Mercury's take on the Ford Mustang, the Cougar arrived in 1967, right when the muscle car wars were heating up. But even though it was just as fast as its FoMoCo sibling (and better-looking in my opinion), the Cougar doesn't as much attention as the Mustang. But this restomod is one Cougar you will surely remember.
Mercury's muscle car was already plenty powerful when it debuted in 1967 with the optional 390-cubic-inch (6.4-liter) "Marauder" V8 generating 320 horsepower. But that wasn't enough for the owner of this Cougar, who dropped an FE-based big block under the hood.
Displacing 504 cubic inches (8.3 liters), the mill that's bigger than the iconic 428-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) unit that Mercury offered in 1968, the V8 cranks out a massive 750 horsepower. And it can actually generate more, but the owner opted to keep it below its maximum capability in the interest of reliability.
And no, this mill doesn't use forced induction. All that oomph is of the naturally aspirated variety, which makes this Cougar that much more spectacular.
A classic that spent more than two decades in a garage, the Cougar retains its stock appearance on the outside, but it flaunts a decidedly more menacing look thanks to a no-chrome finish. Every single chrome element was painted black, while the body sports a dark gray hue. It's very close to what old-school folks would describe as triple black, but it's a bit cooler.
The beefed-up V8 sends its power to the asphalt via a set of meaty rear tires that are ready to burn rubber at the drag strip. And yes, this Mercury is no track car. It was designed with fast straight-line sprints in mind. It's the street-legal drag racer that Mercury never built.
As you might have already guessed, things become loud when the ignition key fires up the V8 mill. Not only the exhaust is really loud, but nothing compared to the roar of a naturally aspirated big block. It sounds like a beefed-up muscle car from the golden era. And you can hear it idle and scream through the manual gears 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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