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1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator Survivor Shows Off 428 Super Cobra Jet, Battle Scars

When it comes to classic muscle cars, it's the restored examples and the unmolested survivors that get all the attention at car shows. But there's an even better category: survivors that are still being used as daily drivers. And this 1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator might be the finest example.
1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator 9 photos
Photo: DezzysSpeedShop/YouTube
1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator
Finished in Competition Gold, a color that you might know better as Grabber Orange on Ford cars, this Cougar Eliminator has been with the current owner for about 10 years. And he made the best out of that time by using the muscle car as a daily driver.

And based on the worn-out paint, repairs from previous accidents, and the big chunk of color missing from the left-side B-pillar, this Mercury got a lot of action in its 50 years on public roads. Definitely more than the average Eliminator.

One of the rarest versions of the first-generation Cougar, the Eliminator has been a desirable collectible for quite a few years now. So owners tend to keep them in heated garages most of the time. Seeing one like this, still enjoying the road like it's supposed to, is exciting, to say the least.

And yes, this Eliminator is not powered by a Boss 302-cubic-inch (4.9-liter) or the 351-cubic-inch (5.8-liter) Cleveland V8. This one's a full-blown Super Cobra Jet model, fitted with the mighty 428-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) FE. The meanest Cougar ever built, this Merc spins the rear wheels to the tune of 335 horsepower.

And it's quite rare, too, because Mercury sold only 2,268 Cougar Eliminators for the 1970 model year. Not impressed? Well, then you should know that only 182 of them had the 428 V8 and the four-speed manual, like this car here. And just 85 were Super Cobra Jets. It's safe to say that fewer than 10 were finished in Competition Gold.

Should this Cougar be restored to its former glory or should the owner keep it as is? I'd go with the latter variant, to be honest, but that's just me. Anyway, this Eliminator not only looks the part, but also sounds incredible, so go ahead and check it out in the video below.

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About the author: Ciprian Florea
Ciprian Florea profile photo

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.
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