Learn more about the 1985 Lincoln Mark VII Comtech that was not launched for production.
Пікірлер: 339
@2006gtobob Жыл бұрын
Honestly, I really liked the Mark VI, but wow, the Mark VII was revolutionary when it was introduced. My parents friend had the first one I ever saw, a fully loaded LSC. To my 12 year old eyes, this car was amazing. I LOVED all of the buttons and everything the screens could tell the driver. I was into cars at this point and knew this was based on the Fox body platform and just about every performance product available for this chassis would work on this car. My parents' friend was a doctor and on call seemingly 24/7. He was the first person I knew with a cell phone, a Motorola brick phone and even more amazingly, his car had a microphone and the phone would play through the cars stereo...in 1984. It wasn't Bluetooth by any means, but it worked flawlessly. I loved the car overall. Smooth enough ride, fast enough, and it looked really, really good.
@Stressless2023 Жыл бұрын
Reminds me of a guy my mother dated in the early 90's when I was a kid who had the first Cadillac STS that I'd seen, somewhere around 1992-1993, not sure if it was a Northstar or not... The long LED 3rd brake light in the back was so distinctive and ultra modern at the time that I thought the car cost a million bucks when he picked her up in it - He's been my step father since 1995.
@rickc303 Жыл бұрын
@@Stressless2023yeah he was definitely hitting it raw 😄
@Stressless2023 Жыл бұрын
@@rickc303 Well she had my brother in 96 and my sister in 01 so that's a given 😂
@paralyzes Жыл бұрын
The Mark VII LSC and the 5.0 HO was a terrific combination, very adequate performance and luxury. 01/18/2024: Just a quick update, last week I purchased a 1991 LSC. 25,400 miles, not a single blemish anywhere. Even has the original Eagle GT+4’s mounted to a perfect set of wheels. I’ve always admired the LSC and as luck would have it I was at the right place, right time. I’m still pinching myself to see if this isn’t a dream.
@keeganandersson4281 Жыл бұрын
I think it would have been even better had ford introduced the triton v8s by this point, perhaps as a Lincoln-exclusive engine line to trickle down to the lower divisions later on
@solemandd67 Жыл бұрын
I 💙'd my Chrystal Blue '89 MK VII LSC with Bill Blass Blue leather interior and Moonroof. I never knew about these special MK's. Thanks for posting.
@brianhdueck3372 Жыл бұрын
A friend of mine had an 87 LSC. He was a charismatic fellow and I always felt the LSC suited his nature. Unfortunately it was to be his last car as a stroke took him in his prime. I always remember Vic when I see one of these in silver. Great man; great car.
@RareClassicCars Жыл бұрын
How sad
@Stressless2023 Жыл бұрын
Wow that was sad and powerful with just those few words - Reminds me of when I see a 1994 Ford Crown Vic or similar year (94 was the only year with her tail light design though), it was the last car my grandmother bought before she passed, teal green in color.
@christopherkraft1327 Жыл бұрын
In 1990 I bought a low mileage Mark Vll LSC that I had for over 20 years & put 300,000 miles on it, it was midnight blue with color keyed wheels & gold ornamentation. I now drive a 19 Continental & wish I still had the Mark!!! 👍👍🙂
@Stressless2023 Жыл бұрын
Love the last generation Lincoln Continentals. Very underrated cars.
@jakereal3604 Жыл бұрын
I have a 97 Mark Viii How is the 2019 Continental??? Im thinking of replacing my Mark with one. What do you think??
@christopherkraft1327 Жыл бұрын
@@jakereal3604 I can recommend the Continental, it's roomy, comfortable & handles well for a large car.
@ScottAbgekurtz Жыл бұрын
I owned a’92 Mark VII LSC, I absolutely loved that car. It was one of the most comfortable and good riding cars I’ve ever owned, it also handled quite well for the time despite its girth and weight.
@RayEttler Жыл бұрын
why didnt you keep it?
@frankdeboer1347 Жыл бұрын
I didn't think they were that heavy considering they were based on the fox platform.
@genesiesky3756 Жыл бұрын
I had a 1987 Mark VII- LSC. Rose exterior and almost matching interior. A beautiful car that listed for $27,000. One of my favorite items on the car was the power Recarro seats with an extendable leg support. I kept it for 9 years. I didn't drive it everyday and never in the winter. When I took it in for service at the Mercury/Lincoln/Ford dealer, I was always moved to the head of the line if there was a wait with other cars.
@brando7474 Жыл бұрын
These were awesome cars! My parents had an 86 LSC back when I was in high school. I took my driving test in it. They were not only beautiful but were also extremely well built.
@lilibethdoherty295 Жыл бұрын
I found Junkyard Gold , A pair of leather seats from a 1985 Mark VII that fit n my 88 Thunderbird and to my surprise when installing found the power seat wiring was there under the carpet in my base model Thunderbird that did not have power seats, Thanks Ford !
@Flies2FLL Жыл бұрын
Adam, I think I have told you this before but in 1986 I cut the grass at Jack Telnack's house. I talked to him about his wonderful car designs, and he told me that the design for the '83 Mercury Cougar and the '83 Lincoln Mk VII were actually exchanged. The Lincoln was to have the upright formal rear window while the sloped rear glass and small flying buttresses of the '67 Mercury Cougar would be replicated on the '83 Cougar. Instead, the designs were exchanged and the Cougar got the vertical rear screen. Pressure was placed upon him to make the Mercury more "visual" and that is how the wide at the top/narrow at the bottom "C" pillar was adopted. Great video! This is the one Lincoln I always liked, and I wish they had made a four door version with a normal rear side window treatment and the Mustang GT's 5.0 engine. That car would have been luxurious but powerful and I am sure it would have been a winner. Great video!
@RareClassicCars Жыл бұрын
Thx! You did indeed.
@AJ67901 Жыл бұрын
I had a 1988, 1990, and 1992 LSC. They were unique and great driving cars. It was always fun to open the hood and show people the 5.0 HO engine with factory headers.
@CH67guy1 Жыл бұрын
In 1988 my brother and his wife were each gifted a new Mark VII LSC from the law firm they both worked for. Not a 3 year lease, but outright purchase. I drove my brother’s a fair amount over several years and I loved it. For the time I wouldn’t have changed anything about it. The electronic climate control was just fine as well as the traditional radio. I have a 2016 Toyota with a touchscreen and I wish it didn’t have a touchscreen!
@kirksway1 Жыл бұрын
I think that Mark VI was a truely handsome car.
@2packs4sure Жыл бұрын
I remember reading years ago that Ford was working on a cylinder deactivation system along the lines of the Cadillac V864 around the same time as Cadillac but decided it couldn't be made to be reliable so Ford may have dodged a bullet on that too..
@dRockOhio Жыл бұрын
I absolutely love my Mark VII. I have an 86 LSC. I’ve been thinking about selling it to buy something older, but it’s SUCH a nice car to drive
@61rampy65 Жыл бұрын
My parents owned both an 85 and a 91 Mk VII, with the 91 being an LSC. They bought them used, but both were just beautiful cars. Later, I was able to buy an 88 LSC for a really great price, because the owner thought it had a bad rod knock. Turns out it was just loose junk in one cat converter, and after a couple of full throttle runs the knocking noise disappeared. I loved that car! All black, with tan interior and I lowered it 1". Easy to do with the air springs. I drove it for 55k miles, but eventually the Teves anti lock/power brake assembly died, and it would have cost over $900 just for parts, and that is with an employee discount!(I worked at a Ford dealer). By then the car was 11 yrs old, with 115k miles, so I traded it in for a new 99 Escort ZX2. Going from an LSC Mk VII to an Escort was a bit of a letdown, but that Escort turned out to be one of the best cars I've ever owned!
@61rampy65 Жыл бұрын
As an aside, when the Mk VIIIs came out, I wanted one soooo bad, but I actually liked the interior of the Mk VII much better. A Mk VII with a MkVIII engine would have been so cool!
@DSP1968 Жыл бұрын
These were great cars! And I really wish I'd had the opportunity to see one of the Comtech-equipped cars in action. This particular model is a wonderful color to boot.
@thethomasj1795 Жыл бұрын
I had an 86 and an 89 LSC. Loved both of them like they were my children, and liked them more than the Cadillacs that I owned from the same era.
@emmexfyv Жыл бұрын
As a kid I was an old soul- Mk V and VI still among my favorite cars! After I got my license and was done with my awkward first car, I moved up to an STE, in fact went on to own 2 of em. LOVED the American Audi! That digidash really wowed my buddys. Then after that I had 2 Mk VII LSCs, then after THAT had 2 Mk VIIIs- first was the Deep Jewel Green of the VII in your vid, last one was a black LSC from the final year, 1998. The VIIIs pulled like a freight train with their Cobra engines, I still say they were way underrated on power. Anyway loved this vid, not only because I had never heard of the Comtech deal, but because it covered so many great cars from my past!
@RobertBowman-gy9hw Жыл бұрын
Same. I was a 100 when I was five and I loved Lincolns.
@runner30337 ай бұрын
@@RobertBowman-gy9hw I had a '97 Mark VIII in the early 00's when I was in my mid/late 20's (and looked much younger) and everyone thought I'd borrowed my Dad's car - nope, it was mine. Fantastic car - unfortunately it didn't work for my living situation at the time (REALLY tight parking space) so I sold it. Best car I had.
@xavieraleman1629 Жыл бұрын
I had the 1986 riviera T-Type in high school in 1992, I was very proud to impress my friends who were amazed by the GCC and seats with adjustable wings bolsters and headrest. Best car IMO.
@jeffmiller3150 Жыл бұрын
86 Riviera VS Mark VII, not even close!!
@HC-cb4yp Жыл бұрын
I had an 86 Riv in Alaska and it was GREAT! Plowed through the snow and just a great driving car.
@aaroncostello8812 Жыл бұрын
The 1980s Buick system had the same problem you astutely point out in EVs and other vehicles today. "One Screen to Rule Them All". Most people don't like having to scroll through three or four menus and sub-menus to perform basic functions. This was true in 1987 and it is true today. Judging by the buttons on the steering wheel Ford avoided this problem...to an extent. It seems like their system would have been greeted far more warmly than GM's.
@Seazap Жыл бұрын
Back when Lincoln was an innovative brand. Miss those days.
@bestpilot98 Жыл бұрын
Fascinating! I had never heard of the "comtech" system, until now.
@jodywarren2432 Жыл бұрын
I owned a dark blue 89 lsc. My favorite car that I have ever owned.
@CavemanCBB Жыл бұрын
I have a Mark VII setting in my garage and I like it just the way it is. I still don't like that I have to take my eyes off the road to adjust a lot of things on the screens of modern cars. Bring back tactile feel !!!!!
@ceedoubleyou Жыл бұрын
wow, you're releasing clips thick and fast, love them!
@UhOK327 Жыл бұрын
Love this channel! Thanks Adam!
@Doc1855 Жыл бұрын
That Mark 7 was a Gorgeous car in its day. I Always Wanted that body style. It was a “fancy” Ford T Bird.
@paralyzes Жыл бұрын
STILL gorgeous. 👍
@doubleclutchonline5811 Жыл бұрын
My parents bought a new 1990 black MkVII LSC with those great looking grey BBS style wheels. We had an 85 T-bird that was basis of the 7, and that proved to be an excellent car. My dad went into the Lincoln dealer after seeing an article about it in C&D, Scientific American, or one of his other enthusiast magazines. He was a physicist, and bummed he couldn't get it with the touchscreen. But he bought it anyway. Such a wonderful car. One of the very few truly exceptional Lincolns in the last fifty years.
@michaelbaka4777 Жыл бұрын
I have to say the Lincoln had a better unit. The controls on the wheel make a huge difference in usability. I dated a girl who had an '86 Riviera with that CRT touch screen. That thing was a disaster! Had to pull over to turn the heat up. With no haptic feedback to the buttons, you couldn't tell WHAT was happening!!! Plus, the CRT was really wonky when it was really cold out, taking at least 10 minutes to "warm up" before it would work. Lincoln made it work with the wheel controls!
@dannyg6592 Жыл бұрын
I had a 1985 Mark VII LSC back in the day. One of the finest automobiles I've ever had the pleasure to drive. Silky smooth and plenty of performance. Tremendously fun to drive. It was the American equivalent of the Mercedes Benz 500 SEC.
@markdc1145 Жыл бұрын
The Mark VII was a decisive move away from '70s malaise era styling that surprised many people then. This Lincoln is still quite good looking but any surviving cars have deteriorating plastics both inside and out which are hard to restore. The Comtech UI story is very interesting!
@shiftfocus1 Жыл бұрын
Thank Philip Caldwell. He helped usher in a new era at Ford.
@kinsmart7294 Жыл бұрын
Yeah, plastic really need to be kept in garages and hidrated so they don't break like plaster
@judgedread-q4t Жыл бұрын
I always liked this Mk VII, ahead of its time for sure. My modern car has the usual touchscreen, but it also has the necessary physical buttons and dials for ventilation and radio, as it should of course.
@batmore1 Жыл бұрын
Love your videos. That Mark VII was a beauty and very advanced as you said.
@louislepage5111 Жыл бұрын
I remember seeing one of these in Car and Driver magazine when I was 18 , loved them ever since 😊
@owlnswan4016 Жыл бұрын
I wonder if any of the Comtech Mark VIIs still exist. I would love to drive one. What's interesting about these is the Comtech freed up space for the equalizer, which otherwise was never available in a Mark VII. When Lincoln first offered a CD player in the 1987 Town Car - the first car to ever do so, at least in the USA - it was a separate unit mounted below the dash in addition to the cassette player based head unit in the dash. The Mark VII didn't have a CD player available until 1990, when they revised (and cheapened) the interior, and even then it was a choice of either a cassette based head unit or with a CD player...never both due to lack of space on the dash. The JBL stereo was great though...while the imaging wasn't perfect, the overall sound was excellent, especially in the 1988. Though I am biased, I truly feel the Mark VII LSC was the best overall car produced in the United States in the 1980s. Other cars may have done this or that better, but as a complete package, it gave a wonderful experience that no other American car matched so completely, let alone beat. In my family, we had both an '88 in Dark Shadow Blue with the Shadow Blue interior that we got new and had for six years until it was in an accident, followed about six months after by a used '91 black/black SE. The '91 was very nice, and I had it for a long time, but the '88 was a better car. Everything was just right in the '88, and we had one where Ford must have had some fun with building the engine, because it was certainly faster than an average Mark VII with the same engine. I know of a couple other people who also had this experience where their '88 was faster than it should have been, and not by a little. Our '88 probably ran 7 seconds 0-60, or not much slower vs the usual 7.9 seconds or so. The '88 handled better, with better steering, a better made nicer looking interior with thick rugs, and so on. I can't fault the car in any real way. By '89, Lincoln revised the steering for the worse, and took away the locking push button visors, a sign of things to come. For whatever reason, they did something (which I don't know the details of) with the JBL stereo in '89 as the parts have different E9 part numbers (vs E8), so the '88 has a one year system...the system in the '91 we had sounded great, and it had the CD player, but there was a certain je ne sais quoi with the system in the '88 that was even better. Could be partially due to the head unit being different, but I wonder about the other part numbers in the system and what possibly changed with them. I also missed the '88s automatic dimming mirror that instead of being electrochromic, was mechanical and motorized to move the glass framed portion of the mirror up and down as needed, with a variably adjustable distance control, to set how close or far lights behind you would make the mirror "dim". Lincoln first offered this in 1983, the last year of the Mark VI. I still like it better than modern electronic rearview mirrors, and the noise it made when it moved added charm. Lastly, I can't get over how little the Mark VII has "aged". Aside from it having traditional bumpers, it doesn't really look "old". It really was "what a luxury car should be", at least as far as US luxury cars, back then.
@b.s.adventures9421 Жыл бұрын
I had a 91. It was a complete beater I bought for $450. The interior was hammered. I lifted it, cut the fenders, and put 30” mud terrain tires on it. What a fun car.
@wmalden Жыл бұрын
I bought a pre-owned 1985 Mark VII LSC in February of 1986. Drove it for 6 years and absolutely loved it. The seats had so many adjustments and were ultra comfortable. Sadly, many non-car people mistook it for a Thunderbird. I still think it was one of the most beautifully styled cars of the 1980’s. I never heard of the COMTECH Mark VII but I like the concept. I noticed that the electronic gauges in the COMTECH were more comprehensive. My 1985 LSC only had a speedometer and fuel gauge and they were electronic.
@mec7568 Жыл бұрын
Another good subject for a video could be the unique reflective holographic dash display on the 95-02 Lincoln Continental.
@sydrider6023 Жыл бұрын
Lincoln came out with disastrous looking cars year after years. They do better know but man, it took them forever.
@johnplovanich9564 Жыл бұрын
Love your channel Adam.1 of the best channels next to Jay Leno,Hoovies Garage,Vice Grip Garage and Curious Cars.
@smoke4life18210 ай бұрын
You have great taste in car channels!
@oscargeorge1 Жыл бұрын
The late '84 and '85 Riviera's had the CRT screen as an option. Many think it was 1986, but most likely that was because it was standard equipment in that year and in a new body style. That said, I like how cool the Lincoln system looked.
@dewdew34 Жыл бұрын
I drove an LSC a few times in 85 and it was a blast, fat Eagle GT's pushed by a smooth 5.0. Interior was awesome for the times.
@05c50 Жыл бұрын
I worked at large Lincoln dealer during the eighties and the introduction of Mark VII was quite exciting. Although a two door luxury car wasn't for everyone, it was sporty enough to make some people rethink their priorities. I never saw or even heard of the Comtech model, but some of the new technical features introduced were quite advanced for the time. Looking back at the air suspension I remember how , at the time, it was so advanced that it was scary for the techs. I'll agree that the LSC model was a great package and when the SEFI engine was introduced it just got better. The Mark VII and Continental with the Diesel engine not so much.
@joshuac4772 Жыл бұрын
I always loved these. A buddy had in highschool has a baby blue LSC, i loved that car. This was in like 03. The bought it from an older guy it only hsd like 60,000 miles on it. Eveything worked. Rode smooth as butter, wasnt fast but it had enough power to get up and go.
@RomanJockMCO Жыл бұрын
I love the Mark VII. Beautiful in its day and still a stunner. I feel Lincoln really dodged a bullet by not introducing the Comtech. Buick most certainly paid a price with their GCC. Even if introduced in a vehicle geared towards younger people it was simply way ahead of its time. I get it that the early 80s was a time for electronic gizmos but touchscreens were still a couple decades away from acceptance.
@josephgaviota Жыл бұрын
My '06 Acura TL still has big knobs to tune the radio and change the volume ... steering wheel stalks to turn on the headlights, and to run the windshield wipers. I can't imagine having to navigate a menu system while driving to perform these functions.
@rickrinke1443 Жыл бұрын
Loved my LSC!!
@KCCardCo Жыл бұрын
I remember this car as a kid in the 1980s and what really got me liking it was when J.R Ewing in Dallas drove one in an episode around 1987. This was something that appealed to a young buyer looking for a luxury car. I remember putting together a model of one in 1992.
@johneckert1365 Жыл бұрын
In the early years of Dallas, Jock Ewing drove a bad ass Mark IV
@super-gerald Жыл бұрын
Mark 6 was a beautiful car. At the time my neighbor owned a Ford dealeeship. He drove a brand new Mark 6 and it looked amazing. I still remember admiring it. The Mark 7 to me looked like a cheaper version of the Mark 6
@warderjack Жыл бұрын
I’d love to see a video of a top five or top 10 vehicle list that you would like to obtain if it’s because it’s like these where they have unique features or if it’s just some car that you’ve always liked the styling of. You have such an impressive collection, I would imagine by now it Hass to be something pretty special to be worthy of adding to the fleet.
@Primus54 Жыл бұрын
Since it appears the Mark VII had those steering wheel controls versus the more spartan Riviera tech, I think it would have been better received. Further it appears there was still familiar dashboard radio controls.
@noscwoh1 Жыл бұрын
I appreciate how automakers were willing to push technology as far as they could. Heck, digital dashes with VFDs were practically new tech, most computers were Z80s or 8086s, and interface through a CRT? Pure sci fi! Give 'em credit: for the time, it was just as groundbreaking as the Aston Martin Lagonda, much more reliable, and less than a tenth the price.
@TheOtherBill Жыл бұрын
The problem is modern cars often put too many things on the touchscreen. Functions that will be utilized while driving, such as sound system volume and climate controls, should be accessible with no more than a quick glance and then by feel. Taking your eyes off the road for more than a second can be dangerous when you're doing 75.
@thomasdearment3214 Жыл бұрын
I had LED readouts on my 87 Mercury Sable loved it
@desertmodern7638 Жыл бұрын
A huge step forward from the Mark VI, but I could never overcome the lack of flush glass on the doors, taking it out of plane with the rear quarter windows. It just screamed compromise. The Mark VIII fixed that, and got a proper wheelbase and IRS as well.
@adamtrombino106 Жыл бұрын
Never saw 1 of those before! Thx for sharing!!
@timbullough3513 Жыл бұрын
This was my dream car in high school. Stretched Fox body with 5.0 and very classy outside. Never owned one but I don't want to 'meet my hero' in this case and be disappointed.
@alecfromminnenowhere2089 Жыл бұрын
Did you know that Mark VII's fly ? The one I had did. I was going down a unfamiliar road at night driving way to fast and crossed a bridge. At the end of the bridge was a precipitous drop after a long deck. I remember wondering why I couldn't hear the car making as much noise as it had been, then bang! down I came and in the rearview mirror I saw a sparkling light show as some of the north American steel that was attached to the Lincoln departed the car. Some sparks were so large that I saw them roll into the ditch. The air suspension was shot to begin with and probably wouldn't have mattered much anyway. I had never before and never have experienced since such a loud noise and felt such a jolt as when that Lincoln landed. It still drove just fine after it's flight. :)
@michaelsimko7694 Жыл бұрын
I love the design and sound of the Mark VII LSC, especially during the late 80s when it received a slight exterior refresh and the 302 of that generation had gained a lot of horsepower. The wired wheels and thick tires gave it a luxury hot rod look.
@cassidybb10 Жыл бұрын
Love that steering wheel. Mercury Milan had a great feature set on the wheel as well.
@billnorris3305 Жыл бұрын
Growing up our neighbor was a supervisor in Ford electrical engineering. He consistently brought home a Comtech. He let me drive it a few times. I remember the system check and the calendar function. I tried to see how car back the calendar would go and stopped at 1732. It would have kept going. My dad worked in a different department at Ford and drove the car occasionally. He said they really struggled with the distraction the screen would cause. The only thing that was different on them externally was a Comtech badge on the lower right corner of the deck lid.
@markbehr88 Жыл бұрын
Interesting. I was not aware of that trial. I have a Bill Blass 87 Mk7. It is a great car. I do like the Mk6 and have 2 x four doors - which was the best looking as the 2 door needed a longer wheelbase. The Mark 6 would gave sold well eventually per the Town car as the economy recovered.
@SSGuy415 Жыл бұрын
I think the 1986 Cadillac Eldorado & Seville and 1984 Corvette both hit the mark (no pun intended) for the right level of tech interfaces - enabling easy adjustments to the radio and HVAC. But the Mark VII was a wonderful car as well.
@jeffsmith846 Жыл бұрын
I agree that it was best left off at the time. I think the feedback from the test cars was likely spot on.
@bluepen61 Жыл бұрын
I marvel at your knowledge and resources of automobiles. Thank you for sharing. Concerning touchscreens in cars, I have a 2024 Outback Limited and it has a huge touchscreen in the center of the dash. And your observation about touchscreens lack the tactile touch of knobs and levers is spot on. Although I love the technology afforded to the driver and passengers, I find smooth touchscreens annoying and cumbersome while driving. The Subaru has retained on/off/volume control knob and a radio station control knob, plus flush mechanical buttons for temperature and defrost controls. And the touchscreen lacks, hmm, what shall a say, lacks the ability (for the driver/user) to integrate various commonly used functions. The various functions are neatly sorted between an assortment of screens, but I have to float from screen to screen during normal operation. Okay, I am driving, using the Outback Maps function, but to change my Pandora settings, I have to go to a screen where the Android Auto button appears, then press the Android Auto button, then press the small Pandora button, the press the function of Pandora I want to change. I realize some of these common functions can be set as presets, one still has to search through the presets for the desired one. Hopefully, some engineer will negotiate through the copyrights, licenses, patents, and trolls, to create a custom screen where the user can put his or her frequently used/changed touchscreen tasks. Again, thank you for sharing these amazing cars.
@markwilliams2620 Жыл бұрын
Nothing screams 1980's more than the sliding bar graphic equalizer. That is a nice layout on steering wheel. Mimi Vandermolen and her team had quite an effect. When the 1989 T-Bird came out I couldn't believe all the stupid little buttons they went back to using.
@adamsneidelmann8976 Жыл бұрын
That’s one busy steering wheel. 😂
@Wyliedawg Жыл бұрын
I had a '90 LSC Mark VII for 3 years and at the end of the lease moved "up" to the new '93 Mark VIII. Other than the "Romeo" 4.6L in the '93 it turned out to be the worst mistake I ever made in car buying, and the last domestic vehicle that I bought/leased from new ever since. The Mark VII was just so much nicer a vehicle from stem to stern.
@AlexanderWaylon Жыл бұрын
I would imagine the average consumer of Rivieras and Mark VIIs were in their atleast their mid-late 40s and probably more likely their 50s, and probably outside of banking or premium white collar work had never touched a computer so they were probably like “what did they do to my favorite car?” I think if you exchanged the ashtrays and cigarette lighters for cup holders and told a friend or one of your children you could use this Comtech Lincoln in particular they would be like the controls are a bit strange but like going from one modern car to another they would quickly adjust and think nothing of it. And as far as tactile controls, I recently had to use both and rented Ford Edge and a Lincoln Nautilus on two trips, I have to say I absolutely hated no knobs or buttons or any kind for climate control, tho the Lincoln did have more controls but the remotely located keyboard transmission selector was hard to get used to and again required taking your eye away. Column shift (ideally for console space conservation not even nostalgia ) and knobs for temp and fan speed I really wish would become logical prevalence.
@oscargeorge1 Жыл бұрын
I always found the Mark VI sedans to be quite attractive.
@taccs27570 Жыл бұрын
I love your videos. In fact, you are my favorite KZbinr. Your work has totally awakened my interest in the full-size luxury collector segment. I hope you continue with what you do. I do have two small suggestions. I think the expressions “sunset” and “under hood” are overused. They sound a bit like brochure speak. Other than that, you are a phenomenal KZbinr.
@RareClassicCars Жыл бұрын
Probably true. Thx!
@Bloodcurling Жыл бұрын
I agree with the first half.
@kippaseo8027 Жыл бұрын
My uncle had add a 1988 champagne colored mark 7 back in the day. I remember as a little kid playing with the power seat buttons buttons on the top of the doors. It seemed like a cool car but I remember him getting rid of it because he said no matter what type of tires he had put on the car it had a weird tendency to always want to hydroplane on the freeway. Years later I met a guy who's brother was paralyzed from the neck down because his mark 7 hydroplaned and flipped on I 95 crushing in the roof because I guess back then the car didn't really have much of a safety structure.
@clevelandcarlson5743 Жыл бұрын
The Mark VII was the 1st Lincoln that I ever liked!
@MarinCipollina Жыл бұрын
The Mark VII was my favorite of those. Much more sensible than the predecessors.
@mikemintun1587 Жыл бұрын
I had a 1989 Midnight Red metallic Mark VII LSC. In my view, it had PLENTY of "high tech-ness" to the interior, with automatic climate control, multi-function trip computer, etc. I loved not only the looks, but the proportion and feel of the car. The 5.0 liter HO V8 was superb. One of my favorite cars of all time, second only to my Mercedes-Benz 560SEC. Thank you for your EXCELLENT videos.
@jamesmancuso3666 Жыл бұрын
I loved my 88 lsc. It was fast, sexy, and fun as hell. Now the ABS was horrible and almost put me in the ditch on my first late brake corner entry. The pulsation would unsettle the weight distribution during hard driving. I actually had to disable it.
@marko7843 Жыл бұрын
Give us back sealed-beam headlights that are cheap and only require one screwdriver to replace in the middle of the night!
@jefweb5043 Жыл бұрын
I'd forgotten how striking the styling was on that period of the Cougar was! Oh, and never overlook the 5.0 powerplant, either.
@CH67guy1 Жыл бұрын
I bought a 3 year old 1984 Cougar from a bank repossession sale for $4,000. I had the windows tinted to nearly limo black and drove it for years until a rod knock appeared around 120,000 miles. I loved the styling. The interior was very quiet. And despite not being a high end or high tech car, it was overall one of my favorite cars I’ve ever owned. As far as touchscreens go, I prefer the Ford tried and true slider air conditioner controls and a radio with 2 knobs.
@howebrad4601 Жыл бұрын
Both Lincoln and buick were way way ahead of their time with these 2 vehicles. As a teenager in the 80s, I loved the digital dash, crt, and all the texh, but I doubt a 15 year old with a paper route for income was the target demo for these cars! Years later other automakers would roll out this stuff to accolades with no mention of where the inspiration could trace its roots back to.
@patrickbateman9887 Жыл бұрын
The funny thing is they avoided the screen-only mistake here, but later actually perpetrated it with the SYNC and myFord Touch. It worked out the same as it did for the Riviera; customers hated the lack of a volume knob.
@lxndr3299 Жыл бұрын
You do great content, thanks, I enjoy it a lot.
@markrushtongallery Жыл бұрын
I wish OEMs would quit putting touch screens in cars. Bring back buttons and dials. SCREEN DELETE!
@IIXxSLAYERxXII Жыл бұрын
There are still new models all over the world without Touchscreens. Buy those or old ones without it.
@jlang8213 Жыл бұрын
Keep wishing. It's so commonplace now that it would likely cost manufacturers more to develop and offer an alternative that most people wouldn't buy. Look for an absolute base model of a vehicle that is often sold to fleets (think cargo vans, barebone pickup trucks) and you might find something.
@markwilliams2620 Жыл бұрын
Why would they pass up on a $5000 replacement charge when it finally goes kaput?
@markstevens1729 Жыл бұрын
Computers need output devices. That’s all a screen is. The computer’s addition to fine engine control and diagnosis cannot be achieved mechanically. Just follow a vehicle from the 70’s down the road sometime.
@Titus_2_11-12 Жыл бұрын
We can always hang a portable radio or similar on a sunshade or some knob. Like some of our dads did when the cheapest car they bought didn't have a radio. He would hang a transistor radio on a door window crank.
@johnfinnerty252 Жыл бұрын
Faux spare tire hump actually started on the ‘56 Mark II
@RareClassicCars Жыл бұрын
True
@gregmcable Жыл бұрын
Rented a new LSC, (black on black) on a trip to San Francisco and Napa. I considered myself strictly a euro-sportscar guy, but that car nearly converted me. It' was really a high watermark for balance between comfort and handling in the American idiom.(with 4 wheell discs!) I would be tempted to buy a decent one, but you seldom see them. Rust?
@PartTimeLaowai Жыл бұрын
I wonder how many pedestrians paid the price for some engineer who thought it would be a good idea for a driver to need to look away from his surroundings while he performed a hitherto simple task like adjusting the sound volume. Another case of "change for the sake of change", something Microsoft are also notorious for in my opinion.
@maxr4448 Жыл бұрын
Repairing Lincoln's in this era was and still is EXPENSIVE. That is why you don't see many of them anymore. Loved their looks though.
@robertadoue8374 Жыл бұрын
I love the Mark VI. Much more manageable than the Mark V, and to me, much nicer looking than the VII
@OLDS98 Жыл бұрын
Thank you for another great video Adam. I enjoyed the content, footage, and images. It is interesting Lincoln had this. I knew about it and only saw pictures, but you gave it a new dimension. I am a fan of the Lincoln Mark series, but I was not a fan of Mark VII. I hate the headlight design. I am of the opinion there should be a quad headlight design on a car like this. Thankfully Mark VIIII corrected the issues I had with Mark VII. Mark VII sold well too. I know that the Mark VIII design was supposed to be for the Ford Thunderbird, but Lincoln got it for Mark VII. What is interesting is that the Mercury Cougar design was intended for Mark VII. That was great to find out. I liked how you connected the design dots so to speak. I now recall where I saw the pictures years ago. It was Car and Driver magazine. It is interesting how what they did in the 1980's came full circle and is common today. I know Buick tested out the GCC on 1985 Buick Riviera before putting it in 1986-1989 Buick Riviera. There is a video of it here on You Tube. It was Motorweek. I know you mentioned in a recent video Oldsmobile had something similar with the VIC. They were at least forward thinking. I did not think Mark VI was ugly. I rode in two years ago. I thought it was better looking that Mark VII. As I said Mark VIII corrected the issues. Thank you Adam.
@SurlyriderBilly Жыл бұрын
Still a very handsome car
@Paramount531 Жыл бұрын
Other than the trunk hump, this was a gorgeous car! I wanted one back in the day but it was way out of my reach.
@mkernen Жыл бұрын
Mustang GT power (302CI EFI with roller cam) and great styling. Also, one of the first cars with ABS, if I'm not mistaken. I always wanted one.
@Stan-rj8ki Жыл бұрын
Hey Adam. Could you do a comparison video into the glory days of the square body SUVS? The RamCharger, Bronco, and Blazer. They are becoming extremely popular again. But in the gone by days, they were often looked over. There were so many options with them. Including good and bad engines.
@notpc531410 ай бұрын
I owned a grey metallic 85 LSC and a 91 LSC. Drove the 85 till the block self ventilated around 190K. Picked up a 91 blue LSC that was just beautiful. Drove it till kids started coming along and reluctantly sold it and bought a 96 Aerostar AWD Extended Eddie Bauer. Quite a blow to my driving pleasure. The kids also cost my wife a beautiful 78 Seville.., not family friendly either.
@mydogpeaches1 Жыл бұрын
i really think ford was listening to its customers at the time much more than gm was and i don’t believe that any major manufacturer currently is listening to people today because who can afford the vehicles being made right now it’s insane
@frankdeboer1347 Жыл бұрын
I like that they introduced the steering wheel controls which really were forerunners to today's controls. These Mark VIIs were stylish good driving cars for their time.
@paralyzes Жыл бұрын
STILL stylish and good driving cars. 😉
@jetsons101 Жыл бұрын
My parents had an 87 LSC, it was the first car I drove with anti-lock brakes. I had to take the car to a parking lot on a Sunday and try them out, I was amazed how the car stopped so quick and in a straight line......
@mileshigh1321 Жыл бұрын
I got to ride in an 80's Buick Riviera a few times back in the 80's. I thought the GCC system was very cool ! I also thought it was the way of the future and every vehicle would have them within a few years haha!
@Johnny_Socko Жыл бұрын
As a teenager who was very much into technology, I thought the GCC was pretty damn cool, and would have loved to have a car with that (or at least have my parents own a car with it). However, my preference would have been to have it in the much better looking (IMO) Olds Toronado or Touring Sedan, both of which also had the GCC. Olds also offered a multifunction steering wheel with control buttons on an A-shaped hub, somewhat like the Lincoln mule shown here. The Lincoln's is better looking, but at least the Olds version made it to production. Having said that, I loved the Mark VII and thought it was really the dawn of a new styling era for US domestic cars. *Finally* we got the benefit of composite headlights that had always made European cars look more sleek and modern. I also loved the Merkur XR4Ti for that reason; I thought it was so cool and futuristic, not really realizing that it was just a Ford Sierra with a neat spoiler, lol.
@danven1256 Жыл бұрын
Do you see that rather vacant looking deck lid ? Will a lot of our customers saw it too. One day my boss looked at me and said "I wonder what it would look like if we added Continental on the deck lid". A couple hours later a Mark VII shows up in my stall with a bag full of letters spelling continental on the front seat. I had to design a template where are all the holes would have to be drilled. It was always quite nerve-wracking task, even though I don't remember making any mistake I knew I could end up with a really unhappy customer and boss.