1969 Mercury Cougar

The Mercury Cougar was the upscale alternative to the Mustang, arriving in 1967 and remaining in production through 1997. The 'First Generation' of styling would continue through 1970, and just like other Mercury vehicles, its purpose was to complement the Ford line, albeit with unique styling elements and a more comfortable interior with a larger list of standard amenities. The Cougar far exceeded its initial sales projections when it was introduced for 1967, accounting for nearly forty percent of the entire Lincoln-Mercury division's sales. Motor Trend named it the Car of the Year for 1967, becoming the first and only Mercury brand vehicle to be given this honor.

Mercury produced 150,893 examples of the Cougar in 1967, falling to 113,720 in 1968, then to 100,069 in 1969, and 72,343 in 1970.

The 1969 Mercury Cougar

The 1969 Mercury Cougar came with a completely new body design, a convertible, a larger base engine, a new automatic transmission, and an option package called the Eliminator. The new sheet metal, resting on the same 111-inch wheelbase as before, had more pronounced hood sculpting and a side 'swoop' that resulted in more of a General Motors 'Coke bottle' shape. The overall length, however, had grown by three-and-a-half inches to 193.8', and had more interior space and legroom than the Mustang. Its shape was different from the Ford pony car as well, distinguished by sharp creases along the bodyside, beginning at the front, above the bumper, and downwardly sloping to the front of the rear wheel arches. At the front, the previous horizontal bars in the grille were now vertical, retaining the car's signature hideaway headlamps. In the backs, the rear trail lamps stretched the entire width of the rear with the license plate being relocated from above the bumper to below it. There were additional front and rear overhang, and 128 pounds added to the standard base model. The XR-7 convertible weighed in at a whopping 3,502 pounds, compared to a much slimmer 3,270 for the 1968 XR-7 hardtop.

The interior further distinguished itself from the Mustang with its woodgrain-look on the XR-7 models and the blacked-out motif of the Decor Interior Group.

The 1968's 289/302 base engine was replaced with a new 351 cubic-inch version of Ford's small block. With a two-barrel carburetor, the engine produced 250 horsepower - an increase of 40 horsepower over the 302 2V. The new small block became known as the 351W to differentiate it from a different 351 that would be introduced in 1970. The 'W' stood for Windsor, Ontario, Canada, the location of the factory in which they were built.

Mercury Cougar buyers seeking performance could select the 4V 351 cubic-inch Windsor that offered nearly 300 horsepower with high octane gas and 10.7:1 compression. The next step up was 'S-code' 390 4V with 320 horses, and at the top of the horsepower ladder were two versions of the Cobra Jet 428 4V. Available with or without ram-air induction, the CJ 428 got a conservative factory rating of 335 horsepower.

The Sport Special option package was new for 1969. It was available on standard hardtops and included E78 x 24 white sidewall tires, remote-control driver-side mirror, turbine wheel covers, unique paint striping, and a distinctive ribbed curb molding with a simulated scoop. The Sports Special package could also be upgraded with F70 x 14 belted tires, the decor group, and/or performance suspension.

There were four levels of the Sport Special Package and each level could be combined with any available engine. The Package A added 'turbine' style wheel covers, a remote-control racing-style side mirror, unique pinstriping, and rocker panel moldings with simulated side scoops. The Package B added all the items found in Package A plus a 'rim-blow' steering wheel, Interior Decor Group, upgraded seating surfaces and interior trim panels with door-mounted courtesy lights. Package C added items included with Package A plus the Special Handling Package, heavy-duty suspension components, and improved tires. The top-of-the-line Package D added all the items found on the other packages plus the Special Handling package and the Interior Decor package.

The new-for-1969 Eliminator Package (which included the Eliminator Equipment Package (cost: $129.60), the Eliminator Decor Group (cost: $69.90), and the Performance Tire / Handling Group), arriving mid-year, came standard with a four-barrel-equipped 351 cubic-inch Windsor rated at 290 horsepower. The four-barrel 390 CID V8 produced 320 horsepower, the solid-lifter Boss 302 had 290 hp, and the top-of-the-line 428 Cobra Jet was rated at 355 hp. The 351 CID and the big-block engines were available on any Cougar, but the Boss 302 powerplant was only available with the Eliminator. The addition of the 428 Cobra Jet added a heavy-duty suspension with revised shocks and springs, and an uprated anti-roll bar. With the 428 Cobra Jet and a manual transmission, the left rear shock absorber was relocated behind the axle.

The Eliminator Equipment Package was offered in four colors consisting of Bright Blue Metallic, White, Bright Yellow, and Competition Orange. Eliminator decal and side stripes further distinguished it from its non-Eliminator siblings. The $129.60 package added a unique 'black camera case' instrument panel with tachometer, Rallye clock, visual warning lights, gauges, and trip odometer, high-back (Hi-Back) bucket seats (an Eliminator-only feature for the 1969 model year), a front spoiler and rear wing, a hood scoop, and a blacked-out grille. The hood scoop was only functional when the buyer selected the separate Ram Air option. The Eliminators also came with the body-side stripe and emblem decal, styled steel wheels, a 3.50:1 performance axle, and a remote-control left-side mirror.

The Eliminator Décor Group option added padded interior moldings, rear-seat armrests, custom door trim, door-mounted courtesy lights, Rim Blow steering wheel, and curb molding.

Mercury built a total of 2,250 examples of the Eliminator in 1969 and 2,267 examples built in 1970.

The Hertz Rental Car Company purchased Cougar Eliminators as part of their 'Rent-A-Racer' program in 1969 and 1970. T101 examples were built for Hertz in 1969 and 100 the following year. They came with the electric sunroof option, which was not available on Eliminators sold to the public. All of the Hertz Eliminators were identically optioned, except for the paint and interior trim combinations, and the California Evaporative Emissions equipment required for the 1970 models sent to California. Power was sourced from the 351-4V engine paired with an FMX automatic transmission.

by Dan Vaughan

The Mercury Cougar appeared in 1967 as a sport-luxury vehicle. The muscle car era was in full swing and Mercury used a longer version of the Ford Mustang chassis complete with two doors, leather bucket seats, and V8 engines. In its inaugural year, Motor Trend awarded it their prestigious award, the Car of the Year. The Mercury brought style, sophistication, and speed. The engine options ranged from a 289 cubic inch V8 engine producing nearly 200 horsepower to a 390 cubic inch 8-cylinder power-plant capable of producing 335 horsepower and an amazing 427 foot-pounds of torque. The high performance 390 cubic-inch engine ran the quarter-mile in sixteen seconds and raced from zero to sixty in 8.1 seconds. A three-speed synchromesh gearbox was standard and a four-speed manual and three-speed Merc-O-Matic were also available, allowing for customization to suit all types of drivers and styles. The suspension was modified from the Mustang platform to include a longer rear leaf spring and an upgraded front suspension, the result was a softer, comfortable ride with a sports-racing heritage. An optional firmer suspension complete with stiffer springs, solid rear bushings, larger shocks, and wider anti-roll bars, were available for a price. If the driver preferred luxury over performance, the XR-7 package was available. This included competition instrumentation, walnut dash, leather-covered automatic transmission shifter, wood-trimmed steering wheel, and a combination of leather and vinyl seats. Just over 27,000 of the XR-7 option was ordered during its introductory year. The XR-7 option was offered for all years the pony-car Cougar was produced. More than 150,000 2-door Cougar hardtops were produced in 1967.

The success and popularity of the car continued in 1968 although sales did drop by around 40,000 vehicles. There were still well-over 110,000 examples produced in 1968. The base engine was the 289 V8 engine producing nearly 200 horsepower. The muscle-car era was heating up, and so were the available engines that Mercury was offering. A 427 and 428 cubic-inch engine became available with the 427 producing 390 horsepower and the 428 producing 335. With the 427, the Cougar could run from zero to sixty in 7.1 seconds and the quarter-mile in just over 15 seconds. The 428 was offered near the close of 1968 model year, a move that was intended to allow the buyer with customization room while keeping insurance and safety personnel content. When compared with the 427, the 428 did better on satisfying emission requirements and had around fifty-less horsepower. A performance package was offered, the GT-E, complete with the 427 cubic-inch V8 matted to a SelectShift Merc-O-Matic, power disc brakes, hood scoop which did nothing except add to the aggressive look of the vehicle, various performance and handling upgrades, and steel wheels.

The cougar changed in many ways in 1969. A convertible option was now offered, the 427 engine option was removed, and the wheelbase became wider and longer resulting in a heavier vehicle. Sales were still strong but they just barely cleared 100,000 units. Mercury introduced the Eliminator package available in blue, orange, and yellow exterior colors. Under the hood lurked a four-barrel Windsor 351 cubic-inch V8 capable of producing nearly 300 horsepower. The base engine was a 302 cubic-inch 8-cylinder producing 290 horsepower with the top of the line engine a 428 cubic-inch 8-cylinder producing just under 340 horsepower. Mercury offered products such as Weber carbs and deep-sump oil pans that amplified the performance to meet customer performance requirements. Larger brakes, sportier suspension, engine modifications, and performance products did make the car a stronger force on the drag strip but it was often shown-up by the smaller and lighter muscle cars of the day.

For 1970 the Cougar continued to grow in size. Although the size meant more interior room for the passengers, it also meant more weight. The Eliminator was still available, now with a 351 cubic-inch Cleveland 8-cylinder engine producing 300 horsepower. The 302 cubic-inch V8 rated at 290 horsepower was the base engine. A 429 cubic-inch 8-cylinder big-block with Ram-Air induction offered 375 horsepower and 440 foot-pounds of torque. With less than 4,300 convertible options sold during the 1970 model year, it guarantees their exclusivity in modern times. Although the size of the car and the available engines grew, sales did not. Just over 72,000 examples were produced in 1970.

The muscle-car era was beginning to decline due to stiff safety and emission regulations, gas shortages, and steeper insurance premiums. Mercury decided to continue the Cougar on the path of luxury with sport-tendencies, resulting in a larger wheelbase. The Eliminator package was no longer offered. The 351 or 429 cubic-inch engines were all that were offered. Horsepower ranged from 285 through 370 depending on the engine and configuration selected. 3,440 convertible were sold and nearly 63,000 combined total Mercury Cougars were produced in 1971.

In 1972 the 351 cubic-inch V8 was all that were offered. Sales were around 54,000 units with the hardtop configuration proving again to be the popular option. Horsepower was now rated in SAE Net horsepower. The Cougar produced between 168 through just over 265 depending on the configuration. The same continued into the 1973 model year.

With sales around 60,000 in 1973, Mercury decided it would be the final year for the Cougar in the 'pony' car configuration. Mercury continued to use the name 'Cougar' in various models.

Built atop an enlarged Ford Mustang chassis, adorned with luxury Mercury had become famous for, and powered by high-performance engines, the Mercury Cougar was a well-rounded vehicle. It was designed to offer performance while keeping the occupants comfortable and content.

by Dan Vaughan