I love the enthusiasm of some classic car owners. While they may not perform a hard sell, they give you reasons to justify purchasing their pride and joy. Take this 1969 Mercury Cougar Convertible. The seller state that life is short, and you need a Convertible. Not wishing to argue, I can’t help but agree. The Cougar isn’t perfect, but it is an excellent diver-quality classic begging to be enjoyed. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, this classic is listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has hit $15,100 in a No Reserve auction.
Dark Blue Metallic is one of the more stunning shades to grace the panels of the 1969 Cougar, and it is more striking when combined with a White power top. That is what awaits this Mercury’s next owner, and it appears that the car has no serious cosmetic needs. Its paint shines beautifully, with an excellent depth of color and consistency. The panels look impressive, with tight gaps and no visible signs of rust. The grille exhibits wear, and a perfectionist may consider restoring or replacing it. The remaining trim is excellent for a vehicle of this type. The power top works as it should and seems to fit tightly. The Cougar is a classy car offering a slightly more luxurious experience than its Mustang cousin. Therefore, the narrow whitewall tires don’t look out of place on this classic.
Lifting the Cougar’s hood reveals a mystery that needs clarifying. The owner states that a 351ci V8 occupies the engine bay, but it isn’t clear which version. If it’s the H-Code, the driver will have 250hp at their disposal. However, the M-Code bumps that figure to 290hp. Bolted to the V8 is a three-speed automatic transmission that feeds the power to the rear wheels. If the engine is an H-Code, the Cougar will cover the ¼ mile in 16.6 seconds. The M-Code would slice that number to 16 seconds flat. Regardless of which motor calls this car home, it seems that it is in sound health. The seller indicates that it is fast and runs like a train. We can only hope that the train in question is not a steam locomotive!
One of the weaknesses of a Convertible is that with the top down, a sub-standard interior is on show to the world. This Mercury’s interior isn’t perfect, but a few small investments would provide significant improvements. The carpet is worn and faded, but it is serviceable. If the buyer craves a visual boost, $220 will secure a new carpet set. There is a small split on the outer edge of the passenger seat, and the back seat upholstery is faded. A set of slipcovers would hide the problem, but new upholstery for all seats will set the buyer back around $500. Someone cut the door trims and rear trims to accommodate speakers, and an aftermarket radio/cassette player occupies the space previously reserved for the factory radio. It would be tempting to swap the existing cassette player for a retro-look unit and fill the existing holes with new speakers. The remaining trim and dash look like they would be okay for a driver-quality car. As well as the power top, the Cougar scores well with factory air conditioning.
This 1969 Cougar is a tidy classic that offers an alternative to a Mustang Convertible with a dash of luxury and a potentially lower initial outlay. Lifting this car’s interior presentation would not be challenging, but it could wait until summer is a distant memory. If you find it too tempting to resist, joining the bidding party could be your next move. What do you say?
Being a 69 model, it’s a Windsor I believe. Cleveland engines were not introduced until the 1970 model year. Top radiator hose to the manifold is also a Windsor feature.
Mine had a 351 Cleveland in it. Also low rise bucket seats with headrest. FMX transmission was the leak link in the drivetrain. This car probably has the fmx tranny in it too.
BlisterEm is correct. The only 351 offered in 1969 was the Windsor. The 351C was not available until the 1970 model year. No 1969 models left the factory with a 351C.
Well by the time I bought mine there was one in it and boy did it go!! Mid 13 sec car.
Up close, it appears to have single exhaust, so it is likely the H code…it’s a pretty car, and deserves a good looking over…the paint looks a mile deep…
Nice car! If I owned it, I’d be tempted to switch out the blue upholstery for white. I just did the same thing on my ’68 Mustang convertible, and I think it looks great!
In 69 Ford still used M and H codes to signify a 4V or 2V for the new 351W engine. When Cleveland’s became available in 70 the 4V could no longer be optioned on a Windsor (only in the Cleveland), but the code did not show the difference between a Cleveland 2V vs. Windsor 2V
The Matri Report would show the code if the original carb/intake/air cleaner assembly is not still on the car.
Either way this appears to be a nice cat with many after-market upgrades if you want to increase HP
Speaking of Life Being Short, Here is your BF Fun Fact of the Day (BFFFOTD). If you watched a one-hour TV show covering the history of the earth in time-lapse photography, humans would not appear until the final second of the broadcast. Or so says Bill Nye the Science Guy.
Looks like a very nice car and it checks all the boxes. If I could , I wouldn’t hesitate on purchasing this car.
Forgive me if I don’t put a lot of stock in Bill Nye the Pretend Science Guy.
Way off topic for BF.
Fair enough.Get the comment removed
I thought that tid-bit of info was very thought provoking. Nothing wrong with a little diversion from the crazy car prices nowadays! BTW, I use to watch Bill Nye’s great show in my younger days, big fan. The Cougar sold for $19,600! Good looking driving project, at least the A/C components are still there.
I see it is a convertible, no wonder the interior is faded. Great color.
The seller is right on both counts !
Life is short
And
You must enjoy the topless driving experience
I got hooked as a teen and have owned one for every summer of my life
And if life doesn’t cheat me
I will be 60 this summer