What look/goal were you going for?
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I had $3k burning a hole in my pocket so I decided to blow the whole wad on classic car. The Cougar wasn't my first choice, in fact it was my third choice. Anyway... I wanted a car that I could tinker on within my ability and learn something new along the way. I tend to lean towards being a purist in the overall look of the car yet I still want a higher performance out of it so the plan is to update the mechanicals to a more current standard while still preserving the original look of the car within reason. Nothing too radical just a strong runner that I can have fun with and enjoy. 
My target HP is 350, now that's not too radical for a 302 - 4v is it?
My target HP is 350, now that's not too radical for a 302 - 4v is it?
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I agree with evilmess, I want the car to run great and look good but not loose the original appeal. I'm not wanting to make a full blown custom out of my car but I do like upgrades. I do plan on doing a custom cougar some day that I'm saving ideas up for but for now I am very happy with a cool restomod/driver.
John
wvcat
John
wvcat
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5,867 Posts
All work-in-process - in order or acquisition
68 XR7 - resto mod - all the mods are under the skin including trans am style suspension - wanted a great cruise car that could also handle the twisty stuff and the occassional sprint meeting - bit of a sleeper - will probably end up with quad IDA weber set up and multi link rear end
69 std convertible - restomod - too many changes planned including custom interior but currently doubles as daily driver - something that isn't too rare and over time will become more radical
70 XR7 Convertible 428 - restoration but not concourse - because it is too rare
future
70 XR7 convertible 351 2V (hopefully next week) - daily driver - nice car even though it is base model and will give me something to drive while the 69 is off the road and its got a Cleveland
67 XR7 GT - fully loaded - restoration LHD - whenever I find a mid sized 60's Mopar waggon to swap for it - wanted to do a restoration to as delivered condition without RHD conversion
68 XR7 - resto mod - all the mods are under the skin including trans am style suspension - wanted a great cruise car that could also handle the twisty stuff and the occassional sprint meeting - bit of a sleeper - will probably end up with quad IDA weber set up and multi link rear end
69 std convertible - restomod - too many changes planned including custom interior but currently doubles as daily driver - something that isn't too rare and over time will become more radical
70 XR7 Convertible 428 - restoration but not concourse - because it is too rare
future
70 XR7 convertible 351 2V (hopefully next week) - daily driver - nice car even though it is base model and will give me something to drive while the 69 is off the road and its got a Cleveland
67 XR7 GT - fully loaded - restoration LHD - whenever I find a mid sized 60's Mopar waggon to swap for it - wanted to do a restoration to as delivered condition without RHD conversion
I wan't to make another muscle/racer without losing too much of the reliability factor. 351C w/aussie heads. Hooker super comp headers. 4v manifold with a 750cfm. some gears in the rear also to step it up a bit. Mild cam. I had way too much horse power when I was younger. All I got were tickets and the cat was broke down all the time because I built it too radical and I would take it too far to the edge. I don't need to go fast all the time anymore. I just need to look and sound good for the chickies.
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5,299 Posts
for my first Cougar i wanted to go for a nice muscle car/tasteful driver/ nice classic car/ semi-restomod yet period style piece. talk about cross breeding. its no question a creature of the 60s, yet its still appealing to alot of people as something cool. not just cuz its old, but cuz it is for the Next Cougar.. the possible 70 ----- check out the pic of my Buddies Fairlane in the pics section. something like that, but a Cougar. i want AT LEAST 400 hp out of it. with a 351C, nice cam, 4bbl heads ( closed chamber ) i figure 10.5 compression and MAYBE a single plane intake as well. if thats what it takes to hit the 400, thats what it will get. no way in hell a daily driver, but still something i can take out and rattle the windows with.
for the Next Cougar.. the possible 70 ----- check out the pic of my Buddies Fairlane in the pics section. something like that, but a Cougar. i want AT LEAST 400 hp out of it. with a 351C, nice cam, 4bbl heads ( closed chamber ) i figure 10.5 compression and MAYBE a single plane intake as well. if thats what it takes to hit the 400, thats what it will get. no way in hell a daily driver, but still something i can take out and rattle the windows with.It would be nice if I can find the time to work on my cat, all my other vehicles take precidence sinse I need them to run.
My car is going to be a resto-muscle-drag car, with hopefully doing to a few slaloms. Im going to build the suspension for handling, and hopefully my stroker is going to be what the machinists says, and kick some butt, but I need to finish the car first.
My car is going to be a resto-muscle-drag car, with hopefully doing to a few slaloms. Im going to build the suspension for handling, and hopefully my stroker is going to be what the machinists says, and kick some butt, but I need to finish the car first.
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I think all Cougars were meant to be personal luxo-muscle cars. A luxury Mustang if you will. A performance car with class. With that thought in mind, I set out to 'tweak' or improve on the idea.
AlphaCat got headers, single plane intake, Holley, cam, rear gears, higher stall converter, bigger tires and wheels,...
Then I did the body work and added the Eliminator or GT-style hood scoop. My buddy painted it. Perfection on the outside (see pic in Photo Gallery), now to freshen up the bottom end of the engine.
Bore .030, new high compression pistons, grind crank, new oil pump, timing chain, different intake, head work, etc...
That done, I decided that while the engine was out, I'd attack the 'ravages of nature' also known as rust, cancer, rot, etc., on the underside of the car. It got new front fender aprons, core support, floor pans, etc. Then to de-rustproof the rest of the car necessitated removing everything on the underside of the car, replacing the fuel and brake lines, their mounting clips, sandblasting and painting the rear end housing, then, in the middle of all that...
The ambition left me. I got married and the car has sat that way ever since. That was 17 years ago! Now I can't seem to find the time. Now I can't justify spending major dinero on my hobby cars. Will I ever finish either one of my Cats? Will someone else get the deal of the century?
Tune in later, same Cat time, Same Cat channel.
AlphaCat got headers, single plane intake, Holley, cam, rear gears, higher stall converter, bigger tires and wheels,...
Then I did the body work and added the Eliminator or GT-style hood scoop. My buddy painted it. Perfection on the outside (see pic in Photo Gallery), now to freshen up the bottom end of the engine.
Bore .030, new high compression pistons, grind crank, new oil pump, timing chain, different intake, head work, etc...
That done, I decided that while the engine was out, I'd attack the 'ravages of nature' also known as rust, cancer, rot, etc., on the underside of the car. It got new front fender aprons, core support, floor pans, etc. Then to de-rustproof the rest of the car necessitated removing everything on the underside of the car, replacing the fuel and brake lines, their mounting clips, sandblasting and painting the rear end housing, then, in the middle of all that...
The ambition left me. I got married and the car has sat that way ever since. That was 17 years ago!
Now I can't seem to find the time. Now I can't justify spending major dinero on my hobby cars. Will I ever finish either one of my Cats? Will someone else get the deal of the century? Tune in later, same Cat time, Same Cat channel.
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4 Posts
This project started some twenty years ago as just a fixer-upper, daily grocery getter. Slowly but surely over time it evolved into a hotrod/street racer. Then as things got more involved (expensive) I decided to take it off the street, that's when it became a racecar. There are times that I wish I'd left it streetable. It certainly would be nice to drive on a nice sunny weekend, take the kids for a ride in daddy's toy. Daddy's toy went from a $200 beater with a 289 2bbl auto to a $$$$ bracket racer with a +.030 302, 4bbl 750 dbl pumper, 10.5 x 29.0 MT slicks doing 11.50 @ 115mph all on pump gas (gas mileage sucks though). It's definetly fun but if been bitten by the 'got-to-go-faster-bug', and that's gonna cost me big time.
For my first car, my dad and I are restoring a 1968 Cougar. Like many others here, I decided to go the "Resto-mod" route with my '68 Cougar. I wanted something that I can drive around town and have fun with. I'm shooting for around 350 hp. I considered building a show car, but I realized that I wouldn't be able to drive it nearly much. Cougars are meant to be driven. It's just as simple as that.
Anyway, here are some details about my car: It's a white base-model 1968 Cougar with black interior. It came stock with a 302 2bbl hooked up to a C4 Auto. It has A/C. P/S, P/B and bucket seats.
I decided that the 302 had to go, as I wanted to make my Cougar stand out (even more). So we're putting a 351 Cleveland in at the moment. It has 2bbl heads and an Edelbrock Performer and headers, all strapped to an FMX tranny.
As for the exterior, I've put custom black stripes on it (somewhat like those on eliminators) with a black hood scoop and a spoiler.
The end result is going to be a hella fine automobile that isn't too far from original condition, yet still has some custom features to it.
Drive on!
Michael
Anyway, here are some details about my car: It's a white base-model 1968 Cougar with black interior. It came stock with a 302 2bbl hooked up to a C4 Auto. It has A/C. P/S, P/B and bucket seats.
I decided that the 302 had to go, as I wanted to make my Cougar stand out (even more). So we're putting a 351 Cleveland in at the moment. It has 2bbl heads and an Edelbrock Performer and headers, all strapped to an FMX tranny.
As for the exterior, I've put custom black stripes on it (somewhat like those on eliminators) with a black hood scoop and a spoiler.
The end result is going to be a hella fine automobile that isn't too far from original condition, yet still has some custom features to it.
Drive on!
Michael
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2,897 Posts
which is best
My seventy conv. will be stock daily driver for the wife but my 69 will be going in the dirrection of brute force since it wispered it likes to eat mice but it will also be my daily car! the 57 bird is going restomod(gasp) but will still have the origanal running gear but i intend to up the suspension and rod paint it with ghost flames. hey real men carry their cups in their laps!
My seventy conv. will be stock daily driver for the wife but my 69 will be going in the dirrection of brute force since it wispered it likes to eat mice but it will also be my daily car! the 57 bird is going restomod(gasp) but will still have the origanal running gear but i intend to up the suspension and rod paint it with ghost flames. hey real men carry their cups in their laps!
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364 Posts
Question requires some thought...
My first impulse was to go resto-mod with it - paint it red, soup up the engine, etc. - but then I put some thought into the cost of it all. That's when I decided to put it back to original and make it something to show. It's actually going to be cheaper and might be better for resale value in the long run.
Maybe the next one will get the resto-mod treatment or the one after that or the one after...
As one who voted that way, it took me a moment to decide. When I bought the 73, it was supposed to be a "one-time thing." I just wanted to replace the one car I ever traded in and regretted it. Once I had it, I found that because I intentionally bought a car that needed nothing done, I had nothing to do. That's why I bought the 72 convertible.evilmess said:I'm impressed with the number of votes going to Show car (Not concours).
Very cool!
My first impulse was to go resto-mod with it - paint it red, soup up the engine, etc. - but then I put some thought into the cost of it all. That's when I decided to put it back to original and make it something to show. It's actually going to be cheaper and might be better for resale value in the long run.
Maybe the next one will get the resto-mod treatment or the one after that or the one after...
My full intentions were restomod with a color change from the current red to something racey... Now I'm thinking, body/appearance will be original even with Lime Frost Poly but with the sway bars, 1" drop springs, headers, cam, intake, etc... 215 tires and hubcaps... 3:55 gears... should be fun and still look good... and I'm getting older, so maybe I won't get tickets like a certain driver of a BROWN cougar...
Robert
Robert
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