Today, let us discuss the most plush, most elaborate and most Broughamtastic Lincolns available, of the Year of Our Lord 1974.
I’ve always liked the 1974 Lincoln Continentals, Town Cars and Town Coupés. Thanks to the revised bumper standards enacted that year, all non-Mark Lincolns sported a one year only look, front and rear.
I have personally found them very attractive, ever since I first saw a 1974 Lincoln ad in an old issue of Time Magazine at my grade school, circa 1992.
While the basic body was more or less the same as 1970, the details, along with the bigger 5 mile an hour bumpers I found very compelling. The slim, vertical bar grille, the color-keyed wheel covers, the fender skirts and slim horizontal taillamps…very fine. Elegant.
But wait! There’s even more! For as nice as the standard Lincoln Continental four-door sedan and 2 door hardtop were, you could go even above and beyond that level of luxury.
For the truly well-heeled Lincoln fanciers in the market, you could procure the extra cost and extra-lush Town Car or Town Coupé trim package.
As the ’74 brochure extolled, “The Lincoln Continental Town Car and Town Coupé have the luxury and conveniences of the Lincoln Continental, with added features and appointments which make them truly distinctive motor cars.”
What features, you ask? “A Cavalry twill vinyl roof in a choice of colors. Full-width head restraints. Extra touches of elegance everywhere: drawing-room thick 25 oz cut pile carpeting. A fully carpeted luggage compartment.”
“A glove compartment vanity mirror and initials on the doors are among the personal luxuries that are standard on these splendid cars.”
“The seating surfaces are fine cowhide leather, or you may select magnificently tailored velour Twin Comfort Lounge Seats. Color choices include black, beige, medium green, gold or silver blue.”
Yes, these were truly posh, in a way only 1970s Detroit luxury cars could be.
But unfortunately, around the time the 1974 Lincolns were introduced, the first gas crisis reared its ugly head and sales of large and in charge Michigan-built Luxury Motor Vehicles crashed and burned.
As a result, 1974 Lincolns are not terribly commonly seen in this day and age. 1974 Continental sedans, each with a base price of $8,238, saw only 29,351 built. That total included Connie 4-doors equipped with the plush Town Car package.
But wait, there’s even more! Lincoln Continental two-door hardtops were even more scarce, with a mere 7,318 made. Base price? $8,053 before options. Again, that included those with Town Coupé trimmings.
And of course being Lincolns, these cars had a high standard of standard equipment. Even before you started ticking off the option boxes.
Standard features included a power seat, power windows, cornering lights, power steering, power brakes and an automatic parking brake release.
And of course, you got a standard 460 cubic inch V8, Select-Shift automatic transmission, steel belted whitewall tires, a hood ornament and a Cartier clock.
I was reminded of these ’74 Lincolns today when I stumbled upon these two ads for, respectively, a bronze over tan Town Car and white over silver-blue Town Coupé. Both looked great to your author, who is admittedly biased. The sedan was especially compelling with its $6500 ask. Good thing it is far away from here, ha ha!