This 1970 Mercury Cougar appears to be a solid car, and if the photos are any indication, then the asking price seems to have been dropped quite significantly. In one of the photos, the price on the windshield is $7,995. It is being advertised for significantly less than that. Barn Finder Rocco B spotted this one, so thank you for that Rocco. You will find the Cougar advertised for sale here on Craigslist. It is located in Bedford, Tennessee, and is being sold with a clean title. The advertised price for the car is $5,500, which represents quite a price drop from the amount listed above.
The paint on this Mercury looks quite baked, and the car will definitely need a repaint (unless you’re aspiring to the rat rod look). The thing that really caught my eye with this car was how clean it actually is. By that, I mean that there are no real signs of visible rust. There might be a couple of tiny marks on the rocker on the passenger side, but otherwise, it looks clean. All of the glass looks good, and the car certainly has a meaningful stance about it.
The interior will need some work. It is all complete, but the wheel and dash pad are both cracked. The door trims and rear seat look like they could be revived with a bit of cleaning, although the armrests on both doors are pretty tired. The carpet is also pretty tired, and we don’t know what is hiding under those aftermarket covers. Still, it is quite serviceable as it stands.
This was the second thing that caught my eye with the Cougar. That 351-2V engine is about as clean as they come. It is backed by a 3-speed manual transmission. Mechanically this car has undergone some recent work, with a new brake system, fuel system, tires, lifters, and other work, although the owner isn’t terribly specific on what this is. The plug wires look new, as does the vacuum advance unit on the distributor. In fact, the whole engine looks virtually new. Given the fact that there is no obvious rattle-can work in evidence, I would say that the engine has been out for some pretty significant work.
As I said at the beginning, the owner of this Cougar appears to have dropped the price quite significantly. The car looks solid, and the engine looks new. I would love to have some more specific details on what has been done to the engine. If someone is specifically looking for a Cougar project car, this is one that seems to show a lot of promise.
I’m more interested in the Cyclone Spoiler in the background.
Steve R
I went and looked at this Cougar earlier this year, it is about 30 minutes from me. We mainly went because of the Cyclone. My uncle has a ’69 Cyclone CJ and my good friend has a ’68 Cyclone GT 500.
The Cyclone this guy has is a Cale Yarborough Special and is an original 390, 4 speed car. IIRC he bought it earlier in the year out of Texas. It is a pretty decent car.
The guy had a couple of Cale Yarborough back in the 1980’s and wanted another one and found it on line and had it shipped to him.
The Cougar is in Bedford, VA not TN. When I looked at it he was asking $7,995. The $5,500 price isn’t too bad. I would change the interior to black and repaint the car in the original Competition Orange and add some Eliminator stripes. Also change the trans to a top loader 4 speed.
Noticed that Cyclone next to it right off. Funny how this Cougar has all the gusto of a street machine in progress: the stance, the wheels, even that hood scoop, like get outta my way. Yet they went to great lengths to clean up and restore like new a ….351 two barrel stocker. Sill a neat car though.
I believe the car is in Bedford, VA.
Is that a doorbell / buzzer button in the middle of the steering wheel? I’d have pulled off the seat covers since some folks are going to assume the worst anyway and at any rate if they’re trashed it’s going to come up at some point unless the buyer for some weird reason chooses not to care. This is one car I’d rather see an all black interior inside.
I have the same type of steering wheel on my LTD and I can’t get my horn to work either.
I am actually considering an aftermarket wheel to get a working horn. I know I shudder at the thought as well.
Miguel
Have you checked to see if the horns actually will make noise? It is not uncommon for the horns to quit working. Also did you check the horn contacts on the turn signal switch? This is another area known to fail. In either case replacing the steering wheel will not solve the problem.
Cathouse, I put a new set of horns on the car.
The horn pad is not making contact like it should.
What do you mean, horn contacts on the turn signal switch? I don’t think it has that. It has the ring that makes contact with the wheel and the horn pad has two strips of metal that are not making contact like they should.
I have been looking for a replacement but the are hard to find.
I will post a picture when I can get one in the daylight.
Miguel,
Do you have a rim blow horn? The type where you can squeeze the rim of the steering wheel anywhere and the horn should blow. If that is the case you can purchase a reproduction rim blow switch. The 1969 switch is a one year only piece and then there are the 1970-1973 switch. You can get the switch from just about any of the Mustang vendors as they are the same.
I have one similar to the one on this Cougar.
I am still looking for a replacement.
Miguel,
What year is your LTD? If you pull your steering wheel off you will be able to see the turn signal switch. The wiring for the horns goes onto 2 rivoted in place terminals. There have been cases where the wiring broke away from the rivot and there have been cases where the rivots have pulled out of the switch.
CATHOUSE, the problem isn’t inside the column. I took pictures but they didn’t come out.
The problem is at the two ends of the horn pad which is damaged.
I will find one sooner or later, I hope.
Miguel,
I have some wheels and center pads here that might help you out. I would need to know what year your car is though as the pads are different shapes and sizes depending upon the year. Once I know the year of your car I can see what I have here. Let me know.
It is a 1972 Ford LTD.
The car featured at this link is just like my car. The steering wheel he has is the one I have.
https://charleyconnolly.blogspot.com/2016/03/1972-ford-ltd-ford-even-chevy-guy-could.html
Miguel,
I will look today to see what I have and will let you know.
Miguel,
I have a used switch here and the pad too if you need it. There is a little damage to the plastic piece that the switch fits into, it could be glued back together if you need that part, perhaps yours is still okay and you could just put the switch into it. Let me know your thoughts and perhaps we can get together on it. I have never tried to post photos here but maybe I would be able to, maybe, tech is not my strong point.
CATHOUSE, here are two pictures of my horn pad. This is what I need to fix it.
Here is the other side.
I have one of those J.C. Whitney horn buttons I took off a old farm truck I bought years ago. Normally they are attached to the steering column. It was a common cheap way to repair a nonworking horn without a lot of expense such as replacing the steering wheel.
An Eliminator clone in the making. Slap a spoiler on the trunk and a 4bbl under the hood to open up that 351. Cheap if there isn’t much rot on it
When I found my 69 mach 1 in the mid 80’s it had a horn button like the one on this cougar. But, that was when the horn switch for the deluxe steering wheel was somewhat spendy to get. This one has the base steering wheel, not the porno wheel.
That “shiney clean” engine is definitely rattle canned! Wrong shade of Ford blue.
It is a Cougar so if the new owner keeps the paint as is it should be called a Cat Rod not Rat Rod!
lookin for Adam to post up some of this vehicle’s contemporary competition frm Down Under (esp the same make & X-flows).
{;-)
Why has no one mentioned the 3 speed on the floor ?
I think its an add on. Bet this car was automatic from factory.
Pedals do not match either.
Looks like a mish mash.
But better than that Cougar convert.
The clutch pedal is just missing the stainless trim piece which probably came off due to aggressive driving.
I talked to the owner a few months back when he was ask $7500 or so. At that time he told me it needed floor pans. I did not make the drive to see it in person.
I called the owner a little while back. He told me it needed new floor pans.
I have now go to look at it myself.
John
Not often do you find a stick in a Cougar…..likable price.
Compare this one to the ragtop Cougar in Tampa, Florida – its a no-brainer!!