It took a few years (and lots of Mustangs produced) before the suits at Ford Motor Company okayed the production of its cousin, the Mercury Cougar. It made its debut for the 1967 model year (the same year the Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird joined the pony car corral), and owned its own niche: a Mustang with a touch of luxury. The Cougar hit the spot with the buying public and it sold well. Feast your eyes on this stunning time capsule example of the last year of the first-generation Cougar. This near pristine, fully-loaded 1970 Mercury Cougar XR-7 is located north of the U.S/Canadian border in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, and is for sale here on craigslist for the firm price of $45,000. Another thank you goes out to Curvette for spotting this spotless cat and sending it our way!
The seller is stingy with photos and the car’s history and how it came to be in this remarkable condition. We’re told that it’s had one other owner and that it’s been garage-kept all its life which is obvious. There’s only one photo of the car’s exterior. Based on a paint chart I found online, the paint appears to be Medium Gold Poly, but I’m not 100 percent sure. It has a brown vinyl top and the seller says the Cougar has zero rust or rust bubbles. It’s wear dog dish wheel covers as opposed to the full-size wheel covers commonly seen on XR-7’s, and the car’s original tires are also included in the sale. The seller also says, “Every nut and bolt, hose, wire, shocks, exhaust, etc. is original (except the chin spoiler, hood insulation, and electronic ignition).”
The time capsule theme is continued inside as the Cougar’s amazingly preserved interior looks showroom new. One could assume that it’s had those clear plastic protective seat covers since Day One. The medium brown front bucket seats and rear bench seat (I believe Mercury called it Ginger) has a houndstooth fabric insert and looks terrific. The upscale R-7 has a center console and armrest and is equipped with factory air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, power windows, a rear defroster, and even an 8-Track Tape Player. The instrument panel and dash are perfect and shows off theXR-7’s “tawny tones of warmly burled walnut vinyl appliqué on the instrument panel and sporty steering wheel” as the sales brochure says.
The Cougar is powered by a 351-cubic-inch V8 with only 8,000 miles on the clock. It is paired with a floor-shift Select-Shift automatic transmission and the seller claims the Cougar “drives and looks like a new car.” Also included is a Deluxe Marty Report, the build sheet, and the original dealer invoice. This could be the best preserved, low-mileage XR-7 hardtop on the planet (and the price reflects it). What do you think of this time capsule?
Since the car is advertised on Canadian Craigslist the price is in Canadian dollars unless otherwise stated. That makes the price $32300 in today’s US dollars, still a lot of money for a 351 car but as they say “find another.” Too bad the original buyer didn’t check the 428 CJ box on the order form.
Very clean, attractive car. I like the period-correct colors like this. I would go back to original wheel covers or wheels, to keep the stock look consistent. Sure wish the seller would show us the Marti Report, and wonder why there is only one exterior pic?
Perhaps CATHOUSE will chime in, he will see things (good and bad) none of us would notice.
Nice car to have. I had one back in 73′ and had it for 15 years. Same interior and seats, color the same. No AC, 8 track or power windows. Same motor, but the color was a little darker beige or brownish. Rust kill the car but it still ran great when I sold it at 250,000 miles on it.
Low milage but not stated? Plastic seat covers, no. Engine compartment needs detailing. Looks to have been repainted. Does that make it a #3 driver?
With all the luxury options, I doubt this originally came with poverty caps.
Back then, many ordered standard caps because the plan was for after market wheels as the companies had crazy high prices for theirs. Of course, the plastic on the seats just screams old person from 50 years ago, so who knows? That person is probably very very dusty these days, and has sat in some heirs garage for decades until finally deciding to cash in. Would also explain low miles on her. Old people buy dream cars and either get sick or die soon after.
Mine came with Full hubcaps
Being 20 then I remember this trim with the houndstooth.. some even had the vinyl top houndstooth.. It was a very different time….
A friend just had just come home from the Army and bought an Eliminator in that electric blue… Cougars were nice cars….
Having all the original hoses, belts and seals isn’t really a selling point.
Agreed completely. They ripe for failure after all this time and barely running.
not a lot of pics or info for 45k. i think the seller is fishing.
The radio stack/console looks pretty dirty for 8000 miles also. Bad pic or . . . ?
Two pictures don’t prove much. Back then, turning odometer back was common. And even disconnecting the cable would deactivate it entirely. The surface rust on the right front apron should not be there. The console shows discoloration on the various plastics. Seat cover could have been installed last week. Only a personal inspection will tell what it is.
8000 miles? It sure wouldn’t be a daily driver. I wonder how much depreciation would be with an additional 5-10k miles per year.
Something doesn’t pass the smell test. Hub caps, not wheel covers? Only one exterior pic? Something smells fishy here. If I were right down the street, I’d look. Without more pics and info, I wouldn’t travel to see
Well if you just have to have a Cougar this looks really nice. Don’t think you could restore one for this $ now- a- days . Not a fan of the black wheels and dog dish caps . But that’s just me .
Great looks and all the luxury of its bigger siblings.
45k and no pictures of the full car. I’ve learned over the years that car listing photos are like online dating photos. If all you see are a bunch of close ups, you are going to surely be disappointed!
I always loved the styling of the first generation Cougar. The standard 351 is more than sufficient for a Sunday drive in fair weather, trips to cars and coffee and car shows where it sits and looks prettier. A bigger engine would increase its rarity and variety though. Nice car!
These cars should have been fastback.
The XR-7 package came standard with XR-7 hubcaps. I suppose that a buyer could have down graded to the poverty style caps. Posting the Marti report would prove how the car was originally equipped. I question the paint color. The one photo that shows the passenger side floor appears to be a completely different color. When these cars were produced the floor pan would be painted the same color as the exterior of the car. Again the seller would be well advised to post the Marti report and/or the original dealer invoice that they claim to have. The seller also offers nothing in the line of proof for the 8000 mile claim.
Agreed, showing some more/better pictures and some of that claimed paperwork would be nice, but I guess contacting the seller would take care of that.
A Ventures 8-Track – yes! I just spun a Ventures LP yesterday.
Good looking car , needs to loose the plastic seat covers. they are in prefect condition , that tells me this cougar is a trailer queen. Someone needs to drive it and have some fun.
My first car was a 1968 Cougar XR-7. It was dark green, black vinyl roof, leather tan interior. It had a 350 Windsor engine. It was quick. It had Krueger mag wheels all around. That was a fun car. Don’t see any old Cougars any more. I loved that car!
Close, that would be a 351 Windsor, the same CI as the Cleveland.