Most classic cars that spend a lot of time in storage be it a barn or garage, usually emerge with all sorts of issues, including rust. But some get lucky and return into the light in solid condition, like this 1967 Mercury Cougar.
Retired from public roads for unknown reasons, this pony car from the golden era spent decades without a sip of gasoline. Fortunately enough, though, it was parked in a garage, so it was kept safe from the elements. But even so, the vehicle is in surprisingly good condition, given that most garages don't provide proper protection from moisture and rodents.
Found at an estate sale by YouTube's "More What The Rust?," the Cougar is absolutely rust-free, and the original Inverness Green paint still shines into the sunlight. Sure, it's a bit dusty on the surface, but it looks like it will come back to life with proper cleaning. The chrome parts are just as clean, and all the trim is present.
The interior is very well preserved, which is amazing after all those years. The dashboard is crack-free, and the tan upholstery on the seats and doors is almost squeaky clean. If both are original, it's a fantastic feat. Moreover, the headliner looks excellent and isn't sagging one bit, which is unusual for cars that have been sitting this long.
There's more good news under the hood in the form of a complete 289-cubic-inch (4.7-liter) V8. It appears to be the four-barrel carburetor version, which means it generated 225 horsepower and 305 pound-feet (414 Nm) of torque when new. The four-barrel 289 was 25 horses more potent than the two-barrel variant that came standard on the 1967 Cougar. Ford also offered a 390-cubic-inch (6.4-liter) V8 with 320 horsepower that year.
The mill mates to a manual gearbox, but it's not the familiar four-speed. This Cougar was ordered with the three-speed unit, a transmission we rarely find nowadays. There's no official statistic on how many units got it, but it's definitely scarcer than the four-speed manual and three-speed automatic.
Speaking of numbers, Merury sold 150,893 Cougars in 1967, making it the best year for the first-generation pony. A little over 27,200 units were equipped with the XR-7 package, which added premium goodies like wood trim on the dash, black-faced gauges, and an overhead console. Unlike the regular Cougar, the XR-7 came standard with the four-barrel 289 V8.
While far from rare, this Cougar is a finely preserved classic. It's pretty apparent that the owner took great care of the hardtop while in storage, but it's still in amazing condition. Moreover, it's a highly original gem that could be worth a lot of money once cleaned up, running, and driving. Check it out in the video below.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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