5 Favorite Golden Era Luxury Car V8s Available In The U.S.

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

A few years ago, my wife and I restored a 1976 Coupe DeVille specifically to make "banzai runs" from our place in NW Ohio to visit our daughter and twin grandsons in North Carolina. The 500 is slightly hot rodded but, didn't really need to be. The suspension is also upgraded and, it DID need it. Sure, there are newer vehicles with which we could set the cruise control on 85 or so and roll on in air conditioning but, we'd also feel every bump in the road all the way there and back. However, with our Slick Black Cadillac, we don't feel any of them and, with the upgraded suspension, wheels and tires, the ol girl handles pretty well too!

[@jamesrecknor6752]

76 was a epic year for Cadillac

[@AbbasBinYounas]

Modern cars will be much more feature packed, efficient etc etc etc, but will never have the presence or the elegance of these awesome machines.

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

@@AbbasBinYounas You're right of course but, we didn't build it to be packed with features or (especially) for efficiency. We built it to roll down the highway all day at 85+ effortlessly and comfortably which is exactly what it does. We did make one minor concession in the name of reliability, it has a FAST EZefi in place of the Quadra-Jet.

[@dougn2350]

Just curious... do know what your mpg was on those long hauls at 85mph?

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

@@dougn2350 I did the math twice, once with a carb and once with EFI. It was 12-14 mpg on the road with a TH-400 trans and 3.08(?) gear ratio. Closer to 12 with the rebuilt Quadra-Jet and closer to 14 with the EFI.

[@1aikane]

My parents drove these cars. I remember the 1977 Lincoln Mark V, Cartier edition with the 460 V8 engine. Wow oh wow, it could haul!

[@SierraBravo347]

I had a '72 Lincoln Mark IV with a 460 4bbl that would pass everything but a gas station, and with a HUGE gas tank, it's a good thing gas was pretty cheap when I had it. The thing rode like it had Clouds for tires...Sooooo Smooth and those overstuffed leather seats were opulent. I loved that car....

[@dougn2350]

The last big car my dad bought was a 1970 Buick Electra 225 Limited with a 455. That car was awesome on long trips to Florida in winter to visit grandma in Hollywood

[@markst.germain9286]

Our GMC motorhome has the engine and transmission from the Oldsmobile toronado 455. Even though it weighs 9000 lb this engine moves it along very well.

[@marko7843]

Absolutely! That whole machine was ingenious, I want one to this day... It's so sad that it had the bad luck to be introduced right at the Arab oil embargo.

[@nunyabidniz2868]

GMC's Moonmobiles *still* look light years ahead of most current generation Class A motorhomes, barring those costing over $500k [built on bus chassis, w/ all the bells & whistles, so they'd darn well BETTER look clean!]

[@Dr.Meola1980]

My first car was a 1977 Buick regal Sr edition. When I got it it had a factory Oldsmobile 350 that only had 145 hp .My neighbor had a wrecked 1968 Olds toronado with the 455 with 400 hp. I bought the toronado engine for like $150. Stuck it into the smaller 1977 regal thing was fast.

[@Boblib1970]

My dad had that exact silver Lincoln Mark IV in the thumbnail. That 460 hauled and would smoke that right rear tire like crazy!

[@kosmaskambanis]

Good looking car. Glad you were able to enjoy it

[@RichardinNC1]

Nothing beat the 440 womp when the extra 2 bbls of the thermoquad kicked in. We had it in a 75 New Yorker. Dad tuned it up a bit

[@gene978]

Had that 500 Cu In in my ‘73 Fleetwood Brougham with 30K miles at age 17. I had to be one of the luckest 17 year olds as I snagged my Dads Uncles Florida Caddy for a song ($1,700) back in 1979. Was like brand new. Fully optioned except astro roof.

[@lorrieannesilvey474]

Oh God I miss these cars......I had a few of these cars......I now have a 2003 Toyota camry. I think about my earlier cars everytime I get into my current car.

[@ronlind1757]

Those were the days....

[@jwelchon2416]

Those were all fabulous engines. The only one you left out was the Buick 455. I had one in a 70 Electra 225 and it ran like a scalded dog!

[@jeffcampbell2710]

I'm surprised he left it out, since it was the King in 70.

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

Great vid!!!!!

[@gurneyforpresident2836]

Great video as always. Much enjoyed and appreciated!

[@vulcangunner58]

I had the 472 in my '70 Coupe DeVille and it was no slouch...375 hp and silky smooth!

[@deborahchesser7375]

Not only did some of these land yachts get 15-20 mpg, nothing rode as smooth. These beautiful classics ate the miles up like nothing before or since, I miss those cars and the times. ✌️🇺🇸

[@jefffawcett1626]

We ran these big block engines in jet boats as they had the torque needed to turn the impeller.

[@johnwhitneykokalis9990]

Me too. I had a 17 ft Regatta racing hull with a 455 with W2 internals.

[@michaeloliver2337]

Should have included the Buick 455, considering Buick was more upscale than Oldsmobile.

[@ravenlorans]

Friend sold me back in the mid 90's a 78 Merc Grand Marquis with the 400M for $250... One of the Best Cars I owned and would Love another one. Had to stick a Pliers down the carb to keep it open and Started even at -48* but didn't when is hit -50* the next day but then did again when it warmed back up to -45*...

[@OLDS98]

Good video. I smiled when I saw the Oldsmobile 455 V8. I enjoyed looking at the Ninety-Eight and Toronado too. I do recall the many cars you shared and the engines that powered them. I recall those Chrysler New Yorkers and Imperials and Lincolns and Mercury models as well. They used to do luxury well and had some reliable powertrains as well. Thank you for the video.

[@tonylangford5263]

Those 98s are beautiful

[@KoldingDenmark]

I LOVE full size cars from the 1970's so much, that I still drive them. I started out going full size with a 1974 Chevrolet Caprice Classic hardtop sedan, with a 454 engine in 1985 (the car still exist in top quality original restauration by the owner, who bought it from me), followed by a triple white 1973 Cadillac Coupé de Ville from 1986-1995. Next was a 1976 Mercury Grand Marquis sedan 400 cui from 1996-1998. My belowed 1978 Cadillac Fleetwood limousine from 1997-2002 doesn't really count, as it was a down size model. (Still exist). Followed by my current car a 1975 Continental Mark IV from 2002 till today. It is currently undergoing a complete restauration, with full new vinyl roof and full new paint, to keep it stock, to last for the rest of my days driving. I absolutely love that car.

[@charlesglaser4868]

My Father had a '72 Eldo, man did that thing move!

[@rscamarolover]

Another reason I love the 71-76 Caddie Fleetwoods, Sedan DeVilles and Coupe DeVilles. In the 1990s when I went to auto trade tech school I got tired of hearing here comes grandpa when I was barely out of high school because I had a 71 Coupe Deville and drove every one of my dad's many Caddies from his 62 Fleetwood to his 92 Fleetwood 5.7 rwd and I smoked many of them with the older ones. These were all real luxury unlike today's faux luxury cars and I liked the 76 450 SEL my dad got in trade

[@aaronalter2000]

My father had a 1973 Oldsmobile 98 with the 455 V8 and that thing could fly!

[@OspreyFlyer]

My neighbor had same, he was the local Oldsmobile dealer. 😂

[@oscargeorge1]

It's so sad what happened to Cadillac powertrains in the late 70s through the 90s. From the Olds Diesels to the leaky and wheezy HT4100, the 4.5 and 4.9s were pretty good and then everyone thought that the Northstar would be the world class engine that would save Cadillac which is kind of true when they weren't leaking coolant into the engine oil and then there's the head stud issue... it just makes you want to cry...especially when you look at what's left of Cadillac today (Escalade excluded).

[@Sparky-ww5re]

Oh for sure. My uncle Frank owned a 1990 Cadillac Brougham when I was a kid, which came with the 5.7L small block chevy. Good engine, floated down the road like silk, reliable, would tow the camper and carry six passengers without breaking a sweat as long as the gas stations weren't too far in between lol. Aunt Sandy had a 1998 Cadillac Deville with the Northstar when I was older, one of the biggest pieces of junk she ever had, I think she only had the car for a little over 2 years. Agreed the golden era for Cadillac ended in the mid 70s with the detuning and phasing out the Cadillac engines. Don't even talk about the 4-6-8 V8, or the 4100 in the 80s. A dark time for GM.

[@my1vice]

When cars had style......

[@jamesrecknor6752]

YES

[@wilburfinnigan2142]

What is not mentioned is Ford used the 460 V8 in their pickups and motorhome chassis, hellava truck engine also !! !

[@johnciesielczyk204]

Very informative

[@12yearssober]

Loved the 440 and the big 500!!

[@courtneypuzzo2502]

my top five Golden era Luxury V8s were the Cadillac 500 cubic in 8.2 L V8 ford 460 in3 7.5 L V8 the Cadillac 472 7.7 liter v8 the Olds 455 7.43 L V8 and Fords 429 7 L V8

[@marko7843]

Courtney: Well, since the Caddy & Ford motors are the same engines a half-litre apart, let's round it out to - The last-iron Cadillacs - The 385-series Fords - The Rocket 455 - The Buick 455 - The Mopar 440

[@Cheezwizzz]

My 75 Eldorado with the 500 pulled like a freight train off the lights while simultaneously consuming fuel like a sailor on shore leave! Oh I miss my Caddy 😘

[@komradkolonel]

I really love these big cars. They had a very smooth ride and very cold A/C. I hated the radically downsized DeVille and Eldorado from the mid to late 80s. They were not only cramped on the inside but they had gutless engines and weak transmissions. I know that everyone has their own thing but to me the Lincolns were somewhat better than the Cadillacs. I just liked them more.

[@hurricane2649]

The points you brought up are the exact reasons why in the '80s I left Cadillac and went to Lincoln. To this day I still own a Lincoln and have never returned to Cadillac. I do however own a 1976 Eldorado Convertible.

[@jeffcampbell2710]

"Rides like a Lincoln". No! Wait!

[@g2skinny]

Dude was ready for a new video been a while thanx brother love the content been a mechanic for 30yrs great video some of those torque ratings are amazing

[@bobhill3941]

I always get excited when you post, I've been loving your videos for years!😀🇨🇦🇧🇲❤️

[@traderdan85]

I grew up driving these cars as a kid , I have had at least a few of each ( I’m a car dealer ) I love them all It’s almost impossible to say which one is the best Great video!

[@edwardluth7740]

I loved this decade. America was so much better off. That Olds 455 was supreme. I remember as a kid.

[@bigsea1306]

The 1970 Pontiac Bonneville 0 to 60 time was 6.8 seconds 360 hp with 500 foot pounds of torque while you left out the king I have no idea. in the last year of the 455 in the Bonneville or Catalina was 200 hp with 360 foot pounds of torque. In 1976.

[@enerrivers4392]

In 1976, both my dad & I purchased new cars. His was a Caddy Eldorado with the 500cid, fuel injection. He had test drove both, he chose the fuel injection. Mine was a Buick Electra landau coupe. His car would beat mine from a stop, & even @ hiway speeds. But, in summer heat, he would experience vacuum lock, therefore making it difficult to start til it cooled. But for the day, it was a fast landyacht. Gr8 cars & memories. Same with this informative video,THANKS!!!

[@GMAN420BC]

Another great vid !

[@Paulie1232]

Beautiful 😍

[@dewarkhodern9990]

The Cadillacs are not bad. However, I rather have those Mark Series Four Door and two Door Coupes from Lincoln, of the 1970s

[@marko7843]

Make that the Town Car & Town Coupe'. The only 4-door Mark was the depressing, downsized 1980s...

[@justsumguy2u]

Yep, torque was the name of the game when it came to moving these big barges around. My father had a '72 Coupe DeVille with a 472---even though that car was insanely heavy, it still had plenty of power

[@deborahchesser7375]

The 472 was one of if not Cadillacs best motors.

[@joedefedele6380]

Very informative and well prepared video. But, I am a little disappointed that the Buick 455 was not on your list. As you are aware, this engine was available in the Electra and LeSabre which were also luxury cars. Keep up the great and informative videos. Thank You

[@geodot595]

the elecras were stunning, learned to drive on a 64, and anothsr beauty, a 59 merc colony park wagon. we also had3 70s electras. amazing. 77 downsized big gm cars, so dad went to a 77 coup de ville which was a complete dissapointment. a class action lawsuit won a check for dad because the caddy had a chevy engine. gm has never been as good since.

[@marcomoreno8188]

My Dad had a '72vCadillac coupe deville with a 472. They stole it in 1980, with 37,000 miles on it. I miss that Caddy n My Mom n Dad all 3 are gone now. 😪 He bought it at Fred Williamson Cadillac east of 71st and Stony Island ave. In Chicago, Il. Da price $5,230.00

[@kc0lif]

i like those cars.

[@kc0lif]

my 1976 thunderbird had a 460 v8 and 1976 cadillac Eldorado had a 500 v8.

[@bryduhbikeguy]

Ahhhhhhh the days of Real Steel machines.We didn't care about 10-13mpg as long as the ride to the next station was Smooth,and fast.

[@thegalli]

Protip: Play at 1.25x speed

[@bobhill3941]

To this day, whenever I hear about the Ford 460, I'm reminded of someone I knew in college in 2008 who had an 86 F250 with a 460. The Kansas farmer he bought it from converted it to run on propane. He got rid of it when the block cracked!

[@engineer_alv]

a friend of mine still owns a 96 F250 4x4 with this engine. He uses it as a farm truck and as a snow plow

[@bobhill3941]

@@engineer_alv Very cool.

[@ericwhitehead6451]

I did not know about Mercedes making a 417 V8. Sounds like it was a beast for its time.

[@jamesrecknor6752]

Jay Leno has one, it's on his channel .

[@ahoorakia]

they started with mercedes 600 and 300 SEL 6.3 and later enlarged to 6.8 in 1975

[@buglover-qb1dq]

My grandfather's last car was that big Cadillac pictured at the beginning! He passed in 1986

[@michaelsimko7694]

Before watching the video, the first engine that came to mind was the Cadillac 500.

[@truestory2990]

Tremendous machines

[@duanebartosch7638]

69 Bonneville convertible 428 4 speed was an all American beauty

[@kiheirc3195]

My grandparents used to pull a huge trailer with their Cadillac I can vouch for this engine. Absolutely amazing another interesting fact a friend of mine swapped a Cadillac engine in a blazer with that thing had power off road

[@doolallyproductions7234]

My dream luxury car is a 1960 cadillac deville

[@landyachtfan79]

1:12........................."It's got a cop motor, a 440 cubic inch plant. It's got cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks. It's a model made before catalytic converters, so it'll run good on regular gas. What do you say, is it the new Blues-mobile, or what?!!"

[@randyfitz8310]

I own one and have had or driven all the others - great engines of the Golden Era!

[@forterierocks]

I have a Caddy 500ci and trans in the back of the garage, I really wanna put it in a square body Chevy but time and money just ain't there at the moment 🥺

[@u2fan29]

Forgot Buick 225 with 455

[@dennyj8650]

Loved that 440 in our 72 Imperial. Ultimate sleeper car. Hauling a** and sucking gas. 400 was great too! Also liked the 390 in my 68 Galaxie 500.

[@samiam5557]

The Caddy 500ci. V-8 is the biggest!!!

[@andyanderson3352]

You forgot to mention that the Mercedes 6.9 had a dry sump lubrication system.

[@georgewilson1184]

Ford had a 477 in 1975

[@thunderray1987]

As I've grown older and since my 20's, these big boat type cars with their torquey engines have really grown on me. I've actually gotten to where I like those big cars and the big pickup trucks as much if not more than most muscle cars. However, I'm a car lover and I still like the muscle cars I grew up around.

[@paulparoma]

Even the smaller V8 engines that came later were terrific. Smooth and quiet was the idea, something totally missing from today's cars.

[@erickelly3447]

I had a '77 Electra Limited coupe with the Olds 403 that I loved. It was a nice , smooth, and peppy engine for its time. Man I really miss that car!

[@paulparoma]

@@erickelly3447 I had a '78 Limited sedan with the same motor. Ate gas like there was no tomorrow, but what a great car! It was stolen from me back in '92. Wish I still had it.

[@erickelly3447]

@@paulparoma that's sad. I sold mine in '92 to a friend who always wanted the car. Sadly the very next day it was sideswiped by a drunk driver who drove into his yard. Seriously broke my heart. And you're right about them being thirsty lol! City or highway driving. In fact a 78 F150 with a 460 I had was more efficient on the highway! Still can't believe that one.

[@paulparoma]

@@erickelly3447 It's no fun when bad things happen to good people and nice cars.:) I replaced the Buick with an '87 Grand Marquis LS. It was a better car mechanically, but didn't have the Electra's nice interior and roomy back seat.

[@UQRXD]

The 440 was a great engine, the police engine had 375hp and a great 4bbl roar. I had a 1968 Lincoln I got used with the 460 engine. My friend had Oldsmobile with the rocket 455 it would smoke the tires. Ocean Liner size Cadillac I think you exaggerated a bit. Great video, well narrated.😀

[@cmte.brazinazzo2061]

Nothing is like the Big Car Ride.

[@stevenallen6245]

My uncles friend put a 500 caddy engine in a 2 door Olds cutlass I think an 83 when he dropped it in it dipped the whole front end 😳 It was about the funniest 🤣 thing I ever seen

[@ivanjones1804]

Now that’s what I’m talking about, you cannot get better or come even close to those Luxuriously, Luxurious, Luxury Land Cruisers, Land Liners and Land Yachts. The Luxurious Land Cruisers, Land Liners and Land Yachts of the Big 3 and even Mercedes really had it going on back then. Like 👍🏾 i said and I’ll say it again, again, again and over again what an amazing and awesome Auto Collection that I would Have. Sincerely Yours Truly Ivan I J 🤵🏾‍♂️👍🏾

[@vassa1972]

I can remember back in the mid 80's my dad got his uncle George's white Lincoln Mark v coupe it was great but it needed a tune up it had a problem with the engine it kept stalling

[@williamg2552]

The IMPERIAL 392 HEMI V-8 !!

[@Snake-ms7sj]

A Ford 460 V8 weighed 720 lbs. !! I had a Lincoln with a 460 and a Buick with a 455.

[@carlj5292]

No buick?

[@bobcoats2708]

Sad that the 500ci V8 was detuned and smogged to the point that it could only make 190 HP. Still torquey I’m sure, but that’s not a lot of power in return for the 7 MPG you were probably getting. I assume it’s possible to get much more with some relatively minor mods?

[@jayjaynella4539]

Desmogging lowered the fuel economy, which made a mockery of the reduced pollution that now became increased pollution, to make the car and to run the car.

[@jamesrecknor6752]

12 mpg city in my 5600 pound 75 Cadillac series 75 limo, driven gently, no passengers.

[@bobcoats2708]

@@jamesrecknor6752 Wow, impressive! Your Caddy must be in good tune

[@ChillkootMarkowee]

Man that's crazy, my 1980 Dodge B300 MaxiVan with the 360HD 4bbl only got 4.75mpg with the 36gallon tank!

[@bobcoats2708]

@@ChillkootMarkowee Oh man. That’s harsh!

[@barryf5479]

It's sad to see such great engines "neutered" by being detuned. It's hard to believe the Cadillac 500 V8 has less horsepower than my 2001 Toyota Camry V6 which is 3.0 liters (183 cubic inches).

[@malikdigger4544]

My father had #5 car big huge Dodge Poloroa back in mid 70s don't know if had 440 big block in it way before my era. Ford 460 powerplant also was in F-Series trucks late 60s & early 70s .

[@bobcoats2708]

The 460 made it into the 80s F-series actually. They were a lot of fun to drive, especially off road, but I definitely needed both 25 gallon fuel tanks to get me places.

[@malikdigger4544]

@@bobcoats2708 ; Those 80s FSeries are rare wouldn't mind finding one in Bronco bodystyle.

[@bobcoats2708]

@@malikdigger4544 Agreed. Kinda wish I still had my old beast. But I couldn’t afford to feed it anymore!

[@jamesrecknor6752]

@@bobcoats2708 79 F350, mechanic's utility body, 460, auto. Fuel consumption was amazing. lol.

[@cherrylove3656]

My mother had the 73 Thunderbird with a 460 that was a nice car heavy as that car was if you punch the gas pedal from a dead stop that Thunderbird would snatch you back in the seat like you were taking off in a jet

[@ronbrock6153]

Good vid, but the Buick 455 was a super power plant. It make mid 300's hp, torque north of 500 and was leaner in pounds than every other big block. Maybe kick the Benz and put Olds #3 Buick #2.

[@IcelanderUSer]

I never realized until now that the voice on this channel is computer generated. Listen closely.

[@davidgrisez]

It was a different era in the late 1960s and the early 1970s when these luxury cars had these large displacement large V-8 engines. When the push for higher fuel economy came it spelled the end of these large gasoline thirsty V-8 engines.

[@tfi8308]

Back then you could tell one from another.

[@TheEclecticHandyman]

Wonder if anyone has ever dropped one of those Cadillac 500 BB engines in a smaller car, upped the internals, and made a real monster of a car?

[@nunyabidniz2868]

My mom had a '75 Sedan deVille w/ the carb'd 500: the delay in acceleration when you stood on it was as bad as any turbo lag you've ever experienced, but once it realized that you wanted to go & the transmission kicked down a couple of gears, it would clear its throat & really bellow! The road ahead had better be clear, because you weren't going to make any sharp turns when she picked up her petticoats and started to run...

[@owlnswan4016]

I am glad they noted the earlier years of these engines were gross horsepower/torque, although it should be made clear how that is not apples to apples with the net power ratings on the later years. While the power certainly did go down across the board, it was not to such a degree as one might think if not making some adjustment for this when comparing. The Lincolns in the net era with a 460, especially with dual exhaust, were typically faster vs their competition.

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

I've always wanted a GM big block

[@sorshiaemms5959]

Had a 460 Torino factory dual exhaust nothing i couldn t pass

[@travelingwithrick]

What about the Cadillac 472?

[@incompetentdiplomat3716]

One thing that makes me giggle every time I do it is the Ford 460 in my 71 Lincoln will peel both back tires off my 5000 pound sedan if you step on it from a stop

[@Lincolntowncoupe]

I don't think you'd find many other people willing to refer to American motoring of the 70's to be the "Golden Era"

[@jefferyrobertson7520]

I Like Oldsmobile 455 Cubic Inch V8 Big Block Engine From The 70s 1970 To 1976

[@danam0228]

Lol "it didn't matter how heavy Cadillacs were"

[@akulinamackenzie4492]

💕👍

[@williamscoggin1509]

I hate to interrupt, but was that an oil filter on the side of the breather on top of the Ford 460 ???? 👀

[@jeffmiller3150]

It's an acoustical muffler to decrease engine intake noise.

[@bobcoats2708]

@@jeffmiller3150 Sure looked like an oil filter. Thanks for the info

[@jayjaynella4539]

I had the same thought myself.

[@rogergoodman8665]

Who cares about the Mercedes engine? Where's the 454 Chevy on this list?

[@raallen1468]

Well.... Unlike American-made cars, which are plastic junk; Mercedes is still putting great vehicles on the roads!

[@rogergoodman8665]

@@raallen1468 : You can keep your Kraut-wagon.

[@davem8790]

6.9L M100 V8 was an engineering masterpiece for the day.

[@raallen1468]

@@rogergoodman8665 Oh Woger! You hurt my widdle feewings. 😭 I have 3 Mercedes...

[@marko7843]

@@davem8790 It was a very good engine... but very expensive & rarely installed. The standard 4.5 was a typical low-torque, hi-rev euromotor.

[@thebigpicture2032]

Good list but I would add the Pontiac 455 and Buick 455 to it. No reason they should be excluded.

[@SuperchargedSupercharged]

I would only swap #2 and #3

[@ahoorakia]

one big thing you didn't mention was before 1970 HP was gross HP means power at the crank without any accessory attached! basically gross HP -20%= NET HP after 1970 it was NET HP so 1968 with 350 HP was actually 280 net HP so same ENG in mid to late 70's with 220 HP only lost 60 not 130HP and didn't mention lightest 455 ENG in GM line with only 600 pound by BUICK and the buick electra

[@thomaspc0]

Those low HP numbers are hard to hear. My 3.7L puts out more HP than those engines did. (We won't talk about torque.)

[@whitsundaydreaming]

ASMR Dave zzzz