Learn more about the Lincoln Versailles and what made it unique!
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@dave1956 Жыл бұрын
My uncle had a new Versailles. He had traded the worlds most unreliable vehicle in on it. He liked to be different so he bought a new 1973 Jaguar XJ-6. He lived approximately 200 miles away from the nearest dealer and as he once told me “It made the trip to the dealership more often on a flatbed than it did under it’s own power. The Versailles was totally reliable and he could get it serviced at a Ford/Lincoln/Mercury dealer in his hometown.
@MisterMikeTexas Жыл бұрын
He must have been patient to put up with the Jag for 4 years before getting rid of it.
@dave1956 Жыл бұрын
@@MisterMikeTexas I think that it’s called a glutton for punishment. My uncle lived in Moses Lake, Washington and the nearest Jaguar dealer was somewhere in the Seattle area. I asked him why he didn’t just buy a Cadillac if he wanted a luxury car. He replied that he didn’t want to appear as a show off. He thought that the Jaguar was more understated. It probably was because he ended up driving his Ford Pickup when the Jaguar was broken down which seemed to be all the time.
@viciouspoodle5543 Жыл бұрын
My dad had the same Jaguar. It was a LEMON! He got rid of his for a 1976 Seville. At least the Seville, looked unique and one would never know they used the Nova platform. The Versailles used the same body panels as the Granda and Monarch! They didn't even bother to conceal the wipers. American Sunroof was called in to give the car a different back window roof line for 1980. Ford really should have done more to alter the exterior. It wasn't a bad car!
@AndrewCDiprose Жыл бұрын
@@MisterMikeTexas sad they were so unrealiable.
@MisterMikeTexas Жыл бұрын
@@dave1956 I think if I were your uncle, I would have gone for a mid-level (for a Lincoln) Continental sedan or coupé, below the Town Car level (not the Mark). I think that would be the perfect or near-perfect show of elegance without "showing off".
@jefffixesit60 Жыл бұрын
Having turned wrenches on a lot of Granadas, Monarchs, and Versailles, I found them to be reliable, but uninspiring. The Versailles was very comfortable and quiet, and the 5.8l gave it more performance than most of it's competitors, but the styling... disappointingly Granada-like. The double isolated shock mounts were such a good idea, Cadillac plagiarized them for the Cimarron, flattery at it's sincerest! Great series, love your videos
@charlesb7019 Жыл бұрын
I have been in a Versailles and I can tell you that they rode REALLY well.
@abedbush Жыл бұрын
The Seville was actually introduced in May, 1975 as an early 1976 model.
@kylescarfarm Жыл бұрын
Vise Grip Garage recently revived a 78 Versailles. Although the ignition system gave Derek trouble, the Versailles made the 650 mile journey home!
@drno-xc1yt Жыл бұрын
As I recall, the A/C and radio still worked - at least for a while. Very luxurious by Vice Grip Garage standards!
@dsan2509 Жыл бұрын
Yes I just happened to see that on vice grip and then this vid showed up. Interesting. Actually my first wife had a green monarch.
@davidnelson9903 Жыл бұрын
I own a 1977 Versailles that was my mom's. My mom fell in love with the wedgewood blue lincoln when her and my dad went to the Mercury-Lincoln dealer to look at a Monarch, so
@stevefranklin9920 Жыл бұрын
A good plus about the Versailles was that some had a 9" rear end with disc brakes.
@roberthoffhines5419 Жыл бұрын
Vice Grip Garage on KZbin just did a start and driveaway on a Versailles barn find.
@trolleychai Жыл бұрын
Back in the fall of 1983 I purchased a gently used (29K miles) 1978 LTD Country Squire from a Ford/Lincoln/Mercury dealer to replace my 1968 Caprice Estate that had been totaled by a woman who ran a red light (fortunately, I wasn't hurt, unlike the woman and her two children who hit me). The same dealer who I purchased the Country Squire from also had a 1980 Versailles with only 4K miles that had been traded in by the same widow who had traded in the Country Squire. I gave it some serious thought - the price was right - but my wife liked her 1979 Bonneville sedan that we had bought new so I said no. A co-worker of mine bought it instead and his wife drove it over 250K miles without any problems.
@ejtarm Жыл бұрын
The commentator is yawn .... better than taking relaxium. please get back to high school polish history
@lasuvidaboy Жыл бұрын
My mom had a triple black 1970 Mark III which she traded in on a triple black 1979 Mark V. I was there when the salesperson asked her if she would be interested in the Versailles and my mom said ‘that looks just like a Granada, no thank you’. I learned to drive in the Mark V and I took my driving test in it in 1979. Big car to navigate in LA traffic! 😄
@jackwild1111 Жыл бұрын
I just sold a 69 Mark III... Nice cars, high maintenance.
@lincmerc1581 Жыл бұрын
I also owned a '70 triple black Mark III. It sure was swanky. I had couple of people follow me just so they could talk about the car. They either had one or knew someone who did. Mine had some electrical issues that prevented starting and drained the battery. The Sure Track braking started to pulsate, so it was disconnected. I ended up selling it for what I paid for it (minus repairs...this was 1990) to help fund purchase of my first home.
@lincmerc1581 Жыл бұрын
@@jackwild1111I can vouch for that.
@BlackPill-pu4vi Жыл бұрын
Reminds me of a doctor's wife I knew who got a new 1970 Eldorado for her birthday. She loved getting a new car but, there was something about the car that she just didn't like. Her husband traded it in on new Mark III Lincoln Continental. She was very happy with that car and kept it.
@greyfirestone5119 Жыл бұрын
Mom sort of said the same. She said there was really no difference to her between the Monarch and the Versailles besides the outside thermometer. She ended up buying a Seville.
@waynejohnson1304 Жыл бұрын
I've ridden in both the Versailles and the SeVille. Both were quiet but, strangely when both cars hit a sandy patch of road, the Lincoln allowed more noise of the sand hitting the lower part of the doors to enter the cabin than the SeVille. Seat comfort was about the same, in my opinion. Also, and again, this is my opinion, I thought the SeVille was the better riding of the two. I think Cadillac's use of coating the rear leaf springs with Teflon made the difference. Normally, I don't like leaf springs either. Cadillac has a wider stance on the road which made it a better handling car than the Lincoln too. Today, if I had to choose between the two, I'd choose the SeVille. Another thing, parts for the SeVille are still available today whereas those for the Lincoln, in many cases, are not.
@wmalden Жыл бұрын
My dad leased a 1977 Granada Ghia 4 door. The sticker price was just shy of $8,000 as the car had every option except for moonroof, four wheel disc brakes and remote trunk release. For about $3,000 more, he could have had the Versailles. After the lease expired, he bought the Granada and gave it to my mom. It suffered from frequent mechanical failures and was in the shop for repairs often. The 302 engine is a good one but the variable venturi carburetor was garbage.
@BlackPill-pu4vi Жыл бұрын
Those garbage VV carburetors were often replaced with regular Motorcraft 2bbl carbs and that fixed the problem. I'm sure Ford came up with the VV carb to satisfy the EPA but, in the field they were replaced with the old reliable 2150 carb.
@andymacdonald821 Жыл бұрын
just lean out the “choke” and feather the gas on cold starts…. same for ‘84 & ‘85 throttle-body efi… “Manual LeanBurn” lol…
@juliewest9645 Жыл бұрын
I had a 78 ess every option cheapest maintenance reliable car ever owned bought it with 46000 miles for 1850 drive it to 120000 traded for new GT mustang. Still ran perfect 302 pretty gutless .
@BlackPill-pu4vi Жыл бұрын
@@juliewest9645 1978 was deep inside the darkness of the EPA smog motor era. The standard 250 inline six could barely remove the peel from a banana, it was so weak. Contrast that to the Torino my uncle had (he bought it new). It was a 1970 base model and it had the 250 six and three speed on the column. It was surprisingly peppy for around town driving and that's because it was a pre-smog car.
@yossarian67999 ай бұрын
@@BlackPill-pu4vi I remember being four years old and my Aunt and Uncle bought a new '71 Torino for my cousin Rhonda's graduation gift. White Sportsroof with brown interior. Not sure what was under the hood but it was 3-on-the-tree. It had really nice wheel covers and didn't look stripped out, so I'm guessing some "exterior decor group" was ordered. No power steering, but Rhonda's stout Ukrainian frame was a fair match. She drove it for years before replacing it with a 78 or 79 Buick Regal Turbo.
@SSGuy415 Жыл бұрын
Thanks for the video showing why the Versailles appealed to its buyers. What hurt the Versailles sales, is that Seville came first and set the standard for how to build a smaller luxury car off a cheaper car platform. Because car for car, the Versailles had some advantages over the Seville, such as better build quality IMO - but Lincoln skipped the most important part - which was restyling the sheet metal and dash to give Versailles its own look and personality. The 1976 Seville was a beautiful, dramatically styled car. It made Mercedes and other imports look frumpy, while making fender-skirted domestic luxury cars look bloated.
@tombrown1898 Жыл бұрын
I agree with you entirely. The Seville was as stunning for its time as the 1961 Continental was for its. There was nothing else like them. Seville had "packaging" problems, though. Cadillac put too much car into too small a space, giving the interior a tight, claustrophobic vibe. Adam has noted this on several occasions.
@DD-dj4jr Жыл бұрын
Yep - and designer / executive arrogance led to destroying Seville brand equity with the 1980……they didn’t learn from the Cutlass Salon…..a 4-door 1979 Eldorado as a 1980 Seville might have changed history at GM
@robertvance1873 Жыл бұрын
I have owned a Granada and Monarch Ghia and you couldn't have asked for more reliable cars, i still miss the Ghia because it was a very plush Car.
@deansapp4635 Жыл бұрын
I worked at a Ford Dealer in 77 and 78 as a lot guy.The Ghia s were very nice
@DinsdalePiranha67 Жыл бұрын
I'm old enough to remember seeing the Lincoln Versailles when it was new. Preteen me didn't know a lot about cars, but I could tell it was basically a Granada with a Continental kit (at least in appearance).
@pcno2832 Жыл бұрын
6:30 One of the reasons the tops of the shock towers were so high on these cars was that Ford had designed the 1960 Falcon, from which these cars had descended, so that it could accommodate a FWD powertrain if Ford chose to employ one at some point, though they never did. So, Earl McPherson (the guy after whom the McPherson strut was named) put the shocks within the springs and located the whole coil-over unit above the upper control arm. Mcpherson had not used his struts on these cars because the friction they introduced had been blamed for the ride harshness of the Ford Consul (the car model in which Eddie Chochran famously died). When Honda went to a double-wishbone design for the same reason in 1986, they cleverly snaked the steering knuckle around the coil-over assembly to a control arm that was located above it, thus giving the Accord the low hood that was fashionable at the time. Since then, with improved gasket materials, friction has become less of a problem with McPhereson strut suspensions and they have become the dominant choice to suspend the front wheels of most cars.
@67marlins Жыл бұрын
Thanks for the thorough and interesting info.
@TonyBarr99 Жыл бұрын
I began my career as an engineer in the auto industry and remember this well! The "short long arm suspension!"
@Low760 Жыл бұрын
GM holden designed wet struts for the commodore in the 70s to make them last in the harsh desert of Australia. The falcon design continued until the xf falcon in 1994 in Australia.
@Low760 Жыл бұрын
I'm pretty sure struts were designed to be cost effective not for a fwd falcon...
@67marlins Жыл бұрын
@Low760 You might not be entirely correct..." pcno" above seems to know a great deal about the history of Ford's front end suspension systems.....and I can testify that Ford North America seriously DID consider a front-wheel-drive, V-4 powertrain for the upcoming 1960 Falcon. That engineering project was written about in detail at the beginning of an article that covered the Oldsmobile Toronado's 1966 debut. The article named the Ford engineer, and described that the design was almost exactly what the Olds engineers settled on: a longitudinal engine with torque converter aft, ( like a regular rwd system ), but then a chain-driven gearbox slung under the passenger side cylinder bank. Ford of course dropped that initiative for North America, but Olds happened to use that configuration in a case of, "great engineers sometimes think alike", I guess. If I can find the article I will happily send you the link.
@IcelanderUSer Жыл бұрын
Perhaps ford would have better luck with the Versailles had they pushed the wheels out to the body line like the Seville. I think that is why the Seville looks so good. Especially the front wheels.
@rickloera9468 Жыл бұрын
The Versailles and the Seville were absolutely beautiful cars. I didn't like the roofline change in 1979. The interiors were extremely plush and when equipped with bucket seats you would get a hand stiched leather console that gatlve the Versailles a rich look. It also had a leather stitched dash pad. The exterior was done in my opinion in a most tasteful way and it holds up very well to this day. Another entry in this was the Chrysler LeBaron amd Dodge Diplomat. These were about halfbthe price of a Versailles but the base model was on par with the Aspen and Volare that they were built on. If you got the Medallion model, you really stepped up with a beautiful velor interior or for $254.00 more could get the leather. They also employed some of the best plastic wood trim on the dash than anyone else in the automobile business. Chrysler cars usually had some of the worst fake woodgrained dashes, but not in the LeBaron/Diplomat. Ford probably did the fake woodgrain overall better then other car manufacturers.
@sirmister4411 Жыл бұрын
I had a straight 6 Granada. I loved it good on gas and very dependable
@NewbombTurk. Жыл бұрын
There is a reason (almost) all Versailles' in the junk yard have had their spindles/brakes and rear end removed. The parts used for the driveline/suspension are perfect for 64 1/2 - 68 Mustangs. If you wanted a "cheap" Ford 9" rear end and disk brakes, your first stop was the junkyard to find a Versailles.
@MrSloika Жыл бұрын
That's why you'll almost never find a Versailles now. Back in the day using a Versailles as a donor was the ONLY way to get rear disc on a 65-68 Mustang. These days you'd be wasting your time since the parts for Versailles rear ends are no longer made by Ford...or anyone else. It's much easier/cheaper to run a 8.8 inch rear out of an Exploder if you want rear disc on an early Mustang. Funny thing, because people canabalized these cars for rear ends and front spindles, a running Versailles is a rare bird and kinda collectible.
@kevincampbell1395 Жыл бұрын
Wow. It seems like Ford was just getting by for a long time. Re-used junk from the 60's on late 70s " luxury " cars?
@MrSloika Жыл бұрын
@@kevincampbell1395 When Ford changed the body style of the North American Falcon in 1964, they shipped the tooling for the first gen Falcon to Argentina. Ford Falcons with the first gen body styles were made by Ford Argentina until 1991. Yup, you read that correctly. Ford made Falcons with the original body style for 31 years. CSB: The Ford Falcon became notorious in South America. People would panic if they saw a dark green Falcon pull up in front of their residence. The right wing government of Argentina purchased large numbers of Ford Falcons painted dark green. These cars were commonly used by government agents to 'disappear' people. A dark green Ford Falcon was a 'death car', and not because the brakes were bad.
@NewbombTurk. Жыл бұрын
@@kevincampbell1395 The other way around, people were taking the newer Disk Brake parts and putting them on the older Mustangs as an upgrade. And having parts bin stuff is nothing new across all of the American brands. Fox platform stuff ran across multiple vehicles from 78-82 (Not just Mustang). Chevy's modern Camaro is the Holden Zeta platform (that is also used in Caddy CTSVs). Doing that is what keeps production costs down and, in theory, keeps sale prices down.
@NewbombTurk. Жыл бұрын
@@MrSloika The 8.8 is a decent swap now, but didn't exist in the 70's until the end of the decade when the Fox platform started using it. But the 8.8 isn't quite a 9 inch when it comes to durability under large amounts of HP. The Versailles was unique because it was the first "mid-size" platform to use rear disks instead of drums for Ford. You could get rear disks on the larger platforms, but the rear ends wouldn't fit underneath the earlier Mustang bodies (rear track too wide).
@Dwayne-mb2uj Жыл бұрын
I bought one from a lady who owned a Seville too. Mine had really good gold paint that Ford bought from GM. The carpet was so thick it was kind of tacky looking .We sold it because my wife got really offended when someone called it "La Bamba Mobile" . It was really a tank because it was under powered . It kind of was but we were fools to sell it because I only paid 850 dollars for a car that looked showroom new. The Lady I bought it from bought it from Avis I think or what ever company Ford owned.
@samhklm Жыл бұрын
The 76 Saville was one of best looking cars ever.
@nomebear Жыл бұрын
My mom and dad loved the size and luxury of Seville. They owned three Sevilles from '76,' to the last, a '79. They were reliable!
@williamegler8771 Жыл бұрын
Seville was beautiful also!
@1234Testicle Жыл бұрын
Also 4 wheel disc brakes. Thanks Adam
@HAL-dm1eh Жыл бұрын
I never knew about these until in the 90s when I had a foxbody Mustang, their used rear disc brake setup could be swapped over for an economical upgrade. I'll never forget the first time I saw the name and learned of the car. I found it a very interesting concept.
@JCVACCARO Жыл бұрын
I remember these Lincolns when I was a teen in the mid 80's. They got no respect just like the Cimarron. I also remember people flocking to get the last rwd 84 DeVille, Park Avenue and 98's.
@corgiowner436 Жыл бұрын
Having lived through the era the Versailles looked like an upscale trim package/Seville wannabe. When the Seville debuted it was something no one had seen before.
@mcy1122 Жыл бұрын
Another marvelous video. For folks who love cars, Adam’s open-minded approach when discussing ignored/ dismissed cars makes for engaging videos. I loved learning about the shock absorber isolation as an example of what Lincoln did to set the Versailles apart. I wish I would have ridden in a Versailles to experience the difference with a Granada (which I owned and found to be incredibly solid and reliable). Unrelated, the Granada was the last Ford I experienced that had the satisfying door closure sound feel that was so common in big Ford/Mercury/Lincoln in the 60s/70s. Thanks Adam.
@johnz8210 Жыл бұрын
It was better than the Granada, those little changes add up. Also the hot rod world is happy they were made, that narrow 9 inch rear axle with disc brakes was used in all kinds of street rods.
@traderdan85 Жыл бұрын
I love the look of my 79 Versailles , turns heads everywhere , I see it no different than comparing a Yukon to a Escalade as far as engineering .. it was just first
@captlazer5509 Жыл бұрын
The Versailles was one of the first cars with halogen headlights. BFD you may think but in the early 80's it was the brightest headlights on the road. It had a built in garage door opener. Also the roof change in the later model was fiberglassed in. So the vinyl top years down the road didn't rot out any metal. It was a goofy car to be sure but my family got it on model year clearence new but drove it to over 300k, reliably.
@fearsomebeard4290 Жыл бұрын
I learned how to drive in a Granada. I remember wanting a Versailles. I’ll always have a soft spot for all three models as the classic luxury car styling of all three was spot on for the 1970s era.
@pjw1016 Жыл бұрын
My father had one of these Versailles and was in the shop more than on the road. The Venturi carburetor was the main issue, and half a dozen mechanics gave up. He got it to run far enough to get to a nearby Toyota dealer and traded it for a Cressida that he owned for the next fifteen years.
@patrickburke7929 Жыл бұрын
My very 1st Car at 17 in 1987 was a 1979 Granada Coupe. My Dad bought it New. It was 2 Tone Black over Silver. The Dealer Dressed it up with Chrome wheels with Locking Chrome Spokes & Dad Bought it off the Showroom Floor. After 2 Years Mom got the Granada & Dad Bought a 1981 2 Door Marquis Brougham. Them in 1987 Dad bought the all New F150 XLT LARIAT, Mom got the Marquis & the Granada with 70.000 miles went to me. Dad took it to Ford to get it Fully Serviced & then to Goodyear for all new tires. In 3 years i put 90.000 miles on the Granada with only regular maintenance. Then in 1990 i took it back to the Ford/Lincoln/Mercury where my Dad bought all his Vehicle's & Traded the Granada in for a Pre-owned 1986 Chevrolet Monte Carlo with 27.000 miles. The Ford Dealership gave me $1.500 for the Granada as they had Serviced the Granada since New. As with most, i wish i kept my 1st Car, a 1979 Granada !!
@neilouellette3004 Жыл бұрын
My steady girlfriend in the mid 80's mother had a mint loaded 1979 Mercury Monarch. She loved that car, so did I. Had every option you could obtain. Rode real nice and trouble-free. Great cars!
@tedlym.3390 Жыл бұрын
I wanted a Versailles in 1979 and/or 1980, but I could not afford one. I was recently looking for one and again can't afford one in mint condition. I bought a 1983 Mark VI instead. I enjoyed this presentation. Thank you,
@RobertBowman-gy9hw Жыл бұрын
I love the Mark VI so much. They're under appreciated in my opinion. I'd love to have a Pucci, Bill Blass, or Signature.
@j.sayler6330 Жыл бұрын
Antique cars tend to be much more affordable than they look. Far too many dealers price them ludicrously--even double their actual value, and double what they just paid. My rule of thumb is DEALER PRICE /2 = REALISTIC PRICE. Buy from a club member or other private party.
@danbusey Жыл бұрын
Great timing! Vicegrip Garage just did a revival on a 78 Versailles.
@CadillacCentral Жыл бұрын
Was thinking the same thing. Still gotta finish the whole episode lol
@wilsixone Жыл бұрын
I've got to say, I LIKE the Versailles for the way they executed what was really a Grenada. However, the Seville was a nice vehicle.
@70sleftover Жыл бұрын
Brings back memories of that downsizing era and my friend's dad's '78 Versailles, in that same burgundy exterior and interior combo. Finally a "luxury" car I have actually experienced riding in quite a few times. I agree their Versailles had an impressive ride for the car's size, and was noticeably quiet and its interior indeed heavily padded (leather - a material my seat never got to experience before!). Even sported a factory 8-track that friend touted was "Quadraphonic" although they had only a demo tape that came with the car to prove that audio feature was included! But I still wasn't convinced this was anything but a Lincolnized Granada (never thought about the Monarch).
@fernandochaves9665 Жыл бұрын
Very interesting. Now we are hungry for that second video detailing the interior of the car!
@MrJayrock620 Жыл бұрын
Another thing that the Versailles had over the Ford/Mercury counter parts was clear coated paint. It was even standard equipment and not an up charge paint.
@MrSloika Жыл бұрын
It was the first mass produced US car to come from the factory with clear coat.
@michaelwhite2823 Жыл бұрын
Okay now you are cooking with gas and doing some obscure, weird and fun. I want a Versailles. Anyone can get a Seville. Whoops! You mention the Mark IV when you meant the Mark V. The Versailles debuted in 77 with the Mark V.
@HAL-dm1eh Жыл бұрын
I have always wanted one too. Probably the geek in me, the side of me that also wants to restomod a Maverick Grabber. 🤣
@michaelwhite2823 Жыл бұрын
@@HAL-dm1eh Yeah its the weirdo and rare that are fun!
@turnne Жыл бұрын
My parents bought one of these in 1978. I recall at the time really liking it
@lvsqcsl2 ай бұрын
IIRC this car replaced the Grand Monarch Ghia in 1977. I had a relative that owned one of these and they got good service out of it. GREAT VIDEO!
@OLDS98 Жыл бұрын
This video was quite interesting. I recall all three: Granada, Monarch, and Versailles. You could see it was based on the other two. As you said they did not have time to invest to make it more different. They tried. I hope you will do a video on the interior. I wonder of all the car makers lost their way because they did not do enough to make models different from other models from the various brands. Just imagine if it was a success. I had heard and read somewhere the 1982-1987 Lincoln Continental was supposed to be the next Versailles. Oh well... it is nice to see this and enjoy the information. Thank you Adam.
@Greatdome99 Жыл бұрын
The GM Harrison A/C compressor was a "swash plate" piston design as opposed to the earlier crankshaft- piston design. Five pistons were connected to a swash plate that "wobbled" (connected at an angle) on its shaft--like a dish being spun on a stick by an acrobat. These were more compact, and with more pistons, smoother in operation. On earlier GM designs, when the A/C was running, the clutch didn't cycle on and off as they do today; rather a bypass valve would open when additional cooling was not needed, sending coolant back to the pump rather than into the car. Saved on clutch repairs but burned more gas, since the compressor was always on.
@DSP1968 Жыл бұрын
Another great review, Adam. One of the main reasons Lincoln decided to go with the Versailles name is that the name was second in surveys conducted when deciding what to name the Mark III. I've always wanted one of these but never found the right one. They were beautifully finished smaller luxury cars, even if they did have an unfortunately close resemblance to the Granada and Monarch (which I also like).
@johnpotter8039 Жыл бұрын
There was a wonderful radio commercial for the "Lincoln Vea-size", narrated by a woman with a snooty "English" accent. She was "driving down Laurel Canyon..." and stated that "this car has "spawting blood". Veddy, teddy sophisticated, just like the cah.
@tomjonas7384 Жыл бұрын
These pictures bring back memories of me working on these cars in the 70s as a professional mechanic no all the technology of the time is gone kind of a weird feeling for a mechanic like me Just goes to show time marches on, and things are changing all the time
@donk499 Жыл бұрын
"tarted up Grenada", love it! Wonder if that double isolated setup could be upfitted to the Grenada/Monarch? But yes, the Versailles surely looked like just a tarted up Grenada/Monarch, which probably prevented many from spending the big bucks for it.
@67marlins Жыл бұрын
Which alone made it a better car than a tarted-up Nova. I remember the press at the time....the Seville was NOT well received except by committed Cadillac customers. Most people saw right through it as a Nova and saved their money for real luxury cars with established reliability.
@robratchford2433 Жыл бұрын
Appreciate this level of detail Adam. I would prefer the Seville vs. the Versailles. I always better educated from viewing your You Tube channel! Thanks for your efforts as they are appreciated!
@DanEBoyd Жыл бұрын
When you first said "double-isolated shocks," I envisioned cushioning on both ends of the shock. What I see there, is a shock which is isolated for both the jounce and rebound dynamics via its upper mount bracket, where it connects to the body. That would be double isolation too. The Versailles' main shock isolator looks a lot like the 'onion hat' isolators used in early four-eye Fox Mustangs.
@325xitgrocgetter Жыл бұрын
GM's better effort was the first gen Seville...though Nova based, it had enough technical advancements like the fuel injection on the Olds based V8. Plus the unique sheetmetal and cowl that concealed the wipers. The Lincoln Versailles, was based on the Granada/Monarch...which was based on the Maverick..which was based on the Falcon...and riding on an almost 20 year old platform and offering no real engineering advancements, other than some extra power options and vinyl roofs....though they did revise the rear doors and roofline. I think Ford did a better job with the Fox platform and model differentiation by giving us the Fairmont/Zephyr and Mustang/Capri..and the Lincoln Mark VII.
@325xitgrocgetter Жыл бұрын
And growing up in the upper midwest...with potholes and roadsalt...the joke was you could hear a Maverick driving down the street before seeing it due to the amount of suspension squeak....they all seemed to have that issue...and I heard that from a Maverick owner!
@pcno2832 Жыл бұрын
@@325xitgrocgetter When Ford introduced the Falcon in Australia, they went through hell toughening up the suspension to handle the rough conditions over there and having accomplished that, made most of their later offerings Falcon-based. So, squeaks or no squeaks, the Falcon-based Maverick was probably as up to handling those potholes as any of its competitors. Meanwhile, the Nova's claim to fame (along with all of its siblings, including the Seville) was the tendency of the rear axle to slide on the leaf springs and launch the car down the road at a diagonal angle. Hardly a fatal flaw, but kind of a bad look until the thing got tightened up.
@stephendavidbailey2743 Жыл бұрын
The roots of the Nova chassis go back to the 1962 Chevy II; almost as old as the Falcon.
@325xitgrocgetter Жыл бұрын
@@stephendavidbailey2743 As soon I clicked reply, that thought crossed my mind...I wasn't sure when the subframe/unit body architecture was used on the x-body and that was also shared with the first and second gen F body Camaro and Firebirds....So you are right....looks like GM and Ford got some mileage out of their compact rear drive platforms.
@stephendavidbailey2743 Жыл бұрын
@@325xitgrocgetter Astutely designed, as Car Life said.
@madmanmapper Жыл бұрын
I think the Versailles at least looked the part with the very Lincoln-esque trunk lid and grille / front end. The Versailles looked a lot more like a Lincoln than the Seville looked like a Cadillac, which was to say barely, it looked like a very upscale Chevy. Which, you know, it was.
@jamesrodriquez2863 Жыл бұрын
I think Lincoln got the front of the Versailles right, but the rear and roofline is where they dropped the ball. It just looked too much like a Granada to be believable as a Lincoln. They should have done what they did to the rear roofline in 78 from the start, and they should have gone with something different for the tail lights. I find it interesting that the redesign of the Town Car ended up using some of the cues from the Versailles, and that turned out to be one of the better looking Town Car designs. It's almost as if Lincoln was trying things out on the Versailles before making them part of the Town Car design.
@viciouspoodle5543 Жыл бұрын
Roofline wasn't done by Ford. It was outsourced to American Sunroof!
@jamesslick4790 Жыл бұрын
Since there are so few Granadas or Monarchs left, Rolling up in a Versailles TODAY would make an Impression! (Although one COULD just "rock" a newer Chrysler "Fifth Avenue" for the same effect, for less dough!)
@007fredh Жыл бұрын
Thanks! I have been subscribed and watching Adam’s videos for I don’t know maybe nine months now . His presentation and knowledge in his videos is absolutely incredible. The one thing I remember about these Lincolns was they had jag like rear disc brakes set up, maybe it was just an option but if you were building a Ford you look for an old varsilis because they had an excellent rear brake system. Sorry, I’m too lazy to look up the correct spelling of that Lincoln cars name..😳
@RareClassicCars Жыл бұрын
Thx!
@OscarGarcia-sk8px Жыл бұрын
I own 2 Versailles, a 1977 amd a 1979. I didn't know about the double isolation. There are other things about the Versailles worth mentioning: It was the first to use clear coat paint. The use of the legendary 9" for rear end with LSD , and 4 wheel disc brakes. The 351W was standard on the 1977 except in California which had to make do with the 302W, The variable venturi carb was used in the 1979 and 1980 model year.
@jamesslick4790 Жыл бұрын
I might be wrong (I'm a GM guy, So NOT a FoMoCo expert, But wasn't the Versailles ALSO the first US car to use Halogen headlights?
@OscarGarcia-sk8px Жыл бұрын
@@jamesslick4790 Yes you are correct! The halogen headlights were introduced on the 1979 MY Versailles.
@johncarroll1403 Жыл бұрын
Thanks (as always) for another great, informative video. I worked at a car dealership on summers home from college in 1980 and 1981. One day a orange-ish cinnamon colored one showed up on the lot. I used to take it to get lunch sometimes, and that's why this video was so particularly interesting to me - because it was indeed A LOT quieter and overall, just smoother than its lesser siblings. Fascinating stuff about the shocks.
@ddoyle11 Жыл бұрын
We had a 1977 Versailles and it was every inch a Lincoln. Comfortable leather seats, super quiet, cushy ride and all the bells and whistles you'd expect.
@bk14nyc Жыл бұрын
What Ford did to the Lincoln Versailles was called ReBadging! The car also came with a Ford 9 inch rear end with disc brakes! The Hot Rodders use to take them right out in the junk yards!
@ronaldderooij1774 Жыл бұрын
I am a bit puzzled. Why was the Versailles' shock absorber isolation so much more expensive, as you say? I see no extra labour cost and maybe 1 dollar of material extra. So, I thought about your remark for a minute and no, no answer. So could you explain what is more expensive to produce?
@deanstevenson6527 Жыл бұрын
I loved the later 5.0 liter fuel consumption improvement technology..Ford kept the car Falcon Maverick style 56 inch narrow track, for 78, went Cadillac style Thermactor Port heads, the mentioned Variable Venturi carb, the L code 4.1 liter Mazda-Jatco sourced 3 speed automatic, the GM Olds 350 Cadilac style ignition system, EEC II crank triggered On board computer (1979) with the Duraspark III Brown module ignition. First use of the GM devised four eyed headlamps,.but in Halogen form. A6 Air con was very effective. A lot of GM technology in that ,ahem,.Lincoln.
@tomdelisle8955 Жыл бұрын
We had a loaded Mercury Monarch. Great compromise between the Granada and Versailles. You got much of the Lincoln luxury at a lower price.
@andypittman9850 Жыл бұрын
Having owned a Monarch with the chance to compare the Versailles, the latter was phenomenally more quiet & smoother riding. The trunk was just as inviting as the interior using the same style carpeting, really fuzzy & plush. Can't wait to see that in the next video!!
@WydGlydJim Жыл бұрын
Another fun fact about the Monarch, and I assume the Versailles since it is an even further upgraded Granada, and of course all of the drag racers knew this, but the nicer Monarchs and again assume Versailles were equipped with heavy duty 9” Ford rearends, and the piece de resistance rear disc brakes. I’m sure nearly every one of them have been stripped for that highly prized gem by now, but back in the day if you could find a nice salvage Monarch or Versailles it could very well have a very nice nearly ready made set up for drag racing and could be had very cheap. 👍🏻
@chrislong8986 Жыл бұрын
I wish for the Versailles they would have used front wheel drive like they had patented in the late 50's or had used a four speed auto that was still in works
@daversmack3585 Жыл бұрын
Always thought Ford/Lincoln should have also made a Versailles 2 door model. The 79-80 Versailles looked the best with the new roof line updated.
@averyparticularsetofskills Жыл бұрын
This was Great! Cant wait for later videos on the difference between the two. I believe the more formal roof line coupled with a TRUE rear end redesign ( mainly taillights) from day one would have made enough difference to warrant the purchase for some who passed on the -monarch- Versailles no monarch...wait I mean the -vers- 🙇♂️ shit I cant tell the difference... Nevermind
@loumontcalm3500 Жыл бұрын
Of course it was a Granada and obviously. It was no Seville, a gorgeous car. Addendum: the Versailles became a used car pariah, while the Seville didn't fall into the "used car" steep depreciation until relatively recently. As I've mentioned before, I would find MINT Versailles in wrecking yards, untouched except for the front spindles/ calipers and entire disk brake rear end always gone. These were bolted into early Mustangs.
@MrSloika Жыл бұрын
The Seville was based on the Nova, it used the same 'hard points' which really cut down on tooling costs. Fortunately the Seville only shared part of one exterior body panel (I believe part of the roof) with the Nova. The Seville looked nothing like a Nova, I always thought they were beautiful cars, especially by mid-70s standards. The Versailles, on the other hand, looked like a Granada that had been puked on by an ill JC Whitney catalog.
@michaelwhite2823 Жыл бұрын
Did Adam mention the 4 wheel disc brakes on these? I know he knows those details.
@johnnymason2460 Жыл бұрын
I want a Lincoln Versailles sedan. I would use it as a daily driver. Imagine replacing the old 351 V8 engine with a 5.0 liter Coyote V8 and a 10-speed automatic. That would be perfect for me.
@Thomas63r2 Жыл бұрын
Since the Granada was based off the Maverick, I guess that makes the Versailles the highest evolved Maverick. You could probably retro fit some of the suspension goodies from a Versailles to a Maverick and have a good riding cheap car. If they had stretched the wheelbase 3" and gone with the '78 roofline from the start it likely would have been a runaway success. I remember when they were new I thought they were just an over priced Granada. I also remember the variable venturi carburetor being somewhat troublesome.
@MrSloika Жыл бұрын
The Maverick was itself based on the Falcon.
@Thomas63r2 Жыл бұрын
@@MrSloika Yes, and that's why the 9" and disc brakes rear end of many junkyard Versailles are practically a bolt in upgrade for any early Falcon or Mustang or Maverick.
@steveosgood9182 Жыл бұрын
I had a first gen Seville with the fuel injection. A lot of owners paid to have them converted to a carb. The prob with the injection is that it required special maintenance The rest of the motor was a dependable Rocket 350 V8 Olds engine. These sevilles looked great and the ride was good.
@The1cdccop Жыл бұрын
I loved my 78 Seville, but the open loop analog fuel injection system was indeed troublesome if you didn't know what you were doing. Luckily, a Cadillac dealership in Orange County California would still service them in 1992.
@danscott3880 Жыл бұрын
My great uncle sonny had a 1975 Granada. It was red. Miss uncle sonny
@jmj18462 Жыл бұрын
I LOVED my 1979 Lincoln Versailles!
@robertstout6980 Жыл бұрын
At the time we called the Versailles the $16,000 Granada.
@mattcrooke8321 Жыл бұрын
This has coincided rather well, with the Vice Grip Garage video this week!
@MisterMikeTexas Жыл бұрын
I'm trying to remember if Bill of Curious Cars shared a Lincoln Versailles with us out here in KZbin land. Mulling this over, did Iacocca just put lipstick on a pig, or did this Lincoln with Falcon origins bring some "better ideas" to the table? "Better ideas" that found their way to the rest of the corporate product line?
@pcno2832 Жыл бұрын
Halogen headlights and clearcoat paint were its 2 most innovative features; both firsts in a production car.
@MisterMikeTexas Жыл бұрын
@@pcno2832 Did the clearcoat have a peeling problem?
@MrSloika Жыл бұрын
@@MisterMikeTexas It held up pretty well. That clear coat was high VOC solvent based. The clear coats of the 90s were low VOC (gov mandated) and those early low VOC paints didn't hold up very well.
@jwelchon2416 Жыл бұрын
I had a 77 Versailles exactly like the one at 4:29. I wasn't looking for one but a relative had it and it was cheap. I never had a car that girls would swoon over like that Versailles. To me it looked like a tarted up Granada but to those who didn't know a lot about cars, it was very expensive looking in that deep maroon.
@charliefunboy5210 Жыл бұрын
Great video1! I hope you do a video of the interior as you suggested. Happy 4th btw!!
@cudaus1 Жыл бұрын
I remember these cars well. At the point that they were made, I couldn't afford either one. Having said that, today I would like to have either one with an edge going to the Caddy.
@P.Galore Жыл бұрын
The Seville was beautifully executed; The Lincoln was terribly patched together and the Granada shown right through the disguise
@dmandman9 Жыл бұрын
The only thing that was a more lazy job of badge engineering was the Cadillac Cimmaron.
@67marlins Жыл бұрын
Absolutely incorrect. The Seville was a no-go Nova, barely glorified and ridiculed when it came out, I was around and remember the bad press very well. The Versaille had better interiors than standard Cadillacs.....and everyone is afraid to admit it.
@dmandman9 Жыл бұрын
@@67marlins Only those of us who KNEW what it was ridiculed it as a glorified nova. We knew it was a glorified nova. But Cadillac hid it pretty well. And the public buying LOVED them as evidenced by the great sales. The Versailles simply did NOTHING to hide the Granada. Even the untrained eye who knew NOTHING about cars could see the lipstick on a Granada. The side profile was identical. The rear looked like they simply added a continental kit on the trunk. I agree that MECHANICALLY it was probably a better car. They did a good job on the front grille. And fords interior was better. But people simply couldn’t get past the BARELY hidden Granada/Monarch side and rear.
@nathanexplosion5478 Жыл бұрын
It would be interesting to find low mileage original examples of a 1979 Seville and Versailles at the peaks of their respective development and do an unbiased, factual comparison. At its core the Granada was still based on a early 60’s Ford Falcon, so it’s roots are very humble also. The fact Ford did so little to visually differentiate the Versailles from a Granada/Monarch at first certainly doomed it from a sales perspective.
@dmandman9 Жыл бұрын
@@nathanexplosion5478 I think that’s the #1 factor causing it’s failure. The general public doesn’t know or care what’s underneath. Most didn’t know or care that the Falcon, Maverick, Gen 1 Mustang, Granada, Fairlane, early Torino, and their Mercury counterparts were basically the same underneath. Some were stretched or shortened a bit. But They LOOKED different. Visual Effects are the FIRST impression. And with the Versailles the visual effect was a Granada with a hump on its back. 😅. The interior and driving dynamics matter too. But if the customer can’t get past the visual, it doesn’t matter.
@jamesslick4790 Жыл бұрын
Remember the "Nova" platform was also the basis of the Camaro/Firebird of the same era, So Decent "bones" and was more than a half decade NEWER than the platform that the Versailles used (Ultimately a 1960 Falcon) On the UPSIDE for the Versailles, The 1960 Falcon platform was a GREAT one. Remember that the Original MUSTANG shared it's roots, and (more importantly for the "sporto-luxe" market, the original Mercury Cougar (To me the PEAK of the platform!). Given that all of the famous "FOX" Mustangs and the Lincoln Mark VII were actually Ford Fairmonts underneath, there is NO problem with building a luxury (or sporting) car with a "low end" platform. The biggest problem with the Versailles was sharing too much outside sheet-metal with the Ford/Mercury versions. Cadillac did a hell of a great job hiding the Seville's Nova/Camaro, roots. The ONLY part of Versailles they got "right" was the front clip. The side and rear sheet metal is what give's it's humble roots away. A shame really, Because there's a LOT of potential underneath the "skin".
@rightlanehog3151 Жыл бұрын
Adam, The choice between the glorified Nova and glorified Maverick would be tough. 🤣We are left with one nagging question, why didn't Imperial compete for compact 'luxury' dollars with a glorified Valiant or Volare? 🤔
@stephendavidbailey2743 Жыл бұрын
Late 1970s Chrysler LeBaron and the later but similar 5th Avenue are about the same size. Better cars too in my opinion.
@rightlanehog3151 Жыл бұрын
@denniswilson8013 I did not forget about the Hornet but AMC did not have a luxury division the way the Formerly Big 3 did. 😉
@rightlanehog3151 Жыл бұрын
@@stephendavidbailey2743 As a former Dodge Diploma Special Edition owner, my omission of the glorified Volare aka LeBaron was inexcusable. In my own defense, that LeBaron was a Chrysler not an Imperial. 😉
@MrSloika Жыл бұрын
The Seville was not a glorified Nova. The Nova and Seville shared the same 'hard points' which greatly held down manufacturing costs, but the Seville did NOT look like a Nova and a really handsome design by 70s standards.
@danielulz1640 Жыл бұрын
@denniswilson8013AMC did! It was called Concord.
@tombrown1898 Жыл бұрын
Only knew one guy who had a Versailles, and never asked him how he liked it. I had a 1978 Granada company car, and it was absolutely the worst handling thing I ever drove. Going around fairly wide curves on the West Virginia Turnpike at 65 MPH, I couldn't keep it from drifting into the next lane. For the money, I hope Lincoln corrected that.
@pyrexmaniac Жыл бұрын
OMG.....you are so right! My first car was a 1980 base Granada coupe, chocolate brown with a horrendous polyester and Rubbermaid "baby poop" interior. The car was solid and reliable but it was achingly slow and the handling was the ABSOLUTE WORST I have ever experienced. It was so bad that I thought it was actually a dangerous car to drive over 40-50 mph. I was truly embarrassed to drive it. My dad bought it as a third car because it had only 7000 miles on it in 1984. I traded it on a 1985 Honda Civic S.
@robertcsendes63234 ай бұрын
My father bought me upon graduating high school a low mileage used 1978 Lincoln Versailles from Lynch Lincoln Mercury. Beautiful car navy blue with light blue leather interior. Incredibly smooth ride, quiet, and isolated road noise to a whisper. Workmanship and materials were top quality. Only con was the carburetor, on cold mornings hard to start and if you accelerated too much the engine stalled. Dad had a new Cadillac Seville, compared to the Versailles the Lincoln ride quality and interior was superior.
@timothyharrison8953 Жыл бұрын
Thanks for the video! The first car I owned was a 1975 Granada Ghia, from 1982-1985. Not a great car, not a horrible car. Good replacement for the Maverick. Used the same style suspension established on the 1960 Falcon, including the crappy power steering system that Ford's used forever and had a control valve attached to the pitman arm with a plug instead of a grease zerk so it was usually forgotten to be serviced until the ball end was worn out and all steering was lost. I will admit, with the suspension isolation, sound deadening, and better quality materials used in the interior, the Versailles felt and rode nicer than a Granada. Same can be said with the Panther chassis Crown Victoria/Grand Marquis/Town Car. All the same essentially under the skin, but the feel was entirely different on the road. Even the Cartier Edition leather was nicer than the other two Town Cars.
@christopherkraft1327 Жыл бұрын
I think that if Ford had introduced the Versailles with the more formal roofline that didn't come out until 79, it would not have been so compared to the Granada. I think that it was a decent car that unfortunately looks like a Granada with a Continental kit. 🙄
@HAL-dm1eh Жыл бұрын
You can see this car in certain short scenes of the movie Red Dragon of the Hannibal movie series, driven by the reporter Freddie Lounds who was played by the late Seymour Hoffman.
@user-en9zo2ol4z Жыл бұрын
To my eyes, the Cadillac Seville had a far more stately appearance than its humbler roots might suggest. The vehicle's stance from the ground up had an appearance of solidity, perhaps enhanced by the wire wheels? This gave it the pose of a boxer, balanced and ready to make or take a punch. All the styling game is about is illusion, whether by colour contrasts or smaller trim items like the convexity of the wheels. When you first showed the Seville, I found myself drawn to studying the lower stance overall, and trying to determine what secrets lurked there.
@juliewest964511 ай бұрын
I had a 77 Seville too olds 350 engine. Only problem with that year in Cad was fuel injector o rings .
@user-en9zo2ol4z11 ай бұрын
@@juliewest9645 Cool,
@daveallen8824 Жыл бұрын
Don't forget the rear discs
@Tully3674 Жыл бұрын
The Versaille was no different then the first generation Caddy Escalade. Ford and GM put lipstick on a pig, gave both a jeweled collar by tacking on additional $$$ from a Granada & Suburban, and prayed the car buying public was stupid (and they were mostly right). It bought GM time for R&D and make the Escalade different then the Suburban. And Lincoln never had a chance because they lost the market to the Seville (which differentiated itself from the Nova platform).
@abdulabdanahib9617 Жыл бұрын
just yesterday I watched about this car on the Weiss Grip Garage channel and now I'm here
@davidhalley9795 Жыл бұрын
Perhaps the ride was better than the Granada or Monarch but if they shared any interior parts they were cheap. My brother sold his Granada two door to our mother before being stationed in Greece. She was so mad with him because it was a total lemon. The carburetor was bad, the shocks were shot, cracking paint and the a/c didn’t work (burning smell) among other interior things. A year later she bought a Corolla which lasted about ten good years until another driver totaled it in an accident.
@josephschlueter4082 Жыл бұрын
Another critical chassis distinction for the Versailles was a unique two piece driveshaft. Instead of a single driveshaft extending from the transmission to the rear differential, the Versailles driveshaft was split in halfway about midway front to rear. I do not recall the reason for this, but I recall it had something to do with increased smoothness and isolation.
@stephendavidbailey2743 Жыл бұрын
No one seems to remember that the Nova chassis also held up the Pontiac Trans Am. I liked the earlier roof on the Versailles.
@scottbrady7499 Жыл бұрын
my eighth grade teacher, Mr. Quante, drove me to SeaWorld in San Jose because i couldn't be trusted with the girls in the bus. an Officer's daughter, Carmen Chapman, had arrived from Iran after the Shaw was expatriated to France, and we often held hands. the girls resented her, because she shone like a star in comparison. and never liked me or my braces. Monarch Ghia was so neat to sit in. Versailles was rare, and almost never seen
@gr7485 Жыл бұрын
I remember when the Versailles was introduced and I too thought it was just a dressed up Granada. Too bad Ford rushed it to market and didn't put more effort into making the model more unique from it's lesser siblings.
@mr.lincoln5154 Жыл бұрын
I always thought that it should have had the formal roof from the git-go. It should have been a full vinyl roof instead of the half vinyl, and the tail lights should have been the same as the Mark V, with concealed headlights and a totally different dashboard than the Granada.
@Richard-Allen Жыл бұрын
I loved these like this
@ferdburfel7447 Жыл бұрын
A friend had one in the late '80s. Unbelievable ride - the car was so softly sprung it was very smooth going forward, but take a corner, and the thing tossed around like a lifeboat in a hurricane. It felt like it was floating with nothing to to keep it stable. It was kind of hilarious to ride in.
@keithstudly6071 Жыл бұрын
I saw one of these in a junkyard once and my first thought was 'some pysicho really wanted his Granada to be a Mercedes ' but then I looked closer and remembered that the Versailles was a thing and about fell over laughing. Stylish cars in a junkyard make me sad but this was just ridiculous.
@stephendavidbailey2743 Жыл бұрын
I ran across a Sterling in a junkyard recently. Never saw one except at an auto show. A disastrous Rover product.
@keithstudly6071 Жыл бұрын
@@stephendavidbailey2743 Sad. Rover thought they could build a better Honda but after they were on the road their was little to no service support and Honda dealers would not touch them. The ultimate orphan.
@stephendavidbailey2743 Жыл бұрын
@@keithstudly6071 This one had an OK body, but years of being parked outdoors in Texas destroyed all of the interior. Driver window was down.