Me too. Adam won’t divulge precisely how many vehicles he has in his collection, and of course he continues to add to it, so I suspect he’ll continue to feed my addiction.
Absolutely! The thing is that simplicity is timeless and the Imperial here reached the apex of Chrysler designing with its totally uncluttered style. The Lincoln is beautiful as well, but it looks dated compared to the Imperial. However, the Lincoln's tail lights are the winner for me because they look simple and sophisticated. In the end, I'd take both: the Lincoln to go the Opera and take the wife to a fancy dinner and the Imperial to show off and delight everyone's eyes on the freeway! 😁
@@goldenltd1970 "Outdated in 1972?" "Boxy designs took over?" Did you sleep through the 70s, Mr. Rip Van Winkle? HA, HA Boxy designs didn't arrive in any numbers until the late 70s and early 80s.
Amazing how good the Imperial looks next to the Lincoln, the surround chrome bumpers and hideaway lamps are peak Detroit styling. It's also reassuring to know that Syd Mead's car is in such good hands. 👏👏
Agreed. That styling on the Imperial is classy while having some futuristic lines which give it a bit of a sinister demeanor. I love it. And no one is going to take better car of a classic than Adam.
My oldest brother always had Lincoln’s. In fact He had a blue with blue interior 72 just like yours. Of course being a kid, I was more impressed with Cougars, Challangers , Chevelles and those kinds of cars, even back then. But I do remember it being a really nice car.
I knew that you'd pick the Lincoln because of how you've praised Ford's ride comfort in the past. As a lifelong Mopar addict, I've found myself equally addicted to the whistle of a TorqueFlite at moderate speeds and the reduction gear starter. Thanks for a fun episode,
Yeah. Personally I don’t care for soft rides. Living in the mountains and being prone to motion sickness, I want as little body roll as possible. We had a 72 New Yorker growing up, and I never yakked once! I actually made myself queasy driving Grandma’s ‘90 Crown Vic. Hated that car.
I grew up in an affluent area in the 60's and 70s. You saw a lot of Lincolns in those days. Imperials were less common but they were around. Of course Cadillacs were probably the most common. As a kid I was all about sports cars and referred to the big American cars as boats. Your videos have given me a new perspective and a greater appreciation for these old boulevard cruisers.
I see what I think is you're from the same area as me, I grew up on Long Island out in Northport. Yes, there were lots and lots of Lincolns and Cadillacs back then - it's still the same, but now it's more Mercedes & BMW. Still have quite a few Cadillac people too, in fact I bought my mom a 2003 deVille from the East Hampton Cadillac dealer (edit: it's called "Buzz Chew Cadillac") way out there back in the day. Ha, hard to believe it's 20 years ago!
Lol..I grew up in a 1700 sq ft brick ranch in Cajun Louisiana and my neighbors across the street brought home a brand new GREEN Mercedes Benz W123. The CPA down the street had a 911 and the people at the very street end had a brand new Lincoln and Cadillac every other year. Other end, red Jaguar XF. I think it was some sort of childhood idol trap. The GREEN Mercedes gives it away. Green for that Green Monster of jealousy from all the other neighbors.
I have always been a continental fan. My mom had two in the 70s. I feel like the logo turned on its side in the back accentuates the width of the car and if it were the usual vertical configuration it would not do that. It really makes the car look as wide as it is long. Such a beautiful example. I love the absence of the vinyl roof on this.
Hard choice for me. I would love to have BOTH of these haven driven several examples of each back in the day. The vinyl delete on the Lincoln is especially nice.
Ive always loved the fuselage Imperial and it would be my pick but that Lincoln is beautiful, too. I wish America made these big land yachts today....in a perfect world..
I don't understand the raving of the Tesla Cybertruck, but it doesn't look like anything else. A garbage truck also has its own unique appearance. These big American cars were often reviewed side by side in magazines of the day.
Absolutely! They make huge SUVs and pickup trucks anyway! So, the Big Three could perfectly bring back the good, old American coupes and sedans of the early 70's, as well. They would of course have to have XXI century requirements like crash and child safety, air bags, rear camera, USB ports, etc.
I always liked the looks of those big Imperials. Very unique looking car. Beautiful automobile! I'm still amazed at how little miles are on both vehicles.
I drove a '72 Imperial in high school (1976). My three biggest complaints were, in order, Replacing the plugs (#7 from under the car!), windows that jumped the track, and fuel mileage. Would love one like this. Mine was a coupe with the opera rear window.
The Imperial looks absolutely immense next to the Continental, and that's saying something! That grey interior on the Lincoln looks so nice - quite tasteful and non-gaudy by early 70s standards, although the gold interior in the Imperial wins the bling factor.
Hands down the Imperial wins it for me. The looks and style cant be beat. It would turn heads even today. The Lincoln is nice in its own right. Ijust prefer the Imperial.
Very much like exterior styling of Imperial. Interior is lacking for me, does not have the same level of style as the exterior - its nice, but further refinement would be welcome ... Slainte' ! Cheers !
My father in law bought the 72 Imperial new in 72. Sticker was 10k + , leather interior. What a magnificent automobile. Gas mileage was a consistent 7-9 mpg wheter you drove it in town or 90 mph on the interstate. A 500 mile trip with 6 passengers was no sweat, you arrived fresh and relaxed. It was the finest automobile I ever rode in. As a side note my father in law was church pals with the dealer whose family owned Cadillac and Mopar dealers. The old guy drove the Imperial saying the Caddy was unworthy of it's badge.
Closing the doors on the Imperial and Continental sound like closing a bank vault door. Those doors must weigh a ton! Both are lovely boulevard cruisers!
I worked for a couple of years after high school at a factory in Oshawa, Ontario. The company was Houdaille and the largest part of their business was automobile bumpers. We made those Imperial bumpers. Heaviest, most massive bumpers that we made at that time. Great memories. I owned a 68 Mercury Park Lane Brougham at the time. Love your Mercs from that era Adam. We corresponded about mine a few years back! Keep up the great work!
I really enjoyed seeing the Lincoln Continental Coupe. I do not recall seeing the Continental as a coupe back in the day; seems like it was 4 door Continentals or 2 door Mark 4's. Love the gold interior of the Imperial!
So true - I don't recall seeing very many 2-door Continentals back then either, or Imperials for that matter, although they were out there - but lots of Cadillac sedan/coupe DeVilles ----ahhhh, those WERE the days!!
As a life-long MOPAR fan (particularly the fuselage era) and general supporter of ‘the underdog’, it’s gotta be the Imperial for me…though I certainly can’t speak from direct driving/ownership experience as you have! 😆 One thing I will say is that I’ve grown a marked appreciation for Ford products - particularly Mercury and Lincoln - since I began watching your channel! Thanks for everything you do, Adam!
Like the Lincoln, love the Imp. My great uncle had a 72 4dr hdtp in blk on blk that was special ordered WITHOUT the vinyl roof, and dealer installed dual exhausts. Chrysler still offered factory dual exhausts in 72 for cars equipped with 440 engines. It's likely the dealership used most of the parts from that stock, though the Imp was longer than a NY. No idea what happened to that car after he passed.
I love those huge behemoths. I’m a Cadillac woman and am a huge fan of the 1972 El Dorado Cadillac. I love your comparison and those are some magnificent vehicles.
I'm a big fan of the '71 Eldorado myself - the little changes made to it in '72 (different grill texture, added chrome around headlights, "Eldorado" script on front fender, rear rub strips on taillights) just kinda diminished the "look" to me somehow! But - if I stumbled on a mint '72 Eldorado that needed a good home, I wouldn't turn it down!
Imperial for me. The smallest of the Big Three seemed to do so much more with less and their styling of this era was first-rate. Thanks for taking us along for a ride in these big beauties.
I owed a 72 and a 73 Lincoln Continental both were 4 doors i absolutely loved them the ride could not be matched they were the most solidly built vehicles I've ever owned i also owed a 69 Thunderbird four-door incredibly built automobiles everyone of them
These comparison videos are some of my favorites. It's interesting to ponder which of the Big Three's cars I would buy in the eras before I could drive (or was born). This gives us something more than just old pictures and brochures and is much appreciated. And while it's tough to beat the button-tufted style seats in the Imperial I'd probably go with the softer seating and ride of the Lincoln, provided the seats were about as cushy in leather as they are in cloth.
Hi Adam one day could you show your entire collection please? I have to say as I hit 40 im admiring the classic and stock look of some of these gems you have collected thank you for your fine work and narration.
You mentioned the "hard plastic" on the lincoln armrest. Another reason the upgrades on the Town Car introduced in 1972 1/2 were so nice. That armrest was padded with smooth leathers, chrome surrounds and chrome door lever openings. Made a huge difference.
This was an excellent presentation. I love owning car that no one or very few people drive now. I have all three, a Cadillac, a Chrysler, and a Lincoln. Thank you,
Hi Adam, another really great video, i think your channel is one of the very best on RUclips covering original vintage cars. As the owner of many ( closing in on 100 ) vintage American cars in my lifetime, I have owned many cars from GM, Ford and Chrysler, many of them were full size , which i prefer. I am most partial to Chrysler products after owning and driving many GM and Ford vehicles. But, handling and the "feel" of a car are more important to me than a pillowy soft ride, and Chrysler's full size cars were definitely superior in that area. I would like to clarify a little on the "unibody" term as it pertains to vintage full size Mopars. Chrysler came out with a new body/chassis design in 1960 for all of it's full size cars, except for the Imperial, which retained it's body on frame design until 1966, as you stated. The new Chrysler design was not a true "full unibody" design, in that it used a very heavy duty box section front stub frame that bolted directly to the rear "unibody" section, thus making it what i refer to as a hybrid unibody, with the engine and front suspension bolted to the front frame structure, similar to the 1967-81 GM F body Camaro, Firebird design ( along with Chevy Nova's and BOP equivalents from 68 up ) except that the GM design was rubber isolated from the rear "unibody". In 1970, all Chrysler's and full size Dodge's ( Polara/ Monaco) received a new rubber isolated front stub frame, followed by Plymouth Fury's in 1971, ( station wagons lagged a bit on this change ). Imperial's change to a stretched Chrysler design in 1967, but besides the wheelbase extension, they had there own unique front stub frame that was even heavier duty than the Chrysler design, and was rubber isolated right from the start in 67, using four large rubber bushings to isolate the front stub frame from the body. Imperial's used this design until 1975, the end of the line for the large Imperial. Lincolns/ Continentals from 1958 through 1969 ( not including the Mark 3 ), were true "unibody" designs, with no separate frame structure of any kind. The higher torsional rigidity of either full unibody or "hybrid" unibody cars just make for a much more solid, stable platform for a well engineered suspension to make a positive difference in handling and feel. Thanks again so much Adam, for these truly great and informative videos!
If a “king of the hill” comparison is to be done between these two and Cadillac, the Fleetwood Sixty Special Brougham should be used over the Sedan DeVille. Even using the Fleetwood, though, the Cadillac is generally inferior in fit and finish and some material quality. The Fleetwood, though, has a longer wheelbase, is longer in general, has extra interior room, and has the largest engine. It has both a nice ride and pretty good handling for its size, the combo of which makes it the most enjoyable to drive. Looks are the most subjective, but I think it was looks that most contributed to Cadillac having the sales advantage over the other two. Not that the other two are not great looking, but there was just something about that classic Cadillac look that conveys the epitome of large, traditional American luxury. It’s hard to pick just one, of course, so I would have just kept all three!
Hey Adam, thanks for the comparison of the Lincoln Continental & the Imperial LeBaron!!! I like both cars & I absolutely love the sound of the Imperials starter!!! 👍👍🙂
Hey Adam, I just love your channel because you showcase the sleds of the era. Both of those cars are beautiful in their own right. My Dad had a 72 New Yorker 440 and it was a nice car but I know exactly what you're talking about with the ride. He later bought a 77 Mercury Marquis with the 460. Both cars were purchased with heavy duty suspension and trailer towing packages and were both nice cars. The Mercury was a better ride overall. At the time I thought both cars had been cheapened over time as we had a 68 New Yorker which i still have. Of course the 68 New Yorker had the high compression engine, interior and the dash was clearly higher quality than the others so I'm a bit biased. I still love seeing the cars you showcase because it brings back so many memories. Cheers!
Adam, fun video. I love vintage comparisons. I have to agree with you that the Ford/Lincolns of that era had very impressive build quality. GM quality was somewhat poor, even though I do like the look of the early 70’s Cadillacs. I’d agree with your overall ranking of the big 3 but I have to say that the look of the Imperial hardtop sedan is probably the most unique and “imposing”. I just love the front end design of the Imperial. I also think the gold interior of the Imperial is stunning. It’s also not just gold but a wonderful gold with a glimmer or shimmer to it….very unique and luxurious. Great cars and great video. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Adam, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate and enjoy the content you share regarding the 1970s big cars. Can you do a comparison between your 1972 Lincoln Continental 2 door and 1972 Mercury Marquis 2 door?
Great video! Loved story about Cadillac doors falling off...LMAO!! Friend was trying to be cool in front of girl at gas station, but when he got out the door fell off!
1972 Chevrolet Caprice Classic. My dad was a Chevy man, my uncle was a Caddy driver. He and Dad drove to Atlanta and back. My uncle told him that the Caprice ran better, had a smoother ride and was more comfortable. The next month, my aunt was driving a Cappy!
Two incredible Luxury rides!!! Beautiful designs of a past automotive era. I could listen to the throaty V-8’s all day. Thank you for sharing your wonderful knowledge touring magnificent interiors.
I used to love reading those King of the Hill comparisons in Motor Trend. I have always thought that the full-frame Lincolns of the early 1970s were very nicely proportioned. the midcycle redo that ran the rest of the decade lost most of the elegant shape of the earlier cars. The Imperial was a striking shape... particularly when you consider that half of the body and all of the mechanics of the car are a badge engineered Chrysler. I actually like the last big Imperial... '74 - 75 more even tho it was even more of a badge engineered car. I agree with you, that both of these '72 competitors are better looking cars than the Cadillac. But... all factors considered, the Caddy was a better car. The sales volume certainly supports that conclusion.
The Lincoln's passenger side mirror is interesting in that the remote is on the passenger armrest. In 1973, the remote lever moved closer to the driver under the dashpad near the defroster and antenna buttons.
My favorite is the Continental. Remove the hood ornament and fill the hole, remove the trim piece from each headlight door and make the doors just plain black metal. I think those two items on the front of the car do nothing for the looks. The non-vinyl top roof and the plain sides are superb. What a beautiful and well constructed car. The Imperial is a great car also but just lacks the styling of the Continental. Of course, just my opinion. To each his or her own.
I had a '72 Coupe deVille back in 1989. Beautiful mint car. And fast. Very fast and smooth. No troubles. Til it got stolen.😢 As for these two competitors.... they two are very nice rides as well. In excellent condition, like my Caddy.
I think this is honestly the best combo you could have- the two door contis were 10/10 styled cars, and I actually think the four door imperials are better proportioned than the two doors. They each have their pluses and minuses but the Lincoln speaks to me more. I just love those big slab sided fenders and troughs. Is pick the Lincoln too! If I could go down to the 1972 Lincoln dealership and order one new, I'd order it exactly the same as yours, although I'd try to get a blue brocade interior instead of black. Aside from an eldorado, I think the full size Continental coupe was the best looking car of 1972. It's a shame the cars were rough because the styling, motors and trans were pretty good.
Very nice automobiles. I'd pick the Lincoln. Had not "noticed" it before this. I was thinking 1961 looked better. On second thought, I'll take the Imperial for the handling. Okay, either one.
Love all the videos you do ! I too am a GM guy but loved all the big lux cars of the day . My father always had the big Olds and other relation had some Lincolns . Great cars in your collection and once had an 81 Seville which I loved with the big V8. 8-6-4 . Look forward to all that you review.
Adam, where do you keep all of your cars? I'm picturing a cool old warehouse somewhere that's nondescript on the outside and a hidden classic car lover's paradise on the inside.
I had that Lincoln coupe. Simply adored it. (In mature retrospect a horrid junker) I loved every single styling cue inside and out. Cruising at night was freaking epic. All the gauges deeply recessed with sea green dash lighting, except for the huge red speedometer that looked like a sideways pressure gauge. It felt like a nuclear submarine. (Mine had a dark green leather interior)
Another great video Adam. I don't like hidden headlights or leather interiors, and I love the look of that Imperial and the colour of the interior, beautifully sinister. The Lincoln's squared fenders with the bevelled edges give me 1970 Monte Carlo vibes.
Beautiful cars, Adam. That Motor Trend article you mentioned appeared in the April 1973 issue of Motor Trend as a comparison test. It is great to hear your impressions of the three cars. Also, the horiztontal Lincoln star first appeared on the '61 cars, I believe. I also think it was horizontal as there was not enough room on the sheetmetal for a properly proportioned vertical one. They solved that problem with the 1980 cars. And..."Highland Park hummingbird!" Love that! And, like you, I would choose the Lincoln. Having driven both, I just like the Lincoln better.
I grew up with quite a few Lincolns , and even more Cadillacs amongst my parents friends, but no one had an Imperial. My grandfather was a Mopar guy, but never had an Imperial anywhere close to this one. The ‘72 has maybe the coolest grille of and 70’s sedan…..by far
I LOVE that Lincoln! So beautiful. I currently own a 1979 Ranchero GT that is Dark Jade metallic with gold GT stripes. It only has 28k original miles and according to its Marti report is a 1 of 1. It has Brougham badging on the interior. I love it. It gets lots of attention. I also own a black on black 1997 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC with only 30k original miles. It's near mint and I'm the second owner. Love your channel and all your cars!
I had a 1970 Chrysler Imperial. One thing mine had was a button on the floor and I used to tell my friends that I could tell the car to change radio stations and it would, then I would press the button with my foot and change the radio station. It would leave them speechless.
Hey Adam ~ First off,thanx as always I love your videos!! Tough choice! When I was 17 in 1972 I worked for a Chrysler dealer in Cols.Oh. loved that job. Anyway I have to go for the Lincoln. Just crazy about that beautiful coup!! And it's Black!! They're both big, beautiful, luxurious automobiles. I miss those days. Gliding down the highway 💖. Thanx again for the vid!!!
My parents had a '72 triple-brown Continental sedan. Brown leather interior and brown vinyl top with that cool fabric texture. Such a comfy cruiser. We lived lived near the ocean and the Lincoln was too big to fit in the garage, so unfortunately the thing rusted out in a few years.
I had a Buick that didn’t fit in my garage. Urg! But I loved that car except getting into it in icy weather when the door lock was frozen over with ice because i couldn’t get it in the garage.
Great content - two beautiful examples. Make mine the Cadillac. You are right, fit and finish not as good, nor materials but the styling, the 472 torque, and the dead perfect Turbo Hydramatic shifting make it my favorite for everyday use. Its funny because I was raised around those cars and when you saw a luxury car without a vinyl top in those day it looked like a Hertz car OJ Simpson told you had a great weekly rate.
I so enjoy your channel, thank you for your videos as well as your most enjoyable automotive presentations of some of the cars that I loved. My folks loved cars as well and we had a 1971 Mercury Marquis Brougham Coupe'. A 1965 & 1966 Imperial LeBaron 4-Door Sedan's. A 1967 Cadillac Coupe DeVille. And a 1969 Cadillac Sedan DeVille with baroque Silk seat coverings. All of the vehicles were purchased from new, often times right off of the showroom floor! I would see a car that I liked and my father or mother would become interested in purchasing the vehicle. So as you can see, as a family of auto enthusiast, we owned many cars during the 60's and beyond right into the present. Please continue to produce you videos into the future, I just enjoy watching and listening to your style and production quality. Signed, A Big fan!
Thank you so much for doing this video ❤ These two cars look like they are freshly coming out of the showroom ! How do the previous owners and yourself keep them in such magnificent condition ? Wow ! ❤
Great video, Adam, as always. You can trace the "long" Lincoln logo back to '61 where they would use it in various narrower spots and to give a nice mid century look to boot; my '67 has it on the trunk like yours, the steering wheel hub, the door kick plates and on the door panels. I'm curious about the hood ornament: was that a dealer option or factory? The triple taillight design is also originally from '66, used in '67 and then back to the fender ends when side markers were mandated by the govt. I'm intrigued by no inside hood release; mine has it, but then again mine is front hinged - just don't know why they wouldn't keep it since it already had been developed. Very cool on the logo in the reading lights; mine are almost a mini fresnel lens, like on a lighthouse. Funny how you're right about "handling" - the 60s ones were almost sporty (I use that term loosely) and actually had firmer seats, but obviously the 70s were a whole new ball game...on another note my folks had a '71 Polara, and although not up there with the Imperial, there are many traits and brings back nice memories.
I loved the fender skirts that many luxury/near luxury cars had … until I needed to remove or reinstall them , especially those that were often caked with clay dirt that’s common to our area.
We had a 1972 Lincoln Continental coupe. Ours was yellow with a brown leather interior. Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful, comfortable and best driving automobiles I ever experienced. We sold it in 1982 after my poor dad had a stroke (very sad). We kept their second car which was a 1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass. My 5'2" mom had difficultly maneuvering the Lincoln and it got between 11 - 13 mpg. I think we got around $600 for the 100k mile car. I have always regretted that sale, wish I kept it and restored it. BTW, dad lived until 1996 and he was quite unhappy with me for selling the car.
I live my automotive life vicariously through Adam.
Me too. Adam won’t divulge precisely how many vehicles he has in his collection, and of course he continues to add to it, so I suspect he’ll continue to feed my addiction.
As do I. I can’t decide what to buy, where to find it, or how much to pay, so I just watch the master at work. I may weaken eventually, though.😅
My dad had a 72 Lincoln, smooth ride and lots of power
These two cars are absolutely jaw dropping!!!! I could sit down and contemplate them all day long.
As much as I love that Lincoln... That Imperial LeBaron has the coolest grille ever made. What a machine! and seriously? the 440? I love it!
Finally a comparison between competing models - please have more of these!
Long time Mopar guy, those are both sweet cars, and I do appreciate all brands. But the grille and taillights on the Imperial is a win for me.
The Imperial wins by leaps and bounds. The fuselage, although now 50 years old, with its clean lines still looks fresh and modern.
Absolutely! The thing is that simplicity is timeless and the Imperial here reached the apex of Chrysler designing with its totally uncluttered style. The Lincoln is beautiful as well, but it looks dated compared to the Imperial. However, the Lincoln's tail lights are the winner for me because they look simple and sophisticated. In the end, I'd take both: the Lincoln to go the Opera and take the wife to a fancy dinner and the Imperial to show off and delight everyone's eyes on the freeway! 😁
Didn't in '72. The design was very outdated that year, as boxy designs were taking over
@@goldenltd1970 "Outdated in 1972?" "Boxy designs took over?" Did you sleep through the 70s, Mr. Rip Van Winkle? HA, HA Boxy designs didn't arrive in any numbers until the late 70s and early 80s.
Amazing how good the Imperial looks next to the Lincoln, the surround chrome bumpers and hideaway lamps are peak Detroit styling. It's also reassuring to know that Syd Mead's car is in such good hands. 👏👏
Agreed. That styling on the Imperial is classy while having some futuristic lines which give it a bit of a sinister demeanor. I love it.
And no one is going to take better car of a classic than Adam.
My oldest brother always had Lincoln’s.
In fact He had a blue with blue interior 72 just like yours.
Of course being a kid, I was more impressed with Cougars, Challangers , Chevelles and those kinds of cars, even back then.
But I do remember it being a really nice car.
I knew that you'd pick the Lincoln because of how you've praised Ford's ride comfort in the past. As a lifelong Mopar addict, I've found myself equally addicted to the whistle of a TorqueFlite at moderate speeds and the reduction gear starter. Thanks for a fun episode,
Yeah. Personally I don’t care for soft rides. Living in the mountains and being prone to motion sickness, I want as little body roll as possible. We had a 72 New Yorker growing up, and I never yakked once! I actually made myself queasy driving Grandma’s ‘90 Crown Vic. Hated that car.
I always loved the look of the Lincoln Continental. I would take that over the Chrysler.
I’m surprised more people don’t stop and stare at these two beautiful cars while you’re filming Adam. I know I would 😊👍
I would have to check them out
The people in the neighborhood are probably so used to Adam driving around and filming his cars, they have seen them all through the years.😅
I thought the same.
I grew up in an affluent area in the 60's and 70s. You saw a lot of Lincolns in those days. Imperials were less common but they were around. Of course Cadillacs were probably the most common. As a kid I was all about sports cars and referred to the big American cars as boats. Your videos have given me a new perspective and a greater appreciation for these old boulevard cruisers.
I see what I think is you're from the same area as me, I grew up on Long Island out in Northport. Yes, there were lots and lots of Lincolns and Cadillacs back then - it's still the same, but now it's more Mercedes & BMW. Still have quite a few Cadillac people too, in fact I bought my mom a 2003 deVille from the East Hampton Cadillac dealer (edit: it's called "Buzz Chew Cadillac") way out there back in the day. Ha, hard to believe it's 20 years ago!
@@wilsixone You called it! Roslyn Long Island.
@@wilsixoneThose 03 Devilles were hideous, and absolute junk engines. No wonder the Germans hijacked that market.
Lol..I grew up in a 1700 sq ft brick ranch in Cajun Louisiana and my neighbors across the street brought home a brand new GREEN Mercedes Benz W123. The CPA down the street had a 911 and the people at the very street end had a brand new Lincoln and Cadillac every other year. Other end, red Jaguar XF. I think it was some sort of childhood idol trap. The GREEN Mercedes gives it away. Green for that Green Monster of jealousy from all the other neighbors.
You would enjoy the „boats by the river“ get together of 69-73 c-Body Mopars in Germany. It happened this past weekend for the 8th time.
The Imperial looks best imho. The gold interior is a bit over the hill but the exterior looks so clean. What a nice review.
I have always been a continental fan. My mom had two in the 70s. I feel like the logo turned on its side in the back accentuates the width of the car and if it were the usual vertical configuration it would not do that. It really makes the car look as wide as it is long. Such a beautiful example. I love the absence of the vinyl roof on this.
Great memories. A lot of people in Europe can not imagine this.
Two of my all time favorites - love hidden headlight full size big block land yachts. Luxurious and sinister at the same time!
I noticed when you put the hoods down, the Imperial sounded very clanky, while the Mark had a nice bank vault sound to it.
Hard choice for me. I would love to have BOTH of these haven driven several examples of each back in the day. The vinyl delete on the Lincoln is especially nice.
I would say hands down it’s the look of the Imperial.
Agreed! 👍
And the driveline is much better too! The 440 and the Torqueflite transmission are a great combination!
Absolutely! A pleasure to drive a luxury sedan With that great combination
The Imperial handles better with a torsion bar suspension. Plus it has corinthian leather😂
@@fourpoint64 Corinthian leather??? 😄 good one
Ive always loved the fuselage Imperial and it would be my pick but that Lincoln is beautiful, too. I wish America made these big land yachts today....in a perfect world..
I don't understand the raving of the Tesla Cybertruck, but it doesn't look like anything else. A garbage truck also has its own unique appearance. These big American cars were often reviewed side by side in magazines of the day.
Absolutely! They make huge SUVs and pickup trucks anyway! So, the Big Three could perfectly bring back the good, old American coupes and sedans of the early 70's, as well. They would of course have to have XXI century requirements like crash and child safety, air bags, rear camera, USB ports, etc.
If it was built again, it would have to be electric in this f'ed up Obiden society.
I always liked the looks of those big Imperials. Very unique looking car. Beautiful automobile! I'm still amazed at how little miles are on both vehicles.
I'll take the Lincoln any day. Such beautiful styling.. One of my favorite years ever.
I drove a '72 Imperial in high school (1976). My three biggest complaints were, in order, Replacing the plugs (#7 from under the car!), windows that jumped the track, and fuel mileage.
Would love one like this. Mine was a coupe with the opera rear window.
The Imperial looks absolutely immense next to the Continental, and that's saying something!
That grey interior on the Lincoln looks so nice - quite tasteful and non-gaudy by early 70s standards, although the gold interior in the Imperial wins the bling factor.
He didn't Measure the full bumpers on Lincoln
So the Lincoln is actually bigger.
Wasn't any "best"... all had crap emissions engines in '72...
@@BuzzLOLOL those engines were constantly breaking down.
If you let your imagination wander, at a glance the straight on look of the Imperial’s front end could be confused with the back end of a car.
That's exactly why I think the Lincoln was a much better looking car.
Hands down the Imperial wins it for me. The looks and style cant be beat. It would turn heads even today. The Lincoln is nice in its own right. Ijust prefer the Imperial.
Same here.
Good to know Jeffery epstein still has good taste 😂🤢🤮
Very much like exterior styling of Imperial. Interior is lacking for me, does not have the same level of style as the exterior - its nice, but further refinement would be welcome ... Slainte' ! Cheers !
A black '71 coupe is even way better looking! Maybe he'll buy mine. :)
The Imperial looks like from the front as if is the trunk going forward kind of nuts to me. The lincoln to me looks 💯 x better.
Had a 73 4 door continental when I was a kid. Loved it. One of my favorite cars. It was Marron with white top and white leather.
My father in law bought the 72 Imperial new in 72. Sticker was 10k + , leather interior. What a magnificent automobile. Gas mileage was a consistent 7-9 mpg wheter you drove it in town or 90 mph on the interstate. A 500 mile trip with 6 passengers was no sweat, you arrived fresh and relaxed. It was the finest automobile I ever rode in. As a side note my father in law was church pals with the dealer whose family owned Cadillac and Mopar dealers. The old guy drove the Imperial saying the Caddy was unworthy of it's badge.
That big Lincoln just exudes style and presence !!
Closing the doors on the Imperial and Continental sound like closing a bank vault door. Those doors must weigh a ton! Both are lovely boulevard cruisers!
Both these examples are pristine and beautiful. Works of art!!
I worked for a couple of years after high school at a factory in Oshawa, Ontario. The company was Houdaille and the largest part of their business was automobile bumpers. We made those Imperial bumpers. Heaviest, most massive bumpers that we made at that time. Great memories. I owned a 68 Mercury Park Lane Brougham at the time. Love your Mercs from that era Adam. We corresponded about mine a few years back! Keep up the great work!
I really enjoyed seeing the Lincoln Continental Coupe. I do not recall seeing the Continental as a coupe back in the day; seems like it was 4 door Continentals or 2 door Mark 4's. Love the gold interior of the Imperial!
So true - I don't recall seeing very many 2-door Continentals back then either, or Imperials for that matter, although they were out there - but lots of Cadillac sedan/coupe DeVilles ----ahhhh, those WERE the days!!
As a life-long MOPAR fan (particularly the fuselage era) and general supporter of ‘the underdog’, it’s gotta be the Imperial for me…though I certainly can’t speak from direct driving/ownership experience as you have! 😆
One thing I will say is that I’ve grown a marked appreciation for Ford products - particularly Mercury and Lincoln - since I began watching your channel! Thanks for everything you do, Adam!
2 gorgous cars! Beautiful interior in the Lincoln. Same on the Imperial. I would pick the Lincoln first with the Imperial as a close 2nd.
Like the Lincoln, love the Imp. My great uncle had a 72 4dr hdtp in blk on blk that was special ordered WITHOUT the vinyl roof, and dealer installed dual exhausts. Chrysler still offered factory dual exhausts in 72 for cars equipped with 440 engines. It's likely the dealership used most of the parts from that stock, though the Imp was longer than a NY. No idea what happened to that car after he passed.
I love those huge behemoths. I’m a Cadillac woman and am a huge fan of the 1972 El Dorado Cadillac. I love your comparison and those are some magnificent vehicles.
I'm a big fan of the '71 Eldorado myself - the little changes made to it in '72 (different grill texture, added chrome around headlights, "Eldorado" script on front fender, rear rub strips on taillights) just kinda diminished the "look" to me somehow! But - if I stumbled on a mint '72 Eldorado that needed a good home, I wouldn't turn it down!
Imperial for me. The smallest of the Big Three seemed to do so much more with less and their styling of this era was first-rate. Thanks for taking us along for a ride in these big beauties.
I owed a 72 and a 73 Lincoln Continental both were 4 doors i absolutely loved them the ride could not be matched they were the most solidly built vehicles I've ever owned i also owed a 69 Thunderbird four-door incredibly built automobiles everyone of them
I like both, but particularly the 70-73 Lincolns. It's amazing how much better they look without the vinyl roof. Thanks!
These comparison videos are some of my favorites. It's interesting to ponder which of the Big Three's cars I would buy in the eras before I could drive (or was born). This gives us something more than just old pictures and brochures and is much appreciated.
And while it's tough to beat the button-tufted style seats in the Imperial I'd probably go with the softer seating and ride of the Lincoln, provided the seats were about as cushy in leather as they are in cloth.
Syd Mead's Imperial Is definitely my choice! I would consider rearranging the spark plug wires at the distributor for a cleaner look.
Really dig the Lincoln. Taillights. Rear quarter.
Hi Adam one day could you show your entire collection please? I have to say as I hit 40 im admiring the classic and stock look of some of these gems you have collected thank you for your fine work and narration.
I guess, that we all would love to see that, but it may be an undoable undertaking from what I have seen so far.😅
@@foolishwatcher Yup . I would love to meet him and see all of his cars too . He must have a Jay Leno sized warehouse to store all of his cars . 😊
You mentioned the "hard plastic" on the lincoln armrest. Another reason the upgrades on the Town Car introduced in 1972 1/2 were so nice. That armrest was padded with smooth leathers, chrome surrounds and chrome door lever openings. Made a huge difference.
This was an excellent presentation. I love owning car that no one or very few people drive now. I have all three, a Cadillac, a Chrysler, and a Lincoln. Thank you,
Hi Adam, another really great video, i think your channel is one of the very best on RUclips covering original vintage cars. As the owner of many ( closing in on 100 ) vintage American cars in my lifetime, I have owned many cars from GM, Ford and Chrysler, many of them were full size , which i prefer. I am most partial to Chrysler products after owning and driving many GM and Ford vehicles. But, handling and the "feel" of a car are more important to me than a pillowy soft ride, and Chrysler's full size cars were definitely superior in that area. I would like to clarify a little on the "unibody" term as it pertains to vintage full size Mopars. Chrysler came out with a new body/chassis design in 1960 for all of it's full size cars, except for the Imperial, which retained it's body on frame design until 1966, as you stated. The new Chrysler design was not a true "full unibody" design, in that it used a very heavy duty box section front stub frame that bolted directly to the rear "unibody" section, thus making it what i refer to as a hybrid unibody, with the engine and front suspension bolted to the front frame structure, similar to the 1967-81 GM F body Camaro, Firebird design ( along with Chevy Nova's and BOP equivalents from 68 up ) except that the GM design was rubber isolated from the rear "unibody". In 1970, all Chrysler's and full size Dodge's ( Polara/ Monaco) received a new rubber isolated front stub frame, followed by Plymouth Fury's in 1971, ( station wagons lagged a bit on this change ). Imperial's change to a stretched Chrysler design in 1967, but besides the wheelbase extension, they had there own unique front stub frame that was even heavier duty than the Chrysler design, and was rubber isolated right from the start in 67, using four large rubber bushings to isolate the front stub frame from the body. Imperial's used this design until 1975, the end of the line for the large Imperial. Lincolns/ Continentals from 1958 through 1969 ( not including the Mark 3 ), were true "unibody" designs, with no separate frame structure of any kind. The higher torsional rigidity of either full unibody or "hybrid" unibody cars just make for a much more solid, stable platform for a well engineered suspension to make a positive difference in handling and feel. Thanks again so much Adam, for these truly great and informative videos!
I'm a Mopar fan all the way, but the Lincoln is certainly a beautiful vehicle. You've got a couple prizes there feller.
If a “king of the hill” comparison is to be done between these two and Cadillac, the Fleetwood Sixty Special Brougham should be used over the Sedan DeVille. Even using the Fleetwood, though, the Cadillac is generally inferior in fit and finish and some material quality. The Fleetwood, though, has a longer wheelbase, is longer in general, has extra interior room, and has the largest engine. It has both a nice ride and pretty good handling for its size, the combo of which makes it the most enjoyable to drive. Looks are the most subjective, but I think it was looks that most contributed to Cadillac having the sales advantage over the other two. Not that the other two are not great looking, but there was just something about that classic Cadillac look that conveys the epitome of large, traditional American luxury. It’s hard to pick just one, of course, so I would have just kept all three!
Nice!
There 'ya go!!
Hey Adam, thanks for the comparison of the Lincoln Continental & the Imperial LeBaron!!! I like both cars & I absolutely love the sound of the Imperials starter!!! 👍👍🙂
Hey Adam, I just love your channel because you showcase the sleds of the era. Both of those cars are beautiful in their own right. My Dad had a 72 New Yorker 440 and it was a nice car but I know exactly what you're talking about with the ride. He later bought a 77 Mercury Marquis with the 460. Both cars were purchased with heavy duty suspension and trailer towing packages and were both nice cars. The Mercury was a better ride overall. At the time I thought both cars had been cheapened over time as we had a 68 New Yorker which i still have. Of course the 68 New Yorker had the high compression engine, interior and the dash was clearly higher quality than the others so I'm a bit biased. I still love seeing the cars you showcase because it brings back so many memories. Cheers!
Adam, fun video. I love vintage comparisons. I have to agree with you that the Ford/Lincolns of that era had very impressive build quality. GM quality was somewhat poor, even though I do like the look of the early 70’s Cadillacs. I’d agree with your overall ranking of the big 3 but I have to say that the look of the Imperial hardtop sedan is probably the most unique and “imposing”. I just love the front end design of the Imperial. I also think the gold interior of the Imperial is stunning. It’s also not just gold but a wonderful gold with a glimmer or shimmer to it….very unique and luxurious. Great cars and great video. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Adam, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate and enjoy the content you share regarding the 1970s big cars. Can you do a comparison between your 1972 Lincoln Continental 2 door and 1972 Mercury Marquis 2 door?
I Second that, it should also include his '73 460 equipped Ford LTD Brougham.
Adam is truly the best at what he does .👍
Two of my favourites of all time. Damn it I love these cars. Stunners!
Beautiful cars. I had an all black 73 Continental sedan. It was indeed imposing.
Great video! Loved story about Cadillac doors falling off...LMAO!! Friend was trying to be cool in front of girl at gas station, but when he got out the door fell off!
1972 Chevrolet Caprice Classic. My dad was a Chevy man, my uncle was a Caddy driver. He and Dad drove to Atlanta and back. My uncle told him that the Caprice ran better, had a smoother ride and was more comfortable. The next month, my aunt was driving a Cappy!
Two incredible Luxury rides!!! Beautiful designs of a past automotive era. I could listen to the throaty V-8’s all day.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful knowledge touring magnificent interiors.
I used to love reading those King of the Hill comparisons in Motor Trend. I have always thought that the full-frame Lincolns of the early 1970s were very nicely proportioned. the midcycle redo that ran the rest of the decade lost most of the elegant shape of the earlier cars. The Imperial was a striking shape... particularly when you consider that half of the body and all of the mechanics of the car are a badge engineered Chrysler. I actually like the last big Imperial... '74 - 75 more even tho it was even more of a badge engineered car. I agree with you, that both of these '72 competitors are better looking cars than the Cadillac. But... all factors considered, the Caddy was a better car. The sales volume certainly supports that conclusion.
The Lincoln's passenger side mirror is interesting in that the remote is on the passenger armrest. In 1973, the remote lever moved closer to the driver under the dashpad near the defroster and antenna buttons.
Nothing like a Lincoln! Absolutely a beautiful ride and smooth.
My favorite is the Continental. Remove the hood ornament and fill the hole, remove the trim piece from each headlight door and make the doors just plain black metal. I think those two items on the front of the car do nothing for the looks. The non-vinyl top roof and the plain sides are superb. What a beautiful and well constructed car. The Imperial is a great car also but just lacks the styling of the Continental. Of course, just my opinion. To each his or her own.
I'd buy the Imperial today. The styling is still classic compared to the plastic shells, today.
I had a '72 Coupe deVille back in 1989.
Beautiful mint car.
And fast. Very fast and smooth.
No troubles.
Til it got stolen.😢
As for these two competitors.... they two are very nice rides as well. In excellent condition, like my Caddy.
The sound of the Chrysler reduction gear starter evokes memories. I miss that unique feature about them.
I think this is honestly the best combo you could have- the two door contis were 10/10 styled cars, and I actually think the four door imperials are better proportioned than the two doors. They each have their pluses and minuses but the Lincoln speaks to me more. I just love those big slab sided fenders and troughs. Is pick the Lincoln too!
If I could go down to the 1972 Lincoln dealership and order one new, I'd order it exactly the same as yours, although I'd try to get a blue brocade interior instead of black.
Aside from an eldorado, I think the full size Continental coupe was the best looking car of 1972. It's a shame the cars were rough because the styling, motors and trans were pretty good.
That imperial is an absolute stunner.
American masterpieces. I think the Lincoln coupe is more to my liking. A great video !!
Very nice automobiles. I'd pick the Lincoln. Had not "noticed" it before this. I was thinking 1961 looked better. On second thought, I'll take the Imperial for the handling. Okay, either one.
Love all the videos you do ! I too am a GM guy but loved all the big lux cars of the day . My father always had the big Olds and other relation had some Lincolns . Great cars in your collection and once had an 81 Seville which I loved with the big V8. 8-6-4 . Look forward to all that you review.
Adam, where do you keep all of your cars? I'm picturing a cool old warehouse somewhere that's nondescript on the outside and a hidden classic car lover's paradise on the inside.
I had that Lincoln coupe. Simply adored it. (In mature retrospect a horrid junker) I loved every single styling cue inside and out. Cruising at night was freaking epic. All the gauges deeply recessed with sea green dash lighting, except for the huge red speedometer that looked like a sideways pressure gauge. It felt like a nuclear submarine. (Mine had a dark green leather interior)
Another great video Adam. I don't like hidden headlights or leather interiors, and I love the look of that Imperial and the colour of the interior, beautifully sinister. The Lincoln's squared fenders with the bevelled edges give me 1970 Monte Carlo vibes.
Beautiful cars, Adam. That Motor Trend article you mentioned appeared in the April 1973 issue of Motor Trend as a comparison test. It is great to hear your impressions of the three cars. Also, the horiztontal Lincoln star first appeared on the '61 cars, I believe. I also think it was horizontal as there was not enough room on the sheetmetal for a properly proportioned vertical one. They solved that problem with the 1980 cars. And..."Highland Park hummingbird!" Love that! And, like you, I would choose the Lincoln. Having driven both, I just like the Lincoln better.
I grew up with quite a few Lincolns , and even more Cadillacs amongst my parents friends, but no one had an Imperial. My grandfather was a Mopar guy, but never had an Imperial anywhere close to this one. The ‘72 has maybe the coolest grille of and 70’s sedan…..by far
I LOVE that Lincoln! So beautiful. I currently own a 1979 Ranchero GT that is Dark Jade metallic with gold GT stripes. It only has 28k original miles and according to its Marti report is a 1 of 1. It has Brougham badging on the interior. I love it. It gets lots of attention. I also own a black on black 1997 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC with only 30k original miles. It's near mint and I'm the second owner. Love your channel and all your cars!
I had a 1970 Chrysler Imperial.
One thing mine had was a button on the floor and I used to tell my friends that I could tell the car to change radio stations and it would, then I would press the button with my foot and change the radio station. It would leave them speechless.
🤣
Two beauties! Although they have differences, one would not go wrong with either. Thanks for showing them.
Adam, thanks for the care you take of these beautiful cars.
Keep them coming
Apparently Chrysler didn't change the headlight door motor setup very much. 90's LeBarons' door motors look nearly identical.
Hey Adam ~
First off,thanx as always I love your videos!! Tough choice! When I was 17 in 1972 I worked for a Chrysler dealer in Cols.Oh. loved that job. Anyway I have to go for the Lincoln. Just crazy about that beautiful coup!! And it's Black!! They're both big, beautiful, luxurious automobiles.
I miss those days. Gliding down the highway 💖. Thanx again for the vid!!!
A kind of Summit Meeting here...I couldn't choose, so great to have both in your collection!
My parents had a '72 triple-brown Continental sedan. Brown leather interior and brown vinyl top with that cool fabric texture. Such a comfy cruiser. We lived lived near the ocean and the Lincoln was too big to fit in the garage, so unfortunately the thing rusted out in a few years.
I had a Buick that didn’t fit in my garage. Urg! But I loved that car except getting into it in icy weather when the door lock was frozen over with ice because i couldn’t get it in the garage.
Sounds like they had a Town Car, only they had the Cavalry Twill roof.
I don't think it ever registered that I saw an Imperial of this era in the wild. Great lines and 70's gold interior on that beauty!
Wow! Both engines are whisper-quiet and silky smooth.
Great content - two beautiful examples. Make mine the Cadillac. You are right, fit and finish not as good, nor materials but the styling, the 472 torque, and the dead perfect Turbo Hydramatic shifting make it my favorite for everyday use. Its funny because I was raised around those cars and when you saw a luxury car without a vinyl top in those day it looked like a Hertz car OJ Simpson told you had a great weekly rate.
The sheet metal on both is just mind-boggling. I can't pick a favorite.
I so enjoy your channel, thank you for your videos as well as your most enjoyable automotive presentations of some of the cars that I loved. My folks loved cars as well and we had a 1971 Mercury Marquis Brougham Coupe'. A 1965 & 1966 Imperial LeBaron 4-Door Sedan's. A 1967 Cadillac Coupe DeVille. And a 1969 Cadillac Sedan DeVille with baroque Silk seat coverings. All of the vehicles were purchased from new, often times right off of the showroom floor! I would see a car that I liked and my father or mother would become interested in purchasing the vehicle. So as you can see, as a family of auto enthusiast, we owned many cars during the 60's and beyond right into the present. Please continue to produce you videos into the future, I just enjoy watching and listening to your style and production quality. Signed, A Big fan!
When I was a kid, my aunt and uncle bought a brand new 1971 LTD. Silver with a black vinyl top. The upholstery was similar to the Lincoln.
Thank you so much for doing this video ❤
These two cars look like they are freshly coming out of the showroom !
How do the previous owners and yourself keep them in such magnificent condition ?
Wow ! ❤
These are probably two of my favorite cars of all time.
Both are just beautiful cars. Your narration is perfect for these cars.
Very neat Adam, great vlog.....I think the Imperial gold interior is killer!
Lincoln for me. Styling and fit and finish by Ford at that time was stellar.
Great video, Adam, as always. You can trace the "long" Lincoln logo back to '61 where they would use it in various narrower spots and to give a nice mid century look to boot; my '67 has it on the trunk like yours, the steering wheel hub, the door kick plates and on the door panels. I'm curious about the hood ornament: was that a dealer option or factory? The triple taillight design is also originally from '66, used in '67 and then back to the fender ends when side markers were mandated by the govt. I'm intrigued by no inside hood release; mine has it, but then again mine is front hinged - just don't know why they wouldn't keep it since it already had been developed. Very cool on the logo in the reading lights; mine are almost a mini fresnel lens, like on a lighthouse. Funny how you're right about "handling" - the 60s ones were almost sporty (I use that term loosely) and actually had firmer seats, but obviously the 70s were a whole new ball game...on another note my folks had a '71 Polara, and although not up there with the Imperial, there are many traits and brings back nice memories.
That particular Imperial has always been a favorite of mine. I have only seen one in person on the streets of Detroit.
I loved the fender skirts that many luxury/near luxury cars had … until I needed to remove or reinstall them , especially those that were often caked with clay dirt that’s common to our area.
We had a 1972 Lincoln Continental coupe. Ours was yellow with a brown leather interior. Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful, comfortable and best driving automobiles I ever experienced. We sold it in 1982 after my poor dad had a stroke (very sad). We kept their second car which was a 1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass. My 5'2" mom had difficultly maneuvering the Lincoln and it got between 11 - 13 mpg. I think we got around $600 for the 100k mile car. I have always regretted that sale, wish I kept it and restored it. BTW, dad lived until 1996 and he was quite unhappy with me for selling the car.
The video I was waiting for. I will say that in the Imperial the leather seats are much more comfortable than the cloth seats.
Good that there are parking spaces large enough for such huge cars. I've they were mine I'd never sell them, just stunning!
Love love love your analysis on all your videos thank you