Over-the-Top 1970s Luxury: The 1976 Lincoln Mark IV Bill Blass Edition!

Learn more about this 1970s era masterpiece from Lincoln, the Bill Blass Mark IV!

[robmartin]

Tacky? I beg to differ. This thing's gorgeous!

[jonclassical]

There is NOTHING tacky about Bill Blass....that blue and light tan/cream is still one of my favorite color might want to know I bought a brand new Ford Elite in 1975! Lol The Mark IV is one of my favorite Fords right after the 1968 Ford LTD Wagon and 1967 Cougar a Ford guy since my Mother's 1965 Galaxie became mine to go off to college in 1972!

[KenZahner-gt]

Stunning color combos are just a knockout from these Lincolns! So refreshing from the awful drab paint/trim choices available today...

[FeralPlumber]

My Dad had EXACTLY this car and THIS is what I learned to drive on. The end of the hood is in the next time zone, but what a beautiful All 9 MPG of it!

[williamscoggin]

You just didn't grow up with it at the same time that it came out. This 1976 is gorgeous. This came out the year after I graduated and it was sharp going down the road.😊

[garyrains]

I can't believe you did this segment on the '76 Mark IV! I just bought a '76 Mark IV Cartier series! Mine is Golden Bronze with a fabric interior and has 41K miles. These are some of the most beautifully styled cars of all time. When I gased up my newer Bentley Flying Spur, NO one says boo to me. When I put gas in this Lincoln, people smile, bring their kids over, and tell me stories about Uncle so and so or Grandpa used to take them for rides. I have never seen a car make folks so happy. Thank you again, Adam.

[blazingtrailsblogvideos]

Hi Adam.I worked for a Lincoln Mercury dealer between 1976 and 1984. I owned a '76 Bill Blass MKIV from 1982 to 1989. It had the ultra rare option of the top line (Versailles?) velour interior. It was a more expensive option than the leather so few were built. In fact I have never seen another....online or otherwise. It had a rich velour headliner as well as fully padded velour sun visors with illuminated visor vanity mirrors. The heavily puffed seats in combination with the thinner style plush seat velour allowed your body to sink several inches into the seat and gave a real cloud-like feeling. I bought it with Appliance genuine wire wheels but later changed them to an Enkei design with a gold center plate and added spinners. My car was used later in it's life in Season Two of the TV show Fargo. It is one of the gangster cars. It had a blue tinted moonroof to match the interior. There is no blue tint choice for moonroof color in the sales booklet. The dealership I worked for was the top volume dealer for Lincoln Mercury in Canada that year and they only sold two Bill Blass MKIV'S. Mine originally came from Vancouver and the original owner told me that the sticker price had been 19, 100 CDN dollars. Gorgeous car. My favorite of many cruisers I owned including a '78 Diamond Jubilee Edition MKV. The Blass was King. It still had all the Lincoln weight compared to the '78 DJE. Nothing tacky about it. Thanks for your great channel!

[davidphillips]

That thing on the Air Cleaner that looks like an Oil Filter was called the Anti-Hoot valve. It quieted things down when the secondary throttle plates were activated.
Thanks Adam! Happy Holidays!

[charlesb]

We owned a 78 Mark V Diamond Jubilee Edition in Jubilee Gold. Absolutely stunning car and fantastic on a road trip. Still miss that car…

[eddstarr]

A friend of the family invited my dad, and me, to accompany him to Conoly Phillips Lincoln-Mercury in January 1976 and help him select a new car. A rather excited salesman told us that the order books had been thrown wide-open for Lincoln Luxury Groups. From Silver to Gold, the groups had expanded to Blue Diamond, Black Diamond, Saddle/White, Lipstick/White, Gold/Cream, Red/Rose, Jade/White, and Dark Jade/Light Jade and Desert Sand - and the Versailles Option Luxury Group. The Mix & Match Groups allowed "one-of-a-kind" combinations. Amazing year, 1976.

[ericwhitehead]

A friend of mine folks had 76 "Lipstick Edition" Mark IV. It was white with a maroon/red side trim with the same color leather interior. Handsome car, like riding in a moving library it was so quite.

[KoldingDenmark]

I have driven a 1975 triple brown Mark IV since 2002 and enjoy it very much.
I want to keep it, why I am currently having it renovated for over $30K. Only thing missing is the new full vinyl roof, which will be added in January. Cannot wait to get it back home.

[tuffy]

We actually had both in 1976. A Eldorado Coupe and a Mark IV. My Dad had to trade the Eldorado in because of rust issues, he had the rust fixed... came right back. The Mark IV was a much better quality overall and he kept it for about 25 years. Same engine, no overhaul, original tranny... It had a full vinyl top with electric sunroof. He gave it to my Sister and she trashed it.. so that was the end of it.

[davidfrania]

As with beauty, tacky is also in the eye of the beholder. Back in 1976, this was a real head turner, as were all the Marks. I can vividly remember how awesome these looked coming down the street and you just knew it was being driven by someone with a lot of This was a land yacht in the truest sense of the word!

[dosgos]

I think the Bill Blass colour combination and trim is fantastic. I bet his firm had some input into the cars.

[macmccollum]

Once again, great video and you brought back some memories. My Dad had a 1976 Mark IV, except it was the Cartier edition, in forest green. Absolutely beautiful car. Interior had very plush velour type fabric seats. It had every option and was absolutely the most comfortable car I have ever driven or was a passenger in.

[robertchristie]

My brother got the deal of a lifetime. In late '73 at the start of the first energy crunch, he bought a mint navy blue with white interior '72 Mark with 9k miles for $3, 800. Absolutely gorgeous car that stood out from anything in the neighborhood. He drove it for 4 trouble free years then sold it for $5, 500 for a down payment on his first house.

[edwardp]

Can’t help thinking of William Conrad and “Cannon” when I see these mid-70s Marks.

[pgchargerse]

Thanks for featuring this car, Adam. I had a '76 Mark IV with the Blue Diamond luxury group (turquoise inside and out). This group included a light driftwood similated trim inside, It was given to me by a wealthy aunt and uncle when they bought a new S Class. As my uncle owned a construction business, it was quit dirty when i received it. Had to clean everything including the gas tank. The filigree trim neeed a brush to get it clean. Mine had the standard wheel covers which imo gives a cleaner look. They have a similar fake center lock nut as the aluminum wheels and i hear the were styled to resemble those on the Bugatti Type 57 Royale.

[eartha]

Thanks, Adam! My mom had a beautiful 1972, and she traded it for a BMW coupe. Dad hated it, and while she was away on vacation, took my 18 year old self to the Lincoln/BMW dealer in SC to help pick out a new Mark. All of the colors were pretty tacky, so I chose the black diamond edition. It wasn't a 'designer' car, but it was beautiful. Black diamond paint with dove gray leather.