Not sure if my car is on the registry already or not.
It is in the national database.
I would be interested to see more pictures of your car. My grandfather, Jack Karleskind, owned it for a number of years. I found this thread while search the VIN. He had a number of Cougars but this was one of his favorites.
Thanks for you time!
Brian
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Oh wow, great to hear from you! Thanks so much for reaching out! I have the receipt for the tan convertible top that Jack installed in 1981! Did Jack live in the east bay, and do you know how long he owned it? Believe it or not, that top is still on the car, although it is pretty worn and I have a new black top like it originally had ready to be installed. But otherwise, the car is still a rust free survivor with original paint (except for one lower passenger quarter repair before I got it) and 64000 actual miles.
In the early 2000’s, rock singer Terry Ilous bought the car in the SF Bay Area and it went with him to LA during the time his band XYZ was producing CD’s. Then a guy in Chicago bought it from Terry in 2004 and put it in storage. The guy I bought it from in 2014 talked the Chicago guy into selling it, but only had it a few years at his Geneva Lake home in Wisconsin.
I let it sit for 5 more years, and all the fluids went bad. Finally pulled the engine out and freshened it up in 2020, and have replaced a lot of parts to keep everything working as it should. I have been careful to keep it as original as possible and numbers matching. It runs great, and is so much fun to drive! But I keep it off the roads in rain or snow.
Her name is Calicat due to being from CA and also the calico colors. I got a repro license frame made for the dealer in Hayward where it sold new on New Years Eve 1969 to Cathlene Cyd Grant Jones in Castro Valley. She owned it until the mid 70’s, so I wonder if your Grandfather might have bought it from her? Any idea when and who he sold it to?
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Calicat, are you aware about the photo of your Cougar that appeared in the April 1986 issue of Collectible Automobile? It featured several pics of cats owned at that time by Mr. Karleskind.
-
Phillip
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Wow…that is what it’s supposed to look like. I have a 70 XR-7 conv M-code in the same colors. It’s a project car though.
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No, I was not. Thanks Phillip for sharing that! Yup, there is Calicat still wearing the CA blue plate that was first issued to it in 1970! Only things that weren’t original are the tires and tan color top. it was born with Goodyear Polyglas RWL 70 series tires and a black top.
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Cool! That is a great issue for any Mercury Cougar fan to pick up.
- Phillip
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Looking for one now! I am real sensitive to mold, and it can be hard to find clean old copies.
Got one! As a bonus there is also an article about the 56 golden rocket Fury that my Dad had!
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Brian,
I found your Grandfather’s obituary, and see that he lived in Pleasanton, CA. Looks like he was a great guy and avid Ford and Mercury collector. Him owning my car as a collector as early as 1981 sure helps explain its original condition and low miles. The car probably was only a daily driver for 10 or 11 years.
I would love to hear more about your memories of the car, and if you can help me piece together when your grandfather might have bought and sold it. I know there was another registered owner in the east bay area by 2000, and they got a new CA license plate that replaced the original.
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Thank you so much for your reply!
Yes, my grandfather lived in Fremont and Pleasanton and bought the car in the mid to late 70s, so he was likely the second owner. From my recollection he sold it in the late 90s or early 00s, around when he sold most of his collection, so 2000 being the sale date to another East Bay owner sounds correct. Based on some old insurance records I do have, he had a cost basis of $3,200 for the car. The insurance records are what got me Googling VINs yesterday.
My grandfather bought a lot of cougars in the late '70s and the 1980s (along with Mustangs, a Shelby, Rancheros, Flat head Fords, etc) back before they were as widely collected. He owned some cool Cougars - GT-E w/427, 3 Eliminators (including the Boss 302 above), XR7-G, ‘70 428 CJ Brass hat car w/black and white houndstooth, etc. He had so many cars that he had to rent a warehouse in Hayward to store them, ha. As a kid in the late 1980s and 1990s, my grandfathers garage was an amazing place to hang out, all of my friends loved to visit. In the 2000s he started selling off most of his collection and I worked for him while in college restoring and selling off his hoards of parts, half of which were Cougar.
I remember your Cougar well, where it sat in the garage, sitting in it as a kid, it was one of his prettiest cars. He had a grabber green ‘69 Shelby GT500 and your Cougar sat next to it for a period of time, the two colors popped together.
I recall my grandfather saying this was one of his best running cars and I believe he daily drove it off and on for a period of time, probably in the late 70s. He referred to it as “Goldilocks”. Which is funny because I don’t recall him naming any other car.
Thank you so much for the photos! In the late 00s I put together a photo book for my grandfather with pictures of every car he owned (that we could find photos of). He later had additional copies made for his sons and for me. Here’s your car in that book.
@propayne thank you so much for sharing that! I had completely forgotten about this article. In the 2000s I would go through all my grandfather’s library of car books and magazines and remember finding this article earmarked and discussing with him. I’ll need to find that magazine.
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Wow, I thought my car had a cool history before I even knew this piece. Thanks Brian for the amazing info! If I ever get a chance to go back in time, I’ll look for that warehouse and see you there - ha! Had I only known, I would have named her Goldilocks! If you are ever in KC, stop by and take her for a spin!
Craig
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No problem and glad to see the car is in good hands, I’ll see if I can dig up any other information.
I was just realizing that my grandmother bought me my first 70 Cougar XR7 deep gold/brown hardtop in 1977 about the time that your grandfather bought my current car. And then I bought your grandfathers car in 2014 the year he passed away. Would have loved to have known him.
Yes, anything at all you might find would be of interest - like license registrations, repairs, or especially that original CA tag - ha! I have most of the other registrations on it dating back to 1970.
And please let me know if any of those books you made end up being available, or if more can be ordered from the publisher. What a great remembrance of your grandfathers collection!
Here is the YouTube video from my seller documenting the car in 2013. It has yet another name - BADCAT!
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So cool! I’m going to share with my uncles.
If you ever think of selling it, please reach out to me first!
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Will do. I’m not looking to sell any time soon, but my wife and kids won’t be interested when I am done with it. Oh, and would love a copy of that insurance value you found, or any docs that show a date and odometer mileage. I’ll message you my contact info.
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Wow! I was on the edge of my seat reading this whole thread! Our Cougar universe is smaller than most people realize..
Jon
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Cool.
I grew up in Fremont, about 13 miles north of the Milpitas plant, where my current ‘68 was assembled. It was admittedly another 20 years to ‘first title in hand’, but I guess it all started here.
In all probability I saw your grandfather driving at least one of his cars 
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I didn’t realize the San Jose assembly plant was actually in Milpitas. Great place to grow up I bet! I have a 1998 receipt for a new brake booster and master cylinder from Allied Auto Stores in Fremont - lol! I almost went to work in the San Jose area a few times, but the expensive real estate scared me off.
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My sentiments exactly; my name too, BTW. Freaky.