Wow, one of my favorite things about sitting at this desk all day, fielding calls from all over the world, is the incredible “finds” still out there. Here is the tip of the day… Guys that wear stuff like this get random people in random places (like the checkout aisle in the grocery store) telling them about the Cougar their neighbor / friend / uncle / etc. has. NO JOKE! That is what happened to one of my favorite customers down in TX recently… And yes, chasing after these rainbows often will waste your time and gas but it is so cool when once in awhile you dust off the door tag and it reads something like 9F94R526057 76B-C-6G-21L-51-A-6! The senior citizen owner says he left the car lot in 1979 following his teenage son home after he picks out the car. Son lets the clutch out a little too fast and does a 180 in front of the Ford dealership! Dad takes over, they get home and put the car away for a few months until they get the nerve to try again and wham-O, same thing happens! In the steel building it goes and to this day has not been moved… The son says it is time to sell, Dad’s health is not so good and the thing still gives him nightmares to this day so he has NO interest in ever driving the car again. 54k original documented miles, 2 owners, NO RUST anywhere, NO pest damage, original paint, numbers matching, still has dealer cards screwed to license plate brackets. The owner says it is for sale, $40k (ish) has been tried, no go… My guess is it could be a $100k car without too much effort, anyone have a retail interest in this car? Like I said, wholesale has been offered, retail would be determined by someone who really had the desire to own it not flip it.
Dayum! That is one amazing find.
Looks like kitty cat footprints.
Very cool.
Wow…
Just… wow…
Where’s the video crew documenting something cool like that being “unearthed”? (un-barned? de-barned?)
Wow!
Sweet… what a find. My story will be out in the CCOA news letter in a couple of weeks.
That is simply amazing! It doesn’t look like anything has been touched, in that garage.
Droooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool!!!
The 6G interior “Lt. Ivy Gold Corinthian Vinyl and Lt. Ivy Gold Leather (6G)” is a very pleasing color. The camera flash in the picture is making it look lighter then the actual color. Very dark olive green almost black with a hint of green. Why Mercury calls it gold beats me! but of course I don’t know what the color Mauve is either. With the " Dark Ivy Green Metallic (C)" exterior paint the two colors have to match pretty darn close. That has got to be a one of one color combo for a 428 CJ conv. This Cougar is in Tx and Lin is in TX and he has had a green Cougar before. Surprised he isn’t on this one. Very nice cougar indeed…
Looks like tilt-away column and AM-8 track. Wonder what other goodies it has. Nice find for someone.
Here’s the full collection of pics… Don has computer difficulties sometimes so I’ll go ahead and post these 
Looks like a great car! Will be very interested to see it after a little cleanup. I really like the dark green colors on these cars.
I bet this original paint will clean up very nicely with some elbow grease.
Door plate… guess you’re supposed to use your imagination on this one!
Engine - what’s with the chrome valve covers? Shouldn’t it have the finned aluminum ones?
Wow, this will be cool to see what happens with it. Awesome car!
Pretty sweet car. Any idea what it might take to actually buy it?
My guess is it would take someone who had people skills that would like to listen to lots of stories (in person), a willingness and physical abilities to move a 1917 Hearse, couple model A’s, some old Juke boxes and lots of misc boxes (many with accompanying stories). Somewhere north of $40k but who knows, the owner nor the family needs the money in the slightest way… If a phone call, a cashiers check and a transporter would do the deal, I would own it, LOL!
That is one sweet ride. It looks like it has some choice options. Now I can say for sure I could listen to the stories, move whatever is in the way (jukeboxes…ect) but the north of 40k has got me. Wish I had it, the cash and the car. 
it’s great to know these type of car finds are still out there.
Steven
That really is a great find. I hope that the family let’s it go eventually to someonw who will themselves appreciatte it and figure out what the “issue” is with it doing 180’s when starting out. LOL
One conversation starter away form heaven huh? Who knew! NICE FIND! Guess I better get me a ball cap!!! LOL
Neat. One of the 31 4 speed R code XR-7 verts. Thanks for sharing the pics Don & Blitz.
Re: the chrome valve covers vs. finned aluminum - my recollection is that the chrome valve covers were used on the 428s from '68 through mid '69, but maybe most '69s got them. IIRC, finned aluminum was more of a '70 thing.
The 69 vert that I have been doing videos on came with finned aluminum and it was a Dec car but the original owner worked at a Mercury Dealership so who knows if they were original.
According to the registry the finned aluminum covers wern’t available until after 2/14/69. Looks like the grey area would be a February built car on which valve covers it got.
1968 C7OZ-6582-B C7AE-6582-E RH, chromed stamped steel,
“Power by Ford”
1968 C7OZ-6582-C C7AE-6582-E LH, chromed stamped steel
“Power by Ford”
1969 before 2/14/69 C7OZ-6582-C C7AE-6582-E RH and LH,
chromed stamped steel “Power by Ford”
1969 C9ZZ-6582-A C9ZE-6582-A Aluminum 428 Cobra Jet 1969 after 2/14/69,
1970 C9ZZ-6582-B C9ZE-6582-C Aluminum includes ret. for R.H. only
There are two versions of the ‘finned aluminum’ valve covers. Plain finned and ‘Snake’. My Jan 1969 Dearborn SCJ Cougar had the ‘Snake’ valve covers on it when I got it in 1995.
So, with 21 November build date on this car, the chromed valve covers should be original (or at least correct).
Right?