Yeah! Yeah! Yep! I have to agree. Most new cars, what few have not been replaced by crossovers, are almost indistinguishable from one another. That has caused me to add the mid 70s thru 80s cars to my favorites list. The 70s disco touches, gaudy at the time, now actually add luster.
My Aunt Helen drove one of these back in the day. I really enjoyed getting to ride in her Marquis because it had A/C and an 8-Track player. All of the cars we had didn't have such creature comforts as A/C and we were stuck with AM radio. So I have a soft spot for this generation of Marquis. It showed me that a car could be more than just basic transportation.
The two tone leather seating was an outstanding touch of luxury. There were so many "touches" that pushed the envelope with this model. And, relatively speaking, they were a quality at a reasonable price. These were extremely reliable automobiles.
I had a green 1975 Mercury Grand Marquis Brougham back in the early 1990's. It was a fully optioned 4 door (minus the eight track player) with a 460 in it.
One of the things I really enjoy about your channel is that you feature daily drivers and family cars from an era that all too often is ignored in favor of muscle and pony cars. By the year this particular vehicle was offered, you could really start to see divisions within brands begin to lose some of their uniqueness, particularly in shared interior parts like the steering wheel in this example. Thank you, Adam! 👍👍👍 ~ John
Adam, You are such a fan of 'orphan cars' you opened your own car orphanage! As the owner of a Pontiac, and former owner/driver of Mercurys as well as Plymouths, I commend you for the ongoing care you provide to orphans. One final thought on orphans, it is hard for me to imagine a mid-70s car that would take longer to be 'adopted' than the Matador coupe foundling parked beside the Mercury. Can we expect a rare AMC video coming soon?
“ Mostly sale proof” 😆 very funny Adam. My dad bought a 77 Marquis brougham in June of 78. (I was 9) Two tone Silver and gray. A very nice family car for a lot of years.
I was 10 yrs old when my Dad bought a brand new 1977 Mercury Marquis. Blue paint/ Blue vinyl top and Blue interior. 400 engine.. She was big and floated on the highway.. Miss that car.
I’ve definitely been subscribed to your channel, my friend. My very first car I ever purchased was a 1976 Marquis 4 door with wheel skirts. I could spend a whole day talking to you about these awesome cars! I was dead set on buying a Marquis as this was my favorite and still is. I favor the ‘75 through ‘78 model year myself. In my opinion this is to this day the most beautiful luxury car ever to hit the market!! I own a 1973 Mercury Montego that I purchased back in 1998 from an out of state individual with only 54,000 original miles, and it shows. However it’s nothing like the Marquis and better yet, the Grand Marquis!!👍👍
Beautiful car. Love the color combinations. My friends' parents brought a brand new 1976 Grand Marquis Brougham 4 door pillared HT. It was white with red interior and roof. Simply a wonderfull looking and riding car. Very luxurious.
I recall a girl next door had a boyfriend who drove his parents' huge 2-door Mercury Marquis of this vintage (and similar yellow-tan color), but it was around the time of the 1979 oil shortage. Struck me as an anomaly already by that time. But I have to say I admired the Lincolnesque look. It must've had a soft, quiet ride with those genes!
Thanks for the memories, Adam! My back seat ride in the 70’s was similar, maybe slightly nicer at the the time- 1975 Grand Marquis Bougham 2 tone blues with every available option. The seats looked similar but the leather was surrounded by velour inserts (cool/warm to the body but the leather surrounds wore very well). The brougham had the super deep carpet which even carried into all parts of the trunk. The 460 was okay off the line but cruised 80-85 all day and stopped well with optional 4 wheel discs. Yes it had dual remote mirrors, etc. Such a shame it was rusting badly after 10 years of salted winter roads…..
Just an FYI, The Big fords and Merc's did not have 4 wheel disc brakes until the late 80"s- early 90's with the Crown Victoria p-71 police package.. Still a very nice car all around..
@@kingkrimson8771 Their is no mention of this in the mid 70's text.. ThePanther platform introduced in 1991 was to my knowledge the first year for the 4 dics..
@@kingkrimson8771 You are WRONG!! If you trust wiki what ever, this is not accurate info.. Read the book " the Cars of Lincoln-Mercury by George Damann and this book is the BIBLE for all Mercury's built from 1939-2011..
This too of course is a beautiful Mercury.. I had forgotten cars in the 70's the dual mirrors were an option, growing up in the 70's I remember cars had driver outside mirror.
Before the manufacturers came up with the concept of "packaging" accessories ordering a car from the factory could be laborious. Cigarette lighters, a mirror on the sun visor, ash trays, a radio, heater, air conditioning, two note horns, bright work, two tone paint, hub caps, white wall tires, and etc. were individually selected and ordered with the car.
Dad bought a new 78. Deep Blue with pearl grey top and interior. I bought it from him when he went to an Impala in the 80's. Total barge but really sweet to use.
In1976 I went to my local Lincoln-Mercury dealer to buy a Cougar, but the salesman talked me into buying a Mercury Grand Marquis, saying I would like the ride and luxury of it more than the Cougar. He was right. I bought off the lot a 1976 Mercury Grand Marquis. It was triple black with landau top, leather interior, and forged factory aluminum wheels. My car had the 460 4-barrel engine with dual exhaust. By 1976 the 460 engine had been somewhat castrated (lower compression, retarded ignition and valve timing), but the car had reasonable power. I read that just changing the camshaft gear back to that of a 1970 gear would boost torque about 30 pounds feet (or something like that). In 1978 there was another gas crisis (not as bad as the one in 1973) and I sold my Grand Marquis to a neighbor who had always told me how much he admired my car.
I almost owned the same generation Lincoln Continental and still curse my mother to this day for shutting things down on us. My great-uncle, her dad's older brother, had a massive collection of classic cars and he wanted to sell me my first car when I got my license. He took me straight to this black '79 Continental 4 door that he said he had specifically in mind for me and said he would give it to me for $200. It was an amazing old car. Unfortunately, when mom saw it, she said it was way too much car and that I couldn't buy it, and it started a big fight between us that ended with her saying something like, "okay, you can drive nothing and do whatever you want when you turn 18." I didn't talk to her for weeks after that.
Nice car, I always think of John Candy driving that car in Uncle Buck when I see a 1975-78 Mercury Marquis coupe, I thought Mercury pulled off the 1975 refresh a lot better than Ford did.
Good video Adam your right growing up in the the 1970s and 1980 the 75 an 78 marquis were everywhere my neighbor had a 75 grand marquis’s 4 door full power .with the 400M v8 it was a very nice car bought from original owner .with very low mileage.they loved that car drove for many years ..I don’t remember seeing many off the 71 through 74 marquis but every know and then you see one at a used car lot .selling for a very high price as they be fully load and in mint condition .my uncle had a 1974 mercury Monterey.with the 400C two barrel in it that thing was quick .but it was from the Chicago .area sow it had lot frame rust. ✌🏿👍
My Uncle had a ‘77 Grand Marquis, my Aunt had the ‘76 Thunderbird and I had the ‘76 Mustang all in the crème and gold edition’s. We could have done a Ford/Mercury commercial back then. 😀
Enjoyed seeing this. My family had a '75 Marquis Brougham, dark green, what a great car! Congrats on the 25K subscribers and I sure enjoy your channel. I always liked the cream/gold versions.
My Dad had one with a copper / brown paint scheme. 8 track / auto climate. I loved cruising in that car with the big 460ci. it floated down the highway. Had my first accident in that car. An LTD spun out in front of me on expressway and i tried an emergency lane change. Bent the LTD's back bumper outward and spun it partially around again,. For me, only a ding on the leading edge of my front bumper and a crease down the lower brown door panel and into the fender skirt. Hardly noticeable. My dad just took the skirts off and left it. A couple of months later a golf ball size hail storm ruined the car. My dad sold it "as is."
Dad's '76 Grand Marquis has less than 30k miles on it. He has kept it garaged since new except for highway trips occasionally. His is the 4-door though.
The 75-78 Marquis' have the most attractive styling of all the 70s Mercurys. The hood ornament on them are the Lincoln-Mercury Division badge crest (like what's on the trunk key cover) that's in essence squished upright. While it's not the Lincoln star, I'm sure it is no coincidence that it looks like it! I grew up with two 1977 Marquis Broughams in my family, and had a 77 Grand Marquis from 2002-2012. I can attest to the fact that the seat padding was more substantial in the Grand vs the Broughams. If I were ever to collect another, I think I'd aim for 75/76. The interior fit and finish seemed to diminish in the 77 model year.
That is a sharp looking car! Still hard to believe Mercury is an orphan brand today. I never thought that one day Plymouth, Olds, Pontiac, Mercury, and other brands I grew up with would go away like they did! 😥
Another beautiful Mercury, Adam. Although it certainly has high style, I don’t personally care for the two-tone leather. Somewhat garish. But I’m sure they must have sold lots of them. Looking forward to more on this and other cars in your stable.
My neighbor had one of these in the late 70’s. Garage kept till ‘82. I don’t know what happened to it but it had every opinion you could get. Sams color too.
I purchased a 1975 Grand Marquis used in 1977. It only had 21,000 miles on at the time. I was equipped with the 460 and also had the optional 4 wheel disc brakes with hydroboost. It was a wonderful car, so quiet and smooth. It was to replace my 1968 Ford LTD with the Brougham option. I found it too huge and too gas guzzling and so after about two years I sold it and continued driving my LTD Brougham for about another year.
Had 4 of these beauties. 1 like pictured here, 1 two tone green, 1 black, & 1 silver. All were excellent. From 1976 to 1978 models. Love to have another one. Those wore out. FOMOCO hasn't produced anything to take home after these. All after these are nothing but junk.
When I was a kid our neighbor 2 doors down had that exact 2 door,, a exact clone, could have been a 77' though,, exact interior, was a beautiful thing,,, she was a real estate agent.. She replaced it with a Lexus in the late nineties.. As an aside,, the story of her death about 12 years ago in that house 2 doors from my childhood home is a tale of horror and intrigue worthy of a Hollywood movie..
My friends Mom had one just like it right down to the color, but hers was a 78, her husband bought it for her , they were in Real Estate and always had a nice car, but she never liked the way it handled , Fords Power Steering in this era was not up to GMs and Chrysler and floated all over the road, while holding the steering wheel steady, In 75-76 these looked so close to the Lincolns, many people bought these instead .
The 1969 and 1970 Mercury Marquis Brougham 4-door hardtops were the best looking medium priced cars of the era. The exterior styling was crisp and clean yet was much better looking than a Lincoln. The interior was richly appointed; the door panels and seats had a custom look that you don't see in later Mercurys. These cars seemed to have been overlooked by historians for some reason.
My second car was a 1969 Ford LTD Brougham fordor hardtop , green inside and out with the 390 and c6 Cruise o' Matic with white walls and 71 wheel covers.. Really nice car that i bought for $300.00 bucks.. Only bad thing was it got like 10 mpg.. Oh well gas was stiil cheap back in the good old days..
I would agree that the 1971-74 are preferable. The headlamp doors are beautifully integrated (particularly through 1973), instead of this quite overwrought look, and the back windows still opened.
I can imagine how in 1976 this would of been so nice to ride in. Speaking of the oil crisis i remember how my father bought a brand new Plymouth Volare in 75 or 6 if i remember right. He said they were slashing prices just to get rid of them. We needed a 4 door family sedan. I still remember driving to my grandparents not long after purchase. This replaced the 72 LTD. He didn't keep it long however. He always wanted a Cadillac since he was a kid and he bought one in 77. As a kid they were all nice to me...
Goodday Adam, There is alot of cow hide in there. Ah the 70's where car manufacturers weren't scared to try something different. Starting to notice a few of these Lincoln's, Thunderbird's & Mercury's at car shows here in Australia. Starting to become popular. More bang for your buck. Your number 1 Fan in Australia Louis Kats from Melbourne Australia ☺ 👍 ❤
The top treatment is very interesting. I like that color combo, too. My girlfriend's grandfather had a white 74 in the mid 90's. White vinyl top, as l remember. His baby. Green interior.
The 1975 Ford/Mercury steering wheel eventually became a Ford parts bin special, used in everything from Lincolns, Fords...Ford trucks and Econoline vans....I believe it was last used in the 91 Econoline before the new generation was released for the 92 model year. I recall driving a 1984 Ford Econoline hotel shuttle bus van that had that steering wheel.
Yeah, it isn't hard to spot those cost cutting moves, the common steering wheel being obvious. I agree, the faux leather headlight door covers are "tacky", and don't look good... Don't cringe, but I have learned so much about these cars from you, I am now intrigued to figure out what year "Uncle Buck's" Mercury was.
We had a 73 Lincoln Continental, and I would have to say that after Ford cheapened up their interiors in 75, I can't see why anybody would have spent 3 - 5 grand more on the Continental vs. the Marquis. I particularly liked these Mercs with the two-tone option and the styled wheels.
Poor mans Lnicoln. I say in jest. My Dad bought a 1978 brand new off showroom floor. White, blue vinyl top and interior, fully loaded 400 Cu. In. engine. Sticker $8,800.00 A lot of $ in those days. Great car.
Variations of the yellow/cream/gold tu-tone very popular on the Brougham and Grand Marquis 2drs, I remember seeing a lot of them (and the creme/gold T-bird). I liked them, esp. as it often left a painted roof. As others commented, I like the leather/cloth variation better, and the FoMoCo corporate steering wheel was a cheap touch - I remember thinking that even as a kid when the 75 models came out. Also, someone at Ford went nuts over bric-a-brac (I'll blame HF2 - he tended to intercede) - vinyl headlight covers, on trunk lids, over the top bodyside moldings ('filigree'), etc.
Love the info and features you provide on these classic beauties! I recently purchased a 1978 Mercury Marquis Brougham and need to replace the window/door weatherstrip. Having a hard time locating them. Any info would be appreciated.
Beautiful car and especially dig the seventies gem an original 8 track tape deck of which I’ll be shocked if it works I had a 1977 Mustang II Ghia with an 8 track tape player that did not work it was swapped for a radio with cassette tape player it worked pity the car did not.
