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1969 Mercury Cougar XR7 Spends 21 Years in a Barn, Begs for Full Restoration

The car comes in good shape and with a working engine 18 photos
Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/eBay seller moes_customz
1969 Mercury Cougar XR71969 Mercury Cougar XR71969 Mercury Cougar XR71969 Mercury Cougar XR71969 Mercury Cougar XR71969 Mercury Cougar XR71969 Mercury Cougar XR71969 Mercury Cougar XR71969 Mercury Cougar XR71969 Mercury Cougar XR71969 Mercury Cougar XR71969 Mercury Cougar XR71969 Mercury Cougar XR71969 Mercury Cougar XR71969 Mercury Cougar XR71969 Mercury Cougar XR71969 Mercury Cougar XR7
Mercury Cougar was a hit from the beginning, and given its ties with the Mustang, the early sales figures weren't surprising.
The Cougar accounted for 4 in 10 cars sold in 1967 by the Mercury-Lincoln unit, despite every version costing more than an equivalent Mustang. The Cougar rapidly became a money-making machine, with the XR-7 costing approximately $4,500.

The 1969 model year witnessed the introduction of a convertible version after the Cougar hit the streets exclusively as a hardtop. Mercury dropped the 289 (4.7-liter) V8, with the company now betting big on the 351 (5.7-liter) Windsor V8 borrowed from the Mustang.

Ford's superstar donated multiple engines, including the 428 Cobra Jet, which produced 335 horsepower. The Boss 429 also made its way to the Cougar, but Mercury built only two such hardtops specifically for drag racing.

A 1969 Mercury Cougar XR7 that looks incredibly intriguing is now fighting for survival after spending over two decades in a barn. The car coped with the test of time remarkably well, and while the rust has already reached the typical suspects, it hasn't yet transformed the Cougar into a rust bucket. The floors require particular attention, but this isn't a surprise. The undersides suffer the most metal damage on cars sitting for a long time, so you should check the Cougar in person to tell if regular patches are enough or if you must install new floors altogether.

The 351 engine under the hood runs correctly after a few fixes – eBay seller moes_customz says they cleaned the gas tank, and the Cougar "sounds good."

The shared photos indicate this Cougar is a project on all fronts, as it needs bodywork and fixes inside and under the hood. Considering the car's age, the interior doesn't look as bad as expected, with the driver's seat requiring particular attention due to a few rips.

Despite the long tenure on the side of the road, this Mercury doesn't come with a low mileage. The odometer reveals 102,000 miles (164,000 km), so the previous owners enjoyed the V8 power before the car was moved to storage. This makes its decent condition even more impressive, especially in the cabin, where this Cougar looks better than 90 percent of the barn finds I've seen lately, many with lower mileage.

The seller didn't mention whether the car is still complete and original, so make sure you ask these questions if you're interested in giving the Cougar another chance.

The selling price seems fair, as the owner will let the vehicle go for $6,000. The Make Offer button is also active if a potential buyer has another deal in mind. If you want to see the Mercury in person, it's located in Myrtle Creek, Oregon.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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