I was just wondering how long most of you have been cougar owners. I'll admit I'm a newbee I've been the proud owner of my 69 Eliminator now for 1 month. I've owned other FOMOCO products like a 69 S code mach 1, 70 LTD with 390 and a 77 F-250 390. I guess I like that 390 and how could I forget my first a 1970 302 Maverick I loved that car.
How long have you been a cougar owner
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Howdy Scott!
I bought my 69 XR7 in Jan 2000, and promptly began restoring it. So far, we're up to about 10 grand invested, and it's getting there. I should be ready for show by late March, early April.
It's been a long haul but worth it. I originally caught the cougar bug because of a buddy of mine who owned a Maroon 69 Coupe with a really NASTY cleveland in it back in high school.
...My mind is already past this car, which will be my weekend driver, and on to the idea of building a 10 second drag monster...
I bought my 69 XR7 in Jan 2000, and promptly began restoring it. So far, we're up to about 10 grand invested, and it's getting there. I should be ready for show by late March, early April.
It's been a long haul but worth it. I originally caught the cougar bug because of a buddy of mine who owned a Maroon 69 Coupe with a really NASTY cleveland in it back in high school.
...My mind is already past this car, which will be my weekend driver, and on to the idea of building a 10 second drag monster...
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5 Posts
I bought my first cat in the summer of 70. Traded a 62 Impala and $1700 for 67 standard. It's long gone...
Always wanted another one. Three years ago I dumped some stock and bought a 68 standard and have been doing a rolling restoration ever since. The fun never ends. Plenty of greese under my nails and many "High Lifes" later, I'm still replacing one worn out part after another. Love it!!!
Cougarmoon in Colorado
Always wanted another one. Three years ago I dumped some stock and bought a 68 standard and have been doing a rolling restoration ever since. The fun never ends. Plenty of greese under my nails and many "High Lifes" later, I'm still replacing one worn out part after another. Love it!!!
Cougarmoon in Colorado
L
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I have owned my 72-351/fmx convert for 2years +, Ive ownwd my 69-390/4spd convert for 1 year and I pick up my 429-SCJ/4spd convert next week.
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5,470 Posts
Hello! Just found this site today!
My first car was a '72 standard, bought before I went off to college back in '76. Already at that young age the car was a rusted out junker. (Winters can be hard on cars here in Cleveland!) I solt that Cougar the next year.
Several years later, upon getting a real job, I was browsing the ads in Super Ford Magazine and found one of my present Cats. This one is a '73 XR-7, 351C-4V automatic. In the next couple of years I acquired several other Cougars, most for parts, but I found one other keeper, also a 73 XR-7 351C-4V automatic.
Back in the early eighties I was in to drag racing, so both Cats had some track duty. The first one was modified, with the usual speed parts of the time, while the second one was left pretty much stock. The hipo car ran a best of [email protected], and the 'stocker' [email protected] The stocker even won several events at Norwalk Raceway park. Ford/Chevy day, the inagural Memorial 1000, and many weekly events.
The reason my stocker saw so much racing duty is that I had decided to 'restore' the 'A' car back in May of 1984. It is still in pieces to this day! Cougar parts seem to be made out of unobtainium!
Someday, I'll have the time to get them both back on the road! If I remember how they came apart!
My first car was a '72 standard, bought before I went off to college back in '76. Already at that young age the car was a rusted out junker. (Winters can be hard on cars here in Cleveland!) I solt that Cougar the next year.
Several years later, upon getting a real job, I was browsing the ads in Super Ford Magazine and found one of my present Cats. This one is a '73 XR-7, 351C-4V automatic. In the next couple of years I acquired several other Cougars, most for parts, but I found one other keeper, also a 73 XR-7 351C-4V automatic.
Back in the early eighties I was in to drag racing, so both Cats had some track duty. The first one was modified, with the usual speed parts of the time, while the second one was left pretty much stock. The hipo car ran a best of [email protected], and the 'stocker' [email protected] The stocker even won several events at Norwalk Raceway park. Ford/Chevy day, the inagural Memorial 1000, and many weekly events.
The reason my stocker saw so much racing duty is that I had decided to 'restore' the 'A' car back in May of 1984. It is still in pieces to this day! Cougar parts seem to be made out of unobtainium!
Someday, I'll have the time to get them both back on the road! If I remember how they came apart!
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Right on! Welcome to the club. You'd be surprised just how large the cougar following is out there. Cougar parts aren't all that hard to find, you just have to know where to look!Cougrrcj said:
There a few people who are absolute awesome parts sources...
B
badcatt2
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I bought my first Cougar in may 1975, It was a 70 XR-7. 351W FMX, am 8 track. I had a lot of fun with that car, But it had been wrecked and poorly repaired. Bent frame. In 1978 I found a 69 std. that need a nose and power train. so I made a 70 Eliminator clone out of the two cars. I drove that cougar untell 1991 when rust had done it's thing to it. My poor body work replacing a quarter panel and a latter house fire didn't help it any. In 1991 I found my current driver, a 70 STD. that is now a clone Eliminater. Still using the insterments and wireing harnesses from my first Cougar. I have had many parts Cougars over the years. I'm always looking. My next Cougar is in the garage now pulled apart for a resto mod. It's a 69 std with a 390 4V, PS,PW,PDB,Tilt,convience light group,consel, stiyed steel wheals and more. It'll be a true Badcatt!
Neal Jacobson
[email protected]
Neal Jacobson
[email protected]
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Randy
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I got my first cougar in 78. Randymag
G
Gary Miller
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My first Cougar was purchased on December 12, 1979. I was a Senior in high school at the time, and I drove the Cat as a daily driver up to 1981. Bought a econo car and started dismantling the Cougar.
The 351-2V, FMX came out, and a 429CJ, C6 was dropped in sometime mid 1982. It basically is a resto-mod Eliminator clone in it's present state, and I still own the Cougar today.
Gary
The 351-2V, FMX came out, and a 429CJ, C6 was dropped in sometime mid 1982. It basically is a resto-mod Eliminator clone in it's present state, and I still own the Cougar today.
Gary
E
eds
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I've been involved with my cougar for about 8 years now. It was given to me by a neighbor and I turned around and gave it to my nephew for his first car. After 2.5 years of long hard work he was able to drive to school his senior years. This whole time there was a stipulation that if he ever wanted to get rid of the car, I would have first dibbs on it. In Dec. of 1998 he asked me if I wanted the car back. It had been in the family long enough that I couldn't turn it down.Now I'm doing some of the things my uncle didn't want me to do to it because of who was driving. I'm not even close to finishing it and it looks to be a long-fun road.
Ed
67 DGS
Ed
67 DGS
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1,102 Posts
Hi All,
Its funny how I got my start on cougar addiction. After moving to Fl. in 1983 I got a job at a used car lot, the owners name was Wayne Zepp. I didn't know it at the time but that was the start of the cougar bug. Although I couldn't afford one, Wayne had bought five 69 Cougar convertibles, one for each family member and a spare. I helped rebuild the motor in Ron's car, helped paint Scott's car, installed a stereo in Waynes car, and stole parts from the spare car for Janet's when Wayne wrecked it!!!!! While in Fl I never had any money for a Cougar but I wanted one. After my divorce I moved to Ca. and thats where I bought my first cat, a 69 benchseat standard. On the way to work one night (graveyard shift) my cat died on the freeway, stripped the distributor gear (?). I walked down the nearest ramp called my girlfriend and she picked me up and we went to an all night parts store and picked up a rebuilt one to install. When I got back to the car both door windows were broken radio was gone, my lunch, & college books too After installing the distributor the cat purred like a kitten and was runnig good but with damage. I found my current car wvcat while looking for a parts car, that was in late 88 sometime. When family reasons forced me to move back to WV I had a problem, I had too many cars. I had both Cougars, a MGB, and a Pinto Wagon. I gave the MGB and the Pinto to my Girlfriend, sold the 69 bench, bought a 69 C/20 to tow the cat cross country with and headed to WV and here I am 13 years later and I still have the 70. (with a few changes over the years)
Thanks for listening
John
P.S. Sorry that was a long post.......By the way thanks for the board Logan!!!!!!!!
Its funny how I got my start on cougar addiction. After moving to Fl. in 1983 I got a job at a used car lot, the owners name was Wayne Zepp. I didn't know it at the time but that was the start of the cougar bug. Although I couldn't afford one, Wayne had bought five 69 Cougar convertibles, one for each family member and a spare. I helped rebuild the motor in Ron's car, helped paint Scott's car, installed a stereo in Waynes car, and stole parts from the spare car for Janet's when Wayne wrecked it!!!!! While in Fl I never had any money for a Cougar but I wanted one. After my divorce I moved to Ca. and thats where I bought my first cat, a 69 benchseat standard. On the way to work one night (graveyard shift) my cat died on the freeway, stripped the distributor gear (?). I walked down the nearest ramp called my girlfriend and she picked me up and we went to an all night parts store and picked up a rebuilt one to install. When I got back to the car both door windows were broken radio was gone, my lunch, & college books too After installing the distributor the cat purred like a kitten and was runnig good but with damage. I found my current car wvcat while looking for a parts car, that was in late 88 sometime. When family reasons forced me to move back to WV I had a problem, I had too many cars. I had both Cougars, a MGB, and a Pinto Wagon. I gave the MGB and the Pinto to my Girlfriend, sold the 69 bench, bought a 69 C/20 to tow the cat cross country with and headed to WV and here I am 13 years later and I still have the 70. (with a few changes over the years)
Thanks for listening
John
P.S. Sorry that was a long post.......By the way thanks for the board Logan!!!!!!!!
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1,052 Posts
How long....
I became involved in Mercury Cougars back in high school. A good friend bought a 68 XR-7 302 4 bbl auto Cat. He was not mechanically inclined, so I helped him with the brakes, headlights and the tail lights. I think that's when the seed was planted. I moved to Denver in 1981 and purchased my first cat, a 1969 std. hardtop. After 3 yrs. I had her ready for the National show here. She took 3rd place. I was new to this judging stuff, and learned alot. She took First at the nationals 2 years later. In 1992 I founded the Colorado Cougar Club, and worked hard to get 125+ members that year. I became so involved with these cat's that I earned the nick name " Cougar Bill"
Well to date I own 5 69 & 70 Cougars. Ranging from a beautiful blue Boss 302 Eliminator to a std project convertible destined to become a sister Cat to the Boss, right down to the Blue color and the Eliminator dash pieces, to name a few parts I have collected. So all totaled, I guess I have around 30 years of "Cat Scratch Fever"
Bill Q aka Cougar Bill
I became involved in Mercury Cougars back in high school. A good friend bought a 68 XR-7 302 4 bbl auto Cat. He was not mechanically inclined, so I helped him with the brakes, headlights and the tail lights. I think that's when the seed was planted. I moved to Denver in 1981 and purchased my first cat, a 1969 std. hardtop. After 3 yrs. I had her ready for the National show here. She took 3rd place. I was new to this judging stuff, and learned alot. She took First at the nationals 2 years later. In 1992 I founded the Colorado Cougar Club, and worked hard to get 125+ members that year. I became so involved with these cat's that I earned the nick name " Cougar Bill"
Well to date I own 5 69 & 70 Cougars. Ranging from a beautiful blue Boss 302 Eliminator to a std project convertible destined to become a sister Cat to the Boss, right down to the Blue color and the Eliminator dash pieces, to name a few parts I have collected. So all totaled, I guess I have around 30 years of "Cat Scratch Fever"
Bill Q aka Cougar Bill
Mark's Cougars
I bought a 429 from a friend and was looking for a car to put it in. I was thinking maybe a 66 Fairlane or something midsized. Then I saw a picture of a Cougar, and that was it. I imediatly fell in love with the hidden headlights, sequentials and the perfect layout of the body lines. I had also realized the Cougar has all the potential of a Mustang, but with alot more class. With intentions of installing a high performance big block I was looking for a car that had no A/C---kinda ironic since I live in South Florida. Not much time had passed before I saw a Cougar in the local Auto Trader for a pretty low price, I had called and ended up buying it. That was in March '95. It was in really bad shape--pretty much parts car status. Bad enought that I had to change the roof that was "swiss cheesed" by the vinyl top. I towed it home and started buying parts and I am still buying parts. But now it is painted, has interior and a 460 under the hood with an AOD trans. It is currently my daily driver.
When I had first installed the 429CJ it was really too radical to drive on the street. So I needed to get something that would be a daily driver. Since I had a bunch of Cougar parts already, why not get another Cougar? How could I be seen in anything with less style anymore? A friend knew of a 69 Cougar and we went in together on it he kept the engine and I kept the rest---with no engine, I towed this one too. I had installed the 351c that came out of my 70 into the 69 along with an AOD. All the bushings were gone in the suspension, you can watch the road go by through the floor, get wet if it rains, cook when it's hot, freeze when it's cold and get asfixiated by the exhaust. But the car drives great, strait as an arrow and it gets 20 mpg's. I have driven it to Masachusetts twice since I have owned it. It is next on the list to be "raised from the dead". Currently it is the secondary driver.
I was up north visiting a friend in Rhode Island (Pat Beauchamp who owns a 70 std triple white conv) had shown me a 70 XR-7 convertible that was for sale in the next town over. We went an looked at it an I was hooked I just had to have a convertible. So we contacted the owner and he wanted $2000 for the car. I all I could get was $1000. For the next couple days, I was thinking about where I am gonna get the rest of the money. Then out of the blue, a friend calls asking to buy a 514 big block I had. So he overnighted the money to me and I had all that was needed. Believe it or not, but I drove this car away from where I bought it, along with the Florida tag from my other car. I parked it in my godmother's garage in Masachusetts, and it is sat there since. All that is really needed on this car is cosmetics, it drives pretty good. Oh, and it needs an AOD so I can cruise.
Everything has to be balanced and symetrical, so I like things to be in even numbers. So I needed--yes needed another Cougar. But I said I'm not gonna get another one unless it is a rreal Eliminator or a factory big block car. A few months later a friend told me his cousin has a 69 Cougar that has been sitting for the past ten years and he said it is an Eliminator with a sunroof. So I looked at it, and whoa nelly, it needed a lot of work. I told him I'd think about it, so I took the vin nnumber and got a Kevin Marti report to prove it is really an Eliminator. I turned out to be real, and I found it is one of 101 that were made for Hertz Rent-A-Car. I sent in the numbers to Phil Parcels' Cougar Database Project and found out it is the earliest known Eliminator to still exsist. Although it is a basket case, this car will receive a very careful and thorough restoration back to stock. In fact this morning I picked it up, and yes, I towed this one too. I had bought it about a year ago and just finally finished the deal today. I still have more parts like the engine, tranny, hood, deck lid and other miscellanious parts to pick up. I also need to get a gallon of Ospho to try and slow the rust movement for now. I think when I do start the restoration, I should have the body dipped and treated. Oh, this Cougar will not get an AOD---whaaaaaaaaahh! Just keep it original.
Logan, I heard you say long posts are good, but is this overboard? If I had one Cougar, the post would only be about a 1/4 as long.
Thanks for reading through.
I bought a 429 from a friend and was looking for a car to put it in. I was thinking maybe a 66 Fairlane or something midsized. Then I saw a picture of a Cougar, and that was it. I imediatly fell in love with the hidden headlights, sequentials and the perfect layout of the body lines. I had also realized the Cougar has all the potential of a Mustang, but with alot more class. With intentions of installing a high performance big block I was looking for a car that had no A/C---kinda ironic since I live in South Florida. Not much time had passed before I saw a Cougar in the local Auto Trader for a pretty low price, I had called and ended up buying it. That was in March '95. It was in really bad shape--pretty much parts car status. Bad enought that I had to change the roof that was "swiss cheesed" by the vinyl top. I towed it home and started buying parts and I am still buying parts. But now it is painted, has interior and a 460 under the hood with an AOD trans. It is currently my daily driver.
When I had first installed the 429CJ it was really too radical to drive on the street. So I needed to get something that would be a daily driver. Since I had a bunch of Cougar parts already, why not get another Cougar? How could I be seen in anything with less style anymore? A friend knew of a 69 Cougar and we went in together on it he kept the engine and I kept the rest---with no engine, I towed this one too. I had installed the 351c that came out of my 70 into the 69 along with an AOD. All the bushings were gone in the suspension, you can watch the road go by through the floor, get wet if it rains, cook when it's hot, freeze when it's cold and get asfixiated by the exhaust. But the car drives great, strait as an arrow and it gets 20 mpg's. I have driven it to Masachusetts twice since I have owned it. It is next on the list to be "raised from the dead". Currently it is the secondary driver.
I was up north visiting a friend in Rhode Island (Pat Beauchamp who owns a 70 std triple white conv) had shown me a 70 XR-7 convertible that was for sale in the next town over. We went an looked at it an I was hooked I just had to have a convertible. So we contacted the owner and he wanted $2000 for the car. I all I could get was $1000. For the next couple days, I was thinking about where I am gonna get the rest of the money. Then out of the blue, a friend calls asking to buy a 514 big block I had. So he overnighted the money to me and I had all that was needed. Believe it or not, but I drove this car away from where I bought it, along with the Florida tag from my other car. I parked it in my godmother's garage in Masachusetts, and it is sat there since. All that is really needed on this car is cosmetics, it drives pretty good. Oh, and it needs an AOD so I can cruise.
Everything has to be balanced and symetrical, so I like things to be in even numbers. So I needed--yes needed another Cougar. But I said I'm not gonna get another one unless it is a rreal Eliminator or a factory big block car. A few months later a friend told me his cousin has a 69 Cougar that has been sitting for the past ten years and he said it is an Eliminator with a sunroof. So I looked at it, and whoa nelly, it needed a lot of work. I told him I'd think about it, so I took the vin nnumber and got a Kevin Marti report to prove it is really an Eliminator. I turned out to be real, and I found it is one of 101 that were made for Hertz Rent-A-Car. I sent in the numbers to Phil Parcels' Cougar Database Project and found out it is the earliest known Eliminator to still exsist. Although it is a basket case, this car will receive a very careful and thorough restoration back to stock. In fact this morning I picked it up, and yes, I towed this one too. I had bought it about a year ago and just finally finished the deal today. I still have more parts like the engine, tranny, hood, deck lid and other miscellanious parts to pick up. I also need to get a gallon of Ospho to try and slow the rust movement for now. I think when I do start the restoration, I should have the body dipped and treated. Oh, this Cougar will not get an AOD---whaaaaaaaaahh! Just keep it original.
Logan, I heard you say long posts are good, but is this overboard? If I had one Cougar, the post would only be about a 1/4 as long.
Thanks for reading through.
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2,048 Posts
Great story!... You know... Something tells me you cut yourself short.
I know that even I, only owning a single cougar could talk about it for twice as much space...
Stands to reason that an owner of 4 cougars would be able to type at least 8 pages out and still have material left over.
I know that even I, only owning a single cougar could talk about it for twice as much space...
Stands to reason that an owner of 4 cougars would be able to type at least 8 pages out and still have material left over.
My first cougar was a 67 XR7 rusty but it ran good. Too good. The first time I drove it I got a speeding ticket for 43 in a 30. Lesson #1. A month later while playing in the rain. (I loved to get sideways and see how far I could go.) I hit the only tree in a 1/2 mile stretch of road. I killed my first Kitty. I was headed for my girlfriends (at the time) neighbors mailbox and swerved to the left to miss it and found my tree. My girlfriend is long gone but the tree is still there and it still has my mark in it. I tried to fix it but it was a lost cause. 16 year olds aren't too smart sometimes. Lesson#2 Don't play in the rain and mailboxes usually do less damage than big trees. I still like to play but I pay a lot more attention as to whats ahead and around me. I really liked that car. After I walked and bummed rides for the next 4 months I got a job detassaling corn for $2.50 an hour 10-12 hours a day. Man that was fun. After I got my first check I looked in the local classified ads and there it was A 69 cougar convertible for $75.00. It was just what I wanted and in my price range. I knew that for this price it couldn't be much but it was all the money I had after Uncle Sam took his share. It so happened it was only 4 blocks away so you guessed it. I walked over to see my dream car. WOW what a nightmare. this car was rough. Nothing major just a bunch of little dents and scratches. No rust anyway. It looked like normal damage for a street stock during Saturday night races at your local dirt track. The hood had came back over the windshield and was all bent up. The drs. side window was busted out. Two flat tires. All were bald. The conv. top was just pieces. It was parked under a big tree and had so many leaves inside I couldn't see the bottom of the seats or the console. So I offered him $70. and I was the proud owner Kitty #2. I borrowed a battery and an air tank off of my brother-in-law bought a gallon of gas.( for $0.50) I drove that baby home. I'm sure glad it was only 4 blocks. After a tune-up, a good clean-up, some work on the dents with a rubber mallet and it didn't look too bad. Other than the plastic I had to use to make a conv. top. UGLY but dry. After a new and better paying job. (one that lasted more than 5 weeks) and several trips to the local cougar junkyard I had a nice ride. I bought this car in 1978 and drove it almost everyday until 1989. I then parked it in my garage and drove it every once in a while. I'm currently doing a frame up restoration. Wow I don't even want to know what I've spent. I had to quit 3 times cause I ran out of money. But I'll get there. It's funny how things work out. When I was about 7 or 8 I used live in a different town and I liked to ride my bicycle around town. There was this really cool car that had turn signals that would blink across from side to side. Who would have thought that years later I would buy that same car in a different town just 4 blocks away. My dream car. I'm sorry I killed the first cougar but I sure like my 69 convertible. Buddy
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24 Posts
Let's see... My first car was a 1970 Mach-1... it was a NJ rustbucket but man was it a cool car. I learned a lot about how to pick 'em after that, let me tell ya. But I had always thought Cougars were cool... Mustangs with class. And even when I was a kid I always wanted things with bells and whistles... nifty gadgets like headlight doors. So it seemed only natural to set my sights on a Cougar.
So... car #2 was my first Cougar: a 1968 standard with 302-4V (J code) and a *bench* seat! The engine was missing (a dead 1975 351W was sitting in its place) but a generous teacher at my high school had given me a 1973 Grand Torino Squire with a 351C-2V in it, so I was ready to rock. Yes, a Cleveland fits quite nicely in a '68 Cat; better than a 351W in fact because of the angle of the exhaust ports. I had a nice cherry set of '69 Mustang seats in it (the bench lived in my garage); the upholstery was actually a pretty close match! I also XR7-ized it with gauges, overhead console, etc. Anyway, I'll shorten this story and just say that my car wound up mating with a center divider and I didn't have the money it would have taken to fix that quarter panel (by then I was a starving college student and all)... and the car wasn't really worth fixing anyway.
Right before I went away to college, I found a dead '70 XR7 that I figured I could restore once I had the time and money. It had its factory 351C-4V still in place and I figured it would be more than a worthy replacement for "Freddy Cougar" as I had dubbed my first Cat. I did manage to trade a Ford 9" rear end to an upholsterer for the cost of labor to redo its black leather buckets. But other than that, it took me five years to get around to doing something with that car besides disassembling it. And for the kind of restoration I wanted to do, I wound up having some doubts if that was really the right car to do it to.
Meanwhile, along my search for body shops, I found yet another dead '70 - this one a standard convertible. It was missing its original 351C-2V engine but everything else was in place and fairly clean. So I picked it up and dropped in the 351 that I had saved when I parted out my '68 - the very same 351 from the Torino that had been given to me. It now powers this convertible, which I just got up and running last week. Still need to iron out a few details, but I definitely am enjoying top-down cruising!
Now I just need to decide if I'm going to keep the convertible and XR7-ize it using what has now sort of become my parts car, or sell it and find another car that has all the things I'm a-looking for!
Oh yeah, and I also had a '67 Cat as a parts car for a while. And a '70 Mustang coupe whose rod-knocking 302 I replaced with the engine out of my old Mach-1 and eventually sold.
Oh by the way... to put it in perspective... I got the '68 when I was a senior in high school, 1989. Got the XR7 in 1994. And got the convertible last year, on 10/15/2000. Cougars... I guess I'm hooked!
So... car #2 was my first Cougar: a 1968 standard with 302-4V (J code) and a *bench* seat! The engine was missing (a dead 1975 351W was sitting in its place) but a generous teacher at my high school had given me a 1973 Grand Torino Squire with a 351C-2V in it, so I was ready to rock. Yes, a Cleveland fits quite nicely in a '68 Cat; better than a 351W in fact because of the angle of the exhaust ports. I had a nice cherry set of '69 Mustang seats in it (the bench lived in my garage); the upholstery was actually a pretty close match! I also XR7-ized it with gauges, overhead console, etc. Anyway, I'll shorten this story and just say that my car wound up mating with a center divider and I didn't have the money it would have taken to fix that quarter panel (by then I was a starving college student and all)... and the car wasn't really worth fixing anyway.
Right before I went away to college, I found a dead '70 XR7 that I figured I could restore once I had the time and money. It had its factory 351C-4V still in place and I figured it would be more than a worthy replacement for "Freddy Cougar" as I had dubbed my first Cat. I did manage to trade a Ford 9" rear end to an upholsterer for the cost of labor to redo its black leather buckets. But other than that, it took me five years to get around to doing something with that car besides disassembling it. And for the kind of restoration I wanted to do, I wound up having some doubts if that was really the right car to do it to.
Meanwhile, along my search for body shops, I found yet another dead '70 - this one a standard convertible. It was missing its original 351C-2V engine but everything else was in place and fairly clean. So I picked it up and dropped in the 351 that I had saved when I parted out my '68 - the very same 351 from the Torino that had been given to me. It now powers this convertible, which I just got up and running last week. Still need to iron out a few details, but I definitely am enjoying top-down cruising!
Now I just need to decide if I'm going to keep the convertible and XR7-ize it using what has now sort of become my parts car, or sell it and find another car that has all the things I'm a-looking for!
Oh yeah, and I also had a '67 Cat as a parts car for a while. And a '70 Mustang coupe whose rod-knocking 302 I replaced with the engine out of my old Mach-1 and eventually sold.
Oh by the way... to put it in perspective... I got the '68 when I was a senior in high school, 1989. Got the XR7 in 1994. And got the convertible last year, on 10/15/2000. Cougars... I guess I'm hooked!
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21 Posts
I have been a proud Cougar owner for about 11 years I guess. Bought my first one after I graduated from high school, a '70. Found a '69, bought it and sold my '70 to my little brother. Several years later my uncle bought a '67 XR7 from the original owners. Parked it in his yard then sold it to me. I am a Ford/Merc lover for sure but I must admit, Cougars have waaaaay more class than Mustangs. To top it off, not everyone has one.
Sandra
Sandra
Joined
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7 Posts
I've been a Cougar owner for just over 3 months now. I inherited a '69 Standard, 351W, FMX from my sister and brother-in-law. It was purchased by my sister in 1983 for $500. It then sat for 18 years until she finally gave in and gave it to me. Can't beat free. It has a minor crunch in the left front and not having run for 18 years, I have been replacing most of the external engine parts. It needed a new heater core (big pain to replace) and has some rust under the battery tray. I work on it when I can. I am somewhat impatient about getting it on the road but still have lots more to do. A new vinal top and paint job is also in order. need to reset and reglue the door windows as well. Sorry for the length. When I get it done i will post a picture or 2. Oh! By the way, I live not too far from Don Rush of West Coast Classic Cougars. Great guy and great parts resource. Can't beat having his inventory right in my area!
John
John
How Long?
11 Years ago I purchased the car of my dreams....literally. When I was a small boy my father had worked on a 69 XR7 convertible for a neighbor. At one time he replaced the convertible top among other things. The neighbor was not mechanically inclined, and frequently asked my father for help. I had always loved the convertible, and swore that someday I would buy it from the neighbor. It was a Gulfstream Aqua 69 XR7 Convertble. I had to walk by it every time I went to my best friends house. It was parked in the driveway next to Red 67 GTO Convertible that my best friend said he would someday buy and we could cruise together. When I was old enough to drive the convertible was not for sale, so I bought a 69 hardtop standard 351 2V 3 speed manual. I drove that car for a year before it literally fell apart. It went to a local scrap yard in 1983. In 1990 I got a call from an old friend who informed me that the old convertble was for sale. So for $2000 I bought the car along with a 69 standard parts car that at one time had been owned by my older brother. Less than two years after I purchased the car my wife totaled the front end of the convertible. SHE HAS NEVER BEEN IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT AGAIN. I could not bring myself to get rid of it, so I decided to try to salvage it. I cut the front end of the parts car off just past the shock towers, and put it on the convertible. It was while I was tearing the car apart that I realized just how far gone this car was. It had been hit just about everywhere, and the floors were in pretty bad shape. The car sat for for two years and the block cracked during winter 1992. I rebuilt another 351 and then I drove it for a year. The body and top were falling apart around me so I took it off the road again and it sat for 6 more years.
This past fall I decided it was time to bring my childhood dream back to life. I gutted the car, new sheet metal, new interior, new trans, new rear, you name it I replaced it. It is now closing in on being finished. I still have some final body work, some front end work, and the exhaust. The complete restoration project can be seen on the following link:
http://home.sprynet.com/~pamar/cougar.html
I often hear stories of people who set out to find a car like the one they fell in love with as a child or young adult. I am one of the few lucky ones who actually own the exact 69 XR7 Convertible that I fell in love with some 25 years ago.
Paul G.
69 XR7 Convertible
Modified 351 4V C6 3.70 Trac-lok
11 Years ago I purchased the car of my dreams....literally. When I was a small boy my father had worked on a 69 XR7 convertible for a neighbor. At one time he replaced the convertible top among other things. The neighbor was not mechanically inclined, and frequently asked my father for help. I had always loved the convertible, and swore that someday I would buy it from the neighbor. It was a Gulfstream Aqua 69 XR7 Convertble. I had to walk by it every time I went to my best friends house. It was parked in the driveway next to Red 67 GTO Convertible that my best friend said he would someday buy and we could cruise together. When I was old enough to drive the convertible was not for sale, so I bought a 69 hardtop standard 351 2V 3 speed manual. I drove that car for a year before it literally fell apart. It went to a local scrap yard in 1983. In 1990 I got a call from an old friend who informed me that the old convertble was for sale. So for $2000 I bought the car along with a 69 standard parts car that at one time had been owned by my older brother. Less than two years after I purchased the car my wife totaled the front end of the convertible. SHE HAS NEVER BEEN IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT AGAIN. I could not bring myself to get rid of it, so I decided to try to salvage it. I cut the front end of the parts car off just past the shock towers, and put it on the convertible. It was while I was tearing the car apart that I realized just how far gone this car was. It had been hit just about everywhere, and the floors were in pretty bad shape. The car sat for for two years and the block cracked during winter 1992. I rebuilt another 351 and then I drove it for a year. The body and top were falling apart around me so I took it off the road again and it sat for 6 more years.
This past fall I decided it was time to bring my childhood dream back to life. I gutted the car, new sheet metal, new interior, new trans, new rear, you name it I replaced it. It is now closing in on being finished. I still have some final body work, some front end work, and the exhaust. The complete restoration project can be seen on the following link:
http://home.sprynet.com/~pamar/cougar.html
I often hear stories of people who set out to find a car like the one they fell in love with as a child or young adult. I am one of the few lucky ones who actually own the exact 69 XR7 Convertible that I fell in love with some 25 years ago.
Paul G.
69 XR7 Convertible
Modified 351 4V C6 3.70 Trac-lok
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