Looking beyond the front-end damage on this 1969 Mercury Cougar XR7, I’m envisioning what was once a truly beautiful pony car, likely somebody’s pride and joy before the inconceivable happened. Whatever took place remains a mystery, as the seller offers no explanation for how this one went from a top-tier example to having a salvage title, so there’s obviously a considerable amount of work ahead for the next owner to properly get this poor feline back on the road. If you’ve got the talent and are up for the task, this one’s in Granite City, Illinois, and can be spotted here on eBay. The buy-it-now price is set at $16,900, but the seller also included a make-offer button, which was probably a wise decision. Curvette, thanks a lot for the tip here!
With so little information provided, this is a situation where the photos will have to tell most of the story. Obviously, the front section speaks for itself and will require extensive parts and repairs. Thankfully, the panels from the doors back might be OK, but it’s unknown what type of damage the frame sustained at the time of impact. The title status isn’t exactly encouraging, and with no pictures showing from below, I probably wouldn’t get my hopes up that the frame escaped unscathed. There’s also no word on the extent of restoration this Mercury received prior to the crash, but overspray is visible on the data plate, so it’s definitely had some paint work in the past.
The owner reports that the XR7 is powered by a 351 V8 and that the car lot drives, though no further information is shared regarding the engine, transmission, or any other mechanical components. It’s a positive that no parts appear to have been borrowed from under the hood since the crash, and I speculate this one was probably a good runner before the accident. Hopefully, the engine didn’t sustain any significant damage, and perhaps it will be only a small part of the puzzle to get this car functional again.
Some good news is that it does not appear the interior suffered at all, as there’s very little in here that looks like it currently needs much attention. However, with the totaled title, it might make more sense to put the salvageable items from both the inside and out onto a different Cougar. Ultimately, that’ll all be up to the next owner to decide, and I’m curious to hear what our readers have to say about that. Is this 1969 Mercury Cougar XR7 a desirable project, or is it ultimately better suited for a parts car?
SMDH
definitely a fixer the damage isn’t that bad
As long as no real bad frame damage looks like a nice ride. Most likely in my opinion the seller has alot of money into it and just does not want to pour some more into it so the seller wants to cut their losses. Thats what I think..
Too much money for a parts car, that’s for sure. My first thought was that the damage wasn’t fatal but, it got totaled for a reason. A thorough exam and a lower price are both required.