Wes Dahlberg died 11/1/23 at age 106(!) Please do more interviews, so that their stories live on forever.

One could argue that this is one of the best automotive history channels on the interwebs. I enjoy your choices in topics. 👍

Wow... Lincoln did dodge a design bullet thanks to Bunkie. I didn't realize how horrific the proposed alternate was.

That proposal is an instant Super Fly pimpmobile🤩

I had a 1973 Lincoln Mark IV Continental 460 4V. It was an Awesome Car.

69 Mark III was one of the most beautiful cars ever built.

The final design of the Mark IV was absolutely fantastic. Definitely, the correct choice was made. These cars are wonderful and they float the driver down the road as if floating on a cloud!

The 1972 Mark IV that came out was the right choice. Its a beautiful design and one of the best Ford ever did. I was hoping for more insight into the porthole window. I seem to recall that had a story too.

I agree with your comments on the first year Mark IV. Once the big bumpers kicked in the car looked like it was designed by Peterbuilt. First year designs just have all the original intent.

Mark IV always make me think of the TV show Cannon. The early Mark IV without the 5 mph bumpers are beautiful. Those 5 mph bumpers just didn't look right on them.

I bought a two year old Mark IV for $5500 in 1975. It was, and is to this day, the most elegant and stunningly beautiful car I've ever owned. It was ice blue and it was a showstopper that turned heads wherever we drove it. On the downside, it was heavy and even though the monster V-8 really kicked ass, the suspension and brakes were not built to last. Maintenance was high, especially high because my wife had a heavy right foot. Later, I bought a 1976 model, but it lacked the look of perfection of the 1973 model.

The 72 mark IV is my favorite car. Memories!

What makes Adam's channel so fantastic is that no only does he own vehicles like he covers but he has revived a period of automotive history that idiots over at Curbside Disasters has mocked for years. Great channel, Adam.

I loved my 73 Mark IV!

I definitely concur that Adam has one of the best classic car enthusiast KZfaq channels. I know I am always in for a treat whenever he posts new videos. While enjoying the interviews with high profile icons from the industry and automotive history lessons, I always feel among friends who love cars as much as I do. Please, keep the videos coming, Adam. You are a great commentator and extremely so knowledgeable. I would love to meet you someday. I know it would be a fascinating conversation for sure. I have unfortunately lost all of my car-crazy friends who have all passed on at young ages years ago. No one I have met in the past 23 years since, is as attuned to the automobile hobbyist passion like you and my lost friends were. I am sure you collect everything "automobilia" just like me - scale models, literature, etc. Thank you for your great history lessons and interviews.

Everyone likes to pick on Bunkie for his time at Ford. Personally, I loved the designs he gave the "green-light" to. I also loved the Ford squared-off "three-box" era of the late 70s- through the 80s.The 1977 Mark V is my all-time favorite.

My grandparents had the light blue Cartier Mark. I got to ride solo cross country in the back seat when I was 8 years old.

As a 1972 owner myself, I am glad the alternate design was chosen instead of Bordinat's one. Thanks for the video and the many others👍

A friend of my father’s still drives his father’s Mark III. Beautiful car. Still looks brand new.

The production Mark IV was a winner. It was just gorgeous. I had a 76 Mark IV.

The quality of the Mark III was far superior to the Mark IV and V. The Mark III interior with real walnut, diamond patterned leather seats and gorgeous instrument panel was first class. The Mark IV showed cost cutting measures. Interesting how the slab sided Mark V handily outsold the Mark IV.

I’ve never been a fan of the Mark IV and neither was my mother who bought a brand new triple black ‘70 Mark III. When her Mark turned nine, she traded it in on triple black Mark V. She never cared for that car and regretted turning in her Mark III. She went in a completely different direction and bought Mercedes SL in 1985 which surprised me. I said, why did you buy a two seat convertible when you don’t even like the sun. Her answer was I can keep the roof on which she did for the next 20 years she kept that car. 😄

10:41 1981 Imperial headlights!!

Hard to beat the Mark III. Peak performance and build quality and style. Those were the best Marks ever!!

Thank you for your hard work. 🙂 Your posting are always so very informative!

As a senior in high school in ‘69-‘70, my close friends mom had a top of the line Mark III. She used to let him use it. That was without a doubt, the nicest riding car I was ever in. It was the same burgundy/black combo like the one shown here. I wish I could find one now.

I like the Wes Dahlberg. I wish they would have used the rear window treatment Bourdenay (sp?) version. It would be interesting to see what and how the Mark V came into being. Your videos are the best in the business.

The internal politics of FoMoCo made Game of Thrones look like child’s play.

I love the Mark IV from 72. Luckily my dad was a car guy so i convinced him to buy me a 72 when i was age 14! Light yellow with white top and leather with brown dash, carpets etc. started my love for the brand. LOVED that car even though i wasn't legal to drive. We lived in rural Georgia so... I've had 9 lincolns since. I so want to find one of these now (72). Have a 96 town car that i drive more than my Rover. Brought back memories.

The Dahlberg design. Even with the edition of the 5MPH bumpers I think it still looks good.

I owned a '72 Mark IV from 1975 to 2010. It was garaged most of the time due to horrific gas mileage. It was quite a time capsule when I sold it in 2010. The collector who bought it was thrilled with the condition of the car.

The first front end looks like a Cadillac and the second an 81 Imperial.Wheel arches are a blast from the past.Mike the Greek

Love these design-development videos -- absolutely priceless historical information! Fantastic!

The proposal looks like a video game knockoff version of a classic Mark. That being said, I do generally like Gene Bordinat's designs. I think those boxy Panthers, and the mark vi coupe in particular, are really handsome designs that managed to not look like GM clones during the malaise era.

Bunkie was right on this one. The 1972 version was probably the prettiest of all the Marks

Adam, you can see the Bordinat design in ALL the Ford Fox and Panther platforms with one single panel: The lowest part of the rear fender behind the rear wheel. ALL of them have this panel! From the Ford Squaremont to the Mustangs to the Lincoln you show at 5:18. This angled, slightly tucked up panel is very apparent on every Thunderbird and Cougar in the '80's, and on many Lincolns as well. Look at Ford Fairmonts then later LTD's, and Mustangs, and Cougars. All have this Bordinat panel...

I owned one new and had it for 5 years. Loved the car. Great on road trips,

I always loved those years of Mark IV's. Thanks Adam!

That red 1969 Mark III is so beautiful! Thanks again Adam for keeping the interest in cars....I sincerely doubt anyone will be doing this for the 2010 - 2030 automobiles! Lol

The Mark III exuded luxury with its real walnut accents, diamond-patterned leather seats, and exquisite instrument panel-a true class act. However, the Mark IV took a step back with noticeable cost-cutting measures. Despite this, the Mark V's success, with its distinctive slab-sided design, proves that in the world of automotive allure, sometimes the unexpected steals the show.

My dad bought a Mark V and let me take dates out in it. I was always amused because the front was so massive, it was like driving an I International Harvester.

The Gene Bordanet version of the Mark IV proposal looks more like the first generation Eldorado, heavy and boxy. Wes Dalberg’s version was beautiful, especially the 1972. The semblance of harmony was all there. Made Frank Cannon proud!

Adam, you are quite correct in preferring the design of the Mark IV. It's an exquisitely refined update from the busy Mark III design. I've got to give Bunkie Knudsen credit for demanding this version. Those other clay models are an abomination with their superfluous flowing wheel arches and their horrid rear ends. Even their squarish Cadillac Lego-look front end is abysmal. Bunkie, this makes up for that beak you put on the front of the 1970/71 Thinderbird! JJS

The 69 mark III is still the best design of all the mark series lincolns, It is not a giant land yacht but still a full size car and the appointments you could get just made the car a great luxury machine.

Some of the nicest riding cars on the road.

My father in law had a beautiful 1969 Mark III in dark green. It was a stunning automobile, perhaps the most beautiful car I have ever seen. My wife and I eventually restored it, but sold it years later due to space limitations….. a piece of art….

SUPERB video. Highly informative in detail & it’s great that you name names & their contributions. Adam you always top yourself. Indeed, it would be great to see a video on your background & automotive career. By far one of the best automobile channels on-line.

I addition to my last comment, in all candidness believe the clay models and fibreglass renditions of the early design of the Mark IV all look way too heavy and cartoon-like versions of the 1968 through 1971 Mark III. The one shown from the front three quarter view with exposed headlamps and unsculpted sides w/ fender flares looks identical to a 1969-1970 Oldsmobile Delta 88 coupe. The best design has to be the greatest production version by far. Always been in love with that car! Not one line would I change on it. The early production run without the Oval opera window look so cool without the gimmicky oval window. I remember as a kid of 13, begging and begging my Father & Mother to buy a Continental Mark IV in '72. My pleas fell on deaf ears. He bought a '73 Mercury Monterrey Custom Sedan instead, much to my disappointment.

Ahhh, the Bunkie Beak. Learned about his influence from your channel. It’s a design feature I don’t care for, but it was so prolific….across companies he was with, and the copy cats that had to compete. People must have loved it, back in the day, as the beaks sold cars.

I was never a fan of the Mark IV styling, but loved the styling of both the Mark III and the Mark V, especially the designer editions of the V 😍

I remember as a kid , the Continental Mk4 was such an elegant and distinctive car that exuded status and prestige.

LOVE your Video's, I grew up in the Late 60's the Muscle car era. So these video's bring back so many Great memoires. Don, CA. 3-24-2024.

An Absolutely Beautiful Car was the '69, Adam, but the '72 was Terrific, as well. Cheers fm Damo😊👏

i think the designer of the old movie "the car" looked at a few of those clay models as inspiration.

The Dahlberg proposal, of course! 🖖🙏

The final version of the vehicle. Ever since I was a kid, I have been wild about the 72 Mark IV and the 71 and 72 Cougar. I want to own a 72 Mark IV one day. or a 72 two door imperial crown, or a.....

Great Story, I love the gold one you have in the video. Iaccoca was the man of Detroit. 😊

They nailed it! I remember these models and they were striking.!

The Dahlberg design was a superior design indeed. Although I preferred the 69-71 Mark III, was one of the best American cars of the time, except for the 56-57 Mark II!!! Thanks for the video.

This topic comes up on the AACA forum now and then...The '72 Mark IV is a truly fantastic looking car, maybe the best looking personal luxury vehicle of that year. I've grown to like the '72 even more than the Mark III series, which I like a lot. Many (or even most)people on the forum agree with me. The '73 and later look nice, but the '72 is stellar.

Mark VI and Mark VII were amazing!!

I had a 73 Mark 4, it was a good driving car. I loved it

Remember back in the day the tv show "Cannon" which was somewhat popular the main character drove a MKIV Continental . So the car did get some exposure every week probably helped the sales a little bit I imagine. I owned a 1969 MKIII. It was such a good car.

This was great, thank you. I remember these cars and rode in many. My favorite is the '74 Mark IV. When new, the Mark IV's were exciting and stylish. They were huge, luxurious and expensive. Even the floor to roof red velour seemed just right......

I believe the same disagreement happened between Bordinat and Elwood Engel with the design of the 1961 Continental. Bordinat was the designer of the 1958-60 Conti, and he wanted a mere update for the 1961 model. Fortunately Engel's brand new design prevailed and we got that beautiful "suicide door" Lincolns of 1961-69

Wow, thank you for another intriguing history lesson. I actually like this proposal a lot 11:11. Maybe the belt line could be brought down a little to make the car look slimmer like the Eldorado, but I do like this by quite a lot. Look at how the dramatic line blends into the tail fin, wow. That line could've been carried on by the top of the bumper to be wrapped around to the back. Dang.

The one that ended up as the Mark IV was the best one. Simply beautiful. But my favorite Mark will always be the Mark VII

Listen, I ripped everything out of there except the rocker panels.

Hi from Sydney , Australia. The Eugene Bordinat mk4 concept was PURE UGLINESS, terrible, I would never have bought one. However, being the owner of a 1972 Ford Homebush, Sydney built right hand drive completely knocked down MK4 kit/pack, the Des Wahlberg car is beautiful, graceful & elegant, to me they are everything that the 1971 to 1978 Eldorado should have been. The MK4 looks ever bit a GM type design, it looks like the natural progression from the 1970 Eldorado look at the body side contours, curve to the door glass, even the wheel arch shape, the 1972 MK4's are PURELY STUNNING. I've always hated the 1977 MK5 with its slab sides , hateful side gills in cheap plastic , and the cheap glass fibre nose cone , nasty . MK4 pure class.

As far as I know there had never been anything like that oval opera window on the Mark IV. Rarely is there anything completely new like that.

That hood on the actual production version is freakin' ginormous! I wouldn't want to be driving around in tight areas with one of these land yachts. What's under the hood in these cars? Surely, they didn't actually need all that space, right.

The production version was definitely best! My Grandfather switched from Cadillac to Lincoln with the introduction of the Mark III and had a new Mark every couple of years thereafter.

I always thought that the 72 MkIV was a gorgeous car! The Bordinat version not only was ugly, but those fender scallops(?) looked like over-exaggerated MkIII fenders, and, at least in my mind, looked a lot like the 66 Duesenberg revival attempt. Knudsen picked the right design!

Another engaging narrative with terrific period pictures... appreciate your hard work. Thank you

I grew up during this era and had more than a passing interest in cars. Read a lot of the contemporary magazines. Your videos really highlight a lot of details about vehicles from the eras you cover that have other been, or will be forgotten. The clay model Knudsen liked was a work of art as far as I’m concerned.

Adam, this report on the design of the Lincoln Mark IV is outstanding. Thank you.

The 72 Mark IV is a masterpiece. Bunkie Knudsen is my hero. I love what he did at Pontiac, and I love what he did at FoMoCo. Automobiles politics is rough!! Pontiac used to print a 1-800 number in their brochures for customer comments and suggestions. I remember calling them in 1997/98 and lecturing this poor Customer Service Rep on what I thought Bunkie would do regarding some now forgotten design. To my surprise, she knew who Bunkie was. Alas, they didn’t take my suggestion, and shortly thereafter, Pontiac was discontinued. Coincidence??? Hmmm …

A gallon of regular gasoline would have cost 36 cents in 1972, the equivalent of $2.53 a gallon today. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) put an embargo on foreign oil imports between 1973 and 1974, which tripled the price of gasoline, to $1.19, by 1980. the equivalent of $4.12 in 2022 dollars.

Another GREAT video Adam. 👍

I like the first proposal. The later one seems to be harkening back to 30s fenders, and also reminds me of the movie The Car. I will now say something that will shock many folks: I have owned multiple LSCs both VII and VIII, but my FAVORITE 2 door Lincoln is a VI - make mine black with dark red interior. To me just the classiest car. Maybe I'm a mobster at heart :)

Fantastic video. This is my favorite car ever. Great grandparents bought a brand new 72 white, black top, and moondust leather in Buffalo, NY.

I keep seeing a '92-'98 Cadillac Seville in the background and I hope to see a video about those one of these days (unless there's already been one I've missed). My folks had two when those were new and I was learning to drive, (a '92 4.9 SLS and a '93 Northstar STS), great-looking cars and great to either drive or to ride in. (And I say this as someone who knows about and has needed to use the Northstar water pump socket. I know, the starter's in the engine valley, etc.; the last time I had to care where a starter was, was 22 years ago helping fix my sister's bought-for-$600 in ~2001 '87 N-body Iron Duke/TH125 Grand Am coupe.)

Fascinating story! Thank you for the research

Always loved the Lincoln Mark III and Mark IV since they came out when I was a kid.

The Mark 3 was a beautiful car.

MKIII was a clean looking design.

Another deep background story of design drama & history!

Here is a design lesson of not putting strong curving lines against a strong straight lined body. The Monte Carlo pulled it off because the curve was less severe, stayed high on the fender and blended out at the A column.

An excellent overview/history of the Mark IV. And I much prefer the Dahlberg version. And the Farrell's Lincoln design history book is outstanding, I agree!

Great content. Keep it coming! A triple black Mark III has been on my wish list forever!

As usual a fantastic video. I'm missing a video about the last gen B-body GM cars (whale Caprice, Roadmaster, Fleetwood) I and my dad had owned 5 ones over the yesrs. They're great daily drivers....apart from the rusty outher shell..😊 especially the LT1 is just pure ❤. Thanks a lot for your documentaries.

That Bordinat proposal ,,, well, once I caught my breath … shades of ‘73 Monte Carlo, but thank god this Lincoln design didn’t go anywhere.

1971 is better looking than the 1972 . 1972 was indeed bloated , but was the best of what the designers had for 1972 . . I learned to drive in my mom's 1971 Mark III. What a beast with that huge 460 engine and that torque. GM design was hard to beat in the 1960s - early 1970s with cars like the Corvette ( 1963 - 1967, and 1970-1972 ), GTO, Eldo, 70 - 73 Firebird TA ( one of the best looking American car ever made) 1968 - 1969 Grand Prix SJ

The design is amazing! I find the side marker lights look a bit "After thought" in how the are executed.

Hi Adam, very nice car and very accurate video! Some people do not remember the 1959-1957 Lincoln Continental Mark II, they where "hand built", they cost so much they did not sell to well and Ford lost money an every car. Last but not least, in 1936-1942, Lincoln offered the Zephyr series of cars. They could be had as a 3 passenger coupe, that was very personal luxury. Please respond. Dave...

I liked the '72 Mk IV better than the MK IV's that followed simple because the non-5mph front end looked more elegant, especially the one that had the open grill without the bar across it. Unfortunately - like GM - Ford really cheapened the interiors of the MK IV's compared to the MK III. I remember when the MK IV came out thinking that the side marker lights looked like cheap, auto zone stick on reflectors and an afterthought - I thought they should've been incorporated into the chrome lower body side moldings fore and aft of the bumpers, would've made for a cleaner more finished look IMO! Also - I could've lived with this (11:17)!

The rejected proposal almost looks like one of those "neoclassic" cars like a Zimmer or Clénet. In fact, the front-end styling looks a lot like the Zimmer Quicksilver.

Back in the late sixties I read in car and track, or maybe motor trend that the instruction was to add a Rolls Royce grille to the newly restyled and very successful Pontiac Grand Prix, and if you compare the two, you'll see that's more likely.

I grew up in the 70s watching network TV and always hated how so many of my favorite shows looked like Ford commercials. Even the bad guys in The Rockford Files drove Ford products. Then there was Cannon... Half of every episode was Frank wallowing around in that ugly Mark IV. I'm nearly 60 and still believe the Mark IV is one of the ugliest (IMAO) cars of that period. It was always a tail-dragging bloated T-bird -and it always will be. The V was nice and the III was awesome. At least I know why, and I learned that it could have been much worse. Thanks for another great video!

My mom had & drove a 1974 Riviera GS 455 with console placed trans shifter & 40 / 40 front seats that from a styling pov I think had the best looking post 71 - 73 Riv front end …The 74 Riv’s egg crate grille combined with last year for the 4 round headlights was best of show in view of how 75 -76 Rivs looked with squared up face lift front ends & square headlamps … …As for the 74 Rivs new roof, rear deck and tail light / bumper redesign it was better looking than any of the 1973 - 1978 Toronado & Eldo post 1972 efforts… …One day a electric power / utility pole somehow got in Mom’s way and the 74 Riviera’s big 5 mph bumper and long hood front end became a mangled tangle of acute collision damage which totaled that Riviera …Was a sad way for any 1974 Riv to end up and more so for a GS option equipped Riv but happily Mom was OK thanks to the Riv having taken / absorbed that utility pole head on hit and so Mom now needed a car …I found & suggested a used 1974 Mark IV painted in light metallic silver which Lincoln marketed / described in the 1974 Mark IV promo brochure as being a “Moondust Metallic Paint “ with the interior of that 1974 Mark IV done in deep cranberry / burgundy velour cloth & vinyl which was hedonistically luxurious for a mid 1970’s American made luxury car being shown & sold by Detroit’s Big 3 carmakers… …With the 74 Riv having proved the value of having 7 plus feet of 5 mph rated bumper & hood out front the 74 Mark IV easily also had all of that or even more up front…That Mark IV was a genuine Frank Cannon looking Mark IV with a very posh interior and it radiated prestige luxury status in ways that those mid 1970’s Mark IV’s excelled so well at doing… …While my held opinion of FoMoCo 1970’s and 80’s 5 mph bumper efforts generally is not very high I did / do find the 74 - 76 Mark IV’s front & back bumpers with the wrap around blended in parking lamps & tail lights to look OK in ways that suited the Mark IV’s Frank Cannon bigger sized persona…I do think ChryCorp handled the 5 mph bumper styling quandary the best from 1973 onwards & submit the 1974 -75 Imperials as Exhibit A to that being so … …While the 1969 - 71 Mark III ‘s had all the real deal panache and retro classic luxury car styling & detailing FoMoCo made & sold lots more “oval opera window” signature equipped Mark IV’s and Mark V’s …Mark IV’s had interiors with more & nicer content detailing whether just a standard Mark IV or any of the Designer Edition Mark IV’s … …As it was in time Mom also had and drove a 1979 Mark V which she enjoyed picking up her bridge club friends with for bridge club outings …Was always amusing to see how Mom took to wheeling around in a big 1970’s era GS Riv, Mark IV and Mark V …As it was then I had ample opportunity to review Mom’s 1974 Mark IV and 1979 Mark V and concluded the 79 Mark V had a somewhat more “ Ford LTD “ looking less detailed & more de-contented interior which visibly & virtually lacked the sumptuous luxury aura & elan of Mom’s 1974 Mark IV… …The upgrade trimmed & appointed Mark V “ Diamond Jubilee “ editions had superbly done plush upholstery & nicer interior detailing all Mark V’s should have had😉