Top Luxury for 1970: The New Lincoln Continental vs. the (Chrysler) Imperial LeBaron

[@ronaldstein3466]

I'm an old guy now, and really, really miss the Mopars we had back in the day. I'm thankful that I was able to experience them when they had that new car smell. There is nothing on the road today that comes anywhere close to that '70 Imperial.

[@morthedgebuckle227]

I agree and I was only a little kid then. I'm envious.

[@jasontengan4554]

My aunt had a triple black 70 Fleetwood Brougham, I just loved that car, I now own an 05 Signature, love it!

[@craigbenz4835]

We had a '71 4-door Imperial when I was a teenager, and I struggle to imagine a nicer vehicle.

[@johnspencer7291]

my 69 fury 3 is still on the road

[@johnmaki3046]

I owned a '66 Imperial, and "owned" a '77 "Town Car" (a gas PIG that could never GO beyond "town") and the Lincoln "Town HOG" was TRASH compared to ANY Chrysler-built vehicle!

[@sheehy933]

I like that the clock on the Chrysler dash shows 4:40. Nice touch.

[@CLMT619]

Drove one of these 4 door Imperials in high school, big boat, I loved it!!

[@ludovicoc7046]

Well, that settles it! It's Imperial for me--I'm making an appointment to see my Chrysler dealer tomorrow.

[@chrisrobinson3494]

Sadly the only way you could buy a "new" Imperial, is if you could somehow invent a time machine and go waaaaay back in time.

[@95blahblahhaha]

I tried but my dealer said they were sold out and wouldn't tell me when they'd get more in SMH 🤷🏽‍♂️🤷🏽‍♂️

[@theatreorganman]

Don't you wish!

[@juliancrooks3031]

​@@chrisrobinson3494Where's Mr. Peabody and his pet boy Sherman when you need them

[@morthedgebuckle227]

That sounds like a Jim Dandy idea!

[@muckraker610]

I have owned both a 1970 imperial LeBaron, and a 1971 (basically same car) Lincoln towne car. I always felt that the Lincoln had a more "I have arrived" presence than Imperial. The imperial had more interior aspects that I liked, such as the time delay illuminated ignition switch, and the factory transmission tunnel mounted cassette player. My 1969 Imperial coupe actually had couple bean-counter resistant interior novelties, such as a nighttime illuminated drivers door power window switch panel. The Lincoln had a more resounding essence of quality *kuh-CHUNK* when one would close the door. Living in the midwest, one has got to love the driver side fuel fill on those cold winter morning fill-ups. When I was a kid I would ride my bicycle around to all the car dealers... Back then, they almost always leave the cars unlocked....... The luxury cars were what I always enjoyed looking at. I was a gadget kid, and loved all the interior "toys". My favorite be-gadgeted car, being my 1966 Town Landau. Now THERE'S a car to do a story on. 😉

[@j.sayler6330]

It's funny to watch these old training filmstrips: The company who made each one ALWAYS has the much better car! Thank you, Adam, for adding insights from your own ownership.

[@alexmerlin4764]

As a dealership sales person formerly for nearly a decade - every features could be turned both positive or negative to every specific customer depending on what they seek in car)

[@craigbenz4835]

You're weren't going to sell a new stripped '68 Road Runner to an Imperial buyer, or vice versa even though both were from the same dealership.

[@gr7485]

@@craigbenz4835 Not many buyers walking into either showroom looking for an Imperial or Continental were going to be swayed by a stripped Road Runner or Torino.

[@alexmerlin4764]

@@craigbenz4835 though driving and owning a roadrunner is just a different type of luxury))

[@rileysteve]

This one brought back a flood of memories, as usual. I have not owned one of these, but, I've driven and been a passenger in plenty of them. To those of us old-time Cadillac fan-boyz I have to say we were pretty impressed with the 1970 Lincoln Continentals. I think they were aimed at the Cadillac De Ville and series 62 customers. The Lincoln finally added cornering lights, which might not seem like much of a thing, unless you've never had them or had them and find you can't get them anymore. Great for night time driving, parking, and finding that address on a mailbox or front of a house. Also, it was less "overbuilt" than the earlier cars which certainly made power steering and windshield wipers more serviceable to say the least. Oh, and where the others ditched the cigarette smokers vent windows, the Lincoln had a system! (More than half of drivers in 1970 smoked and it was an issue (understandably) if you did not cater to them!) One of the complaints I heard from the old-time Lincoln folks was the change away from center-opening rear doors. The fact is, women (in dresses), elderly in particular, loved them because they could step in and out of the car without flashing everyone. So I don't buy into Chrysler's hyperbole. I had a wonderful 1968 Continental that had center-opening doors and heard nothing but complements from back-seat passengers. (The convertibles 1961-1967 were the best as you could just walk right in or out!) There were really nice fabrics and patterns available. I thought Lincoln was finally brought up to date overall. I think Lincoln did a really good job shifting into a whole new design for them. Most importantly, the warranty issue was an obstacle to the Lincolns sales team, but, it did not take the public too long to figure out that the new Lincolns were decidedly more DEPENDABLE than the Cadillac's or Chrysler's. I completely agree with your assessment of the ride and handling of the Imperial. It was great in turns, yet, even the littlest bumps and uneveness in the road could be transmitted to the passenger cabin. It did not feel heavy or mushy, but, that was used against them by Lincoln and Cadillac (especially the Sixty-Special series) whose regular customers were used to a heavy sofa-on-wheels ride. I totally disagree with Chrysler's hyperbole about ease of parking. Anybody that drove any of the old full sized Chrysler products back in the day is fully aware of the frustration in parallel parking (with a line of angry drivers piling up behind you) because the steering wheel would barely turn one and a half turns before hitting the stop. It was almost comical. The thing that really got me was by 1969, with the advent of the fuselage bodies, the dashboard and interior became VERY "plasticky". I was like getting into a Plymouth or a Rambler! Even though the Lincoln had stopped using real wood in their interiors, (as did Cadillac with the 1968 year) the plastic was at least tasteful. The most common complaint I got about Chrysler products was from women. More and more women of the era were going out and buying their own cars without any men. There was a big difference in dealing with the sales teams at a Chrysler dealership as compared to a Lincoln/Mercury dealership (the Cadillac dealerships were a completely different experience from everybody else because they had been trained to deal with sophisticated clientele to begin with.) I mean, if anybody walked into a Chrysler dealership back in the day they had better be a damned good horse-trader and wrangler! The women would get totally beaten-up and intimidated. I always felt like the Imperial should have had their own stand-alone dealerships from 1955 forward, whose sales teams were geared to a much more sophisticated clientele and it wouldn't have hurt Lincoln either. I believe it affected their sales adversely over the years. Anyway, you asked for comments and I'm always good for an opinion. Thankyou for posting these vids. I don't always agree with your opinions, yet, you do a great job of presenting a part of automotive history ,in some cases, long ago forgotten.

[@rileysteve]

And, Adam is right about the A/C. People in the deep-south loved the Chrysler products with the dual A/C systems. You could actually consider driving a triple-black Imperial in Miami Beach!

[@sking2173]

I preferred the MOPAR …

[@ohok3608]

Good Comments pal. I was also thinking about the difference between the dealership treatment. It would be significant in your selection

[@marvin5108]

I want to add that I live in Saskatchewan Canada, and I had a 1971 Chrysler 300 with the rear seat heater. Everyone LOVED that rear heater on our great white north winters, -45F days. That’s when my Ford and Chevy friends were SO envious.

[@timferguson1593]

My mom had an uncle( I guess he was my uncle too from Hammond Louisiana.) He had a 1960 Imperial. All I really remember(he died when I was 5 in 1964). It was black big and even at 5, i thought it was the most beautiful car I had ever seen!

[@KoldingDenmark]

I love the Lincoln and always have, especially in the 1970's.

[@charlesb7019]

The center fuel filler was NOT a negative. Much easier to gas up and no spillage down the paint.

[@loumontcalm3500]

Ford touted it on the '52 Ford, early Falcons and Mustangs, to name a few

[@thomasshort1784]

​@@loumontcalm3500Don't forget the 1972 and 1973 Lincoln Continental Mark IV.

[@ralphl7643]

On our '68 Electra, if the attendant filled it past the auto cutoff, and they usually did, the gas would leak out when we drove away. We had one car whose plate was hinged at the top, which meant you had to work blind or stand on your head. Designed before self-service gas.

[@michaelplunkett8059]

Never on the wrong side.

[@g0989]

I had a co-worker in the 1980s who told me he just missed being crushed when filling the gas tank on his car on his way to work that morning. His filler was behind the rear license plate, and just as he stepped out from behind his car after filling the tank, BAM! A lady pulling up to fill her car from the dispenser behind, rear-ended his car!

[@eddiestanley135]

How nice of "Jeffrey" to include his "daughters" in the ad.😁😆

[@joehumenansky8225]

My father had a '73 2 door LeBaron and a '72 New Yorker Brougham 4 door hardtop. BIG highway cruisers! These were very comfortable traveling cars that got fair mileage on interstate trips. Still recall all the space and effortless driving. I'd go for the Imperial.

[@michaeltutty1540]

Here is a kicker. Imperial shared the body structure with the Chrysler badged cars beginning in 69 with the Fuselage era. There was a specific front subframe and sheet metal as well as different quarter panels. Badge engineering at its best.

[@JackF99]

Only on this channel can one get an authentic marketing slide show challenged with contemporary first hand experience. Bravo! Growing up in the '60s and '70s my dad apparently had some bad experiences with Mopars in the late '50s in terms of reliability. So it was either Ford's or GM's for him when I was a kid. Finally in 1971 he was talked into getting a Town & Country station wagon and on our first trip to the Midwest from California the gear lube leaked out of the diff and it howled all the way home. Definitely the last Mopar he ever bought. He passed last year.

[@BrokebackBob]

Great job Adam! This format is fun especially with your commentary! Worth doing another one!

[@eyerollthereforeiam1709]

Agreed, I'd love to see more of this.

[@toronado455]

@@eyerollthereforeiam1709 me too

[@msmeyersmd8]

Damn. These are really great looking Cars. BTW, I love "Suicide Doors".

[@RichardinNC1]

I was always a Mopar/Imperial fan. I did get a ride in a 70 or 71 Lincoln Continental when young. It was a WV state car on the way to a Capitol tour. Our neighbor was on the governor security team at the time and took us on the tour. Nice attractive quiet car, but would still pick the Imperial.

[@DanEBoyd]

My Great Uncle was a US Attorney from/in West Virginia, and I always thought his last car was state-issued, or at least acquired by the state. It was a '69 or '70 Custom 500 four door (surely a sedan) with a 429 2V - even as a kid, I popped the hood and looked...

[@WydGlydJim]

First I would like to compliment Jeffery on being able to attract all those young hipster honeys at 42! 🤣 Anyway both of these models in the two door coupe are arguably two of my favorite designs of the fuselage era. They both have acres and acres of fuselage and deck lid beyond the doors, which just gives this massive expanse of car out back! I love it! 😍

[@cadillacguy1890]

Not to mention being able to afford a prestige brand in his 30’s and 40’s.

[@motomuso]

What do you think - the old trifecta? Blonde, brunette and redhead?

[@cadillacguy1890]

@@motomuso he hangs with too many of those he’s going to be back to Newports and Furys in no time.

[@allenwayne2033]

Ha! yes, Jeffery had something going on there!

[@henrysniper8481]

@@allenwayne2033 Maybe an old time mormon.

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

I love the fuel filler being in the rear behind the license plate. I don't have to worry about busy gas stations. I can pull in anywhere.

[@MillerMeteor74]

When I was almost 4 years old my parents bought an Imperial. It was a 1967 Sedan (not a LeBaron or Crown). It had B pillars with full frames around the windows, cloth seats, and an AM-only radio. They bought it in `67 but it was not new. It had been owned by a sheriff who had gotten into an accident with it, and then it was repaired. They were able to get it at a significant discount. My parents drove it for 9 years and 149,000 miles, and always said it was the best car they ever owned. I remember it had real wood inside. They got rid of it 4 years before I started driving. 😥Meanwhile they bought a `75 Chrysler Town & Country new in `75. I never got to drive that either. Oh well. At least I still have the `75 Chrysler color brochures. As an adult I have owned several older Cadillacs, and right now own a Cadillac and a Lincoln, both from the 90s, though both need work at the moment. Anyway, I enjoyed this. I have seen that video elsewhere on KZbin. I always enjoy the Mopar salesmens' films.

[@tonytalks9070]

149k miles back in the 60s?! How many total miles did it accumulate before they got rid of it?! Damn that proves they were reliable vehicles for their day only to be outdone by mercedes, rolls, and volvo!

[@MillerMeteor74]

@@tonytalks9070149k is it. That's how many miles were on it when they got rid of it in 1976. It ran great but one of the power windows didn't work, and there was rust behind the wheels.

[@Sedan57Chevy]

I'm going to go with I'd take both. Lincoln might have a better ride, but that's the only real edge I can give either. Both were 10/10 styled cars imo, inside and out. I really like what Lincoln did, as they stepped away from the extremely clean 60s continental design. Imperials fuselage styling was the best from Chrysler co, and really stands out. I also feel the need to throw a line out to Cadillac, which is the one I would've bought, as I like the mix of ride/handling, quadrajet carb, and superb styling (albeit with lower build quality than the others). The key to me is that you couldn't pick a bad American luxury or near luxury car in 1970. Everything from a Caprice or LTD, to the Mercs and Buicks, and of course these top dogs- they were all stand out cars that truly represented a high point of engineering and styling that wouldn't survive the coming onslaught of emissions and safety regulations, a gas crunch, and an era of financial hardships that saw Imperial disappear, Cadillac on the back foot with bad engineering mistakes in the 80s, and Lincoln...somehow making it out okay.

[@carryclass6807]

chevrolet caprice or impala were better vehicles vastly than any of these, by every objective standard. OF COURSE, they would have to be comparably equipped, comparing a stripped impala to a loaded lincoln would be not very useful, of course if you are concerned about prestige, then the chevy could not deliver of course.

[@TheVectra1966]

I would keep the Lincoln. I'm from 1966 and I'm from the Netherlands and since I've been interested in American cars...so since the 70s, I love the Lincoln (Continental mark V). So yes, the choise would be eazy.

[@michaelplunkett8059]

​@@carryclass6807Chevy at best didn't come close to the features, fabrics, finishes, sound deadening of these.

[@cardo1111]

Another enjoyable vid, classic marketing malarkey. Both nice cars, however the Continental had sharper lines, full frame construction, a more durable design with better road noise/harshness isolation. I like the hard top/fuselage era style of the Chrysler but already even 52 years ago major cost-cutting was evident: a pebble finish black plastic instrument panel that would look cheap in a work truck of the era as well as less durable unibody construction.

[@billbernhard3582]

What a terrific year for ALL American automobiles ! MOPAR always looked for 'a better way' to make a car !

[@kevinz8930]

I've been trying to make this decision for fifty-three years. Thanks for the video and helping me. I finally did it. Seriously though, thanks. They're both fantastic cars. I've always been partial to Lincoln's but the Imperial is spectacular. Guess I'll just have to buy both. 😀

[@garysandiego]

That was fun. And as a Mopar guy I’m feeling pretty chipper about my chosen brand. 😁

[@jamesmann1243]

As I have stated for 48+ years, Mopar or No car!!! I would walk and carry a Dodge hubcap, before I would purchase a G M product. LOL

[@carguyva7596]

You are the best. Your presentations are detailed and fascinating until the last syllables. I don't mind the advertisements in the middle of the presentation at all because you should monetize this work of yours. It is the best.

[@caspaabriel4794]

As usual a great commentary. Bringing today an unbiased point of view, over 50 years later. Keep up the gr8 work.

[@fourdoorglory]

Really enjoyed the old Imperial dealer filmstrip critique. More great content from your channel..very entertaining particularly with your commentary.

[@nathangreer8219]

Great video! Of course, I am biased because I, also, am a 1970 model

[@machpodfan]

Think the edge may go to the Imperial...especially now, the styling still holds up in a retro-futuristic way that escapes the Lincoln a little. Pop had a '71, with paisley pattern upholstery. It truly was massive, could hold all 7 of us easily as some were still small, pin you back with that 440, and corner briskly. My job as a 10 year old was to operate the power antenna switch! Thanks for another great feature, Adam.

[@vwgolf6487]

...great unbiased comparison. Thanks, Adam

[@christopherkraft1327]

Great video Adam, I really enjoy these comparison videos!!! 👍👍🙂

[@AJ67901]

GM's fiber optic lamp monitors were optional as early as 1968 on Caprices. Corvettes had them from '68 through the early 70s. I believe the Chrysler versions were simply electric lamps on the fenders?

[@edpinkerton7947]

You sir are correct

[@UberLummox]

Yep!

[@thomasshort1784]

@AJ67901 They were also first offered on the 1971 Cadillacs.

[@dongrant5827]

I own a 1970 Imperial that once belonged to my great uncle. I borrowed it to go to my junior prom in 1979!

[@markbehr88]

I agree with your comments Adam. I have a 1970 Continental sedan in the same gold colour as the coupe in your video and a metallic blue 1971 Imperial LeBaron four door hardtop. Both great cars so I’ll take both thanks! 😀

[@markbehr88]

In fact my avatar has my blue Imperial in it as I was driving it across the USA from Ohio to San Fran.

[@thefrontporch8594]

I didn't realize the imperial had so much cool stuff. My buddy had one in college, and we hardly drove it because it was so unreliable and it used oil like crazy. We used my 1964 American more often.

[@chipieal]

I grew up with Imperials. Your comments are spot on. But for what my dad did - 50,000 miles a year carrying samples there was nothing finer than an Imperial bar none.

[@joemccarthy4532]

As a younger person and being a car nut I Loved the IMPERIAL , LINCOLN , and CADILLAC . As a adult car buyer ,I have driven LINCOLN'S ever since I was 22 years old . My husband Joe and I own 8 Lincolns today including a 1941 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL CABRIOLET . Joe's daily driver is a new NAVIGATOR . My daily driver is a 1997 LINCOLN TOWN CAR,. My favorite car I have owned $ Lincoln Town Cars and I wish they were still being made today . There are a few vintage Cadillac's I wish we had bought

[@joemccarthy4532]

4 lincoln town cars not $ lincoln town cars

[@Forge17]

This model, especially the 72, are so imposing and powerful. My favorite exterior and powertrain of the era, especially with it’s road feel. It’s a real shame the dashboard could be mistaken for a Plymouth or other bottom rung car. I can’t imagine what they were thinking in that department..

[@UberLummox]

Yep! I have a '71 Imperial coupe. Sumptuous leather interior, but that Plymouth-like plastic-y dash kinda sucks!!!

[@Forge17]

@@UberLummox those seats are some of the best too, love the split captains chairs on the coupe😄 honestly I prefer the dash of a Challenger 😬

[@UberLummox]

@@Forge17 Yeah, and it has the optional leather high-backs shaped kinda like Challenger seats I think. 🙂

[@williammaceri8244]

My dad had a '69 Chrysler 300. It had the legendary Chrysler 440, with a Carter 4 barrel carburetor. He bought it to pull a 17 foot camping trailer, which it did effortlessly. I thought it was a great looking car inside and out and that includes the dashboard. I do agree with you about the way it was finished. The toggle switches were kinda cool, and were said to be safer than pull out switches they replaced. And yes they could have been finished nicer, but it's overhead floodlights that illuminated the entire dash was a very clever Chrysler feature. They lit the dash in a soft blueish green light in what I thought was a great way to completely illuminate the dashboard in a way no other manufacturers did. Just like the sound of the Chrysler's starters, it was a Chrysler Corporation feature that helped to differentiate Chryslers from all others. As much as I liked the design, the Lincoln's dash was beautifully arranged, it gave us full instrumentation, complete with gauges and warning lights that fit the Lincoln style and class those cars deserved. And they too light each gauge with that beautiful blueish green light that all Ford products did at the time. So cool and head and shoulders out did the Cadillacs. I could never understand why the Cadillac dashs were so incredibly simple and boring.

[@jamesmann1243]

Yes, I owned a 68 Chrysler New Yorker, coupe, and those dash boards in those, and the 1967-68, Imperial's were sumptuous. All metal, with brushed stainless trimming, Full gauge package, real glass over the gauges, and speedometer, It was just total class. Chrysler lost some of that pizazz in the introduction of the 1969 restyle, especially on the instrument panel. But, I f given the opportunity to own, either a 1969 or 1970 Imperial LeBaron coupe, 2 door, i would not hesitate to shell out a few bucks for one.

[@bigjoe330]

I absolutely love both of these '70 models. Give me both in coupe form, black on black with slick tops. This was the last year you could get a slick top on the Crown Coupe. Chrysler always had many firsts, were more driver oriented and known for engineering 🇺🇸♥️

[@tompease3022]

An advantage to having the gas filler on the side and high is also that gas wouldn’t come spewing out the filler neck under hard acceleration when the tank was more than 1/2 full. I used to see that all the time when I was a kid and think of them wasting all that gas they sat in line to get. Safer in an accident too, although an Imperial would have to rear-ended by a public library to do any real damage..

[@rileysteve]

And even more annoying, if the gas went in too fast it would back up and trigger the safety release tab on the nozzle so forget being able to stand-up and let it go without holding the release.

[@rileysteve]

Oh, and it used to annoy me to no end with the full size GM cars of the era.

[@randyreeder3417]

the imperial would hold up fairly well in a collision but because of that cheap unitized body it would fold and collapse quicker than the lincoln this is the reason not many mopars were used in demolition derbys back in the day.

[@jamesmann1243]

And also, if you tightened the filler cap correctly, the gas never spewed out of the filler neck. The ones that had that problem, most likely forgot to put the cap on period, or a clumsy attendant who got busy with the hot chick in a mustang convertible, and didn't replace the cap on your vehicle. LOL. I've seen it happen back in the day!!

[@MrVideovibes]

I really enjoyed your running commentary on the pros and cons of the claims made in the promo film. I'm 70 y.o. so remember both vehicles well. Although I am now a Lincoln owner and have been for many years, I would choose the Imperial (or even a Chrysler New Yorker) over the Lincoln in 1970. Handled better and incrementally better gas mileage on the Imperial. I will say that the interior materials and trim would have been of a higher quality on the Lincoln. If only we still had a shot at buying either one now! Alas.

[@ninerdoublezero]

I love both of these cars. The Lincoln does have a softer ride, but that gets tiresome in daily traffic. Your observations are spot on. Thanks for the videos!

[@AtomicReverend]

I have owned and driven in 1973 Continental since I was a teenager I'm 44 now (it now has a mildly built 1970 engine in it now and a much better flowing (although noisy) exhaust. The Lincoln Continental 1970 to 1973 body style it's quite possibly the most comfortable car I've ever owned for long distance driving, I will admit the 460 V8 is thirsty (stock or modified it doesn't matter). Over the years I have owned over probably 200 cars all of them have strong and weak points when we are talking early '70s luxury I think the Lincoln is the best refined out of the bunch, the imperial feels like a Plymouth fury with nicer interior, not really a bad thing just not luxurious feeling like I would prefer. That being said both the Lincoln and the imperial I think are nicer cars than the Cadillac although the Cadillac styling is pretty cool in that 1969 to 1975ish era.

[@tomdelisle8955]

My Dad got a used 71 Lincoln Continental from an estate when I was young. I still remember how luxurious that car was. It had the deepest blue leather interior. I love your couple. The Imperial dash really lets down it down when it comes to feeling like a luxury car.

[@DavidPysnik]

A fascinating comparison, though it would be interesting to hear what Lincoln would have to say in response. I personally don't think Imperial should have focused too long on the style as the Continental is more appealing both inside and out. And though I agree it would handle better, I also find it odd Imperial decided to brag about a torsion bar and leaf spring suspension set up. I'd also prefer the coil springs on the Lincoln. Unfortunately for both Imperial and Lincoln, it was Cadillac that was selling like hotcakes at this time.

[@spiff8862]

Hot cakes is right.... 1970 production figures Cadillac 238K Lincoln 59K Imperial 11K

[@markdc1145]

it's humorous how Chrysler spun the narrative on many of these features to their advantage. Most of it is really subjective.

[@michaelwilliamson4060]

My first car was a 70 Continental 2 door. Bought for 600 dollars in 78. Loved it. 460 later went into a 71 Mach 1.

[@jameswilson9368]

I'm 75 yrs old now and I remember these cars well. I like molars in the small to medium size range. I've owned Mark model lincolns and they are (were), the top of the class in my opinion. The ride and interior noise level was in comparable to caddy, Chrysler models. Mopar midsize models roadrunner GTX, Dodge coronet etc came from factory ready to run, I mean fast. Great choice of engines too. But for luxury of choose Lincoln town car and Mark were the top of the shelf.

[@FloridaClay]

I had a 71 LeBaron. It was huge! When it was necessary to have fender bender repairs done, the dealer had to clear out the garage to do the painting because it was too big to get into the paint booth.

[@eyerollthereforeiam1709]

8:39 It's hard to imagine that wretched 70's key buzzer as a selling point!

[@Primus54]

I had the same reaction! I always wondered if those buzzers were a government requirement (as opposed to a nice-sounding chime), as all the manufacturers eventually had them.

[@spiff8862]

I was going to chime (sorry. Couldn't resist) in and say the same thing.

[@wagonmaster1974]

My very first car was a '59 New Yorker coupe. Drove until I became a Marine. I had a '68 300, a '68 Town and Country and a '70 300H. Also had a '71 LeBaron coupe. I'd agree with pretty much every advantage for the Imperial - I've also had a couple Continentals, albeit mid 70s and an 84 Signature series. One thing not mentioned, owing I suppose to the luxury emphasis in the comparison. The MOPAR will run off and hide from a Continental. Even in a big car, the 440 is a beast. My '68 300 with its 440 TNT engine and 3.23:1 Sure-Grip embarrassed quite a few so-called performance cars. I smiled a lot.

[@Jb42996]

I love both cars.🙂👍

[@RossEphgrave]

I may have mentioned it before but my dad had two Newports when I was a kid, a 70 4 door and a 71 2 door. They were beautiful examples of the fuselage style Mopar sold in that Era. Miss those cars!

[@spiff8862]

Ross Ephgrave.... In my opinion, I always felt that of the four divisions during the fuselage era, that the Chyrsler division NAILED IT (especially 1969-1971).

[@rwg520]

I like the styling on the '70 Lincoln Continental best of them all!

[@neilmactavish4423]

My dad bought a 1971 Imperial LeBaron 2dr in about 1980. It was owned by a local judge and was traded in at the Chev/Olds dealer probably on a new Cadillac. It had low miles, grey with a black vinyl roof and black interior. It was an outstanding car both in quality and luxury. Dad drove that car until the late eighties then it was parked in a field for good.

[@joesinkovits6591]

I think that both cars are beautiful, each in their own way. What a shame that nothing being sold today can hold a candle to either of them-and, judging by the looks of the Cadillac CELESTIQ, styling is only going to get worse. I think today’s automotive stylists should really be designing video games. Thanks, Adam! Have a happy Thanksgiving!

[@LeopoldoNotarianni-rk9vv]

I like both. Being a Ford enthusiast and collector I'm tempted to vote for the Lincoln. I must say I love the imperial wedge styling that was highly fashionable in the early seventies.

[@toddbonin6926]

Adam, you just keep churning out great videos! This was fascinating!

[@scottconlon9184]

My parents had a '72 Continental coupe, my uncle had a '71 Coupe DeVille and my brother had a '70 Imperial Coupe. The Lincoln had hands-down the best ride. The Caddy luxurious appointments inside which were different from the Lincoln but as luxurious if not more. Ride was in the middle between the three. The torsion bar front suspension on the Imperial led to flat cornering though I don't know if it actually handled better. It did lead to comparably jarring impacts with bumps on the front end. I did like the Lincoln dashboard, far more than the others, though the Imperial was different enough that I was kind of taken by it. Not really luxurious per se, but interesting in layout. I do remember my brother having some reliability issues with it but he liked the car enough to get the last year , maybe 1975? Also a nice car, but again the occasional problem. The folks' Lincoln was trouble-free. My uncle had some problems with his DeVille and traded it for a '72 Continental with the Town Car package, which he drove for years. If I were of the age to buy one then, my preferences might well have led me to the Imperial. But I think the Lincoln was the better car, over that and the Cadillac.

[@DanEBoyd]

To me, when you put the two side by side, the Lincoln looks more stately and more likely to be transporting a president or something.

[@jetsons101]

Must say Jeff has a nice wife and two great daughters. The Imperial does look better, just think if it had a 440 Six Pack with a four speed. The suicide doors are easier to get in and out of. The center fill gas tanks are more prone the leaking and catching fire in a rear end collision. Thanks again to Adam for posting....

[@HowardJrFord]

I always preferred both the superior cornering , and more stable highway ride of my big mopars over the up and down , sitting in a boat out in the water feeling of ford and GM's big cars while going down the highway . I remember an article in a magazine on a test of a mercury marquis back in the mid 70's in which the writer commented " out on the open highway the constant bobbing and weaving gives the feeling of being in a rowboat at sea ."

[@bradleybprentice1497]

That is fun to watch! I love the marketing back in the day. I am surprised he wasn’t featured smoking a cigarette and holding a Gin and Tonic. Austin Powers could have starred in that training film with the 3 hotties!

[@salninethousand2496]

Dat 440 > 460 for me! Have always preferred the 4-door Fuselage cars vs. the 2-door. Some of my favorite cars of all time.

[@dtuk22]

What impresses me is these 1970's cars are so far ahead of the majority of the cars us Brits were driving back then. Believe me alot of British cars were simply crap by comparison. Of course there were some exceptions.

[@rickberglund2134]

The Brits called them “Yank Tanks”

[@jnucci1]

Interesting but about the fuel filler. In those days, almost all gas stations were full service, so it wouldn't matter how low Jeffrey would have to stoop to fill the tank. I guess the complaints about gas spillage on the fender are more to do with lazy pump attendants, because Jeffrey certainly wouldn't spill any gas on his shiny fender!

[@wflyer7985]

My dad was low on funds and we needed a car. So in 1990, he bought a 1970 Lincoln Continental for cheap. Even though it was a very clean car (near mint) inside and out, it looked a hundred years old. I was embarrassed to get picked up at school in that Frankenstein of a car. On the freeway, if you floored the gas hard enough you would literally see the fuel gauge drop. Now, I wish I had that car. Cars sure were different. My 2006 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner looks almost as good and new as it did seventeen years ago when I bought it brand new, it doesn't show it's age. Unlike these '70s cars, they look '70s.

[@davestvwatching2408]

I'm never sure whether or not potential buyers ever got to see these films. I think I might be persuaded by a good marketing video pointing out advantages of a certain model even today.

[@Linuxpunk81]

I lost it when he said "it's a bad scene"

[@billwerick]

Good comments. The Lincoln was clearly the better riding car, the Imperial not bad, but there is also more noise transsmitted from bumps in the Imperial. The Lincoln was a barge, through, no car handles this badly now. You made no comment on the 5-50 warranty, but in my memory this was a marketing cost to overcome the terrible drop in Chrysler's reputation for quality that occured with the 1957 models. They sold a lot of Chryselr Corporation cars that year because the styling was so exciting, but many GM customers who switched went back to GM and remembered that Chryslers weren't screwed together well. Salesmen used to joke that the trunk capacity should have been measured in gallons of water held. The 5-50 warranty was designed to reassure customers,. but it covered just the power train, and Torqueflie and Chrysler 6 and V-8s were always good.

[@marcusyoung5364]

My family was very much a GM family while growing up. My parents gave me a 1977 Bonneville Brougham when I turned 16. After watching many of these videos about the fuselage Mopar vehicles, I’ve become very interested. Thanks Adam!

[@ThisCarChannel]

The brochure photo of the 71 Continental on the shag pile carpet is cool. I have this brochure and had this picture and tge coupe version framed over my desk in my teens.

[@proofbox]

The one thing Imperial couldn't get around was its reputation , it was considered a glorified New Yorker at a considerable price premium . For instance the Lincoln 460 CID engine was only offered in Lincoln cars at that time , and the Cadillac 472 was only offered in Cadillacs the Chrysler 440 CID was offered in Plymouth . Dodge , Chrysler and Dodge trucks . It never had the prestige of its american rivals , nor the sales volume .

[@sodiebergh]

I love this format, Adam!! I wish slide shows in school would have been this informative, and interesting. Thanks for making this, keep them coming!

[@juliancrooks3031]

I had a 70 Newport, it got rear ended by a Toyota that was totaled. I only had a broken taillight

[@kevinvoyer5053]

My wonderful Dad was a MOPAR guy at first. I remember big New Yorkers and a 64 Imperial Crown Coupe that he was so proud of. But forced to trade when Mom told the family a new sibling was on the way and with three already, Dad ordered what was available back then a big 9 pass beach wagon, but not any wagon, but a loaded 68 Chrysler Town&Country! But by 71 he went back to Lincoln for the looks and ride, over the Imperial.

[@markt4605]

Love the training videos! I would be interested in seeing more of these!

[@gormanwpjr]

Interesting that the car in the video, that you would think would have been carefully chosen, had a front fender that is a different shade of color than the rest of the car. Chrysler Quality on display! I will never forget in the mid 1980s, seeing a shinny object in the parking lot of where I worked. Upon closer inspection after picking it up, I was amused to see that it was a stick on label from a Chrysler product. The label said "Chrysler Quality". Now if there was ever an irony - this was it! The label denoting the quality of the car - fell off!!!

[@stopmakingsense9915]

Relax. The differing shades of color is caused by the reflection of the set on the bodywork.

[@davidwright640]

I had a 72' Lincoln. White, with white leather. Loved it.

[@Tfontaine209]

My Dad had a 70 Imperial sedan, gold with black roof, loved that car.

[@billyjoejimbob56]

The old dealer training films are often amusing to watch... Thanks Adam! The fender mounted turn signals were a Chrysler mainstay. Even their most basic models had them if you added the "light package". But the Lamp monitors on Cadillacs and some other GM cars were different... an early use of fiber-optic strands, not just remote light bulbs. They were truly were monitors that would fail to light up if the main bulb burned out. Although I grew up as a Mopar fan, I think GM (not Ford in this case) had the better idea. Lincoln was among the first to build pillared hardtops when they had the suicide doors. I like the appearance of frameless glass with the structural rigidity of a center pillar. The Germans still build their sporting 4-doors this way. The slightly larger swept area of the brakes on the Imperial... probably wider rear drums? Not much of an advantage when those leaf sprung rear wheels locked up and the axle started hopping!!!

[@averyparticularsetofskills]

_A D A M ❗❗_ I absolutely LOVE this "formula" , especially since you bring real life experience to the discussion. Very cool need more of this.!!

[@Dr650rob]

I love how these cars were designed for smoking

[@joehovanec1985]

Those Imperials were good cars except for all of the parts that broke and the expensive repair coats.

[@rogerhinman5427]

I'm a Ford/Lincoln guy, but I like that Imperial. To me it looks better, especially the nose, and some of those interior features are pretty cool. Plus, I'll take the better handling.

[@johnpeters9793]

I would think the buyer of this class of tank would care more about ride than handling... That being said, I have a '72 Mark IV that I will definitely look for stiffer, less floaty springs during its restoration....that and a 460 with more than a CR better than +-7:1.

[@SigmaStoicGemini]

Great video Adam! My choice here? Even on looks alone, it's the Imperial for me. To me the Continentals we all know and love are the 61-69, and the Town Car 74-79. I've NEVER been a fan of 70-73 Continentals, looks wise. My garage, if I won PowerBall? 69-73 Imperial (converted to 440+6 with a 4 speed and nice cannons in back!) 70 300 Hurst 72 Mark IV (and maybe a 74-76 Designer Series thrown in for good measure!) 73 Thunderbird (460 rather than 429) 74-79 Town Car (1 each coupe and 4 door, 460 rather than 400) 61-64 Continental Convertible 77-79 Mark V (460 rather than 400) 67-70 Eldo (soooo classy!) 90-92 Brougham (especially a 350 car) 95-97 Town Car (last of the TRUE land yachts 😥) What does everyone think of this dream marina?

[@ce9345]

Another Imperial advantage is that from 1971 to 1973 the Imperial offered a 4 wheel anti-skid braking system made by Bendix. The Continental did offer a sure track braking system but it was only on the rear wheels.

[@tylernewton7217]

Lol! I loved the dealer film strip “video”. You heard the distinctive beep for when to manually click to the next slide. Takes me back to elementary school educational film strips in the 80s when I was a kid. Even then it was outdated tech.

[@RareClassicCars]

The projector would automatically flip the slide based on the beep!

[@Donald_Shaw]

Love those old promo videos comparing different cars.

[@williamscoggin1509]

Turn lamp indicators were everywhere after the mid 70s, almost all car makers adopted them and they were really handy for keeping up with having tail lights or turn signal lights or even headlights indicating whether they were working or not. You would know right after the bulb quit working if you needed to replace one without getting pulled over and getting a ticket. And the indicators looked really good too, gave it here of class to my Cordova. 🇺🇲 🤔

[@CalTxDude]

Adam, Your content just get better and better! That's saying something because from the very first video that I've watched, you have provided more information and insight than I have ever seen in any automobile periodical or publication. Plus, You make it exceedingly fun!

[@RareClassicCars]

Thx!

[@Obamaistoast2012]

I had a 73 Imperial and I absolutely loved it!

[@JohnnyAloha69]

As a GM guy I can comment neutrally on this. The chrysler imperial was an OK car but it never came close to the Lincoln in terms of looking or feeling “rich”. While not unattractive it just looks like any other mopar with a longer nose. The interior may have had a lot of extra features but it didn’t feel like a true luxury car. Ride was rough and vibration harshness was not on par with other luxury car makes.

[@rileysteve]

I would get in an Imperial of that vintage and the first things that struck me were the black plastic A/C "eyeballs", the expanse of black plastic and a very bad attempt at making plastic appear as wood.

[@Ericstrains]

Nice change of pace. I’d love to hear you do more commentary on old car videos like this.

[@67marlins]

I really appreciate your thorough analysis, and as always I learn a great deal, no matter how much my Ford & Mopar upbringing taught me. It's also an interesting comparison....I suspect that any potential buyer directly comparing these two cars....on the verge of buying, would be a somewhat distinct class of educated buyer. Thanks again for the research and post, because no matter how specific this analysis is, there are interesting facets that reflect on all sales and marketing of the period, I think.

[@georgemallory797]

I can't look at some of those Lincolns without thinking of the Kennedy Assassination. Kinda like seeing old movies and T.V. shows with the World Trade Center in the background.

[@garycrawford2256]

My Mother had a 73 Town Coupe`. I was not supposed to be driving it, but I was. When I went over the railroad tracks, the back speakers went out. I was listening to the Rumors 8 track by Fleetwood Mac. To this day I think of this whenever I hear Fleetwood Mac. The Lincolns leaned so much, they were annoying to drive, or ride in.

[@naturebob8196]

From 1969 to 1976 the Lincoln Continental had the standard 460 cid V8. Then in 1977 Lincoln added the 400 cid V8, for better fuel economy. The Mark V also got the 400 V8.

[@tigre7739]

The Imperial is a beautiful, strong looking car, with some great features, but I would still prefer the elegant look of the Continental, and those are some beautiful ads pics in the beginning of the video also! 🤩