Many enthusiasts contemplating a classic purchase look favorably on a long-term ownership history. If you fall into that category, this 1969 Mercury Cougar Eliminator is worth more than a passing glance. It has been part of the same family since 1970, and the listing images confirm that they have treated it respectfully for fifty-six years. All good things must end, and the time has come for this Cougar to find a new home. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Curvette for spotting the Mercury listed here on eBay in San Francisco, California. The seller set their auction to open at $35,000, but has received no bids at the time of writing.
Some classics are designed to blend seamlessly into the background, assuming the role of automotive chameleons. That most certainly isn’t the case with this 1969 Cougar. The first owner ordered the car in Code 9 Yellow, which was Mercury’s equivalent of Ford’s iconic Grabber Yellow. The seller’s father purchased the car for his wife in 1970, handing it down to the next generation in 1999. They state that the car received a repaint in its original shade in 2017, and its presentation remains impressive. The paint shines brilliantly under the Californian sun, and with no obvious imperfections, it can comfortably be considered a driver-grade classic. The panels are laser-straight, and any pre-existing rust issues were professionally eliminated with new steel before the paint was applied. Therefore, potential buyers can consider the Cougar rock-solid. The trim looks extremely nice, and the tinted glass is crystal clear.
Lifting the hood reveals that this Cougar means business. The seller supplies a Marti Report and the original Window Sticker, with both confirming that the first owner ordered this car with the S-Code 390ci V8. They also selected the three-speed automatic transmission, power steering, and power front disc brakes. The S-Code was quite a weapon, delivering 320hp and 427 ft/lbs of torque. The seller confirms that while his father replaced the engine block in 1975, the car retains its original cylinder heads and other engine bay components. The engine was rebuilt in 2006, with the suspension refreshed at the same time. They also splashed the cash on a transmission rebuild in 2008, and the Cougar has only covered around 14,000 miles since the work ended. That makes it a turnkey proposition that is in excellent mechanical condition.
The car’s interior reflects the seller’s desire for originality. They replaced the front seatcovers with the correct White Comfortweave vinyl, having sourced a pair of NOS covers. The remaining upholstered surfaces are original, and the condition is impressive. There is no genuine wear or evidence of discoloring, while the dash and pad are spotless. They installed a more modern stereo with a “stock” appearance, but will include the original unit if the buyer wishes to reverse that change.
There is a lot to like about this 1969 Mercury Cougar Eliminator, especially for enthusiasts seeking a high-end driver. It presents extremely well, and the V8 under the hood gives it serious performance credentials. Its owners have strived to protect as much of its originality as possible, which many potential buyers will find appealing. The lack of auction action might be slightly deceptive, because thirty people have placed it on their Watch List. It will be fascinating to monitor the listing to discover what happens. Of course, you might like this Cougar enough to get the ball rolling. I wish you luck if you do.
Nice looking car. This ad actually reads like a true one family owned car, not a flipper that hasn’t put the car in their name.
Not sure about value, but a high starting point with nearly 7 days left that hasn’t had any bids shouldn’t be unexpected.
Steve R
Sharp Cougar. Looks like a clean, straightforward car in high driver condition. As Steve R says, the ad has historical information like one would receive while sitting in a lawn chair next to the owner at a car show. I suspect it was a difficult decision to sell.
If you are going to have a muscle car, getting attention is part of the experience; why not yellow.
Thanks Adam, good job.
I was under the impression that the Eliminator has two speed rear axel.
No mention of that option on this car, so why is it an eliminator?
That was an extremely rare option that you will probably never ever see. The Eliminator was a trim package to the Cougar, as Mach 1 was to the Mustang. This is a a sweet Cougar, odd that he sprung for the 390, but no a/c.
You don’t need AC in the most SF Bay Area, the forecast high in the city is 68 degrees.
Steve R
This was a new one on me, so I did a bit of Googling/AI work. The references (typically to forum posts from two decades ago) indicate that a two-speed rear axle was noted in literature at the time as a coming item. But as things played out, it was either an extremely rare factory option, or perhaps never made it to production at all. Though at the time an aftermarket unit (“Hone-O-Drive”) did exist.
The 2-speed rear axle was not put into production.
The Mach 1 option has its own Body Code, but the Eliminator option does not. The Eliminator Option could only be combined with the Cougar standard hardtop model (body code 91). However, not all standard hardtop Cougars are Eliminators.
The 2-speed rear axle was featured on the Eliminator Prototype / show car, and described in Hot Rod magazine, but it was not put into production. You will not find an Eliminator that left the factory with a 2-speed rear axle. However, there are some out there that have had Hone-O-Drive units installed.
These are very cool Cougars!!
They have this car listed on a few of the Cougar Facebook pages for $45,000.
Scariest car I ever drove, torque was so “grabbing” I thought the car was going to rip in two. Wonderful but serious business. I’d loved to have one now that I’m more experienced race car driver.
No Cathouse?? I`m SURE he knows the car.