When’s a Ford pony car not a Mustang? When it’s similar, but a bit different, Mercury Cougar. Or does that make it a cat car, hmmm? Whatever the case, the Cougar went through many twists and turns over its long model run but as is often the case, the original generation was, subjectively speaking, its best. And today’s 1967 Cougar is an inaugural year example. This Cougar is located in  Vancouver, Washington and is available, here on craigslist for $8,000. Thanks to local_sheriff for this tip!

Introduced in 1967, the Cougar was essentially a gussied up Ford Mustang with a three-inch longer wheelbase. The first-gen covered the years 1967-1970 with ’67 being its strongest production year, realizing 150K copies. Starting with the fourth-gen in 1977, the Cougar name graced not only a two-door coupe but a four-door sedan and station wagon as well. For the model year 1983, the Cougar returned to its roots as a two-door coupe only and continued as such through 1997. Taking a hiatus for ’98, 1999 saw the release of a compact, front-wheel-drive, Cougar hatchback that stayed in Mercury’s line-up through 2002 when the Cougar name was retired for good. And of course, by the end of 2010, Mercury, itself, was retired for good.

One of the defining Cougar styling cues, compared to the Mustang, are its covered headlights, a feature that was all the rage in the mid to late ’60s. This example has them and they appear to be well aligned and not crooked or half-open as they frequently appear on old Cougars. Nevertheless, these are stated as non-working and are stuck in the shut position though the headlights do illuminate. Another notable feature of this Cougar is its driver’s side fender which looks to have been boosted from a ’68 model, observe the side-marker light, there is no such thing on the passenger side, however. The maroon finish (originally moss green) and body integrity show well so perhaps it was a minor foible that caused the fender swap – something to consider. The finish is listed as being oxidized but the few listing images don’t reveal that. One thing that is not readily observable is the after-market moon-roof, a very popular ’80s addition. The seller states that the seals on this one are worn out and need to be replaced – sounds like a make-them-yourself kind of project. Hopefully, there hasn’t been any water intrusion damage. The Ansen Sprint-style wheels are period correct but they are typically pitted – standard fare with outside exposure. Finally, for anyone physically reviewing this car, watch out for those tailpipes, they are seriously dangerous to unsuspecting shins and just completely wrong for this car. The extended leaf spring shackles don’t do much for appearances either.

Under the hood is a 289 CI V8 that started life with either a 200 or 225 HP depending on the carburetor configuration. This 150K mile engine has typical mods in the form of an Edelbrock four-barrel carburetor, an aftermarket aluminum intake manifold, an open-element air cleaner, and an MSD ignition system. The seller suggests, “This car can drive to your house but does need work“. Not often found anymore is the three-speed manual transmission that backs up the 289. The tires, brakes, and steering components are listed as new or newer.

Inside we find worn, replacement bucket seats and new door panels that need to be installed properly. There is a mish-mash of shades with tan door/kick panels and black seats/carpet – it really doesn’t work well. There is an after-market tachometer in place but it needs to be connected and some of the factory instrument panel gauges are not operative. Curious to see is the rusty steering wheel, how’s that happen, a leaky moon roof perhaps? How about a radio? Not today!

I give the seller credit for being forthcoming, his listing breaks down the “Good” along with the euphemistically labeled “Needs Work” but at least it gives a prospective buyer an idea of expected effort and investment necessary to straighten this Cougar out. Given the choice between a ’67 Mustang and a ’67 Cougar, I prefer the cat, primarily because it’s rarer but I really prefer the styling – not that there is anything wrong with the Mustang’s. I’m on the fence with this car, I fear it’s one of those that deeper you dig, the more you find; what’s your thought?