1976 Lincoln Continental Town Car Review: Better than a Fleetwood?
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- Опубликовано: 23 июл 2024
- Hello everyone and welcome back! Today I'll be reviewing our FIRST EVER LINCOLN! This is a beautiful 1976 Continental Town Car. I'll take a detailed look at the exterior and interior of the Town Car, take it for a drive, and give my thoughts on the vehicle. I'll also explain how I think it compares to the Fleetwood from the time. Enjoy!
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Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:51 History
4:51 Exterior
13:17 Interior
22:39 Drive
27:41 Outro 
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This car is 47 years old, but is capable of dealing with modern traffic and high speed highways. It is loaded with most the assists that we all take for granted will be present in any new car. In 1976 when this car was new, a 47 year old car would have been a 1929 model. Consider that.
Excellent way to think of things.
It's utterly* horrendous.
The roof looks as though it was designed by two different people who never knew each other.
202hp from a 7.5 litre is laughable. In 1976, Jaguar was getting around 280hp from its 5.3 litre V12.
Interior looks like a cheap casino from the '70s.
*Edited
@@lewis72 “utterly”
We all appreciate your calm and collected assessment but we also want to be sure you spell the adverb correctly. Carry on.
@@cjb8010
Just continuing the US vernacular of using an adjective instead of an adverb.
@@lewis72
Lincoln vs Jaguar?
I didnt know Lincoln's from the 70s were sportscars that were tuned for power
I'm the proud owner of a '76 Continental myself. I bought it when I was only 20 years old. I hope the teenager of this '76 Lincoln cares for it like I have for mine.
To the 15 year old kid who owns the car... you, sir, have EXCELLENT taste!
I love seeing kids going against the grain and going for cars like these. Most boys his age want molested Civics or muscle cars. But he has the confidence to do his own thing and go for something like this. Kid has a good head on his shoulders.
I’m 18 and gonna save up for one of these cars. About 3-6k for a decent one in my area. Absolute beauty
Now THATS a CAR!!!!
Not some bucket with batteries and four wheels!!!
Love it!!1
The one thing I miss most from that era of vehicle was the absolutely amazing interior colors and fabric designs, and the commitment to them. Cars like this, white w/green top and interior....set my heart afire :)
A precursor to 1990s Jack Nicklaus editions!
And suspensions that soft
I could not agree more with you concerning the car interiors of yesteryear compared to what is offered today. I remember even mid-level to entry level cars like Mercurys, Buicks, and Fords and Chevys had soft padded vinyl on the interior door panels. And some certain models actually had real wood veneer finish on the trim....both on door and dashboard. And back then you were offered more than either a gray, tan, or black interior choice. Some auto manufacturers would offer different shades of red, multiple hues of blue, green, or brown. And the upholstery patterns were offered in a larger selection than they are now. From cloth brocade and soft velour to either vinyl w/cloth or soft supple leather with tufted buttoned design. Most of today car interiors have no personality or pinache. Everything is fake....the wood trim on newer cars doesn't even try to represent a form of recognizable lumber. The 'metal' trim on the door/dash is not brushed aluminum or chrome. It is metal finished plastic. And the controls are even more cheap looking than those of the past. Made cheaper but cost more. I miss the old ones.
Wow James! What a gorgeous old Lincoln you found. Love that green interior, why can't new cars have different colors anymore? Thanks for sharing this beauty with us 👌🙂
Love those colourful interiors . . . these days you can have any colour you want, as long as it's black!
The 60s and 70s had some of the best interiors.
At this time, cars were much more "dedicated". In other words, luxury cars were 100% about comfort with no pretense of sportiness whatsoever. Similarly, sports cars were very minimalistic and all about the most visceral driving experience possible and not much else . Todays cars often try to strike a balance between a variety of different disciplines.
And fail at most
Well said.
LGBT cars
Modern cars are Jack's of all trades, masters of none.
I don't know what the hell you guys are talking about modern cars are so much better than cars from back then. Have any of you guys owned cars from the 70s, they were junk compared to modern cars, you got about 60,000 miles out of them.
The fender skirts give these cars (and many others so equipped) SO much character!
They do indeed.
I'm glad to see you checking out the competition. I was in high school when these cars were new -- my grandparents had a couple of them which I drove quite a bit. I also owned a '78 Town Car for a couple of years. I always felt (and still do) that they have overall better quality than the concurrent Cadillacs (witness the latter's brittle bumper fillers and cheesy plastic wood and door panels, for example). Those valve caps are current accessories. Those are, in fact, the premium bodyside moldings. Dual exhausts were optional. The trunk pull down was not offered on Lincolns until the 1980s. FYI, the 460 was optional on mid-size and large Fords and Mercurys of this era. Those are original key blanks -- the square one is for the doors and igntion, the round one for the glove compartment, trunk and spare tire lock (if so equipped). And..there is no leather on the interior of the cars with cloth interiors, such as this one. It's good quality vinyl. the vent windows were a FoMoCo exclusive. My '73 Marquis Brougham has them. Ford pioneered steering wheel speed control buttons on the '66 Thunderbird. The speedometer is a rotating drum, and will turn red after indicating 70 MPH.
Illuminated visor vanity mirrors were optional. As most cars of the era, they were not super powerful, but they can still keep up with modern traffic quite easily. The large engines of this era were all about torque to motivate 5,000 plus pounds of car. Nobody was really bragging horsepower by 1976, Overall, a great review of this car.
In 1976 The 460 was the only engine choice in the (non California) Lincolns and Thunderbird. But it’s amazing that the 460 was available in all but the compact and smaller cars. I drove a 1976 Cougar with a 460. It was fast (for the era) . But boy did it suck gas!
I’ve always believed that Town cars aged better than Sedan deVilles. As Cadillacs got older, the interior seemed to fall apart . The Town cars seemed to stay in better condition for longer.
I never considered the Town car or Fleetwood as a PERSONAL luxury car. I considered it as a luxury family car. I considered the Mark V and Eldorado as filling those roles. They were still land yachts though.
This review was fun to watch - excellent job, James! My grandfather owned a Lincoln Mercury dealership and when I was little, my siblings and I would run around the showroom floor and play inside vehicles like this. Of course, my parents only drove Lincoln’s and it helped that my father worked for Ford at the time. Those seats absolutely put you to sleep! Long rides to visit family were never a problem and my siblings and I would fight over who got to sit on that arm rest in the back seat! When I see this car parked in our driveway, it brings back so many childhood memories and it is wild to think my son was attracted to it, almost by fate, as he knew none of these stories. I believe his great grandfather is shining down on it and smiling big knowing his great grandson owns a vehicle that defined his professional legacy.
Appreciate at how unbiased you are being !!
Sincerely,
A Lincoln Man.
(Who loves Caddys too).
LOL
Having restored a 746 Coupe Deville and a 79 Mark V, I can say the Lincolns had much better build quality inside and out. Just shut the door on either of these cars and the Cadillac was always shaky. Lincolns had a more quality feel and sound. This is Town Car is an amazing 88,000 mile machine. Cool vid.
It seems to me that while Cadillac's intentions were still right and they were still making huge, well optioned luxury cars, they were letting the bean counters get too much of their way which did affect quality in the 70s.
Lincoln seemed to carry on Ford's high quality standards to an extent though. As you mentioned the doors were a telltale sign.
I think both makes are better than the other on a year to year and model to model basis. I've never restored either but I've owned three Cadillacs and have driven two Lincoln Mark series. Those 70s continentals were better than the 70s DeVille's, build and design wise. But than Seville was a lot better than the Versailles.
My family had one. It was a wonderful car and so much luxury. I remember being barefooted and the carpet being plusher than the carpets in our home.
It was the same color exterior and interior. I remember cleaning it all day Saturday to go out with my girlfriend that night.
Thank you for the memories.
That green interior looks gorg and lux.
Eat your heart out Rolls Royce!
Owning a 76 Eldorado convertible I have to say that the Lincoln Towncar of that era was a far superior car compared to the Cadillacs. I found that the fit and finish, build quality, and quality of materials blew Cadillac away. I remember very well that Lincoln was always a few thousand dollars out of my reach thus always buying Cadillac. However, the 8-6-4, the diesel, HT 4100, the fit and finish, and the terrible quality of material's finally got to be intolerable and I switched over to Lincoln in 1987 and never returned to Cadillac. The last Lincoln I ordered was a 2002 black-on-black LS and I still have it to this day with 120K on it and it has been a wonderful car.
Fun fact: the Lincoln LS was essentially a Jaguar dressed in Lincoln clothing. Ford held a significant stake in Jaguar at the time
Yes I'm a GM guy through and through but I can't deny the late 60s and 70s era Lincolns has the best interior finish than anything else available. Truly beautiful cars and it all went to shit in the 80s lol
what an amazing Lincoln and amazing colors. These did give the Cadillac Fleetwood a run for the money. The Cadillac is for sure more stylish and bold, but the Lincoln is probably a better built car in terms of fit and finish and robustness, especially the interior. Great Video. I like the Continental Town Cars with the little window in the C pillar as it makes it easier to back up and see cars coming at you from the right in a parking lot. Wonderful review and I hope the 15 year old kid really takes care of this car....
You stole my thunder. I own both Lincoln and Cadillacs from the era, and everything you said about the Lincoln is correct.
Cadillac and GM in general suffered from a misguided emphasis on profitability from the 70s until the 2000s, which clashes with the premise of a luxury car. Cadillac lost its way during this period and it would be a long time before they found it again
The speedometer is a barrel inside that rolls as you go faster, under a magnified strip that you see. It was called a thermometer speedometer, because it looked like the glass thermometers of the time. My first Lincoln was a 1975 Continental 4-door, Red with White vynal top. Brings back memories. 🥰
Thanks James for doing this video on this generation of Lincoln. When I was 20 years old, I purchased a '79 Continental Town Coupe. It was light blue metallic with a white landau roof, with a matching interior of white leather, and the dashboard and carpet were dark blue. 1979 was the last year of this body styling before the 1980 downsized model. It had the 400M V-8, as the 460 had been discontinued after '78. The 8-track player STILL worked! I have some good memories of this car. I loved my land yachts, while my friends were all driving Mustangs and Camaros. My mom called it "the aircraft carrier", or "the Nimitz." Thanks for your videos on the REAL cars that we used to build.
So good to see Lincoln finally get some love! 2 things, the stickers that are on the driver door for the controls are added by someone else. Those are not put on there from the factory. Also, I had a 76 and they had triple horns. I guess 2 of the horns on this car you reviewed don’t work. Thanks for sharing!
I noticed the horns. Definitely down to 1 horn.
For “personal luxury” Lincoln Continental offered the Mark IV in this year as well as the Town Coupe.
Torque output is the great motivator of luxury yachts more than ‘wheel-spinning’ horsepower.
There’s a stateliness found in Lincolns which is possibly more formal than the Cadillac line-up with the exception of the Fleetwood series. Thanks for the video.
(The tire valve stem caps are aftermarket).
You're absolutely right, this is not the "personal luxury car"... Try a T-Bird or Mark.
Yall are forgetting about the mercury marauder x100. A gentleman's sports car!
@@kh7761 Yes, an amazing car and all too rare. And of course, the original "Bankers Hot rod", the Chrysler 300 series.
Honorable mentions to the Buick Wildcat, the Impala SS, and the Bonneville 2 + 2 for sporty pretensions...
We use to run Caddys at our funeral homes but now we have switched over to Lincolns. Today Cadillacs feel and look cheap compared to years ago. When my maternal Grandfather started the business back in the 1930s he ran with nothing but Packards into the late 1950s. I drove a 2018 XT5 and got rid of it after 8 months as it reminded me of a Chevy Equinox in so many ways. We do have a fully restored 1962 Caddy coach that my Mother purchased when she was President of the firm. She has passed on but the 62 coach is still used upon request. I do enjoy your videos.
Very interesting video, James! I'm old enough to remember these cars when they were new. And I have always been partial to Lincoln. To me they seem less flashy and more stately than the Cadillac. And quiet comfort was definitely their hallmark. A "living room on wheels", if you will. As the old saying goes, they don't make them like that anymore! I do have one observation though...the Lincoln that would have been considered their personal luxury car at the time was the Mark IV.
11:30 the 460 v-8 was not Lincoln only, it was also used in Fords and Mercury's.
Glad to see you branch out, love Lincolns
Hey, James! What a beautiful Town Car! Nothing today looks as stately and and majestic going down the road. And where can you find an interior like that! Green 😂. Love the review, keep up the good work.
I have owned and driven 61-65 Lincolns for decades, however I only recently acquired a 76 four door town car so your review timing is superb. You mentioned the dual exhaust: the brochure does not list duals as an option. A few other mentions, rear disc brakes were still an option and the opera windows were as well. My car has a full vinyl top, which I prefer over the half. Mine also has the opera windows which I think are fluff and would not order if it were my choice. I like the leather of mine over the velour but that is also personal choice. Other things that I personally don't care for are the coach lamps on the side (?) and the ridiculous vent windows. What I do like is the quietness of the ride and the effortless steering. You are right about the power as the smogged up 460 doesn't move the 5300 lbs very quickly. It seems like the gas pedal is connected to a rubber band somewhere between the pedal and the carburetor. The power brakes are great because the hydra boost gives instant application instead of waiting for the vacuum to apply assist. Since you like Cadillac you should be aware that the steering on the Lincoln in 76 is Saginaw sourced and the air conditioning is the Frigidaire / GM axial-6 compressor which was far superior to the old ford two piston variety. Great review and thanks for showcasing the Lincoln.
My dad bought a new 76 Coupe in triple Jade green. It even had a green moonroof and rear disc brakes. I agree the steering had zero feel, but that wasn't GM's fault. This box didn't have the variable ratio like the GMs at the time and was way over-assisted, probably per Ford's specifications.
As far as power, it's very easy to make these cars spin the tires with a little tuning. Add more ignition advance, get rid of the cats and other miscellaneous emissions stuff and it will run strong premium fuel. I remember taking the cats off and replacing them with "test pipes" as they were called back then and it instantly made the tires squeal on take off. The retarded cam timing makes no difference that I noticed. I changed the timing gear for the police car version but I don't think it's worth the trouble. Timing and cats were the big issues. Of course, dual exhaust as well.
@@MrSpartanPaul Thanks for the tuning info especially about changing the timing gear. I don't want to change mine for a while so good to know that it doesn't really help with power. Mine is a daily driver, but I am retired so I don't drive a lot.
Beautiful! I’m a Caddy guy -have had 4 Cadillacs including a pristine medium-blue metallic ‘86 Fleetwood Brougham. I’ve never had a Lincoln but the one in your video here looks great and I’d be a happy driver in that big beauty!
James this is indeed a change. Good for you doing a Lincoln. I understand and know your love for Cadillac. Lincoln did out sell Cadillac in 1998 after 59 years. They eventually had trunk pull down in Lincoln Town Cars in future model years. !976 was the last year of the Lincoln specific instrumentation panel. They had advertisements
. back in the day that touted the fact Lincoln had a better ride than Cadillac. Thank you for sharing and reviewing this model.
I am a classic Cadillac guy through and through, but I can definitely respect this Lincoln. It’s interesting to see a bit of a different take on the same idea of an enormous, formal, comfortable, and quiet V8-powered, body-on-frame, rear-wheel drive, top-of-the-line cruiser. Two things I really like about this Lincoln are the rolling-drum speedometer and that this particular example doesn’t have those oval opera windows. Besides those oval windows invoking yet another Ford logo, they don’t go with the otherwise very rectangular design of the car. I think the solid C-pillar is much more substantial in appearance. I also think this is true on the Cadillacs of the same year and I much prefer the solid C-pillar of the Fleetwood to the awkward extra windows that were found on the Sedan deVille.
The green color of the interior and exterior accents was known as "jade." The color was offered on other Ford, Mercury and Lincoln models. The Continentals and Marks of that era offered what was known as the "LDO" or "luxury decor option" with unique, 'fashion' colors including jade (green,) lipstick (red) and creme-and-gold.
Dark jade. There was a light jade as well.
That was great! Always thought those Town Cars were kinda stately
The Lincoln Continental Town Car was a luxury car, it wasn’t a personal luxury car, the Continental Mark IV was Lincoln’s personal luxury car. Also in the early to mid 1970’s those engines were the early low compression smog era engines, that includes all cars, even the Corvette got stung. So power was down on all cars during that era.
While the horsepower was low.. Very true.. It was the torque factor that counted in moving such a heavy vehicle.
OK, so I was very curious why there was no opera window on this car so I went to the 1976 sales brochure. Newly introduced in 1976 was this "Coach Roof". Optional only on the Town Car and Town Coupe. For the Town Car it came without the opera window. The rear window treatment was 'Frenched.'
Very nice car....horsepower may not be a whole lot, but the torque numbers are pretty good. Torque is what moves the car.
I am watching your videos from Germany. These are one of the best car videos on the entire RUclips. As a german I am always amazed how wide the streets are in the United States and the properties as well. Everything is very distinguished and luxurious. May be the towns have there problems with poor or homeless people. But the countriesides are very well behaved. Germany is a very small country, compared to the States. 83 Mio people live in a state about the size of Montana. So everything is more tiny. But we too have very nice spots to visit. Both are very nice countries. What’s the state you produce your videos? Please excuse if I made any mistakes in my comment. I am not a native english speaker.
Nice comments. I'm going to guess he is in Indiana or Ohio. Don't listen to the news. Rural America is nice. If you think his area is big you should visit Montana sometime. Huge expanses of land with big open roads that go for miles and miles.
My short German born and raised grandpa loved big American cars like his Fleetwood Cadillac I'm tall and like small German cars like my nimble Gen 1 Rabbit to my current Jetta TDI Prius like fuel efficiency w plenty of passing power
Back in its day, I used to utterly despise these things. They embodied excessive fuel consumption, dodgy (...Ford-y?...) handling, and lethargic acceleration. I didn't like the Las Vegas interior. Now, however, I can't get enough of them!!! If I lived on the mainland, I'd try to own one of these to take out of the garage in the middle of the night and drive. You know...so no one could watch me enjoying myself so much. You looked like YOU had a good time, and I enjoyed watching your video.
Great review James! Wonderful memories of the 1970’s. Thank you
The 460 V-8 motor was offered in most full sized Ford and Mercury models from 1973-1978. It was the only motor offered in the 1974-76 Ford Thunderbird.
My favorite car, Buddy! Thanks for featuring one! Great review, again!
Excellent job done on this review - very much enjoyed the review!
You are so good at this… the drone visuals are next level. Let’s hope that 15 year old kid leaves this car alone.
Im with you on keeping the car as pristine as it currently is right now. It is a time machine and a work of art. I grew up in the 70's and always like the looks of these flagships as well as the Cadillacs. This car is a thing of beauty. And fairly reliable, if memory serves me correct. I can still recall the tagline that LINCOLN used in both TV commercials and printed ads......'LINCOLN: What a luxury car Should be.' One nice ride.
Im with you on keeping the car as pristine as it currently is right now. It is a time machine and a work of art. I grew up in the 70's and always like the looks of these flagships as well as the Cadillacs. This car is a thing of beauty. And fairly reliable, if memory serves me correct. I can still recall the tagline that LINCOLN used in both TV commercials and printed ads......'LINCOLN: What a luxury car Should be.' One nice ride.
It's waaaaay better than a Caddie love these cars!!!!
My mums cousin had a 65 lincoln continental. I love these cars and the cadillaca of this era.
Hi again, fantastic review and yes it is so nice to see the Lincoln as over here i had for a while a 1991 town car and so smooth to drive even on our roads. thanks for a good review.
It's amazing car! I really enjoyed this video! Thank you for review, man!
I am absolutely blown away!! Thank you for reviewing it
Thank you for making the video of this oh-so-comfortable car! The Media Velour is pronounced "Ma-DEE-ah" in Lincoln's videos of the time.
James I really enjoy your reviews! You take the time to discuss the kind of things car nerds like me really appreciate…like the stitching on the seats & the individual components on the dashboard. Like you, I’m a dyed-in-the-wool Cadillac guy (own a pristine 77 Coupe DeVille) but I have to say, while I’ve always felt Cadillacs were more luxurious, Lincolns seemed better built. Incidentally, I noticed the Ohio plate with the Wood county sticker. I’m a BGSU alum and will be driving Bella (the Caddy) to visit my son at the beginning of October. If you’re interested in doing a review of a 1977 Coupe Deville, I’d be happy to volunteer my car.
Yay! Finally a Lincoln on your channel! I like your detailed evaluations on the cars. Keep up the good work.
I'm longtime watcher and subscriber.
A friend of our family had a brand new 72 Thunderbird with a 429, that car was luxurious and quick, in the mid 70s I bought a 69' Ply. Road Runner with a 383 right out of High school. We never raced but his 429 Luxury T-Bird would definately compete. He later traded his T-bird in on a new 76' Lincoln the same color as this. These cars and GM and Chrylser Luxury liners back then would float you down the road like on a cloud. Its the ride people wanted then and the ride I miss today.
This is so cool James!
I enjoyed your review very much. I have driven Cadillacs almost non stop since 1986, but also Mercury Grand Marquis and since 2002 a Continental Mark IV along with my Cadillac.
11:30 To my knowledge the 460 cui engine was an option in other full size Ford Motor Company cars.
Like other full size Ford Motor Cars, the Lincoln Continental headlight door operate with separate vacuum doors left and right. This causes the doors to open unevenly, when the car has been parked for a while.
Unlike the Continental Mark IV - (only - not the Mark V) On these cars the headlight doors share the vacuum motor, why the doors open evenly, when the car is parkd for a long time.
On my 1975 the doors stay closed for four weeks, if the car is driven regularly. During winter storage they will stay closed for 1 week only.
The cornering light is kind of a mystery. I have seen a 1973 Mark IV and random Mark V's, where the cornering lights work without the headlights are on, but on my 1975 Mark IV it ONLY works with the headlights on. Same thing for my 1976 Mercury Grand Marquis. I have never figured out as to why or how.
The sun visors surprise me. In my 1975 Continental Mark IV I has sun visor-mounted vanity-mirrors with two beam lights behind a lid on each sun visor, left and right.
The horn sounds funny. Try and check it. My guess is that either of the two tone horns does not work.
As for the light. These cars have optional headlight convenience with automatic on and off as well as automatic dimming. This car does not, though.
As for competition with Cadillac, the Continental Mark IV beat the Cadillac Eldorado in sales figures in 1975 and even more so in 1976, dispite the fact that Cadillac Eldorado still offered the convertible model.
When you opened the door, I involuntarily said "Oh shit". USA cars used to be so out there.
Great presentation !
Really enjoyed watching this video, what an incredible car and so loaded with features.
I have owned the last one , a 1979 collectors series in white with dark blue leather seats, headliner, panels, and inside pillars wrapped with dark blue Kasman II cloth, and all options except four wheel disc brakes, moonroof, it has automatic headlamp on 'off feature, 8-track, lighted visor vanity mirrors, leather wrapped toolkit , fully extra thick carpeted trunk, but the engine was the 6.6l 400 as the only choice leather.
I can vouch for that. We had two Cadillacs when I was in high school and they were both dogs maintenance wise. One couldn't keep front end alignment. After those Dad only bought Lincolns. Great cars, especially on long drives.
HI from Sydney, Australia. Good to see you giving a Lincoln a workout, I have owned a 1979 Collectors Series Town Car since it was almost new, it was the out-going managing director of a US oil company here in Sydney's car. It had a mere 14,083 miles on the odometre, had been pampered and presented as new, it still does, I knew I would never be getting another one as Ford Aust' only shipped 2 here in kit form to be constructed as right-hand drive cars. It is a very different driving experience to that of the same vintage Cadillacs as I own both brands and like them all as they are markedly different.
Here in OZ , I own 3 right hand drive Ford, Homebush, Australia built flat pack kit US Ford cars, one is a '73 Mk4 Conti' Coupe, the second a '79 Collectors Series Town Car, plus '65 framed door glass what is basically a Galaxie LTD. However the upspec LTD here for 1965 did not wear LTD badging, they were all fitted with the 390ci Police enforcer special engines in a pretty pale metallic green color & fitted with dual Carter 4 bbl AFB carbies. Plus, the interior was way more lavish Lincoln standard of trim. For 1966 we had Galaxie's badged as LTD's and all came with vinyl roof coverings but sadly they had been slightly asset stripped making a 1965 first of range version way more valuable as it was basically a Lincoln in a Galaxie body. ADDITIONALLY, I own 2 right hand drive GM Holden Pagewood, Australia, built flat pack US Cadillacs both Fleetwood Broughams , a white '72 model and a black'74 model.
Owning both brands for 40 years I can say that the 2 Cadillacs are infinitely superior to the 3 x Ford products, even though I like all of them. If you were to place the 1965 Galaxie LTD on a hoist and place the 1979 Town Car on the hoist next to it, you can clearly see that the '79 Lincoln is near 75% '65 Ford Galaxie, with a 10" stretch of the SAME chassis, from boot floor pressings, rocker panel pressings, rear axle, front suspension and disc brake assembly all is a carryover from a 1965 Ford. NOT so with the Cadillacs they are not sharing anything with any other division at all.
But there are really annoying little things like the poor-quality Lincoln power window lifts whereas the Cadillac ones swap a crank handle for an electric motor the size of a home power drill, but still use the massive stainless steel scissor lifts found in a crank handle car, so they never wear out. Then at Ford for ease of assembly they have horrible mild steel water cooling pipes along the sides of their blocks so that only little, short hoses need connection at either end, however these are a ticking time bomb as one never knows if/when they are all rusted out inside. But at GM the Cadillacs use giant synthetic hoses well clear of the engines heat on the mudguards, on my black '74 model Caddy the same ones are on the car from when I bought it in September 1982, and being pure synthetic they are still soft and excellent.
To be right hand drive compliant and not have the Fords/Lincolns jump out of park which had been a long-term issue. The Ford Aust engineers had created their own steering column, and gear shifter mechanism. Our steering columns do not tilt but are situated higher up the firewall so the wheel is not down in your lap needing a tilt feature. So our '65 to '79 RHD Ford kit cars with their unique column & shifter to suit also means different dashboards to suit the higher mounting as well. Our cars do not have plastic dashboards but instead have anodized alloy ones like a 1960's car and genuine solid wood dash panels made for Ford Aust by Parker-Chiswell a premium quality furniture manufacturer in Sydney. This gives these large Aussie Ford products the ambience of a Rolls Royce. Added to in the Galaxie as all of our 1965, 66, & 67 Galaxies used a RHD version of the 1961 to '63 Lincoln dash, the instruments, radio & HVAC control module even the same style woolen carpet too very classy indeed.
Best of all though was our RHD Aussie versions were all full power engines with ZERO anti-pollution equipment save a charcoal cannister to arrest fuel loss. Our first horrible de-tuned unleaded gas cars arrived in late 1986 long after these wonderful US giant cars had left the scene as new vehicles. These low volume high end cars came with their own unique Australian sales brochures, glove box owner's manuals, and more importantly service manuals to suit all the extensive re-engineering put into both brands to suit both being RHD, and also Aussie conditions and legal requisites for registration compliancy.
I can’t believe it. Just the other day, I was thinking, it would be good if James had a look at a ‘70’s Continental. I’ll be honest, in many ways, I pick the Conti. The biggest reason? I was never impressed with the build quality/integrity of the 1971 to 1976 full size Cadillacs. The Lincoln was a far better car in this regard. Anyway, thank James.
Oh, PS - Thunderbird by Ford also used the 460 engine. It wasn’t exclusive to Lincoln.
This is my second favorite car. Cadillac was first. This car is beautiful for being 47 years old. Thanks for reviewing this car. The landyatch were king of the road.
One of my grandmothers had a Town Car from 1979, the last year for this body style. It had a different, more Rolls Royce-looking grille, but was otherwise the same, but everything gold, gold exterior, gold landau roof, and gold interior with gold leather upholstery.
This wasn't considered a personal luxury car at the time. In the seventies, personal luxury cars were always two-door. Lincoln's personal luxury model in 1976 was the Mark IV (one of my uncles had a 1972 Mark IV). And I know people today say personal luxury cars had a performance or sporty aspect to them, but that was not the case during the seventies. It was all about luxury trim.
And multitudinous color options were available on all cars back then, not just luxury cars. You could personalize any car with all kinds of options, even economy cars.
Excellent video love these cars. So much better than now nothing like increasingly poor condition roads and increasingly firm vehicles, tires, seats, suspension...
I remember these cars while growing up in the 1970's. I rode in several of them. I remember riding in several 1973 Lincoln Town Cars, and Town Coupes, a 1976 Town Car, and a 1978 Town Car. All of the cars I was in had leather interiors, and were not the base models. They all rode smooth and quiet. Cruising was effortless, and I remember them all gliding at 60 miles per hour without touching the gas petal. The 460 V-8 also had gobs of torque. The only problem was the cars could not pass a gas station without stopping for fuel. Once, I remember going up a long incline, and watching the gas gauge sliding away from the full mark and going left towards the empty mark. That stuck in my mind as to how much gas we were using when climbing that incline. They were all very comfortable to sit in, and were great on long drives. These cars were better built than the crap they sell today. One of these could run over the stuff they sell today, and keep on going. In the 1970's and 1980's these were everywhere.
when I moved to San Diego in 2000, I had a 76 Lincoln Town Coupe, same car as this one as a 2 door. I bought it for 1400 bucks and it was very clean. It was my daily driver and the most reliable car I can think of. Other than oil change and front brake pads, I didn't put any dollars into it. I put 30k miles onto it with. Gas in California was 1.80 at that time, but still brutal with that gas milage... Even that the 460 felt restricted, it had plenty power out of the lower rpm. Above 3000 rpm it was falling off. It was not a slow car.
I was a Cadillac guys until I bought my first town car , after that it was all over . I have owned 6 TCs and currently own 2 . I even have the wife in a Navigator, her 3rd 😃 . They are both beautiful, Cadillac n Lincoln , but in my opinion Lincoln is more of a true gentleman's car . Lincoln for me , just my opinion.
I have a 77. 460 with most opts. it's a pleasure to drive. smooth and comfortable. the pwr steering and brakes are effortless. lts very quiet on the hwy. just don't get in a hurry.
Thanks for adding Lincoln as one of your reviews
I like that style Lincoln, as you had here without the oval opera window. I would have preferred the full vinyl roof thought too. I however, never liked that 'filigree picture frame' side molding. I thought that was tacky.
My dad had a ‘77 Continental. I was about 6 when he got it. Burgundy inside & out. My dad drove it until 1985 & put 260,000 miles on it. Great car.
Saw and talked to you guys at the perrysburg car show a few weeks ago! You guys are such nice people, with cars to match 😅
I just stumbled across your channel. Great review. Will
Look for more. I’m a Pontiac guy,but the 74-79 Continentals are firm favorites. They were SOOOOO big !!! And the colors. How about those Greens !!!!
Wonderful review James. I learned to drive on my mother's 1976 Lincoln when I was 15 years old. Back then they were known as a quality, quiet car... no sportiness at all. That was reserved for the Mark V. My best friend's mother had a 1976 Eldorado. I always thought the Eldorado was prettier, but the build quality was definitely better on the Lincoln. Without a doubt, at the time, they were both incredibly elegant. Your review brought back a lot of memories when gasoline was 65 cents a gallon. And you were correct, Lincoln did not offer a motorized trunk lid pull down in 1976. Thank you and keep up the great videos!
Simply beautiful!!!
You make a good video. I'm very impressed. Keep it up! You'll go far.
Thank you James! Love the Caddies where I come from we call them Yank Tanks love the Lincoln Continental too! At the age of 19 years I brought my first Yank Tank, it was a 1974 Ford Brougham, two door coupe, colour brown, vinal roof with a round window, and a 460ci V8 motor, I was the only one in my town that had one, and everyone loved it, Even today I still love the big American cars! 👍
I am so glad that you finally have a Lincoln to review. I have a 76 TownCar also, with Crystal Jade Metallic paint / Coachroof and that fabulous emerald pillow top cloth seats. My favorite features are the "power mini-vent windows and the oval opera windows, that mine is equipped with. It;s Lincoln hands down for me, in the floating, luxo barge category.
Very well done. My first car was a 77 Continental so it was great to see.
As for the speedometer, it is much simpler than it appears. It's all an optical illusion. There is a cylinder behind there, half black and half white. As it rotates around it creates the illusion of the needle moving. The plastic lens "corrects" for the angle to make the need appear vertical.
Is that a physical disc, as a cylinder, seen through an apeture, mechanical gauge?
@@manfromsnowy It's not a disc, it's an actual cylinder, with a spiral paint job on it, half black, half white with an orange line between the two halfs.
My grandpa left me one in a beautiful brown 21k miles I get looks and honks everywhere I go I would never sell not even for a million dollars to much sentimental value for me and it drives so smooth for being a boat.
A neighbor of ours had this car back in the 70s. I was impressed when I was a kid, still impressed by it's lines in 2023 as a current 2011 Maybach 57s owner 🎉.
Very interesting review!
The Lincoln was not considered to ride better than the Cadillac. They were probably equals especially the Town Car & the 60 Special. But Lincoln did not have a Limousine model as Cadillac did and that really hurt them in comparison to. Cadillac.
Stunning car!
The Town Cars and Marks when I was a kid in the 70s were The "It" American Luxury cars of that decade, Cadillac and Lincoln's were really polar opposites in styling and personality, and Chryslers were like the Avant Garde relative. Oh..and yes...Cadillacs had probably the Most Iconic and Sophisticated sounding horn of any American cars of the 20th century..Italian cars horns probably being Europe's best
The speedometer is a barrel that turn as speed picks up. The first Oldsmobile Toronados had drum speedometers
Wow in great shape I had 76 elite shared many features..with similar wheels loved it
Cadillac, at that time, had a brand image that meant you made it and was successful more than what Lincoln did. However, Lincoln was the higher quality product, fit and finish and material quality in the Lincoln was much better than Cadillac. Roll the window down on both cars and close the door, the Lincoln will have a solid sound where the Caddy's window will rattle in its tracks, and that's when they were new. Cadillac became so successful by that time, GM wanted to capitalize on profits by cutting costs. Before the 70's Cadillac was exclusive to other GM brands where they had their own platforms, features, engines that you couldn't get in lesser GM cars. But to make more profit GM moved Cadillac to platforms shared with Buick and Oldsmobile which meant they also started sharing their lower quality parts.
One horn contact is oxidized from road dirt. Find horns in lower part of vehicle under bumper, remove wire shoes, sand shoes and contacts, replace shoes onto contacts for nice two-tone horn sound.
Wow…that gorgeous green interior tho! You would feel instantly cooler and lighter as you settle into those emerald pillows! I have had Cadillacs and Lincolns. Cads have more flash but the Lincolns are/were better made
I would tend to be a cadillac guy also, but this certainly is luxury at it's finest. Good report Sir.
Great job as usual James...hard to believe that car is as old as me
Excellent review, I'm new to your channel and have subscribed! This is one of the nicest, well-preserved 70's Town Cars I've seen here on YT. And I do agree with you on the criticism about the "Ford" emblem showing on the interior in a couple places. Also, not to be too nit-picky here, but for a luxury vehicle at the time I'm surprised both visors don't have a mirror, and that the one that does doesn't have a lamp/light built into it. On a separate note, your video was very well put together, I especially like the drone footage at the end of your drive review, which added a unique perspective for us viewers. The surprising thing about your review, however, is at the very end regarding the 15-year old owner...wow am I jealous! :)
Hey JW right off the top It’s really good to see a 76 Lincoln on your channel. The other stuff, the valve stem caps are aftermarket, the use of proper nomenclature was great. I applaud your open mindedness to have a Lincoln on your channel. Lincoln used the same dash in the Continental Town Car from 1970 to 1977 completely changing that dash and instrument cluster in 1978. When you do a Lincoln again expect a view like and comment from me. You may have a bias for Cadillac. My biased opinions towards Lincoln was shook by watching your channel. Well done.
Even without a Lincoln bias, I can tell you that the Buick Electra and Oldsmobile 98 Regency still had more luxurious interiors than the damned Cadillacs of the time...
This makes me pine for my '77 Town Car. So wonderfully huge and the absolute best highway ride ever. Mine even have the dark green interior (leather though) Thanks for the video!
That back seat would make a good front porch seat. lol A YMCA I belonged to in the men's health club I went in one day and there was a couch someone donated and I asked who donated the Lincoln Town Car back seat.
My Grandfather had one. Rode like a dream down the highway.
In the 90s and 2000 I wanted one of these when I was a teenager. I remember seeing a 1979 for sale $10,000 in the year 2000. It was gray with a gray velour interior.
The automatic, low-effort trunk pull down was a Cadillac item...
The BIG difference was the deep-well trunk that Lincoln, Mercury and even LTD's had compared to Chrysler and GM ...
The spare tire AND the fuel tank we're up high, so the trunk went all the way to the bottom of the car. Especially convenient for bringing cases of liquor back from Nevada to California. That is why one would choose the Town Coupe' over the Mark... 2-door style, with room to take a few people and all their luggage on a trip.
BTW, the shape of that trunk would indicate that the car did not have dual exhaust. The left and right ledges are different shapes.