Mercury joined the “pony car” wars in 1967, bringing the number of competitors to four (Plymouth Barracuda, Chevy Camaro, and Pontiac’s Firebird would round out the group). AMC would get on board in 1968 and Dodge in 1970. The car was something of an upper-level Mustang and could border on the Thunderbird in terms of goodies. The 1967 Cougar is a GT, which came with a powerful 390 cubic inch V8 engine. From Mesa, Arizona, it will need some tinkering to get to the stage of daily driver. This “cat” is available here on eBay where the reserve is unmet at $7,300.
When the Cougar was introduced in 1967, it became the biggest new car launch in Mercury history at more than 150,000 units. The automotive press liked the new product, as well, with Motor Trend bestowing “Car of the Year” honors on it in ’67 (beating out the also-new Chevy Camaro!). In base form, it was less than $300 more than a Mustang but got into T-Bird territory as the XR-7. The GT was the performance model, and without XR-7 badging nearly 6,000 were built in the first year.
This GT looks to be pretty solid with some work needed here and there. We’re told there is no rust, due in part to living in the Southwest from the beginning. But it shouldn’t take much to get the body back in shape and then add some new paint (the status of the vinyl top is not mentioned). The interior needs some help in terms of seat covers in the front, a new dash pad, and a carpeting set.
Because this is the GT model, the 390 V8 has a 4-barrel carburetor rated at 320 hp. It’s paired with an automatic transmission, and we’re told the vehicle was running as recently as four years ago. Some work has already been done, such as rebuilding the carb, installing a new gas tank, and hooking up new headers on one side (the other half still needs doing). The brakes are new, but the master cylinder has yet to be put in. The seller’s interests have changed, and this Cougar is no longer a priority, so off it must go! Would you move this one to the head of the list?
I still remember in 1993 my Dad and I went to a small classic car lot in the area and they had light metallic blue / light blue interior / black vinyl top 67 Cougar with a 390 in it. Non-GT with the 6.5 Litre badges on the fenders. It was a beauty, and super clean. I was only 16 at the time and working at a pizza joint at $4 an hour did not allow me to afford the Cougar. They wanted $3495 for the car. Fast forward about seven months or so, I bought a very clean 1970 Olds Cutlass Supreme and it’s been down the rabbit hole ever since.
Definitely needs some work, along with a few missing pieces, but the price isn’t astronomical either. Could be a real gem, if finished right
My first ride. 1967 Mercury Cougar GT. 390 manual transmission which I paid a whooping $700 cash for at 15 in 1978. During my test drive, with a friend, I pushed it up over 110 mph and shut her down. Boy I wish id held on to that one. Still dream of the dark green exterior and two tone green interior.
Bought a ’68 Cougar from a sketchy guy on the wrong side of town for $80 & a generator for his ’53 Chevy….came the next day, it was gone, city towed it ( no tags), got a friend’s brother to get it the next day & get it to the farm. It did start & run but the tail cone on the automatic was cracked, so it needed a qt to move. 302 was good, interior decent. Planned a road racer, so a 351C, 4 speed & 9 inch were bought, was almost an XR7, A/C & disc brakes. Quarters from Houston, extra headlamp housings, even 6 tail lite blinkers ( sequentials, 1 worked). Sold it all when we moved off the farm….
I purchased a 1967 Cougar directly from FMC. I was with Cummins Engine and FMC was complaining about me driving a Buick to their experimental building on Rotanda Drive. I told my boss “I can not afford a FMC product. He set me up to visit this executive lot with 90 day VP cars and special promotion cars. I picked out a XR7, dark green, 289, 3 speed manual and factory AC. Car had been given to Car and Driver for a write up. The car now had 4 ,000 miles on it. My price was $2,750.00 + I had to pay the dealer prep of $75.00. We put 110,000 miles on it the next three years.
I’m now 70 and ac is a must. This car with insides fixed, engine sorted out and painted would be a sweet ride. I’ve always mostly been a Ford/Merc guy so slap on some nice wheels and enjoy the f^*k out of it.It’d be the only old Cougar around here!
Auction ended at $9,300, then relisted at a BIN of $10,500.
install the other header and a master cylinder.cmon man.