You don’t have to squint too hard to see the potential of this 1967 Mercury Cougar GT. You will, however, have to look past the E38 BMW wheels that make an appearance in several photos, because they’re not included. This Cougar was sent in by Barn Finds reader, Matt R., who found it here on Craigslist in Vancouver, Washington. The seller is asking $5,000.
While the Cougar was a sibling to Ford’s Mustang, it looked totally different, had a longer wheelbase, and had about a 10% base price premium over the Mustang. I wasn’t around in 1967 to choose between the two, but it seems like that small price bump was more than justified. Even so, the Mustang outsold the Cougar in 1967 more than 3 to 1 as Mercury built just over 150k Cougars for its first model year.
The seller tells us this Cougar was a “complete running/driving car when teardown started” but is now in need of a total restoration. Some rust repair has been completed but there is still plenty of bodywork to be done. There are some emblems and trim missing, but the seller describes the car as 90% complete. The car still wears its Cardinal Red paint with Polar White painted roof. As mentioned earlier, you don’t get the E38 BMW wheels on there now, but the seller is including some steel wheels with mismatched tires.
The interior needs a total restoration as well. The parchment interior with red appointments is very matchy-matchy to the exterior. It looks like everything is there, but it’s not in great shape. A less common bench seat is original and in place. The floor-mounted manual shifter centered in front of that bench seat gives this interior a bit of muscle-y feel.
Under the hood is the pièce de résistance – an original, numbers-matching S-Code 390 cubic-inch V8 backed by a 4-speed manual transmission. That was the top of the engine heap for the Cougar in 1967. Only 2,607 buyers opted for that combo in 1967 – that’s less than 2%. The seller tells us the Cougar is equipped with power steering and power disc brakes.
Reading the detail of the Marti Report shows this is 1 of 1 and that’s not selecting options that are too obscure. This Cougar seems well deserving of a quality restoration. Is it a project you’d be willing to undertake?
The M sport wheels not just the best looking wheels, on anything .
That 390 is shoehorned in there, sparkplug replacement is not a job for the casual wrench. These cars don’t turn up to often. Myself the cougar was better looking, had the headlights behind a door.
I was working at a Lincoln Mercury dealership when these cares were around. Best way to do the plugs was to pull the motor mount bolts and jack up the motor a little bit. This made changing plugs a breeze
I had a green cougar in high school paid 700 dollars for it in 1975 it had the 390 and top load 4 speed in it my friend had a shelby gt350 he drove mine and said his couldnt touch it he was impressed . It was a little much for a 17 year old and I spun out burning out in second and parked up into another car ended up selling it . But I do remember having to undo engine mounts to change plugs wish I had that car today.
Yes, and over the years we realized why spark plug sockets have a 5/8″ hex on them…
Already deleted by seller.
Damn missedit but probably saved some marital quarrels over too many cars in the herd. 😂
I really don’t think two classic cars in home garage (vette and chev 3100 ) and two in a two deep storage (67 Stang convet and 64 Chevelle ) unit is that bad personally. 😉
I wont mention the 1974 396 3/4 ton pickup or 27 Chrysler coupe on drag frame on family farm dry storage pole barn.
Rough, but rare and well optioned enough to make a worthwhile project at that asking price. The 4spd and big block paired with a bunch seat is surprising. Whoever bought it, assuming they aren’t a flipper, is going to have fun dealing with the sunroof.
Steve R
Great – a trailer hitch
Neat car though
Already gone
And CB mount holes on the rear fender even. You know what you are starting with on this one as it seems complete.
those bmw wheels look gross on this car, i dont get those mega ri.s with 1/2″ of rubber on many cars let alone vintage iron.
Awesome price for an awesome car for someone that only has 6 to 8 grand to get her home and start going through it. It will only increase in value so dump 40 into it over the next 10 years or so to have a sweet Cougar…Make that a sweet 4-Speed big block Cougar. Good luck patching or replecing the $29.98 dallor sunfoor in it, but look for a real complete sunroof roof and put it on.
I’m a huge Cougar fan, if I was looking for a car to restore, this would have been my kind project. 67 390 4-gear, this will be worth big money when completed. Love these
Not sure on the 67 but an optional electric sun roof was available on the 68. It was the same roof as that used on the Thunderbird. Ford sent them out for a costume install. I had a 68 once. The car was so rusty I sold it to I guy so he could cut the roof off to put another Cougar By the way, this car does not have one of those sun roofs
I heard from West Coast Classic Cougar one of their customers snagged it. They are already buying parts for it.. Should be a good project
When these came out, everyone tought the sequential lights were unreal(even though 1 or 2 other cars/shelby also had them). Pecking order back then: Firebird over Camaro, Cougar over Mustang.
The good deals never last!!!
I have a 67 Cougar 390 GT.
The best way to change the No 8 plug is to remove the valve cover.