Several new competitors for the Ford Mustang to contend with entered the “pony car” market in 1967. And the Mercury Cougar was one of them. It was designed to be a little bigger and better equipped than the Mustang, which was priced in economy car territory. This 1969 edition looks to be in top shape, with a 351 cubic inch V8 employing Ram Air and a bench seat rather than buckets, a rare option. Located with a dealer in Bradenton, Florida, this badass-looking ride is available here on eBay for $24,997 OBO. “Curvette” does it again with tips.
The Cougar found itself competing for third place in the pony car space behind the Mustang and the Chevy Camaro. Its main push for that position was the Pontiac Firebird. The 1969 Cougar was in its third year and received a tasteful styling update that improved its looks (IMO). That resulted in sales of 100,000 units that year, and 98,400 of them had bucket seats. Just 1,600 buyers opted for a bench seat like the one here if it’s original to the vehicle. It looks like it is, and the upholstery has stretch marks for its age, unlike the matching rear seat.
Residing under the hood of this Cougar is a 351 “Cleveland” V8 paired with a 4-speed manual transmission (automatic trannies went into most Cougars). The odometer is 142 miles away from turning the 100,000-mile mark. We assume the Ram Air is from the factory, but the Flowmaster dual exhaust is a more recent addition. Hidden headlights continued to differentiate the Cougar from the rest of the pack. And they have been converted from vacuum-operated to electric for a more reliable application.
American Racing wheels and BF Goodrich Radial T/A tires complement the muscular look of this automobile. Undercoating has helped keep the Cougar mostly rust-free after 57 years, and we don’t know if the black paint is a redo, but it certainly presents well enough for local shows like Cars & Coffee. Air conditioning has been adde,d but it seems all the vents are on the front passenger side. That means he/she may freeze while everyone else strives to just be comfortable. $25k for a car like this seems reasonable in today’s market.
Bench is fine by me Dixon, the great 351 on board, and rare 4sp is icing on the cake here. Love the Cougar model👍🏁
I enjoy any year Cougar – especially the Muscle years. This one is unique with the bench and 4 speed. The original engine, per VIN, was a 351 2bbl. I started reading the dealership bullsh…er, hyperbole that is just AI regurgitated from several enthusiast sites and loat interest. I wonder if the front seat could be saved with new foam? Or is it beyond help, being stretched too much?
I’m going to enjoy the remarks from regular Barn Finder commentator/Cougar expert CATHOUSE on this one…