surprise, I would wear it from time to time & embarrass him & my other friends. It was hilarious.
@@danielulz1640 Yes, lots of beautiful greens. Neighbors of ours in the early seventies had a 1970 Ford Thunderbird and a 1970 Dodge Charger, both pine green. A few doors down was a 1971 Ford LTD Country Squire wagon in the same color.
@@jetsons101 Yep, we had a gold-ish couch with tweedy olive green flecks, strewn with yellow, beige, and orange macramé pillows, over wall-to-wall real shag carpet (meaning not just any deep-pile carpet and not fake fur but a lush, long-pile carpet consisting of dense, long, yarn-like strands) in mottled orange, olive green, and deep yellow, all backed by dark-stained wood walls.
The exterior driving shot was a great addition! And I would agree that these are probably the most comfortable cars. From the seats to the suspension, they're just great to experience with your own behind! I'd be tempted to find one of these just to take the seats out and turn them into home furniture (comfortable but also nice looking). What impresses me is how they were able to extract so much comfort using what is extremely basic tech. Of course they'll never make another car with a focus on comfort- too much attention on handling. All that sidewall really helps! I'd guess many drivers today would get behind the wheel of this and think it was dangerous, with how soft the suspension is. Those of us in the know would just take it easy with the gas pedal and actually do the speed limit... at least until we hit a straight away out on the open roads. Thanks for sharing this one with us again. While your early videos were great, you've really come into your own as a presenter. Glad to see the channel grow over the past year! Can't believe it's been that long.
people who aren't American always seem so perplexed of why we love these big land yachts. they're slow, heavy, have very little interior space for the size, get horrible fuel mileage, and on and on. but they're so comfortable on a long trip, they're great to look at, and they remind us of a time before the internet and all the unnecessary technology that all modern vehicles have. I would rather drive an old lazy V8 land yacht than a modern supercar. don't get me wrong. I'd love to have the chance to drive a supercar. but if I could only have one car to drive the rest of my life. it would be a V8 land yacht from the 60's to 80's. most likely it would be a GM B-Body, but it would definitely be a rear wheel drive V8 full size car
very little could compare to the GM B body cars, i think the chevrolet caprice and impala were the best examples, and with a few very cheap options liek the F41 suspension and engine upgrade, gave them near sports car like handling. the chevrolet examples could compare on every level except for prestige.
In the late 1980’s I had a loaded 1974 Mercury Gran Marquis, battleship grey with nearly perfectly matched grey leather. Much comfort! Not fun in the parking lots though. I liked it a lot. I was a young man then and some of my friends liked to tease me about driving such a boat, they didn’t have a clue.
Around the same time, I was driving a '78 Buick Electra. All my college friends teased me, some calling it a "pimp mobile," but - as you said - they had no clue. One boasted about getting a new '85 VW Jetta for about $18K (mine cost less than $3K). What a joke! America used to do affordable luxury better than anyone else, but it's all gone now. What a shame.
For a car that is almost 50 years old it really is in amazing condition! I loved that color back then. There were quite a few Ford products in that color, with either a brown or white top around where I live. Those were such great cars that floated down the road like you were riding in a living room on wheels.
The Ginger Moondust on the Lincolns of the era is the nicest brown ever put on a car...it's just dark enough, has such depth, and it actually sparkles. It's nothing like the way some browns can be too blah.
Yeah I remember that one too. I also like the one where the neurosurgeon is performing brain surgery right there on the back seat. That was my favorite.
Adam, as I mentioned many times before, my 1974 460 LTD Brougham was purchased new in Ginger Glow Metallic paint. It was so unique and fully optioned that Ford had pulled it off the line and put it through some test time before delivery to the dealer. One outstanding note on Ford's report was a 64 decibel interior sound level at 60 m.p.h. A great number even today. The ride was vastly superior compared to its competition. I miss that car!
That's awesome! It is true, Ford apparently random tested cars as they came off the assembly line. I have all the paperwork (sadly not the car) from my father's 1975 Mercury Montego Villager wagon that he purchased new and it contained a test sheet as well with the vin#. It gave the results of passing acceleration (30-50, 50-70), maximum braking distance (30-0, 50-0), fuel economy, and interior sound dbs. He gave me a box of old car brochures from when he would go car shopping and the brochure, along with the bill of sale and all of the paperwork, including the owners manual, was in that box. He kept that Montego over 30 years and could not part with it...it was such a comfortable car to drive and held many good family memories. Both my brother and I learned to drive in it and it was used on all of our family vacations all around North America. It is why I have a 1978 Ford LTD ll Sport today, which from out the windshield, is very familiar.
@@Drewsky840 What happened to rhe Montego? My parents finally traded it in back in 2008. They were both retired and the car needed some cosmetic work...rust was begining to show in spots. They didnt need a third car so they traded it in on a new Impala LTZ. I considered in taking it at the time...but I ended up passing on it, which later on I regretted. It would have made a great boulevard cruiser all fixed up. It was in great condition but it did need some paint and body work. Lots of great memories in that car...took us all over North America on several cross country trips in Canada and the States.
Had a ‘75 Coupe de Ville that was a very comfortable, smooth riding car with AC that would turn the interior into a meat locker and would deliver 19 mpg @ 70 miles per hour.
A great vlog! Comfort is the game, and these knocked it out of the park! My dad’s two best friends who drove Chrysler and GM, were blown away by the comfort of our ‘72 Marquis Brougham triple green 4dr. And dad loved the long gearing and the great C6 transmission-55 in first , 90 mph in second. Lots of great hwy trips in that gem.
I owned a 1975 Mercury Grand Marquis and a friend who owned Buick’s all her life said that she had never been in a car that rode so smooth and was so quiet.
I had a dear elderly neighbor who had a new one back in the 70's. It was painted a perfect gold color and he called it his gold nugget. He was such a nice man. Great memories growing up as his neighbor. Now I know why he had that car. 🙏
Another great Marquis video! I never get tired of them... I've said it before, but when these cars were new, they were the choice car for business owners, traveling salesmen, and anyone who wanted a mellow ride with plenty of room and comfort!
These should still be in production just as you see here. I've had 4 of them. All 2 doors & with the 460 engine. Very nice. Yes, the MOST comfortable car. Today's trash absolutely beats the crap out of you. This one is a real beauty too.
Adam, I'm in my 60's and have owned a lot of cars. I had a 74 Marquis Brougham with the same color scheme. It had the 460 PI engine and even a spotlight on the car. I had to travel a lot for work and that Car was so comfortable. I loved the way it drove, the power, the shifting all great. They haven't made them like this in a long long time. I will say a close second would be my 67 Pontiac Bonneville Executive. Keep up the good work !
I didn’t realize that my 1973 Country Sedan wagon had tilt steering until I got a Marti Report for it. Around 1912 were equipped with tilt wheel out of nearly 50,000 Country Sedans sold that year. Those plastic armrests on the doors can be fragile also. I have had to fix mine with 2 part plastic epoxy over the years. The seatbelt buckles are one year only also, I found that out the hard way. When I had to replace the drivers side “female” seatbelt buckle. I wound up swapping one of the buckles from the rear seat. I did replace that particular rear seat belt with a aftermarket set, so I would still have 6 sets of seatbelts in the wagon. I do use the shoulder harness in it.
You wouldn't be the first to find that out after years of ownership. I myself have surprised a couple of people over the decades by showing them. The conversation usually went like...oh I see u have tilt... Oh no actually it doesn't ....... yes it does.....see? The look on their faces was priceless! Actually, spotting tilts is easy if u know what to look for. A standard column has the ignition switch mounted high up, angled slightly backward. The tilt switch is low on the column, angled somewhat upwards.
I had an uncle that was a fan of LTDs and he owned them from the 60s up thru the mid 70s. His last LTD Brougham in 1975 was in my memory a very smooth and quiet car. In brown, no less with a very nice cloth interior. It was not easy on gas with the large engine it had, his only major complaint to my recollection.
Since 1973 when my uncle bought one it was my all time favorite car. There were a few top favorites but that one may have been my favorite. Thanks for showing that
I love these old Merc's. I grew up with several Mercury's around at various times. 1964 Monterey Breezeway. 1969 Cougar, 1971 Monterey Custom in that same pretty brown. 1971 Marquis Brougham. 1979 Marquis Brougham and a 1987 Sable. The local Lincoln Mercury dealer was friends with my dad and grandfather.
I had a 64 merc Monterey, 2 - 72 Marquis ,a 74 montego MX and a 67 merc Monterey! I've always been a FORD man ,for some reason I had all 5 of those Mercury's Simultaneously! LOL .
My grandfather bought a 1972 Mercury Grand Marquis Colony Park wagon new. It had the 460. He put different mufflers on it and boy did it rumble. He used it to tow a huge travel trailer. We went on many camping trips in that car. I loved it.
Thank you for sharing Adam. When I see cars like this I think about the 1970's tv shows that used so many Ford products back in the day. I knew people who owned cars like this as well. It is interesting what themes stayed with the Grand Marquis until the end. You know in Mexico the Marquis/Grand Marquis had Ford emblems and the Ford name on the car. Some even had Ford interiors. You can find them here on You Tube just by typing Ford Grand Marquis.
@@burlsigler8454 I own a 1996 Oldsmobile 98 and a 1992 Oldsmobile Toronado. I just recall these cars from many years ago and riding in them. I rode in a 1977 or 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. My mother's friend from my youth bought Mercury products. I also watch and observe many things too.
Great video! I had a 1969 Mercury Monterey with the 390 V8. It was like driving two living room sofas down the highway at 85 mph, as quietly and serenely as could be!
My uncle had the identical car. It was a gas pig. I remember driving 80 mph into Montreal and I could literally watch the gas gauge moving down. If we got 6 mpg we did well.
My Grandma had a 1975 Thunderbird with a 460. It was probably just as bad. She loved that car and kept it until the mid 90’s when she passed away. Unfortunately rust had pretty much taken it’s toll by then but it still ran well to the end. My aunts had smaller FWD cars and she never felt safe riding in those
Nice. Those Fords were cozy clouds I recall as a kid. A neighbourhood friend's parents had one and it was very smooth and comfortable. Not sure about Parc Avenue or Delta 98 of the same era as I did not experience those until1980s and they were smaller in size but very cozy in similar fashion. Your Mercury is an awesome road trip car for comfort to be sure..maybe not the gas though..lol.
Adam, Thanks for sharing your beautiful Mercury with us. My father had a ‘74 Monterey (Mercury’s entry level full-size model) as a company car and loved it.
Thank you for posting this video. My father had this same model in light blue metallic with a dark blue roof. It was a great car, very comfortable. I did not realize it is so rare, kind of a shame (although good for collectors!).
Congratulations Adam,this is a magnificent piece of machinery and yes there's a big chance this was (is) the most comfortable car ever. Back in the day it humiliates any foreign job in terms of comfort,i drove all manner of Rolls-Royce and they are laughable when compared to American.
My dad bought one of these brand new when I was about 8yrs old and I remember driving out of the dealership in the back seat. I didn't like it as much as the '66 Caprice he traded in but mom and dad loved it. It was a 4dr Marquis Brougham, white with a tan vinyl top, cream and tan interior, leather power seats and a 429 4v motor. They kept that car until after I graduated from high school. Both me and my younger brother learned to drive in it. Took my first driver's test and failed the parallel parking portion miserably. I do remember the tilt steering/turn signal lever just as you described. It was so thin it felt like it was flexing when you used it. You should have mentioned the horn. The inside rim of the steering wheel was a rubber strip that you pushed with your fingertips to blow it. The coolant in the cooling system was forever brown. I remember dad flushing the system several times and even had it professionally done a few times. Always brown again in short time. Took many family trips in it and towed our boat, too. It was the family workhorse since our other car was a '72 MGB convertible. I've never seen another like it since and your video brought back some good memories 👍
I had an 86 grand marquis ls, fully loaded complete with pillow top seats. It was in every aspect a town car, it had all the options the town cars had. Most comfortable car I ever had.. to sit in or to drive. 10/10 I will buy one again some day
Adam, GREAT video, as ever! Really gorgeous car. And when you mentioned your other '73 Marquis Brougham, baby blue, with white vinyl top and upholstery, I'd forgotten about that car. But I remember it now! I remember that it just shouted "GOLF!" to me. Please give us another look.
Nice to hear the tip about taking the tension out of the window regulators for storage. I have been doing that on my '70s-80s Fords for years. You can feel and see it in the door panel on '80s Panthers. Another great video, thanks!
🇺🇸🌿🌿Absolutely beautiful Marquis. I was eleven years old when that car was new. They were amazingly beautiful then, and still are today 🌿🌿🇺🇸 Bless you for giving it a great home.
Fords of this ilk were never my cup of tea but I do get the appeal. As a GM guy I must admit they had superior ride and body rigidity compared to the 71-76 big GM’s. GM’s in those years had far superior handling though and early 70’s GM engines while inferior to 60’s engines in terms of power, economy and reliability were better than same year ford products. To each his own!
Growing up, I always considered myself a Ford guy. When I got a little older and was educated out of my ignorance, I realized how true your comments are. My older brother always said Ford stood for: Freakin Old Rebuilt Dodge But he used the more profane version of Freakin.....
Talking about the steering wheel tilt feature, when I worked in the parts department at a Ford dealership, I had a customer who ordered a turn signal switch. He said I got him the wrong one. He kept insisting he didn't have a tilt wheel. I went out and showed him it did, and he was gobsmacked. He'd owned the car for twenty years and never knew it had a tilt wheel.
Not surprised at all..It was just a clumsy and inconvenient feature, most likely for cost savings. Remember the Ford Fairmont that you had to push in on the turn signal lever to honk the horn. Stupid too.
"Hi, My name is Rick... and I confess I love big cars!" LOL You were absolutely right when you said how just a few short years ago, and for decades before, you couldn't even give these monsters away. I totally understand why, but at the same time I love them just the same. Dad drove massive Merc's like this back in the day, and my first car was a '65 Olds 98, also a member of that "big boat" club. Gotta love em, but I'm not even sure one would fit in my garage these days!
Wow this brings back memories. My mother drove a four door 1969 Ford Thunderbird and my dad drove a 1970 Mercury Marquis Brougham. I was 16 in 1970 and my mother would let me take her car to go cruising with my friends on Friday nights. Love you Mercury.
What a treat to see this car featured. And I love your comment about it looking like a UPS Executive's car! As an owner of a '73 Brougham pillared hardtop, I can attest that the only issues with these are the window motors and the carburetor, as you said. Lastly, I agree with you -- these cars have a ride experience that is really unequaled. Just set the cruise control, dial up the Automatic Temperature Control, pop in an 8-track and watch the miles melt away.
The one we grew up in was also in brown--even having seen your other Marquis, to see this on in brown brought back a whole additonal set of memories! Great find and wonderful for you to share it!
Agree with your review Adam. The Marquis are so cool. I have the later ones 1976, 1977 and 1978 incl a wagon and they drive so well. They are handsome and solidly built. Very cool and so glad I bought mine before they became more popular. Your opening scenes were done by Quinn Martin. Wasn’t it? 😊
Ha hah. (Am I the only one buying all the great Quinn Martin series to see the cool cars? Generally furnished by Ford Motor Company. Think The FBI, Canon, Streets of San Francisco).
I'm more of a Tom McCahill kind of guy. My wife had a '71 LTD when we got married, I put 1.3/8" shocks all the way around. Later we rented a '75 LTD and she remarked on the ride. I told her I could make hers ride just like it, she asked how? I told her I'd just take the shocks off it. It really had a pillowy ride but just felt completely out of control. I really prefer some rebound control.
I’m with you. A friend’s dad had one, a ‘73, and I got to drive it once in my youth, around 1976. It was cushy, sure, but my family drove Chryslers and I was used to being in control of a car. It made me uneasy to drive that Mercury. I admired the classy look, especially compared to the plain Jane ‘73 Newport my dad had. But the Mercury also seemed cramped inside compared to that cavernous Newport.
I was a kid when these big Mercury cars were new. I remember spotting one back then and thinking that it looked so solid, generous, American and comfortable. "That is what sophisticated grown-ups would drive, " I thought. Yours is all of these great things and it is also immaculate. The big V8 "American automobile" seems to have gone the way of the do-do bird. For the most part these days, this great part of U.S. tradition, might and pride has been replaced sadly only by pickup trucks and some SUV offerings. Currently, only a small handful of domestic "performance car" models bring any excitement, Americanness nostalgia and fun to life. Enjoy your beautiful Mercury and thanks for posting this!
Beautiful car. In about 15 minutes I’ll be perusing CL and doing online searches for these Mercury’s..but a mid to late 70’s Mark or Towncar would drive as good or not better, would it not? Idk..I’m thinking it’s not outside the realm of possibility that Mercury put something unique and special with this model.
Our family car all through the 70s was the 4 door version; the word for these: SMOOTH. Ours was very reliable-I do recall Dad complaining about how easy it was to flood. And one very cold morning the back window shattered on its own. That window motor failure was extremely common. FoMoCo used that same design as late as the 97 Super Duty trucks, at least. I seem to recall some Chryslers used them as well (80s Fifth Avenue, etc.) When I was in business I would buy the nylon bushings by the dozen from the Auveco distributor.
Growing up these were not even considered interesting but they no longer make such vehicles and finding a good one is now greater appreciated. Oil crisis, what oil crisis was a later headline
My grandfather had one of these. Same year & color. His had a white top tho. With the 429. He bought it new in 1973. He had it 20 years. The car treated him very well. It was always an absolute joy to ride in it with him. And it did float down the road. The top did start to bubble up at about 10 years old. My uncle at the time was a service manager at a local Cadillac dealership. So he had the bodyshop put on a new top for him. In the 20 years he had it. That was about the only major repair the car needed. He sold it at about 80k miles. I was devastated. I wanted to buy from him. He refused to sell it to me. He told me a 20 year old kid doesn't need a car like that. Even with the 429 it never lacked power. The drivetrain was stellar. Very smooth. And did have ice cold A/C!
As a former GM fan, I had no interest in Mercury's and most Ford's at the time, but I will now admit the Ford's and Mercury's seem like better car's than the GM cars. The ride, the fit and finish was much better on the Ford products than the GM cars or the Chrysler products.
@@Henry_Jones pretty much anything made by GM I was done with. I had three cars in a row made by GM that were really bad and I moved on. I did try GM cars again much later, but still had problems with them and won't buy another now.
@@craigcardwell4143 i had 2 gm cars. One was garbage and one was the best car Ive ever had. Quad4 achieva was rubbish in every way, 3800 powered buick regal was exceptional. The way i see it with gm is the smaller the car the worse it is compared to the competition.
I think we just got lucky with GM. The first car I remember my Mom driving was a 1985 Buick Park Avenue that she put well over 200,000 miles, my Dad’s only new vehicle purchase was a 1995 GMC Sierra Ext cab 2WD. It had the standard 350/auto. He used it as a business truck and to make deliveries. I inherited from him at over 300,000 miles and I drove it until 400,000 plus. I sold it to buy my current 2005 Silverado 5.3. I’m currently at 275,000 miles. The only thing we ever replaced on the ‘95 was the alternator and my ‘05 has only ever had the water pump replaced. From what I understand GM cars aren’t quite as good as their trucks.
I sold my '78 with the 460, about 10 years ago after hitting a deer dead center at 65 mph. I was able to drive it 3 hours to get home. Most comfortable car I can remember. I commuted weekly across the Cascade Mountain passes in Oregon for work. With studs on all four the long wheelbase, weight, and supple ride gave it exceptional road holding on rough packed snow.
We had a 73 Marquis Brougham when I was a kid back in the early 70s... dark green. This video sure brought back some memories (especially the trip to took from FL to MD in our Marquis that included my parents up front and my two (stupid) sisters and I in the back). LOL Awesome car no doubt!!!
I had a '73 Ford LTD (Australia). This reminds me of it a lot. The engine was a smaller V8 and different interior details, but i can clearly see the same DNA. That's a very clean car you have there.
I can understand the appreciation found in your car. I would submit there are some newer ones to be appreciated too. I have a '94 Grand Marquis, air suspension, 174,000 on it and I will tell you it is still a very quiet, smooth riding car. The 4.6L teamed with the AOD overdrive trans, 8 way power seats BOTH sides, not just the driver, leather seats. I have committed to keep this car rolling for my lifetime because it is a huge, spacious and oh so comfortable car.
My uncle Bob had several of these cars in various dark colors in the 70's and would take them for a road trip for two months each summer, starting in his home town of Walla Walla WA, looping through the lower 48 states and hitting the halfway mark at my grandmother's house in Franklin NC. Immense in size, with a quiet, velvety smooth ride but very restrained styling and a trunk you could live in. He kept them immaculate and religiously serviced them, changing the oil and rotating the tires every three thousand miles. My mom's 1973 Eldorado was flashier and a tad faster (that 502 with the front wheel drive was a beast) but these cars were sublimely superb in their own way. A truly elegant and beautiful automobile.
My Aunt had a 1976 (I think) Grand Marquis Brougham. It was white with a green vinyl roof and green interior. Beautiful car. I was very young but I remember that car vividly. Especially how the HVAC controls would hiss loudly when you changed the settings. And the trademark clicking of the doors opening and closing.
So you're saying a Living Room on wheels.
Yeah, ain't it wonderful!
More like a smoking lounge on wheels.
Probably bigger than the living room I had when I first married and moved out.
@@johndrake2729 Being from the 70's it probably has 6 ash trays, two for the adults and four for the kids. It was the 70's
@@Just1American1966 Engine works like a RMS Queen Elizabeth.
When you get older (like me), you discover that you are built more for comfort than speed! I really appreciate a smooth, comfortable car. Too bad that they are no longer built.
I got a hold of an old Grand Prix years ago had the most choked out 301ever but good Lord the smoothness of the ride!
I love that song . Bill for comfort not for speed.
Well said!
But my dream car, since age 8, has always been the Citroën DS 19/21/23 from the 50s, 60s and 70s. 30 years later I finally got to drive one-and I wasn't disappointed!
But this is nice. Very big by UK standards, so parking will always be, er, awkward...
Thanks for the video!
A 90s LS400 is about the newest I would go, size aesthetic notwithstanding.
Check out the Mercedes S-Class. It has an incredibly isolated ride. Unbelievably quiet, almost not NVH, very comfortable seats, and pretty quick too.
I had a 1977 Grand Marquis two door hardtop,...had the 460 motor and it was a sled. Loved that car and how it just floated down the highway. Memories.
To see this car in motion is a real treat. Well done! I can not tell you how your videos of cars of an era gone by are a fantastic tutorial of the climate of the past. Your videos describe for a generation of this "tick tockey" crowd how important and justified these times truly were. Despite what they are taught to dismiss. I can appreciate the way you go through with the painstaking detail of the sculpture of a car. Your knowledge I have found to be impeccable. Not bad for a corporate bean counter..lol.
I submit that the Big Fords and Mercurys were some of the Best Riding Cars of that Era...Never had one that rode rough..beautiful Example..
"Road" rough? Or rode rough?
Hi dear Bill
Kindly how I can contact you?
I'm interesting to buy this car
He says Pontiac Bonneville was the only GM car that was in the same class as Mercury......what ???? Did he ever hear of CADILLAC !!! Standard of the WORLD back in the day, ain't no way a Pontiac competes with a Cadillac.....Buick and Oldsmobile beat the Pontiac too in terms of ride,etc. Cadillac WAS the top, followed by Lincoln, Mercury, Chrysler
@@ITILII < Mercury ride was better had better quality. Cadillac and Olds were too mushy. Olds had a quality problem.
@@melrose9252 Oldsmobile never had quality problems until 1974. For heaven sakes tiffany signed with them.
Dad had one for several years back in the late 80's till about the early 2000's. He lovingly referred to her as the "Uncle Buck Special". it was a '74 coupe, Brown on brown like yours.
I remember driving down to Indiana University in Bloomington from Northwest Indiana.
200 miles of effortless travel visiting my brother & sis at school.
In that ol' girl,
the drive back at night on a mostly pitch black Interstate 65 required an extra large coffee because she was almost too comfy.
Thanks again Adam for sharing another wonderful piece of American automotive history...
I keep trying to figure out what year Uncle Buck's Merc was.....
@@fleetwin1
I think it was a '76 or '77 Marquis Brougham...
@@nealsidor1323 Thanks! Often wondered if the engine was really that "whooped", or did they just pull a few plug wires and inject oil into the carb somehow to get it to run so badly
Oh we are from the same area! I’m in Chicago Heights, IL and recently graduated IU a few months ago. It’s always cool to run into someone on the internet from your area. I can only imagine how great IU was back then with these boats roaming around. Today the campus is full of soulless Subarus and Hondas.
@@kingxcamm
Well back in the early to mid '90s, most of the land yachts were parents dropping off or visiting. There were also a few campus cruisers.
Bloomington, being a college town always had alot of small economy cars due to the parking situation.
Congratulations on surviving IU 👍
I had one and it was amazing. You could drive non-stop from Lubbock to Dallas (300+ miles) and be as rested as you were when you started. Wish I still had it.
When I was in my 20's, My dad had a 1978 Grand Marquis for a few years. It was Dove Grey inside and out with cloth interior. It had the 400 not the 460 but I never found myself complaining about anything when driving that car. Most comfortable interior of any car I've driven. One of my friends found & gave me a gaudy Captains hat as a gag but to his surprise, I would wear it from time to time & embarrass him & my other friends. It was hilarious.
That's classics LOL. I wish I could have seen that. LOL. This is a classic car.
Beautifully preserved vehicle. I miss those seventies brown colors, plus all the golds and oranges that were popular back then.
Don't forget the gorgeous greens.
1970s green gold and brown. No one did it better than Ford.
Nothing like a brown and orange floral couch with a dark wood coffee table......
@@danielulz1640 Yes, lots of beautiful greens. Neighbors of ours in the early seventies had a 1970 Ford Thunderbird and a 1970 Dodge Charger, both pine green. A few doors down was a 1971 Ford LTD Country Squire wagon in the same color.
@@jetsons101 Yep, we had a gold-ish couch with tweedy olive green flecks, strewn with yellow, beige, and orange macramé pillows, over wall-to-wall real shag carpet (meaning not just any deep-pile carpet and not fake fur but a lush, long-pile carpet consisting of dense, long, yarn-like strands) in mottled orange, olive green, and deep yellow, all backed by dark-stained wood walls.
The exterior driving shot was a great addition! And I would agree that these are probably the most comfortable cars. From the seats to the suspension, they're just great to experience with your own behind! I'd be tempted to find one of these just to take the seats out and turn them into home furniture (comfortable but also nice looking). What impresses me is how they were able to extract so much comfort using what is extremely basic tech. Of course they'll never make another car with a focus on comfort- too much attention on handling. All that sidewall really helps! I'd guess many drivers today would get behind the wheel of this and think it was dangerous, with how soft the suspension is. Those of us in the know would just take it easy with the gas pedal and actually do the speed limit... at least until we hit a straight away out on the open roads. Thanks for sharing this one with us again. While your early videos were great, you've really come into your own as a presenter. Glad to see the channel grow over the past year! Can't believe it's been that long.
Take it easy, but the 460!
460 one of the best engines made.
5 gallons to the mile.
HOMKY! I! (AM)! A! (CADILLAC)! MAN! (MYSELF)!
"...the clock is right twice a day..." your humor, Adam, is so subtle. Love it. Beautiful automobile.
"Nothing like the sound of a big block in the afternoon." Couldn't agree more! Thanks for a great review.
Electric cars will never match this. I watch these videos about classic cars and I want to cry.
people who aren't American always seem so perplexed of why we love these big land yachts. they're slow, heavy, have very little interior space for the size, get horrible fuel mileage, and on and on. but they're so comfortable on a long trip, they're great to look at, and they remind us of a time before the internet and all the unnecessary technology that all modern vehicles have. I would rather drive an old lazy V8 land yacht than a modern supercar. don't get me wrong. I'd love to have the chance to drive a supercar. but if I could only have one car to drive the rest of my life. it would be a V8 land yacht from the 60's to 80's. most likely it would be a GM B-Body, but it would definitely be a rear wheel drive V8 full size car
very little could compare to the GM B body cars, i think the chevrolet caprice and impala were the best examples, and with a few very cheap options liek the F41 suspension and engine upgrade, gave them near sports car like handling. the chevrolet examples could compare on every level except for prestige.
I’m totally agree with you.
In the late 1980’s I had a loaded 1974 Mercury Gran Marquis, battleship grey with nearly perfectly matched grey leather. Much comfort! Not fun in the parking lots though. I liked it a lot. I was a young man then and some of my friends liked to tease me about driving such a boat, they didn’t have a clue.
Around the same time, I was driving a '78 Buick Electra. All my college friends teased me, some calling it a "pimp mobile," but - as you said - they had no clue. One boasted about getting a new '85 VW Jetta for about $18K (mine cost less than $3K). What a joke! America used to do affordable luxury better than anyone else, but it's all gone now. What a shame.
What ever happened to the Ford L.T.D's those were some tough ass cars with the 460's in them. The movie gator showed that
@@danyjackson8351 < Gator had a 429.
Battleship grey is the best car color name I've ever heard
@@mvd4436 That's "gray" in America. buddy.
What a colour! Such a luxurious and glamorous-looking car! You live in a nice neighbourhood.
For a car that is almost 50 years old it really is in amazing condition! I loved that color back then. There were quite a few Ford products in that color, with either a brown or white top around where I live. Those were such great cars that floated down the road like you were riding in a living room on wheels.
No one did the warm and fuzzy Earth tone colors like Ford.
The Ginger Moondust on the Lincolns of the era is the nicest brown ever put on a car...it's just dark enough, has such depth, and it actually sparkles. It's nothing like the way some browns can be too blah.
Do you remember the commercials with the diamond cutter in the back seat ?
@@mdlclassguymdlclassguy6488 I sure do! I also remember that the quiet of the Ford LTD was compared to that of the Rolls Royce!
@@mdlclassguymdlclassguy6488 and the snl spoof. met the guy who played the rabbi in the skit. His proudest moment ! Look it up.
I always think of the commercial w the jeweler cutting a diamond in the back seat :)
Yeah I remember that one too. I also like the one where the neurosurgeon is performing brain surgery right there on the back seat. That was my favorite.
@@zephead4835 Wasn't there one where they did a circumcision? Or was that an SNL skit?
@@zephead4835 lol yup
@@DanEBoyd I think that was an SNL skit.
i have a new appreciation for this car that I've always passed by... thanks for such an excellent walk through.
Adam, as I mentioned many times before, my 1974 460 LTD Brougham was purchased new in Ginger Glow Metallic paint. It was so unique and fully optioned that Ford had pulled it off the line and put it through some test time before delivery to the dealer. One outstanding note on Ford's report was a 64 decibel interior sound level at 60 m.p.h. A great number even today. The ride was vastly superior compared to its competition. I miss that car!
That's awesome! It is true, Ford apparently random tested cars as they came off the assembly line. I have all the paperwork (sadly not the car) from my father's 1975 Mercury Montego Villager wagon that he purchased new and it contained a test sheet as well with the vin#. It gave the results of passing acceleration (30-50, 50-70), maximum braking distance (30-0, 50-0), fuel economy, and interior sound dbs. He gave me a box of old car brochures from when he would go car shopping and the brochure, along with the bill of sale and all of the paperwork, including the owners manual, was in that box. He kept that Montego over 30 years and could not part with it...it was such a comfortable car to drive and held many good family memories. Both my brother and I learned to drive in it and it was used on all of our family vacations all around North America. It is why I have a 1978 Ford LTD ll Sport today, which from out the windshield, is very familiar.
@@codyluka8355 what happened to the car?
@@Drewsky840 What happened to rhe Montego? My parents finally traded it in back in 2008. They were both retired and the car needed some cosmetic work...rust was begining to show in spots. They didnt need a third car so they traded it in on a new Impala LTZ. I considered in taking it at the time...but I ended up passing on it, which later on I regretted. It would have made a great boulevard cruiser all fixed up. It was in great condition but it did need some paint and body work. Lots of great memories in that car...took us all over North America on several cross country trips in Canada and the States.
Beautiful car and wonderful presentation video...
Had a ‘75 Coupe de Ville that was a very comfortable, smooth riding car with AC that would turn the interior into a meat locker and would deliver 19 mpg @ 70 miles per hour.
Man the sheen of that upholstery is gorgeous
A great vlog! Comfort is the game, and these knocked it out of the park! My dad’s two best friends who drove Chrysler and GM, were blown away by the comfort of our ‘72 Marquis Brougham triple green 4dr. And dad loved the long gearing and the great C6 transmission-55 in first , 90 mph in second. Lots of great hwy trips in that gem.
I owned a 1975 Mercury Grand Marquis and a friend who owned Buick’s all her life said that she had never been in a car that rode so smooth and was so quiet.
Man what a wonderful car. I would love just going for a cruise in that thing. Love the channel, keep up the good work!
I had a dear elderly neighbor who had a new one back in the 70's. It was painted a perfect gold color and he called it his gold nugget. He was such a nice man. Great memories growing up as his neighbor. Now I know why he had that car. 🙏
Another great Marquis video! I never get tired of them... I've said it before, but when these cars were new, they were the choice car for business owners, traveling salesmen, and anyone who wanted a mellow ride with plenty of room and comfort!
UNCLE BUCK: The 1970s Mercury Marquis in that movie was as much as a star as John Candy and Macaulay Culkin.
Amen brother. Great movie, great car.
(I've had 3 '76 Marquis)
These should still be in production just as you see here. I've had 4 of them. All 2 doors & with the 460 engine. Very nice. Yes, the MOST comfortable car. Today's trash absolutely beats the crap out of you. This one is a real beauty too.
Can't go anywhere without feeling like I'm being cruelly dragged down a dirt road in hard plastic racing seats.
OMG, a 3.25 axle , that must have been the drag race version .
Adam, I'm in my 60's and have owned a lot of cars. I had a 74 Marquis Brougham with the same color scheme. It had the 460 PI engine and even a spotlight on the car. I had to travel a lot for work and that Car was so comfortable. I loved the way it drove, the power, the shifting all great. They haven't made them like this in a long long time. I will say a close second would be my 67 Pontiac Bonneville Executive. Keep up the good work !
so beautiful and comfortable better than anything today
I didn’t realize that my 1973 Country Sedan wagon had tilt steering until I got a Marti Report for it. Around 1912 were equipped with tilt wheel out of nearly 50,000 Country Sedans sold that year. Those plastic armrests on the doors can be fragile also. I have had to fix mine with 2 part plastic epoxy over the years. The seatbelt buckles are one year only also, I found that out the hard way. When I had to replace the drivers side “female” seatbelt buckle. I wound up swapping one of the buckles from the rear seat. I did replace that particular rear seat belt with a aftermarket set, so I would still have 6 sets of seatbelts in the wagon. I do use the shoulder harness in it.
You wouldn't be the first to find that out after years of ownership. I myself have surprised a couple of people over the decades by showing them. The conversation usually went like...oh I see u have tilt...
Oh no actually it doesn't ....... yes it does.....see? The look on their faces was priceless!
Actually, spotting tilts is easy if u know what to look for. A standard column has the ignition switch mounted high up, angled slightly backward. The tilt switch is low on the column, angled somewhat upwards.
I had a new 73 Country Squire 400 loaded, and a new 77 CS 460 loaded. Neither rode even close to the 72 GMB. The 73 scaled at exactly 5,000#.
I had an uncle that was a fan of LTDs and he owned them from the 60s up thru the mid 70s. His last LTD Brougham in 1975 was in my memory a very smooth and quiet car. In brown, no less with a very nice cloth interior. It was not easy on gas with the large engine it had, his only major complaint to my recollection.
My 77 Cont. Town Car did 10 gas stations per mile.
Since 1973 when my uncle bought one it was my all time favorite car. There were a few top favorites but that one may have been my favorite. Thanks for showing that
Great video, takes me back to my childhood riding with my grandmother 👍🏾
I love these old Merc's. I grew up with several Mercury's around at various times. 1964 Monterey Breezeway. 1969 Cougar, 1971 Monterey Custom in that same pretty brown. 1971 Marquis Brougham. 1979 Marquis Brougham and a 1987 Sable. The local Lincoln Mercury dealer was friends with my dad and grandfather.
I had a 64 merc Monterey, 2 - 72 Marquis ,a 74 montego MX and a 67 merc Monterey! I've always been a FORD man ,for some reason I had all 5 of those Mercury's Simultaneously! LOL .
@@jerryparks6123 Love it!!
Beautiful piece, love the collection, thanks for sharing it with us along with the value range.
I think that's my favorite car out of your lineup Adam. Thank you once again for the shoutout. See you in about 3 weeks!
My grandfather bought a 1972 Mercury Grand Marquis Colony Park wagon new. It had the 460. He put different mufflers on it and boy did it rumble. He used it to tow a huge travel trailer. We went on many camping trips in that car. I loved it.
We had a 1973 Mercury Marquis Colony Park station wagon. It was green with the wood paneling. 429 ci. Great car.
Thank you for sharing Adam. When I see cars like this I think about the 1970's tv shows that used so many Ford products back in the day. I knew people who owned cars like this as well. It is interesting what themes stayed with the Grand Marquis until the end. You know in Mexico the Marquis/Grand Marquis had Ford emblems and the Ford name on the car. Some even had Ford interiors. You can find them here on You Tube just by typing Ford Grand Marquis.
OLDS98, do you own such a car? If you do,you know those are very smooth vehicles. I had 1 of those cars great atuo mobile.
@@burlsigler8454 I own a 1996 Oldsmobile 98 and a 1992 Oldsmobile Toronado. I just recall these cars from many years ago and riding in them. I rode in a 1977 or 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. My mother's friend from my youth bought Mercury products. I also watch and observe many things too.
had one as my police undercover survelliance car. used it on stakeouts and private security. loved it, I could sit in it for hours.
Great video! I had a 1969 Mercury Monterey with the 390 V8. It was like driving two living room sofas down the highway at 85 mph, as quietly and serenely as could be!
My uncle had the identical car. It was a gas pig. I remember driving 80 mph into Montreal and I could literally watch the gas gauge moving down. If we got 6 mpg we did well.
My Grandma had a 1975 Thunderbird with a 460. It was probably just as bad. She loved that car and kept it until the mid 90’s when she passed away. Unfortunately rust had pretty much taken it’s toll by then but it still ran well to the end. My aunts had smaller FWD cars and she never felt safe riding in those
My 72/429 GMB got 17 mpg with AC consistently.
My 73 Country Squire 400 got 14. 77 Squire 460 got 12.5. 73s took the smog hit.
Nice. Those Fords were cozy clouds I recall as a kid. A neighbourhood friend's parents had one and it was very smooth and comfortable. Not sure about Parc Avenue or Delta 98 of the same era as I did not experience those until1980s and they were smaller in size but very cozy in similar fashion. Your Mercury is an awesome road trip car for comfort to be sure..maybe not the gas though..lol.
Beautiful car and colour, I always liked the Lincolns, but I like this one even more. Thanks for sharing.
Adam, Thanks for sharing your beautiful Mercury with us. My father had a ‘74 Monterey (Mercury’s entry level full-size model) as a company car and loved it.
I did my road test examination in the 73 Ford Ranch wagon
Your camera work and such has been progressing nicely. Just wanted you to know someone noticed and that it's appreciated.
Wish he filmed in 60 fps. It's so much smoother for those drive bys.
Thank you for posting this video. My father had this same model in light blue metallic with a dark blue roof. It was a great car, very comfortable. I did not realize it is so rare, kind of a shame (although good for collectors!).
My dad had a 1973 Lincoln Town Car. What a car!!!! It weighed in at 5200 lbs and was 22.5' long.
Before it became the Panther Grand Marquis in 1979, it was a giant land yacht.
Less giant in Panther form but equally grand.
Congratulations Adam,this is a magnificent piece of machinery and yes there's a big chance this was (is) the most comfortable car ever.
Back in the day it humiliates any foreign job in terms of comfort,i drove all manner of Rolls-Royce and they are laughable when compared to American.
Ever drove a godess?
@@davidzoller9617 Yes, the DS are extraordinarily comfortable, though I really like the feel of a heavy car like my 1973 Eldorado by Cadillac.
@@randyfitz8310 I know, I was nuts for full size coupes.
Lmao rolls Royce compared to old Americans boats. You must be fucking joking
@@rundattmedia2106 And you don't know shit about cars
This is such a beautiful car! I've always wanted a 70s model high end "boat" car. Nothing can rival these!
My dad bought one of these brand new when I was about 8yrs old and I remember driving out of the dealership in the back seat. I didn't like it as much as the '66 Caprice he traded in but mom and dad loved it. It was a 4dr Marquis Brougham, white with a tan vinyl top, cream and tan interior, leather power seats and a 429 4v motor. They kept that car until after I graduated from high school. Both me and my younger brother learned to drive in it. Took my first driver's test and failed the parallel parking portion miserably. I do remember the tilt steering/turn signal lever just as you described. It was so thin it felt like it was flexing when you used it. You should have mentioned the horn. The inside rim of the steering wheel was a rubber strip that you pushed with your fingertips to blow it. The coolant in the cooling system was forever brown. I remember dad flushing the system several times and even had it professionally done a few times. Always brown again in short time. Took many family trips in it and towed our boat, too. It was the family workhorse since our other car was a '72 MGB convertible. I've never seen another like it since and your video brought back some good memories 👍
I had an 86 grand marquis ls, fully loaded complete with pillow top seats. It was in every aspect a town car, it had all the options the town cars had. Most comfortable car I ever had.. to sit in or to drive. 10/10 I will buy one again some day
I’m assuming those had the 5.0 engine ? If so it’s as close to bulletproof as a car can get
All Grand Marquis and Town Cars since I was 19. Grand Marquis is just an economy Town Car. Had one Cadillac--no comparison. I prefer big Fords.
Adam, GREAT video, as ever! Really gorgeous car. And when you mentioned your other '73 Marquis Brougham, baby blue, with white vinyl top and upholstery, I'd forgotten about that car. But I remember it now! I remember that it just shouted "GOLF!" to me. Please give us another look.
The baby blue Merc with white roof and interior shouts white shoes and belt to me.
@@zephead4835 Been on a golf course in Florida?
Nice to hear the tip about taking the tension out of the window regulators for storage. I have been doing that on my '70s-80s Fords for years. You can feel and see it in the door panel on '80s Panthers. Another great video, thanks!
🇺🇸🌿🌿Absolutely beautiful Marquis. I was eleven years old when that car was new. They were amazingly beautiful then, and still are today
🌿🌿🇺🇸 Bless you for giving it a great home.
Fords of this ilk were never my cup of tea but I do get the appeal. As a GM guy I must admit they had superior ride and body rigidity compared to the 71-76 big GM’s.
GM’s in those years had far superior handling though and early 70’s GM engines while inferior to 60’s engines in terms of power, economy and reliability were better than same year ford products. To each his own!
Growing up, I always considered myself a Ford guy. When I got a little older and was educated out of my ignorance, I realized how true your comments are.
My older brother always said Ford stood for:
Freakin
Old
Rebuilt
Dodge
But he used the more profane version of Freakin.....
Talking about the steering wheel tilt feature, when I worked in the parts department at a Ford dealership, I had a customer who ordered a turn signal switch. He said I got him the wrong one. He kept insisting he didn't have a tilt wheel. I went out and showed him it did, and he was gobsmacked. He'd owned the car for twenty years and never knew it had a tilt wheel.
That tilt system was one of Ford's best kept secrets...
Not surprised at all..It was just a clumsy and inconvenient feature, most likely for cost savings. Remember the Ford Fairmont that you had to push in on the turn signal lever to honk the horn. Stupid too.
"Hi, My name is Rick... and I confess I love big cars!" LOL You were absolutely right when you said how just a few short years ago, and for decades before, you couldn't even give these monsters away. I totally understand why, but at the same time I love them just the same. Dad drove massive Merc's like this back in the day, and my first car was a '65 Olds 98, also a member of that "big boat" club. Gotta love em, but I'm not even sure one would fit in my garage these days!
Wow this brings back memories. My mother drove a four door 1969 Ford Thunderbird and my dad drove a 1970 Mercury Marquis Brougham. I was 16 in 1970 and my mother would let me take her car to go cruising with my friends on Friday nights. Love you Mercury.
Knocked it out of the park. Yet again. I completely agree with you. This car has one purpose. Luxury ride quality.
My mom had one of these back in the early '80s only it was a yellow '74. It was nice alright!
What a treat to see this car featured. And I love your comment about it looking like a UPS Executive's car! As an owner of a '73 Brougham pillared hardtop, I can attest that the only issues with these are the window motors and the carburetor, as you said. Lastly, I agree with you -- these cars have a ride experience that is really unequaled. Just set the cruise control, dial up the Automatic Temperature Control, pop in an 8-track and watch the miles melt away.
Only other issue, which you’re aware of on your car is ATC blower switches ;)
The one we grew up in was also in brown--even having seen your other Marquis, to see this on in brown brought back a whole additonal set of memories! Great find and wonderful for you to share it!
Agree with your review Adam. The Marquis are so cool. I have the later ones 1976, 1977 and 1978 incl a wagon and they drive so well. They are handsome and solidly built. Very cool and so glad I bought mine before they became more popular. Your opening scenes were done by Quinn Martin. Wasn’t it? 😊
Of course
Ha hah. (Am I the only one buying all the great Quinn Martin series to see the cool cars? Generally furnished by Ford Motor Company. Think The FBI, Canon, Streets of San Francisco).
I'm more of a Tom McCahill kind of guy. My wife had a '71 LTD when we got married, I put 1.3/8" shocks all the way around. Later we rented a '75 LTD and she remarked on the ride. I told her I could make hers ride just like it, she asked how? I told her I'd just take the shocks off it. It really had a pillowy ride but just felt completely out of control. I really prefer some rebound control.
I’m with you. A friend’s dad had one, a ‘73, and I got to drive it once in my youth, around 1976. It was cushy, sure, but my family drove Chryslers and I was used to being in control of a car. It made me uneasy to drive that Mercury. I admired the classy look, especially compared to the plain Jane ‘73 Newport my dad had. But the Mercury also seemed cramped inside compared to that cavernous Newport.
This looks just like the one my Father owned! Loved riding in it! Now this is a real car! Outstanding! ❤️❤️❤️
So beautiful. I love those 70s Coupes very much. Awesome design and so much comfort.
I have a 74 LTD Brougham coupe,not technically that dissimiliar to this beautiful Marquis,that is very comfortable indeed
Fine--just send that black Lincoln coupe to me...
I was 13 years old in 1973, nice car thank you for sharing this video.
I was a kid when these big Mercury cars were new. I remember spotting one back then and thinking that it looked so solid, generous, American and comfortable. "That is what sophisticated grown-ups would drive, " I thought. Yours is all of these great things and it is also immaculate. The big V8 "American automobile" seems to have gone the way of the do-do bird. For the most part these days, this great part of U.S. tradition, might and pride has been replaced sadly only by pickup trucks and some SUV offerings. Currently, only a small handful of domestic "performance car" models bring any excitement, Americanness nostalgia and fun to life. Enjoy your beautiful Mercury and thanks for posting this!
Beautiful car. In about 15 minutes I’ll be perusing CL and doing online searches for these Mercury’s..but a mid to late 70’s Mark or Towncar would drive as good or not better, would it not? Idk..I’m thinking it’s not outside the realm of possibility that Mercury put something unique and special with this model.
Monster trucks and destruction derby’s claimed way to many of those great 60’s and 70’s full sized cars
Greetings from N Ireland, great video, absolutely love your car, hope you enjoy it for many years.
Our family car all through the 70s was the 4 door version; the word for these: SMOOTH. Ours was very reliable-I do recall Dad complaining about how easy it was to flood. And one very cold morning the back window shattered on its own. That window motor failure was extremely common. FoMoCo used that same design as late as the 97 Super Duty trucks, at least. I seem to recall some Chryslers used them as well (80s Fifth Avenue, etc.) When I was in business I would buy the nylon bushings by the dozen from the Auveco distributor.
Growing up these were not even considered interesting but they no longer make such vehicles and finding a good one is now greater appreciated. Oil crisis, what oil crisis was a later headline
Hard to call that a classic I was around when they were new. Hey I'm a classic too!
It's completely classic nowadays.
Great video and even better car. I had a 75 Continental coupe and it was great, just couldn’t keep it as I need a garage. Keep sharing!
My grandfather had one of these. Same year & color. His had a white top tho. With the 429. He bought it new in 1973. He had it 20 years. The car treated him very well. It was always an absolute joy to ride in it with him. And it did float down the road. The top did start to bubble up at about 10 years old. My uncle at the time was a service manager at a local Cadillac dealership. So he had the bodyshop put on a new top for him. In the 20 years he had it. That was about the only major repair the car needed. He sold it at about 80k miles. I was devastated. I wanted to buy from him. He refused to sell it to me. He told me a 20 year old kid doesn't need a car like that. Even with the 429 it never lacked power. The drivetrain was stellar. Very smooth. And did have ice cold A/C!
I never considered these kind of cars being shipped overseas. There must be a following for large US made vehicles
All 60s 70s land yachts are popular in the Scandinavian countries.
Check out Ed's Auto Reviews from Finland.
(On youtube)
@@paulpeterson4311 Ed has a good video on the 1957 Cadillac
As a former GM fan, I had no interest in Mercury's and most Ford's at the time, but I will now admit the Ford's and Mercury's seem like better car's than the GM cars. The ride, the fit and finish was much better on the Ford products than the GM cars or the Chrysler products.
Former? Which gm 80s car made you say Im done?
@@Henry_Jones pretty much anything made by GM I was done with. I had three cars in a row made by GM that were really bad and I moved on. I did try GM cars again much later, but still had problems with them and won't buy another now.
@@craigcardwell4143 i had 2 gm cars. One was garbage and one was the best car Ive ever had. Quad4 achieva was rubbish in every way, 3800 powered buick regal was exceptional. The way i see it with gm is the smaller the car the worse it is compared to the competition.
I think we just got lucky with GM. The first car I remember my Mom driving was a 1985 Buick Park Avenue that she put well over 200,000 miles, my Dad’s only new vehicle purchase was a 1995 GMC Sierra Ext cab 2WD. It had the standard 350/auto. He used it as a business truck and to make deliveries. I inherited from him at over 300,000 miles and I drove it until 400,000 plus. I sold it to buy my current 2005 Silverado 5.3. I’m currently at 275,000 miles. The only thing we ever replaced on the ‘95 was the alternator and my ‘05 has only ever had the water pump replaced. From what I understand GM cars aren’t quite as good as their trucks.
@@RobertSmith-le8wp like I said, with gm bigger is better.
That’s a Beautiful example of classic style and luxury😎🏁
A well done video of a gorgeous car in absolutely phenomenal original condition for being nearly 50 years old! A shame that Mercury is no more.
It was a poor mans lincoln
I sold my '78 with the 460, about 10 years ago after hitting a deer dead center at 65 mph. I was able to drive it 3 hours to get home. Most comfortable car I can remember. I commuted weekly across the Cascade Mountain passes in Oregon for work. With studs on all four the long wheelbase, weight, and supple ride gave it exceptional road holding on rough packed snow.
60k subs! Congtats! Thanks and keep the great vids coming!
We had a 73 Marquis Brougham when I was a kid back in the early 70s... dark green. This video sure brought back some memories (especially the trip to took from FL to MD in our Marquis that included my parents up front and my two (stupid) sisters and I in the back). LOL Awesome car no doubt!!!
I had a '73 Ford LTD (Australia). This reminds me of it a lot. The engine was a smaller V8 and different interior details, but i can clearly see the same DNA. That's a very clean car you have there.
I can understand the appreciation found in your car. I would submit there are some newer ones to be appreciated too. I have a '94 Grand Marquis, air suspension, 174,000 on it and I will tell you it is still a very quiet, smooth riding car. The 4.6L teamed with the AOD overdrive trans, 8 way power seats BOTH sides, not just the driver, leather seats. I have committed to keep this car rolling for my lifetime because it is a huge, spacious and oh so comfortable car.
Great video - I remember these cars well!
It's a gem to drive not faster than 85 mph. Faster its an adventure.
My uncle Bob had several of these cars in various dark colors in the 70's and would take them for a road trip for two months each summer, starting in his home town of Walla Walla WA, looping through the lower 48 states and hitting the halfway mark at my grandmother's house in Franklin NC. Immense in size, with a quiet, velvety smooth ride but very restrained styling and a trunk you could live in. He kept them immaculate and religiously serviced them, changing the oil and rotating the tires every three thousand miles. My mom's 1973 Eldorado was flashier and a tad faster (that 502 with the front wheel drive was a beast) but these cars were sublimely superb in their own way. A truly elegant and beautiful automobile.
My Aunt had a 1976 (I think) Grand Marquis Brougham. It was white with a green vinyl roof and green interior. Beautiful car. I was very young but I remember that car vividly. Especially how the HVAC controls would hiss loudly when you changed the settings. And the trademark clicking of the doors opening and closing.
Vacuum Power!!!
Great video on a great old boat! What a classic!
I had the exact same car - purchased it new in July 1973. It was the most comfortable car that I ever owned !