1970 Mercury Cougar

Mercury introduced the Cougar in 1967, featuring a long hood and short deck and geared to an upper scale buyer, generally considered more of a gentleman's pony car. This changed in 1969 with the introduction of the Eliminator package, offered for just two years, and could be equipped with the Cobra Jet 351, the solid-lifter Boss 302, and the 428 Cobra Jet. The 300 horsepower engine was standard in the Eliminator performance package, and the Boss 302 was only offered in the Eliminator. Eliminators came from the factory with standards that included full competition suspension with heavy-duty shocks and springs, plus a rear stabilizer bar. The sporty persona continued to the interior, with bucket seats, full instrumentation including an 8,000 RPM tachometer, rally clock with sweep second hand, E.T. indicator, and oil pressure gauge. Other items included a two-spoke steering and a visual check panel that housed door-ajar and low-fuel signals.

Numerous performance-enhancing options were offered, along with several wild colors for 1970. The 'Super Drag Pak' cars, a rare option, were utilized by the Ford Motor Company as its marketing name for Ford Lincoln Mercury performance cars of the late 1960s and early 1970s. This option included an oil cooler and a higher ratio rear axle gear (3.91) in the Traction-Lok rear end as the main components. The oil cooler setup included the oil cooler assembly, an oil filter block adapter with a special mounting bolt and oil adapter inlet and outlet hoses to and from the cooler assembly, and upper and lower mounting brackets. The oil cooler mounts were on the driver's side, in front of the radiator support, next to the hood latch. With the oil cooler on the radiator support, both horns were relocated to the passenger side of the hood latch. A reinforcement bracket in the radiator, behind the horns, supported the horns being mounted side-by-side.

A revised look for the 1970 Mercury Cougar included a sleeker and sportier silhouette with the hand-tooled appearance of European Grand Touring cars of the era. Body styles included a hardtop or convertible and, depending on the options selected, could fall into multiple categories, from wild to elegant. The previous year's grille was replaced by a center hood extension and vertical 'electric-shaver' like inserts similar to the design cues of the 1967 and 1968 models. The interiors had courtesy lights, a vinyl headliner, rosewood-toned dash panel, high-back bucket seats, and carpeted door trim panels. The convertibles received a comfortable weave vinyl interior, a power top with a folding rear glass window, and a three-spoke steering wheel.

Mercury built 72,365 examples of the Cougar in 1970 with 49,479 being hardtops with 2,268 receiving the Eliminator Package. 2,322 examples were convertible, with a factory base price of $3,265. The hardtop coupe had a base price of $2,920.

The 111.1-inch wheelbase and 196.1-inch length were the shortest in the lineup. The vast list of options made the Cougar customizable to meet buyers needs and wishes, including air conditioning, vinyl roof, AM radio with Stereo-sonic tape, AM radio, AM/FM stereo, power steering, front disc brakes, heater and defroster, Deluxe wheel covers, Rally wheel covers, wire wheel covers, and more. The Appearance Production Group added front bumper guards, rear floor mats, and door edge guards. The Courtesy Light Group included underhood and map lights, head-lamps-on warning buzzer with light, and rear roof pillar. The Decor Option Group had deluxe wheel covers, custom-grade door and quarter trim, rear quarter armrests, comfort weave vinyl high-back bucket seats, door courtesy lights, three-spoke rim-blow steering wheel, and curb molding. The Ram-Air Induction Option had a ram-air induction system and function hood scoop in body color, and hood stripes that were black or argent. The Visual Check package had low-fuel and door-ajar warning lights.

Mercury Cougar XR-7

The body styles of the Mercury Cougar XK-7 mirrored the base Cougar, with 18,565 of the coupe and 1,977 of the convertible. The coupe had a factory base price of $3,200 and the convertible at $3,465.

The XR-7 package added a more luxurious interior, additional accouterments, and exterior styling upgrades, including a remote-control racing mirror, unique wheel covers, rocker panel moldings, map pockets on the seatbacks, burled walnut vinyl applique on the instrument panel, map and courtesy lights, an electric clock with elapsed-time indicator, loop yarn nylon carpeting, and Visual-Check panel. The vinyl high-back bucket seats had leather accents, and the instrumentation included a tachometer and trip odometer. Rear passengers had an armrest.

Power was from an overhead-valve, 351 cubic-inch V8 with a two-barrel carburetor and delivered 250 horsepower at 4,600 RPM.

by Dan Vaughan

Hardtop Coupe

While Ford was busy building Boss 302 Mustangs, their brother Mercury had its own variation, known as the Cougar Eliminator. Unlike the Boss Mustang, the Eliminator would be offered with several engine options. Among the most sought after is the high revving Boss 302.

Offered only in the Eliminator, the Boss 302 drive-train is one of the highest performing small block engines ever to leave Dearborn. New bolder graphics, a black hood scoop and more would be new additions for the 1970 model year. Also included is a long list of performance oriented and upgraded standard features. The Boss 302 Cougar Eliminator would surprise many, including some driving big block competitor's performance cars.

This prime example of Mercury muscle has less than 100 miles on a full restoration. It is fully documented with known history since day one and features Competition Blue paint, also known as Grabber Blue for its Ford brothers.

It is believed that fewer than 500 Cougar Eliminators were produced for the 1970 model year with the Boss 302 engine. In addition to the exotic high revving small block engine, this Eliminator features front and rear spoilers, the competition suspension with higher rate springs and shocks, a large diameter front sway bar, bucket seats with a center console, and a Hurst shifted 4-speed manual transmission. According to the documentation and Marti report, this Eliminator is one of two built with this combination of options.

Hardtop Coupe

Although Mercury may not be the first that comes to mind when it comes to muscle cars, they were certainly in the game. Of course trying to grab some of the limelight that the Muscle received was certainly a challenge.

In 1967 Mercury introduced the Cougar. It had the long hood, short deck style, and it was geared to an upper scale buyer. With advertising taking on a European flare, the Cougar was often thought of as more of a gentleman's pony car. That would change in 1969 with the introduction of the hot Eliminator package.

The Cougar Eliminator was offered for just two years, 1969 and 1970. Engine offerings would include the Cobra Jet 351, the solid lifter Boss 302 and the hot 428 Cobra Jet. A wide variety of performance enhancing options was offered and in 1970, several wild colors would be added to the list. This 1970 Eliminator is one of just thirty equipped with the 428 Cobra Jet engine backed by the automatic transmission in Competition Orange, also known as Grabber Orange for its Boss Mustang brother.

The owner of this car attempted to purchase one many years ago. After nearly twenty years of hearing about the one that got away, his wife encouraged him to purchase this car after finding it in a local Buy and Sell paper. After securing the car, it would be nearly twenty years before the restoration would be completed in late 2015.

Hardtop Coupe

While most know that Ford offered several versions of the Boss Mustang, many do not know that Mercury also had their own version. The Cougar Eliminator, introduced in 1969, offered three engines, with the high revving Boss 302 small block at the top of the list.

Adding a standard rear deck spoiler, special graphics, a functional hood scoop, and a long list of performance enhancements, Eliminators are among the rarest and most sought-after Mercury muscle machines ever built. Adding a palette of bright eye-catching colors in 1970 certainly raised the bar. The Boss 302 engine features unique canted valve heads and produces 290 horsepower. It is backed by a Hurst shifted 4-speed manual transmission. This Competition Blue Boss Eliminator is one of just 469 built in 1970 and is most likely the finest example of an unrestored original Boss Eliminator known to exist.

Hardtop Coupe
Chassis number: 0F91M537532

This Mercury Cougar Eliminator two-door coupe has an optional factory power sunroof and is one of 102 examples made for the Hertz 'Rent-A-Racer' program. The power sunroof was provided exclusively to hertz through Cleveland DSO. It has the correct three-speed FMX automatic transmission and the correct 351 Cleveland V8 offering 290 horsepower. It is finished in Competition Blue with a white vinyl interior. There is power steering, power brakes, AM radio, dash clock, air conditioning, 3.00 rear axle, dual exhaust, competition suspension, and Eliminator package.

by Dan Vaughan

Convertible
Chassis number: 0F92H547584

This 1970 Mercury Cougar Convertible was offered for sale at the 2007 Sports and Classic Car Auction presented by The Worldwide Group, in Hilton Head Island, SC where it was estimated to sell for $15,000 - $25,000. It was offered without reserve. It is powered by a 390 cubic-inch V8 engine capable of producing 300 horsepower. There is power steering, power brakes, factory AM radio, and a three-speed manual gearbox.

The second series of the Mercury Cougar was introduced in 1969. It sat on the same wheelbase size as the original series, measuring 111 inches, but its body was wider and longer. It also offered two new convertible options. Styling remained similar to the 1967-1968 version, particularly the grille, and the XR-7s continued to feature a full set of needle gauges and leather-faced seat upholstery as standard equipment. The prior GT and GTE models were reduced to option packages available with or without XR-7 trim, and continue to house a big-block V8 engine.

The Cougar Eliminator for 1969 and 1970 featured a stand-up rear-deck spoiler, bright 'Grabber' colors, and prominent side stripes.

This car was sold for a mere $5,000; the buyer got a bargain.

by Dan Vaughan

Hardtop Coupe
Chassis number: 0F91M566336

This 1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator was offered for sale at the 2007 Sports and Classic Car Auction presented by The Worldwide Group, in Hilton Head Island, SC where it was estimated to sell for $30,000 - $40,000. It was offered without reserve.

The 1969 Cougar was available in blue, yellow, and orange exterior colors. Three engine choices were also available, beginning with a 302 cubic-inch engine capable of producing 275 horsepower. Next in line was the Windsor 351 which brought 300 horsepower. Carburetors and deep-sump oil pans amplified the performance of the engines and brought more options to their customers.

The Eliminator versions were given larger brakes, sportier suspensions, engine modifications, and other performance products that helped escalate the performance of the vehicle and cement the cars legendary status in history.

For 1970 the Cougar continued to grow in size. It meant more room for the passengers but also more weight. For 1970 a total of 2,267 examples were created.

As the muscle car era began to wind down due to government regulations, safety concerns and an impending oil embargo, the Mercury Cougar began gravitating towards the luxury car segment. For 1971 the car grew in size, retained sporty intentions, but moved towards luxury. The Eliminator package was no longer available and endured the same fate as many other muscle cars option from across the market.

This example is outfitted with the correct 351 cubic-inch engine and four-barrel carburetor. It is finished in Canary Yellow with black striping and rally rims. It has a Hurst transmission, original factory AM radio, power brakes, power steering, and tachometer.

This car did find a new owner, though the winning bid was nearly half of the low-end of the estimated value. The buyer got a bargain, with the final price being $18,425 including buyer's premium. The lot was sold.

by Dan Vaughan

Convertible
Chassis number: 0F92H552673

1970 Mercury Cougar Convertible has been built as an Eliminator Replica and powered by a Q-Code 351 CID Cleveland V-8 engine. There is a three-speed automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, air conditioning, and Magnum 500 chrome wheels with Royal Blue Cougar inserts.

by Dan Vaughan

Convertible
Chassis number: 0F92H505774

This 1970 Mercury Cougar is powered by a 351 cubic-inch V8 engine paired with an FMX automatic transmission. It is finished with a deep gold metallic exterior with a charcoal black interior. There is a 3.00 rear end, power top, power disc brakes, power steering, factory air conditioning, and bucket seats with a console. There are functional hideaway headlights, remote mirrors, an AM radio, and a wood-rimmed steering wheel.

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