I ran across a 1972 Cougar Convertible with a 351 Cleveland and the 4 speed. Just wondering if someone may know the rarity of one of these?
I had a friend years ago with a 73 4 speed.
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From Marti’s Cougar by the Numbers:
Total 1972 Cougars - 53702
Convertibles - 3169
Q code 351CJ-4V convertibles with 4 speed - 37
None of the H code 351-2V cars left the factory with a 4 speed
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To break this down a little more there were 5 standard 1972 Cougar convertibles built with the Q code 351CJ-4V and a 4 speed. There were 32 XR-7 convertibles with teh same driveline. It is hard to tell by your photo but it does kind of appear to me that the car in your photo is a standard Cougar.
If you are looking to purchase this car I would highly recommend that you verify that the drivetrain is as originally equipped. Any 4 speed Cougar is unusual and harder to find. It is not that hard to do the swap so be sure of what the car was originally.
Randy Goodling
CCOA #95
This: I regret selling my J Code 4 speed on a fairly daily basis.
(but having my current Cougar back on the road helps)
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All early model cougar convertibles are somewhat rare compared to the hardtops. How much is the 72 vert?
Hi
As I am not a mercury guy. Where would I find these engine codes. The seller says it is a factory 351 4 speed car base model.
Lots of things can change in 50 years though.
He said it now has an aftermarket 4 bbl intake.
Should be able to tell engine and base/XR7 from the first five digits of the VIN. A factory base convertible 4 bbl would begin “2F92Q.”
In the transmission position on the warranty sticker in the driver’s door jamb a factory 4 speed would show “5.”
And if you want to dig deeper, a Marti Report will show you exactly what equipment the car had on it when it left the factory:
Marti Auto Works - Marti Report
That’s a 2 barrel, 3 speed manual car from the factory
Is it worth $7K though? As Rare and Valuable are 2 completely different things.
Only 21 out of 53702 were standard Cougar convertibles with 351-2V and 3 speed. But yes, it’s more rare than valuable. 4V and 4 speed are both good upgrades though. IMO, its worth $7k if its as solid as it looks.
76D = standard convertible w/ bucket seats, 3J = bright blue metallic body color, CW = white with black trim knitted decor bucket seats, 1 = 3 speed, 2 = 2.75 rear axle, 23 = Jacksonville, FL district office so it must have originally been ordered from a dealer in the southeast. But it still has it’s 70’s issued CA blue plate, so probably has been in CA for a long while.
You need to verify that the VIN on that door data sticker matches the one visible through the windshield on the drivers side of the car. Also look to see if the buck tag is still intact. That is a metal tag about the size of a standard business card that will be attached to the face of the radiator support on the passenger side of the car. Then also verify that the VIN matches the official DMV paperwork that the seller has. It is not uncommon for a door to be changed over the life of a car and very few think to save the original door data sticker. The VIN that is visible through the windshield is what my state ¶ and probably most all other states use as the official VIN for vehicle registration purposes. Better safe than sorry.
Randy Goodling
CCOA #95
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Thank you for the great info.
I appreciate your time.
I will check those items if I pursue the cougar further.
Rick
Not sure if you own any classic cars but getting into the hobby for only $7K is a great deal as long as it doesn’t have any major hidden flaws. Once you verify the VIN numbers all match you should check for rust or poor rust repairs. Here are 2 videos that are very informative on what you should look for. Also, post some pictures here for the members here to review to see if they see any issues. I like what you have found so far as I have a 73 vert.
good luck
This Horror Show Mercury Cougar Is The Worst Case Of Flipper Thievery We’ve Ever Seen
and
69 Buick Skylark Is it good or is it not??? @UncleTonysGarage
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