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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
My parents had State Department jobs during the late 1960s and up through 1977, and spent most of the time based in three locations in Germany. We were seven people, including parents, and outgrew the 1965 Oldmobile F-85 sedan they took over from the States. They bought a 1972 Mercury Monterey station wagon from another American family who bought it new and had it shipped to Germany, but decided it was too much car for them, so they sold it to us cheap. It was an odd car.....big, floaty ride like a boat in water, but it was like a fleet vehicle or something; the only things that were 'power' in the car were the brakes, steering and rear window. The side windows were all crank operated, and as I recall the locks were purely manual (lift the 'golf tee' plungers to unlock, except of course for the front doors which could be unlocked using the key. It had air conditioning but rather amazingly it has no radio, not even an AM set. It had the two-way (three-way?) rear gate which folded down or swung open or could just have the window lowered. Like I said, only the rear gate window was power operated, and that could be done using an unmarked switch on the dashboard or using the key lock on the gate (as I recall, turning the key left or right from center lowered and raised the window, center was locked, and one could use the two different handles depending on the desired method of opening the gate. The wheels/tires were very large but looked tiny on such a big body. The engine was a bruiser but looked quite small in the engine compartment. It supposedly was set up to be able to tow large camper trailers, but neither we nor the people we bought it from ever had a trailer to tow. It had that odd third row seat which split in the middle like in this video, and my parents always sat up front with a 'comfort box' between them on the seat, containing things to drink and some small snacks, and Kleenex, etc; so we never had a third person sit up there. With three kids in the second row seats, that left two more who were consigned to the purgatory of the third row seat by the rear gate. We had to rotate all kids through those two positions back there because we all hated it. My folk were trying to raise a large family on a limited government income, but still wanted to make the most of our time in Europe, so we went on weekend and week-long trips all the time, but we almost never stayed in hotels. It was camping, camping, camping. Suitcases, duffel bags, two large tents, air mattresses, sleeping bags, all went up on the roof luggage rack with a tarp tied down over it. The small space behind the second row seat but in front of the third row seat was used for things that all the kids could reach from any of their seating positions, such as books, games, and a few things that did not fit on the roof or which were valuable or important and which we were concerned might be stolen while we were away from the car sight-seeing or might fall off or be damaged by water. We took that car all over West Germany and all the western European countries (my parents' jobs had security clearances, so they were prohibited form going anywhere near the eastern bloc countries), down to the top of Italy, all over the various alps, and all over the UK via the car ferries. It got around. Sometimes, well often, it was a challenge to find parking spaces for it in many towns and cities, and navigating the narrow streets was often 'interesting'. When we could not find a suitable camping spot or hotel as a backup, many a night was spent trying to sleep in the car, which was godawful. Uncomfortable and the air quickly got clammy and stale. We brought that can back to the States in 1976, by ship from Bremerhaven. and then my folks kept it as a backup car for a long time, always sitting in a garage and only used once in a while. I took my driver's license road test on it. Finally, my father succeeded in finding somebody to take it off his hands. I recall that the car would seem just a bit underpowered when pulling away from a stop, but with a bit more aggressive accelerator pressure it would take off with such acceleration as to be rather startling. In Germany, my mother never quite got a handle on its power curve and handling, although she drove it a lot. Twice she had accidents because the car 'plowed ahead' on curves, striking other vehicles on the opposite (outer) lane. In this way, she knocked over a panel truck with the car on a wet road, and there was very little damage to the car. The Germany body shop that fixed the cosmetic things told us it was the largest car they had ever seen. Personally, I always thought the car had very little 'road feel', making it hard to judge how well it was holding the road. But it was comfortable enough to ride in, smooth and quiet. Because I was so used to driving that car by the time I was ready to buy my own first car, I looked for another wagon, and ending up buying a 1965 Olds F-85 wagon, almost full circle to the car my folks took over to Europe. It was quite a bit smaller than the Monterey. These days, I oddly still drive a Monterey, but it is in the form of a 2004 Monterey mini-van that I keep going for those occasions when I need a larger vehicle. Unlike my parents' Monterey, MINE has all the bells and whistles.
Thanks for such a detailed, excellent account of your experiences with the cars, really enjoyable and shows some comments can be as entertaining & educational as the original video which in this case was A1.👌👍
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.
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?
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!
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.....
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. 😢
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.🙏
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.
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!
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 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.
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
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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!!! 👍👍🙂
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.
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!
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!.
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?
We had 1978 growing up. Loved it. I remember going to the dealer to pick it up with my dad. I was 11. I remember looking at the sticker on the window. $9800. Wow I thought back then. I wish I had it Today!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 🌵
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.
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 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!
A child of the 70s, my dad always owned big American wagons. Typically they were Buicks (1971, 77, 79) but at one point he had a 74 Chrysler wagon. I remember during this time that he also test drove a Ford station wagon with those opposing third row seats. I remember sitting back there with my sister and really enjoying it and wishing that he would buy the Ford. He ended up going with Chrysler.
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.😍
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
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.
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!
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.
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.
I am a 49 year old man I would rather have this car then the ones that are making today it's not computed that the cars of today are I don't care some people used to call these land yachts but I think it's a beautiful car
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 ".
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.
The early mini-van before there was a mini-van. Speaking purely of myself as a kid, luckily my father went the full size 1972 blazer route instead. Gorgeous 4X4 dark green with white top and ...... ready? plastic covered seats! LOL I'd love to have that truck today.
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.
This was the wagon that the family that was making better money drove back at that time. A regular blue collar family usually had a Ford Country Squire or regular Ford LTD wagon.
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.
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.. 😆
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.
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)!
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!
there used to be a TV ad of a jeweler cutting a diamond in the back seat of a Lincoln or Mercury (can't remember which) while driving on a gravel road.
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!
How dare you disrespect my Dad’s 1972 Pontiac Grand Safari’s clamshell tailgate. 😅😅 These wagons allowed you to head to the lumber yard and carry as many 8 or 10-foot 2X4’s as you needed. We had an optional manual gate and didn’t have to wait for it to close in heavy rain-lifted that all by ourselves. We were roughing it back then. Love your shaggin’ Colony Park wagon! The interior colors are very complimentary, beautiful ride.
I still remember going to the lumber yard in our 73 Caprice Estate. Nowadays most pickups can't haul lumber/plywood as easily or with as much style as our old wagons.
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!🙂
Lastnight I saw the all new Ford Expoler, in black color. Well, I stayed watching it and imaging how it should be in pearled brown color, and with those wooden sides style. 🤔 So, I wonder if is it a version in the US like I say..? Christian, from the far city of Santiago, Chile. 🇨🇱 SouthAmerica.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!!
Drove a ‘75 forest green LTD Country Squire wagon to high school back in the day. What a boat!
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.
Impressed with your taste in cars.
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 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.
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.
My parents had State Department jobs during the late 1960s and up through 1977, and spent most of the time based in three locations in Germany. We were seven people, including parents, and outgrew the 1965 Oldmobile F-85 sedan they took over from the States. They bought a 1972 Mercury Monterey station wagon from another American family who bought it new and had it shipped to Germany, but decided it was too much car for them, so they sold it to us cheap. It was an odd car.....big, floaty ride like a boat in water, but it was like a fleet vehicle or something; the only things that were 'power' in the car were the brakes, steering and rear window. The side windows were all crank operated, and as I recall the locks were purely manual (lift the 'golf tee' plungers to unlock, except of course for the front doors which could be unlocked using the key. It had air conditioning but rather amazingly it has no radio, not even an AM set. It had the two-way (three-way?) rear gate which folded down or swung open or could just have the window lowered. Like I said, only the rear gate window was power operated, and that could be done using an unmarked switch on the dashboard or using the key lock on the gate (as I recall, turning the key left or right from center lowered and raised the window, center was locked, and one could use the two different handles depending on the desired method of opening the gate. The wheels/tires were very large but looked tiny on such a big body. The engine was a bruiser but looked quite small in the engine compartment. It supposedly was set up to be able to tow large camper trailers, but neither we nor the people we bought it from ever had a trailer to tow.
It had that odd third row seat which split in the middle like in this video, and my parents always sat up front with a 'comfort box' between them on the seat, containing things to drink and some small snacks, and Kleenex, etc; so we never had a third person sit up there. With three kids in the second row seats, that left two more who were consigned to the purgatory of the third row seat by the rear gate. We had to rotate all kids through those two positions back there because we all hated it.
My folk were trying to raise a large family on a limited government income, but still wanted to make the most of our time in Europe, so we went on weekend and week-long trips all the time, but we almost never stayed in hotels. It was camping, camping, camping. Suitcases, duffel bags, two large tents, air mattresses, sleeping bags, all went up on the roof luggage rack with a tarp tied down over it. The small space behind the second row seat but in front of the third row seat was used for things that all the kids could reach from any of their seating positions, such as books, games, and a few things that did not fit on the roof or which were valuable or important and which we were concerned might be stolen while we were away from the car sight-seeing or might fall off or be damaged by water.
We took that car all over West Germany and all the western European countries (my parents' jobs had security clearances, so they were prohibited form going anywhere near the eastern bloc countries), down to the top of Italy, all over the various alps, and all over the UK via the car ferries. It got around.
Sometimes, well often, it was a challenge to find parking spaces for it in many towns and cities, and navigating the narrow streets was often 'interesting'.
When we could not find a suitable camping spot or hotel as a backup, many a night was spent trying to sleep in the car, which was godawful. Uncomfortable and the air quickly got clammy and stale.
We brought that can back to the States in 1976, by ship from Bremerhaven. and then my folks kept it as a backup car for a long time, always sitting in a garage and only used once in a while. I took my driver's license road test on it. Finally, my father succeeded in finding somebody to take it off his hands.
I recall that the car would seem just a bit underpowered when pulling away from a stop, but with a bit more aggressive accelerator pressure it would take off with such acceleration as to be rather startling. In Germany, my mother never quite got a handle on its power curve and handling, although she drove it a lot. Twice she had accidents because the car 'plowed ahead' on curves, striking other vehicles on the opposite (outer) lane. In this way, she knocked over a panel truck with the car on a wet road, and there was very little damage to the car. The Germany body shop that fixed the cosmetic things told us it was the largest car they had ever seen. Personally, I always thought the car had very little 'road feel', making it hard to judge how well it was holding the road. But it was comfortable enough to ride in, smooth and quiet.
Because I was so used to driving that car by the time I was ready to buy my own first car, I looked for another wagon, and ending up buying a 1965 Olds F-85 wagon, almost full circle to the car my folks took over to Europe. It was quite a bit smaller than the Monterey. These days, I oddly still drive a Monterey, but it is in the form of a 2004 Monterey mini-van that I keep going for those occasions when I need a larger vehicle. Unlike my parents' Monterey, MINE has all the bells and whistles.
Thanks for such a detailed, excellent account of your experiences with the cars, really enjoyable and shows some comments can be as
entertaining & educational as the original video which in this case was A1.👌👍
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
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.
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?
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"
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!
So many memories brought back! My sister and I used to fight to be in the back of our '72 Marquis wagon.
Great car and video! These cars ruled the American highway in the 1970s.
RULED!!
My parents bought a brand new one in '76, that thing was amazing.
What a time capsule. And you did a great job telling / showing us all about it. It's like we were there. How fun !!
What a gorgeous car! Kind of car that makes u slow down and enjoy the ride. This would be a road trip car.
Slow down and enjoy the ride, what a pleasant concept!😁
You picked the perfect house to stage this Colony Park in front of! Nice touch!
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.....
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. 😢
Spectacular review, Adam!
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.🙏
👏👏👏👏
The 71 Vista cruiser was the king of station wagons it was fast. It was sleek and I had that cool little window around the top.
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!
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!
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).
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.
👍
What a great wagon!! LOVE the hidden headlights/wood paneling combination
Thx Mark!
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
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.
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.
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).
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.
Love the start up of this engine. Reminds me of my parents 1973 Thunderbird with 429 engine. Great video!
Awesome car. My uncle had a 74 country squire camper special. Brings back good memories
Love the dual exhausts out the side in the back!!! Thanks for the ride Adam!
Love all the sounds - starter, exhaust note and the familiar door closing sound. Thank you for sharing this with us.
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.
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.
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.
I love it! My parents had a brown 1970 Country Sedan wagon with the third row seats. My mom got a speeding ticket with the 360.
Maybe it was a 390 in a Ford.
@@rightlanehog3151 You are correct.
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.
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!
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!.
WOW!.....That ignition start sound reminds me so much of Mom's Mark IV Black Diamond Edition.
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...
We had 1978 growing up. Loved it. I remember going to the dealer to pick it up with my dad. I was 11. I remember looking at the sticker on the window. $9800. Wow I thought back then. I wish I had it Today!
Almost every family had the good sense to buy wagons in those days. Hopefully wagons make a comeback some day.
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!
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
I absolutely loved these growing up.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
A child of the 70s, my dad always owned big American wagons. Typically they were Buicks (1971, 77, 79) but at one point he had a 74 Chrysler wagon. I remember during this time that he also test drove a Ford station wagon with those opposing third row seats. I remember sitting back there with my sister and really enjoying it and wishing that he would buy the Ford. He ended up going with Chrysler.
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
My parents had a 1975 with a 460.Had a c.b. radio.Air ride shocks in the back.SWEET.
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?
Same dash as my 76 Grand Marquis - best car I ever owned.
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.
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!
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.
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 😁
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
Great vid, really enjoyed!!! 👍👍
I love station wagons. If I had a car collection like yours they would be station wagons.
I am a 49 year old man I would rather have this car then the ones that are making today it's not computed that the cars of today are I don't care some people used to call these land yachts but I think it's a beautiful car
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 ".
Had a 73 version of this very car in green with a 429 four barrel carb. I had the good fortune to drive it across country effortlessly.
Tres bien!
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!
The early mini-van before there was a mini-van. Speaking purely of myself as a kid, luckily my father went the full size 1972 blazer route instead. Gorgeous 4X4 dark green with white top and ...... ready? plastic covered seats! LOL I'd love to have that truck today.
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.
This was the wagon that the family that was making better money drove back at that time. A regular blue collar family usually had a Ford Country Squire or regular Ford LTD wagon.
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.
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
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 😀
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.
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.
As a wagon driver (68 AMC Ambassador), I particularly enjoyed seeing your wagon. Nice!!
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)!
Beautiful Mercury wagon and yes I wondered if you owned a wagon, what a good explanation of what made them appealing to families in the 60s & 70😏,
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!
there used to be a TV ad of a jeweler cutting a diamond in the back seat of a Lincoln or Mercury (can't remember which) while driving on a gravel road.
Interesting color. I like the T&C wagons because they had rear passenger a/c.
I remember that!!!
My grandfather towed a 35’ travel trailer with his 74 Colony Park. We went everywhere towing that thing. I loved that car.
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.
How dare you disrespect my Dad’s 1972 Pontiac Grand Safari’s clamshell tailgate. 😅😅 These wagons allowed you to head to the lumber yard and carry as many 8 or 10-foot 2X4’s as you needed. We had an optional manual gate and didn’t have to wait for it to close in heavy rain-lifted that all by ourselves. We were roughing it back then. Love your shaggin’ Colony Park wagon! The interior colors are very complimentary, beautiful ride.
I still remember going to the lumber yard in our 73 Caprice Estate. Nowadays most pickups can't haul lumber/plywood as easily or with as much style as our old wagons.
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!🙂
Lastnight I saw the all new Ford Expoler, in black color. Well, I stayed watching it and imaging how it should be in pearled brown color, and with those wooden sides style. 🤔 So, I wonder if is it a version in the US like I say..?
Christian, from the far city of Santiago, Chile. 🇨🇱 SouthAmerica.