Lincoln's Continentals for 1972: Mark IV and Continental Coupe - Part 2

[@christopherrychlik6147]

Mark is a knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and jovial guest. Please keep him in your guest rotation Adam. Designer and finance guy, two opposites that work very well together.

[@eddstarr2185]

I was a high school freshman when the 1972 Continental Mark IV hit the streets, and believe me when I say, "it stopped traffic". With the Mark IV, Henry Ford II finally got his "Toronado", but the styling ace was the roofline. Where large cars are concerned, people prefer notchback over fastback rooflines, and Eugene Bordinat knew that the fastback roof of the Toronado was a mistake. All the buzz over the Mark IV proved Eugene Bordinat correct, the Mark IV is still a 70's automotive icon. Thank you, Adam and Marc, for these splendid videos!

[@zeroceiling]

Well the Toronado is no slouch in this category either.

[@Deandunbar]

Mark is such a great guest, he really knows so much about these cars and speaks so eloquently about it all. So many of the car channels just say the cars are "great" but not why, and they don't point out the foibles as well as the positive attributes. I loved this 2 part series.

[@tonytrotta9322]

Oval window insert was made by Woodall Industries - Detroit Michigan. All sheet metal class A assemblies for all Lincolns were made by The Budd Co. - Doors, roofs, hoods, quarter panels, fenders, hoods and deck lids - that way Ford could get a better quality part then they could make at a cost savings. Budd used to have Blue Buck Coordination Fixtures to load/check the entire B.I.W. Thanks for your video - Nice cars!

[@Golbez1991]

In part one, Mark was joking about how they could talk about these cars through part 25 if they wanted to but lose viewers, in truth I would listen to you guys forever.

[@bobhill3941]

Me too

[@chrisgoebel9187]

I absolutely agree with you.

[@robertdragoff6909]

I like 2 experts talking shop

[@bobhill3941]

@@robertdragoff6909 Me too

[@onkelmicke9670]

Let's go for part 25

[@tambarskelfir]

By popular demand, and just demand from us viewers, Marc is back. It was actually a very insightful point, that the Mark IV captured so many things those dirty foreigners hated about American cars. I can see that, but the thing that stings the most about the Mark IV (and a lot of American luxury cars of that 70s era), is that they thought lots of branding motifs and economically priced plastic could replace authentic materials. Some amount of faux materials is acceptable, but that amount should be kept to an absolute minimum in the top-of-the-line brand.

[@Conrad.99]

Mark is extraordinarily well-spoken and a genuine pleasure to listen to. Thanks

[@Johnny-lr5jt]

My Grandma had a '72 Mark IV. I always admired how she navigated that thing through the parking garage of her apartment building. We would drive from Houston down to her beach house in Galveston. The super-soft seats just swallowed you up. Loved that car.

[@alanwasserman868]

A shout out to Mark. The combination of his depth of knowledge and his presentation skills make these videos so enjoyable to watch. Thanks to you both.

[@toddbonin6926]

I loved these two episodes. The 72 Lincolns/Continentals were the best American cars built (IMHO). We'll never see anything so wonderful again. Thanks to the both of you for being so thorough. I will watch these episodes again and again.

[@tedlym.3390]

You ignited my "I want one" response. Thank you,

[@loveisall5520]

Though I was in high school at the time, I thought this Lincoln Continental looked so much better than the bloated fuselage Imperial or the too-pedestrian Cadillac. I know, of course, how much was shared under the skin between the Lincoln and the other FoMoCo big cars, but that beautiful skin! One of my best friend's parents owned a '71 sedan and I rode in it a lot. He loved driving it and I thought the dashboard was amazing; so sad that Ford cheapened out toward the end of the run and dropped in the ugly Mercury dash instead. Lord, was that car quiet! Thanks so much for the video.

[@mikegalvin9801]

They used to have commercials about how it was "quieter than a Rolls Royce."

[@markallen2984]

Both cars are beautiful but I find myself preferring the Continental coupe just because they are less common. Plus, I really like the cloth in that car.

[@louiswatson6227]

Thanks for your channel and content, I'm 64yrs of age and what memories you're evoking in my head as a child and young man, my dad & myself owned many of the vehicles you showcase on your platform, I swear I can actually smell the interiors of the one's I'm personally familiar with, thanks again!

[@jakereal3604]

Another home run video !!! Thanks guys. 2 lovely and stately automobiles. 5 Stars

[@DSP1968]

Another very enjoyable review from both of you gentlemen. A few items of note: the Sure Track Brake System was option beginning in '69 on the Mark III, standard from 1970 through 1975, and optional from '76-'79. It was available on the big Lincolns, Mercurys and Fords from about 1972 through 1978.

[@michaelcalder9089]

Quality American style and engineering.

[@BrownsFaninIowa]

Would love to see another chapter of this series comparing these two '72 Lincolns with the '72 Mercury Marquis Brougham. So many shared design cues!

[@SSK-27]

Really enjoy your videos, this was no exception! Mark is a great guest and you guys are both extremely knowledgeable. Gorgeous cars from a bygone era. We'll never see the like of them again so its good to preserve them and savor them.

[@danielleclare2938]

The Mk4 was absolutely personal luxury. Was not unusual to see it and the 4 door TownCar in the same driveway. All the practical limitations added to the luxury extravagance feel of it so a winner in the styling department. It was a statement without being overstyled. Even today if you pull up in one of either of those cars people wonder who you are etc.... Awesome. Thanks for the Vids.

[@chrisgoebel9187]

Hey Adam and Marc...you two make an excellent tag team interacting between each other! Please make more of these excellent team collaborations! You both bring excellent and different backgrounds to the conversation to the benefit of the viewers. IMO I have to give my nod to the black Continental Coupe with a nearly uncountable number of squares in the massive grille. I've never seen a black Continental coupe before let alone one with no vinyl roof...amazing. Both black beauties, each with 212 horses under the hood, are nothing less than gorgeous. Poor Marc with his Mark (IV) has to get down so LOW to access the gas tank filler...HA! Thank you both and I look forward to much more of the Adam & Marc Show!

[@johnlandacre767]

Always enjoy Mark and you, discussing almost any car. A wealth of knowledge and information here. I remember well the days of glorious styling that was refreshed slightly every year, then heavily face lifted every four years. These cars are great examples. When I was grade school to high school age, the annual new model introduction was one of the most exciting moments of the year. Sad what has happened to styling. There is no styling, mostly just grotesque copycat designs, especially in the SUVs.

[@its.just.me.1.2.3.]

Both are magnificent automobiles. However, that non-Mark two-door Lincoln Continental is a total treasure. Whoever ordered it had a very prescient sense of enduring styling trends and forethought! I am delighted by the vinyl top delete along with the deleted bodyside moldings - which give it such a clean, classic, unfussy look. Also, the brocade cloth interior is everything! I am normally no fan of black, white, or gray cars (since today, that is all the color choices) but I would be a very happy, proud owner of such a stunning car.

[@gregharvie3896]

Hi Guys , from Sydney , Australia . Great double episode Adam & Mark. Re the claustrophobic roof height. There were no less than 6 turret pressings for the mk4's & 5's . There was the "standard" low roof Such as your car Mark with no sunroof & a second version with no Opera window . The next 2 versions were ever so slightly taller , noticed best at the front above the windscreen , the vinyl turret had a small forehead , this was equipped with the powered glass moon roof and could be had with , or, without the opera windows , that's now 4 different roof pressings , then the last version , as is my car has the STEEL & vinyl covered sunroof this has an even taller "forehead " above the front screen and a taller way more "domed" main roof pressing to give head room within the cabin as the full steel sunroof "ate" more roof/ceiling space to fit the thicker & more heavy duty metal sunroof . this came in 2 versions with or without the opera windows totaling 6 entirely different roof pressings . I have 2 friends with MK4's , one has a glass moon roof & one has a base version with no sunroof & no opera window , when lined up against my own MK4 which has a opera window & steel sunroof you can clearly see the 3 entirely different roof pressings . On mine from the alloy gutter garnish mold there is a slow curve getting you up to the roof top which clearly is more curved /domed , M mate Marks car , a base mk4 roof is near dead flay , and above the front screen there is a barely any rise up to the flat top of the roof , identical to Adam's mate Mark's car . My mate Dave's car has a glass moon roof & uit has a "forehead " above the front screen where the roof goes up a bit higher to accommodate the sunroof mechanism without robbing internal headroom space. Now , my own mk4 with the vinyl padded steel sunroof, there is way more headroom, as I am 6 foot 3 inches & have plenty of room for my head even with the power seat raised. Now if I sit in my own mate Mark's car with the same roof as Adam's mate Marks car , its a way different story, my head touches the base spec vinyl headlining trim man 'O man you feel the roof on you . Amazing that for the new Thunderbird & the mk4 Conti , that Ford tooled up to make these entirely different turret pressings. Same with the MK5 , as my mate Mark has 5 of the 6 different turret pressings on his collection of MK5's. Re interior space , our RHD Ford Australia versions of the mk4 were only 1972 & 1973 versions, (all others late series mk4's with rear crash bumpers & all MK5 were private imports & then a conversion to RHD ) . Our RHD dash was different , further back away from the driver , meaning you could sit closer to the windscreen as dash top more shallow and higher up the front firewall also no factory RHD FORD Australia mk4's had tilt and adjust steering columns as the near horizontal steering column was way higher up the dash/fire wall leaving no need for an adjustable one to get in and under when sitting in the drivers seat . The Aussie version of the mk4 means you can have another 6' 3" person in the rear seat & they will have plenty of leg room, as the driver is mounted/seated further forwards in the front seat , regardless of their height .

[@terry3193]

I really enjoy watching Marc as a special guest. He brings a lot of details, history, and depth to the discussion and between the two of you it is fabulous.

[@COWBOYBARNMAN]

Oh man! I owned a coupe just like that. Only mine was white inside and white outside. It's truly the only car I've ever owned that I regret not holding on to. It was really a beautiful ride.

[@danaarden8373]

I owned a 1973 Town Coupe as my second ever car and boy do I miss it. Black exterior with a white leather interior. Just gorgeous. Oh to undo the mistakes of youth!

[@FranksModelWorks]

My father got a new, higher paying job in early 1972 and he and my mother ordered and put a deposit on a 1972 Lincoln Continental. They then found out that my childbirth wouldn’t be covered by medical insurance because I was considered a “pre-existing condition”. They cancelled the order, lost the deposit and my childbirth was their first credit card charge. They never me let me live it down…but now that I’ve seen Marc and Adam’s series on the Lincoln Continental and Continental Mark IV, I kinda understand.

[@RareClassicCars]

Ha! Now that’s a story.

[@martinmelucci4383]

Given the size of the car, and I say that with total love of them, perhaps they should have bought it and used the Lincoln for childbirth. Some people must have been used them for conception, so also using it for birth would complete the cycle.

[@philvanim4888]

Having both of you converse about the various aspects of the cars is very enlightening and enjoyable.

[@charlesmccabe5503]

Oh I love the granular details he provided about the rear lamps

[@jeffreydavis9783]

Another brilliant video, Adam! I absolutely love both of these iconic machines - for very different reasons. You & Mark play off each other beautifully; I really enjoyed hearing the intricacies of each vehicle’s design elements & how they (understandably) appealed to very different people.

[@motomuso]

This is a very good series. It's really nice hearing Mark's descriptions; so much to be said, so much to find interesting.

[@wmalden]

Black exterior with red interior is classic! My dad factory ordered a 1972 LTD convertible in that color combination. Sharp!

[@OLDS98]

Thank you guys so much. It was great to see Marc and his discussions of design. You continue to do the work with your channel.

[@michaelpfaff6009]

I love how different these 2 cars look. The Mark IV looks like a newer car; the Continental Coupe looks more old-fashioned. Love both. I had a 76 Mark IV with 25k on it.

[@keiththomas3141]

My Dad and my uncle used to drive Lincolns all the time beginning in the early 1960's. I used to wax them when I was growing up. Then I began driving Lincolns.

[@martifilipponi1024]

We always had Lincoln's in our family and I had a 76 mark IV givenchy.. mine had lights over the Opera windows which gave them a beautiful glow at night.. and I believe the 72 in your video does also.. I see two buttons one for the window and one for the light

[@jimcabezola3051]

Mahalo for another reference work! I'm staggered by the densely-packed information you and your friend put into these segments. I'll be rewatching these videos for years to come. Aloha!

[@jetsons101]

Addam, you two make a great team..... My mom, YEARS back, had a 72 or 73 T-Bird based on the Mark IV chassis. I took my driving test, age 15 1/2 years. I don't know how I passed the test as I couldn't see the end of the hood or out the back window and only one door mirror. Oh, and we had to parallel park----"FUN" It was like driving the Queen Mary with blinders on. But It was a great car on the freeway. Thanks to Rare Classic Cars for this fine watch......

[@DSGNflorian]

LOL @ "driving the Queen Mary with blinders on" . That's exactly how it feels. Cheers! This is Marc with the...Mark :)

[@bigjoe330]

Those cars are just stunning. In my fantasy garage: 1970 Imperial Crown Coupe, slick top, the last year offered. 1970 Lincoln Continental Coupe, slick top 1967 Cadillac Eldorado, slick top 1966 Buick Riviera, slick top All triple black.🇺🇸😉❤️

[@samuelthompson2605]

I am a GM guy but I will say these 70's Fords are built much better than those from GM.

[@bobhill3941]

Great series, I love the in-depth discussions. After watching this, the perfect version would be the Continental with the MkIV front.

[@hughmackellar7941]

Brought back some good memories.

[@danielulz1640]

I have always been very styling oriented (I could recognize a Studebaker before I was two) and I am LOVING Marc's insights. I had that glorious dashboard on my 77 Town Car but, sadly, a Mercury one on my 79.

[@desertmodern7638]

Excellent segment. I remember these cars new, but only learned a half-century later (on this channel) of the Mark IV's Torino/Montego basis. The lovely curved A-pillars are certainly similar, although the Mark's windshield seems distinctly flatter. Per contemporary literature, the Mark IV/Thunderbird roof would be one-year-only, as it was raised (without alteration to the glass) for 1973 following customer complaints of limited headroom.

[@YTjndallas]

I really enjoyed this

[@vettezeppelin]

Really would like a driving comparison! Even a quarter mile drag race too! Ok a nice driving comparison would be just fine!!

[@sooverit5529]

The horizontal Continental Star first showed up on the trunk lid of the 1963 Continental, so it really wasn't strange at all. The Continental Star first appeared on the Continental Mark II and even that car had a very wildly stylized version of the Star on the trunk lid. Throughout the years, the Star was heavily stylized, often with many different versions appearing on the same car. For instance, on the 1961 Continental, the hood ornament is the classic style, the roof gets slightly different version, the steering wheel gets a version of the later slender style, the rear package shelf gets a totally different style, and then the rear grille gets a version with elongated horizontal spears. The wheel covers get the classic version stamped into them. The 1963's horizontal Star was used vertically on the front fenders of the 66. The slender Star first used on the Continental Mark III would finally become the singular Lincoln logo in the 80's.

[@klwthe3rd]

As stated by another commentor, i like Adam's 2 door Lincoln Continental because they are so much more rare today. There are tons of the Mark IV's around today but not so much for the Continental 2 doors without a vinyl top. Smiles.

[@georgewilson1184]

Frank Cannon drove A 4 door Continental in the very first episode of the series

[@markbehr88]

Great cars. The Mark styling themes are custom continental - long hood, short deck, low roof and rear deck lid hump. The Continental coupe more formal, taking cues from the 61 Continental theme but woth a 65-70 sporty roofline. Great to see them together.

[@Richard4point6]

A great presentation. My favorite is the Lincoln Continental coupe

[@rightlanehog3151]

Adam, Being the practical person that I am, I will do my 8 mpg cruising in the Continental Coupe. 😁

[@douglaskasmer1190]

Adam, I’ve really enjoyed your videos with Wayne and Mark, keep it up!

[@frankpalermo3882]

Good analysis on intricate detail not many would pick it up more please

[@Robert8455]

I love the comparison. My dad had a 72 MKIV, he loved that thing but I was not a big fan. Back seat for a 11 year old felt like jail. Limited window issue, silly opera window and man was it claustrophobic. Had to wait till mom or dad opened those 5 foot long doors... ugh. My dad was a smoker too, with the windows up (or slightly cracked) I remember my eyes burning and begging him to stop and roll down the windows so I could get fresh air. Going to the airport... with bags, not much room in the tiny trunk. It had plenty of power, good A/C and was a slab cruiser. Given the choice though, the Coupe seems a bit more practical. Build quality mostly good except for the paint on the truck lid... I think the factory must have painted over rust. I noticed many of these cars had rusty trunk lids and quarters. I think Frank Cannon (TV Show) drove one of these Continentals. Those hub caps are huge and expensive and the thieves loved swiping them.

[@daviddavid5880]

I had that Continental Coupe. God I loved it. With decades of experience and automotive hindsight I can see it was a gawdawful crapbox in almost every way, but it pushed every one of my style buttons and still does. I just adore that brutalist look. If Darth Vader had a car, it would be this car. (If anyone has one with a cammed 6.0 LS... call me...) I think someone needs to post a vid of this dash at night. It looks SO frikkin cool at night. The instrument lights are all a kind of underwater greenish tint, and the speedometer is a solid thick red bar that moves from left to right like a scifi fusion reactor gauge. Cruising at night it felt like an atomic submarine. Handled like one too.

[@fooledman]

Used to have a '74 Mark IV until a relative dunked it in a water filled ditch after an encounter gone very wrong. It was a silver moon blue both inside and outside with a moon roof.

[@ProjectFairmont]

To avoid a potential fire I pulled my MkV power seat fuse which is also circuited with the auto seat back release. Always a hot circuit regardless of key, and I don’t adjust my seat and a minor inconvenience to flip the lever for rear seat access.

[@DUCKSAREEVILLLLLLLL]

For the 1996 Wixom Lincoln, all doors press to close. The trunk self closes. The aluminum hood can be press closed or slammed. It's up to you.

[@ThisCarChannel]

The "distortion" of the star emblem on the Continental trunk feels a bit like an intuitive move by whoever designed it. Its a great logo. You could (I assume) basically do whatever you like with it and it holds up. Also the dashboard is great. Feels very modern.

[@tomdelisle8955]

The one thing I remember about my dad's 70's Lincoln is how the key turned in the ignition and the 460 coming to life. , it just felt classier and more substantial than lesser cars. I love the dash in the Lincoln coupe. The Mark dash looked a bit cheap compared to it.

[@wingsley]

This video shattered an enduring myth that I harbored, because I had never been inside an actual Lincoln automobile: All these years, I thought the "spare tire hump" on the Mark series was real, that it actually housed a spare tire. Now, I will never take Jock Ewing seriously again. (He drove a '78.) I also realized, partway through this video, that the Mark IV had never "pull up" door handles while the "Lincoln Continental" retained actual "grab handles" and a real full-size trunk. I also didn't realize that some Lincolns had an early version of ABS. Color me surprised. Hilarious moments in this video: dwelling on the shag carpeting, and also the bombastic "inefficient" interior design. And, of course, the over-the-top ridiculous 460 V8s under-hood. Also: been a while since I've seen a car with white-sidewall tires.

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

I like having the fuel filler behind the license plate in my 1996 Buick Roadmaster sedan. You don't have to worry about which side of the pump you pull up to. Although it's a lot easier to access than the Lincoln. That's quite low. And the bumper is definitely in the way

[@cadillacguy1890]

Part of the “snob appeal” of the Mark IV was what you’re describing about it. It’s a large car but totally inefficient when it comes to practicality. There’s a certain exclusivity to spending the price of entry to a Mark IV; being able to not only spend that much for a car, but disregarding the sensibility of doing it, getting it simply for the statement it makes. By the way, had I been able to back then, I’d have owned one in a heartbeat.

[@chrismarzoli2170]

Great video. Very much enjoyed Mark's insights. Adam your Lincoln is quite a find. I love to see "Strippy" or low option examples of luxury cars. So refreshing to see them with the base wheel covers, steel tops, no stripes, etc. Its interesting how "down-market" the base seats were in Lincolns well into the 1980's even. A huge percentage of these cars were loaded up with interior and exterior options as you know. I find the Continental coupe a more appealing car inside and out over the Mark IV. I have always thought the Mark IV was the least attractive Mark. Was there ever a more inefficient use of space in a car? It was a letdown after the excellence of the Mark III. The Mark V, while not really a better car, has that chiseled styling that appeals more to my eye.

[@rwg520]

Interesting discussion about these two cars. So different, yet both 2 dr. Continentals! I like Marc's car, although I'm not a fan of red interiors. If I were buying in '72, I would have chosen Adam's car! I had a '72 Imperial LeBaron coupe (back in the mid-70s) which could definitely hold its own with Marc's or Adam's car. As discussed, the greenhouses then (at least for the coupes) were low and menacing! That included my Imperial. I think Marc is maybe too critical of his car, perhaps based on today's standards. But back in '72, traffic would have parted, and allowed him passage with honor!

[@dave1956]

Adam, both you and Mark seem to enjoy vehicles in the same manor that I do.

[@MrGalaxie1968]

Love it! Beautiful cars!

[@trucking604]

My friends father had a 1971 Marquis Brougham 4 door sedan. Although the Marquis had a very nice instrument panel, I would say the Lincoln Continental had a more upscale instrument panel, but the Marquis did have nicer seats and door panels.

[@robertcarly4186]

I wonder if the just the basics on your Continental was Lincoln trying to have a Cadillac Calias? I was very careful about backing up my 72' Thunderbird because of the large 2 piece taillight,, with the small bumper. The 73' Thunderbird had the same taillight,, but the bumper front and rear were much bigger and I know 74'-76' had a large aluminum beam behind the bumper. It took my Dad awhile to figure out what the automatic seat releases were and the Thunderbird was louder than the Mark 4 which is beautiful. When we went from Maine to New Jersey to visit my Grandmother, I sat in the middle of the back seat because the front seats were so high and I had luggage on each side of me.

[@thomastoler2397]

Very interesting compare & contrast on two cars that epitomized the early 1970’s domestic luxury car design philosophy. Reminds me of all the things I disliked about the era such as: integrated bumpers (apologies to the design purists), brocade seat covers, vinyl surfacing, simulated wood grain inserts, to name but a few. I was in the minority then, and now, in that I liked the look (yes, I said “look”) of 5 mph bumpers to break up such large-mouthed-bass-looking front-ends. Having the bumpers longer than the bodies, especially when paired with chromed rocker panels, gave a “foundational” appearance, a look of substance to the car. This allows one to focus on the body work apart from the mundane, utilitarian ground works, and as a consequence, allow the bumpers to actually be functional. Even as a child in the ‘60s, I remember thinking that integrated bumpers were useless, especially on cars like the ‘63 Riviera’s hood-aft-of-the-bumper-style; a style that spawned a myriad of copycats industry-wide, across each division’s model lineup, through the ‘68 model year. I can think of no other styling trend that was as far reaching, with the possible exception of the slab-sided, raised & bladed shoulders of the ‘61 Continental.

[@onlyhereonce7290]

I always learn so much from these videos. Just great stuff!!

[@V8_screw_electric_cars]

I like Your coupe better, Adam, it has American styling, doesn't try to be something else and is big outside but also inside and has much more imposing looks.

[@goodbonezz1289]

Was there ever a handling/heavy duty suspension package offered on the Mark IV?

[@DSGNflorian]

Hi, this is Marc with the...ahem...Mark. You could order a "cross country ride package", which included heavy duty springs and shocks. It was available and usually promoted as part of the towing options. I have not seen anything specifically called a "handling" package in the contemporary sales literature.

[@ralphwilliams2396]

Great vid the continental coupe looks a bit more sinister while the Mark IV looks kool

[@brucebelitz3451]

I absolutely love the big car much better, more elegant and comfortable!

[@davidzoller9617]

The Continental tops the Mark IV by far. The interieur just looks so much more in balance with the outside impression then by the Mark IV.

[@davidzoller9617]

@@TeamTrumpUSA Yes, I guess that's because you're probably an American, while I'm a European - different taste.

[@MrSpartanPaul]

I owned a triple Jade Green 76 Lincoln Coupé with a green tinted moonroof. My dad bought it new and it had the half vinyl top. I always wanted to strip the vinyl top off and paint the car black, so this 72 is basically my dream car. Especially with the slim bumpers and wide tail lights. Absolute perfection in my mind.

[@chrisgoebel9187]

I agree. While the Mark IV is a beautiful design, if I had the money to buy either of these brand new in 1972, I'd still buy the Continental Coupe over the Mark IV even if the Continental Coupe cost more. The massive grille of the Continental couple IMO is more impressive than the Mark IV grille and so are the sides and the rear and the more spacious interior and trunk. Of course the Mark IV has softer lines and fine details just like Marc shows off but I prefer Adam's Continental Coupe.

[@davidzoller9617]

@@chrisgoebel9187 The interieur of the Mark iV makes me think of a pimp-ride. I could easily imagine Burt Reynolds sitting behind the wheel.

[@markharkey3279]

Another wonderful video. Very enjoyable, thank you!

[@petercullen746]

I’m so depressed now. I’ve been lusting after a ‘72 Mark 4 for a while now and I’ve just learned in exquisite detail how impractical it is. Argh. I still want one.

[@wilsixone]

My '73 Mark had a few different things especially with the interior; power door lock were operated by switch on the door armrest and that seat back release handle did not exist at all. It was just electric seat back release when the door was opened and locked when door was closed.

[@davebarron5939]

One thing that came to mind watching this, what is the Bureaucrat "requirement" for taillight brightness / size? Great stuff.

[@hiitsstillme]

Interesting and informative, thank you. We'd like to see a direct comparison of the Mark III vs. Mark IV. We prefer the overall look of the Mark IV ( we'd delete that tacky opera window, for sure), but the quality of the interior took a big-nose dive after '71. That bumper fuel access is a nod to many GM models of the day, perhaps another Bunkie influence during his short tenure. That narrow greenhouse was typical in many Fords of the period. Inside our '72 Mustang, it feels like you're sitting in a bunker. Add on the slightly higher profile NACA hood, and a mail-slot view out the rear window. Ugh. Apparently Chevy liked it... they revived it with the current breed of Camaros... especially the convertibles. Try parking one without someone to guide you.

[@loveisall5520]

PS--like its sister Thunderbird, that silly little opera window could be deleted. I've only seen one on the street in the seventies, though more than one road test at the time showed them without it. Any way of knowing how many of those more restrained coupes were made?

[@analogidc1394]

Which car do I like better? Yes

[@califdad4]

The 72 Continental Mark IV was the best looking Mark IV. The big bumpers ruined the design

[@jeffrobodine8579]

The trunk in my 1970 Eldorado is similar in size to the Mark IV, though the trunk of the lLincoln is much more nicely appointed.

[@kennethsouthard6042]

Can't speak for a 72, but our 73 Continental had a spare tire cover made of that same rough upholstery that lined the trunk. I also heard that that the Town Coupe' had a carpeted trunk.

[@andykerr3803]

Some even had the trunk lid lined... It really looks good. Maybe just on the Mark V Diamond Jubilee. But, wow 👌

[@damianbowyer2018]

Gr8 Stuff Mark and Adam.😊🤘

[@seamarcus]

Thanks!

[@hattree]

We had a Dodge pickup in the 80's with power locks like the ones on that Mark IV.

[@jimboyd1659]

Adam, please tell Marc I would love to be the next caretaker of his Mark IV if he ever decides to sell it. Thanks!

[@The7humpwump]

Mark does add a nice “artsy-fartsy” touch to your videos.

[@torgers6352]

Amaizing cars 👍👍Nice design 👌

[@sebastianruhland5198]

beautiful cars.

[@kennethsouthard6042]

As far as the brocade cloth, I'm guessing that not much emphasis was placed on that since most were ordered with leather and they probably wanted most buyers to step up.

[@elizabethcherry920]

I don't know if anyone remembers I believe it was in 76 the Mark IV had the wild lipstick edition and the Champagne gold edition. I always loved the 70s Lincolns because of the packages that were offered. Another I thought was nice was the Williamsburg edition Town sedan, so 70s

[@DerrickOil]

The Continental used the same outside door handles as our '69 Country Squire.

[@billgueltig6136]

This was near the end of the era when cars were designed by actual designers, not by insurance companies and government..

[@AB-pl1ko]

- and don't forget the extra layer of corporate bean counters as well.

[@leightonfarms4962]

excellent

[@Beehashe]

Is the sail panel called a “C” pillar if there is no “B” pillar?

[@DSGNflorian]

Good point! This is Marc with the...Mark. It's still referred to as a "C" pillar, think of it as the "B" pillar being invisible in a hardtop, but still (sort of) there, just ending at the belt line. So very few cars are hardtops these days (only Mercedes, Bentley and one or two others come to mind), that it's a moot point around the design studios, as virtually everything that isn't a convertible has a B-pillar these days.

[@elplata7224]

As my dad would say: “Muy elegante” with an apostrophe at the end, spoken like a Frenchman