Up for sale is this unique and unmolested 1970 Cougar. This car is completely original with the exception of one older repaint in the original colour. It’s outrageously seventies colour scheme attracts loads of attention wherever it goes. This car has less than 80,000 original miles and spent the last 20 years tucked away in a garage in suburban Vancouver, BC, Canada. Since this Cougar is largely original, you will find cosmetic issues in the paint and trim, indicative of a car that has seen road time but none of those impede your ability to enjoy the car and participate in the collector car hobby.
This Cougar was originally equipped with PS, PDB, console, décor interior with rim blow horn, AM radio, and a rear window defogger. The car is in its original colour scheme of Deep Gold Metallic over a Ginger interior with Houndstooth bucket seats and a Ginger Houndstooth vinyl top with whitewall tires and wheel covers.
There are some flaws in the paint along with scratches and rock chips from being used regularly earlier in its life but the paint has some shine left which could be brought out more with a full machine polishing. There is rust in the normal areas on the inner fender aprons and the passenger side trunk drop off. There is also some minor bubbling on the front of the passenger side door and the rear of the driver’s door. There are also some minor bumps under the vinyl top as you normally see with original vinyl top cars. There is also a small 2” tear in the vinyl top just above and behind the passenger quarter window which could possibly be repaired.
The gauges, headlights, marker lights, interior lights and sequential taillights all work as they should with the exception of the fuel gauge which appears to just need a new float or sending unit. The headlight doors do not open and close as they should. There is likely a vacuum leak in the system that should be addressed at some point in the future.
The Houndstooth interior is in pretty good condition for being original. The driver’s seat has a rip in the vinyl down low on the outboard side of the seat back and some of the Houndstooth material is unravelling a bit on the seat bottom. The passenger seat, rear seat and door panels are all in nice condition. The console is in great condition, with some wear on the console lid pad, but is fine as it is if you are going to use this car as a driver. There is a small tear in the headliner on the passenger side but the rest is in nice condition. The carpet is serviceable but may need to be replaced in the future. The original Ginger rubber accessory Cougar floor mats are present but clearly have been used. The steering wheel is un-cracked and nice although much of the wood grain detail has worn off. The dash pad is still soft and un-cracked. The wood grain on the dash face and console is in good shape. All the lenses are clear and should polish up nicely.
All four of the windows roll up and down as they should and are well aligned. The front windshield and rear window are both in serviceable condition. All the stainless trim around the front and rear windows is nice as are the drip rail moldings but could all benefit from a few minutes with #0000 steel wool and some metal polish.
There is some damage to the passenger side of the front bumper and the chrome is peeling on the rear bumper as you would expect from an original car. The anodized aluminum trim on the hood and front & rear fender extensions are all in decent driver condition. The chrome on the grill and taillights has some pitting but is certainly serviceable for a driver. The back-up light housings, door handles and quarter window moldings are still shiny but have some pits and flaws which are noticeable upon inspection.
The original 351C 2V starts up and runs smoothly. There are no unusual noises or leaks and the car goes down the road just as it should. The engine compartment could use a detail if you are going to show the car but is exactly what you should expect from an original, untouched car. The 2.75:1 differential works as it should and makes for a nice highway cruiser with the high end breathing capabilities of the famous Cleveland engine. The exhaust system is mostly original and will likely need some attention in the future, but is serviceable and sounds good. The FMX transmission functions as it should and shifts well at the proper shift points. The power steering, power disc brakes and suspension components are all in driver condition and work as designed.
The tires are older and should be replaced before you take it on a long distance freeway drive but they hold air and have plenty of tread. The steel wheels and wheel covers are in good shape with some areas of wear but are still shiny and look great from 10 feet.
This is a great driving Cougar that is fun to tool around in and gets lots of looks as it is rolling down the road. It’s not a perfect show car by any means but is a nicely equipped driver quality car in a cool colour combination. This is a car that you can get into for a reasonable price and enjoy it as is while you slowly make improvements. This car is currently located in Delta, British Columbia, Canada which is about 15 miles over the border at the Peace Arch crossing on I-5 in northwest Washington.
Don’t let the prospect of importing the car to the U.S be an obstacle for you. It is a relatively painless process and can be facilitated by a broker (http://www.coleintl.com/) for a marginal fee. See this link for information from the US Customs and Border Patrol website https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/278/~/importing-classic-or-antique-vehicles-%2F-cars-for-personal-use . I am the second owner after purchasing it from the original owner’s estate who passed away in late 2015. The original owner purchased the car from Totem Lincoln Mercury on September 2nd, 1970. Included in the sale are the original owner’s manual, owner’s card and the original key tags.
Price for the car is $4,350 Canadian Dollars or best offer. Contact Scott to arrange a viewing or to get additional information.
Here is a link to the Craigslist ad craigslist | canada
