This 1969 Mercury Cougar XR 7 has been sitting for between 30 and 35 years. The seller has decided that it is time for it to move on, so has listed it for sale here on eBay. Located in Huntsville, Alabama, it has no title, but the seller will supply all of the appropriate paperwork for the new owner to obtain a title. The Cougar has been the subject of spirited bidding that has seen the price reach $7,600 at the time of writing.
According to the seller the car is solid, with only some minor rust bubbles on the bottoms of the doors. From what can be seen from the supplied photos the car does appear to be solid, although the real proof would be to get a decent look at the underside of the car. The body appears straight, and while there are a few minor marks and dings on the paint, it would be very interesting to see how it responds to a decent attack of polish. It is an attractive looking car and if it is solid it may be possible to drive it as it stands and undertake any desired restoration work at your leisure.
The interior will need some work, but overall it really isn’t too bad. The seats will need new covers and the arm-rests and handles on the door-trims will need refurbishing or replacement, but everything else looks to be in good order. The dash appears to be original and free of cracks, while the console and remaining interior plastic also look good. The car comes with power windows, a power top and tilt wheel. There is no word as to whether the power top operates or the condition of the top itself, so that is a cost that may need to be factored into the restoration.
Under the hood is the 390ci V8 backed by an automatic transmission. The good news is that the engine runs well and that the car actually drives. It will need work on the brakes, but the seller states that the engine sounds solid with no sign of any exhaust leaks. The car is also fitted with power steering, power brakes and air conditioning. All of the A/C components are intact, but you can be pretty sure that this will require some work.
As Summer draws to a close it is probably not the time to think about the joys of hitting the open road with the top down enjoying the sunshine, but it is the right time to think about a Winter project that can be enjoyed to the maximum next Summer. If this Cougar is as solid as it appears then it won’t require a huge amount of work to get it ready for the road. If it is merely a case of tidying the interior and giving it a thorough mechanical check then it could well be something to look forward to enjoying next Summer.
I’ve always really liked the early Mercury Cougars best, the 67’s & 68’s. But if you want a convertible, this would be a great way to go. It looks to be in overall great shape, and the 390 is a fantastic engine. Had it in my 66 Galaxie convertible. Seems like a really fair price so far too. I would scoop this up if I didn’t already have two classic convertibles to play with. I hope somebody gives it a good home.
This ’69 Cougar appears to be in great shape and with the Seller’s feedback it’s probably not much of a risk.
Waaaayyy cooler than a Mustang any day.
Ford guy and the Cougars of the 60’s were much more classy than the Mustang. Nice car.
Who doesn’t remove the box before taking a photo..I’m not gunna buy it just because of that.
Love the Marshall’s bag
How many Cougars had the 390 in 1969.
It couldn’t have been many.
Love these Cougars and not that for from Huntsville- but the 1 car garage is already full.
Here in Tampa we’re just entering the season where you put the top down!
I’ve always heard Alabama was an easy state to get a title in. If it is the seller should have gotten a title.
Broadway Title is located in Alabama and they’ve advertised for years about getting people titles.
You sure about that season thing Rex? Still stinkin’ hot here in Winter Haven!
As for this car, it’s just what I’m looking
for. Just add brakes, tune-up, and drive
home. First place I’d stop would be that
Broadway Title place that sutree mentioned and get a legit title before
spending an amount the size of the national debt to register it here in Florida.
I’d lowball him a little just to recoup a small portion of the money it’s going to take to register an out of state vehicle
here. And yes, I’d kick my ’15 Santa Fe
to the curb so the ragtop could be parked
under the carport. Would be a great driver for Mom and Sis when finished,
gteat cruiser too! Who knows, I might
start thinking about dating again! (Much
laughter here)
Up to almost 10 grand now. I wonder how high it’ll get?
Just $100 more bought it.
I’m not a car expert and I’d like to get underneath it and really poke around, but $10,100 is a bargain IMO. This is a drive-while-restoring car. I know the purists will condemn me, but a modern 5 or 6 speed manual with OD would be on my list of mods along with modern disc brakes, but that’s it. I wouldn’t even change the wheels.
A great find. The only options available that year that this car doesn’t have are tilt, cruise, and a tape deck. Leather and vinyl upholstery was standard and a rare option on any vehicle in 1969.
Good looking car, great potential!
According to Cougar …by the Numbers, the S-code 390-4V was installed in only 3055 Cougars in 1969. 344 of them were XR-7 convertibles backed by the C6 automatic transmission, like this car.
Is it just me or is something wrong on my end? The Ebay link goes to a 73 XR7 not the 69.
The auction already ended on this one. There should be a link to the auction at the top of the ’73 listing.