Ford was putting Q8 decks in Lincolns/Thunderchickens/Gran Burritos long before the '76 model year. My family owned a '74 Continental Mark IV and it had a factory "Quadrasonic" AM/FM stereo. That was a one-owner, untouched example. I can remember as a children, we'd borrow the car from grandpa or uncle (whomever had it at the time, as I mention, it was more of a "family" vehicle) and I'd ask my father what "Quadrasonic" meant. Dare I say that was my first introduction to Quad. We had no Quad tapes, only stereo stuff.... and it took me until my high-school years to finally learn what Quad was and then slowly began the sickness of collecting....
I suspect other manufacturers were dipping their toes into Quad. While no other manufacturer DID, about that time, 1972-1974, ALL U.S. manufacturers (including little AMC) had adopted four-speaker FM stereo or Stereo tape systems. Now, it was either a matter of complicating things and selling more speakers *OR* somebody had heard about Quad and Quad FM and figured that'd be the next big thing. Let's get four speakers in the cars NOW.... and when these 4-channel systems finally do appear, it's just a matter of swapping out the head unit.
It really does strike me as *unusual* since for the 1973 model year, AMC's "Big cars"; the Ambassador, Matador & Javelin all received 4-speaker AM/FM stereos *OR* if you got the stereo tape option, you still got 4-speakers. I find this a little odd because from 1968-1972, if you got FM stereo or stereo tape, you only got TWO speakers. Then in 1974, 4-speaker stereo was available in little Hornets and even the Gremlin! Highly suspect since 1973 & 1974 are the height of the Quad era. Field testing of Quad FM had already begun and applications for Quad FM broadcast were being made.
Strange coincidence or an example of corporations preparing for the next big deal?
Sort of like how for the latter half of the 1970's, factory built-in CB radios were a big deal. Once upon a time, I believe we had some pretty "hip" car people....
