Feeling challenged by Don, here’s my project.
Wwwwaaaayyyyy back in 1972, having just received my drivers license, for $600.00 I purchased a 1967 Forest Green Cougar, my very first car. Purchased from Elbery Ford in Cambridge, Ma, it had a 289 HP, 4 speed, and am radio. Bare bones but my pride and joy. 3 years later, now married expecting our first child, it need to go. It has always been on my mind. I’ve restored a few cars, 1956 Montclair Phaeton, '66 T-Bird convertible (yup, i know how that damn top works to this day), etc. Now a bit older, I said to my wife (#2) that I felt I had one more restoration in me and I wanted to do another '67 Cougar. She was all in on that and off I went looking for one. Being in Massachusetts and all those years with winter road salt, it was difficult finding one. Finally, about mid-state, I found one that I had to see. I made the trek to see it and when I got there I smiled. Of course, it was in worse shape than I saw but it was a '67. The rockers were intact and solid as well as the inner frame pieces. The biggest part that pushed me over was the interior. Complete, no tears in the seats, all still complete and in place. Everything was on the car as when it came out of Dearborn. Of course it had some rust in various exterior locations but it was 100%. A week later, grabbing my friend and his trailer, we brought it home. Being March and it being winter, my bride and I began removing all the attached sheetmetal as long as the temperature would allow. As we disassembled, it became more and more obvious just how much work we faced. But we were determined. One area at a time, as time would allow, our path continued. POR-15 as we completed each area. In 2014, 3 years into our efforts, we decided to leave Mass and moved to NC. After organizing the new house, we got back onto the Cougar. Then, in mid 2016, I was floored as we found out that my bride of 32 years had developed stage 4 gallbladder cancer. Of course, the Cougar was put aside. A year later this God-awful disease took her. Needless to say, I floundered awhile, trying to come to grips no longer having her. I would pass the Cougar now and then. After about a year of her passing, I decided that it was time I got back to the car and finish it for both of us. Last fall, after all our time we’ve spent since 2011, I got it back from the paint shop. I’m still doing the trim and the other things but I’m attaching a few photos. I think another piece that convinced me to start again and finish the car was a message she sent to me. I sent in my Marti Repot application and a few weeks later there was the pdf via email. Not only did the report show me that all was correct with the car when I purchased it, but my surprise of surprises, it is one of one. Holy crap! I still smiled and thank her to this day.
). Nothing against them, although I’ve never seen one with a good roof, I’m so happy it did not have a vinyl roof! So far, the only non-original piece is the sequential taillights. Up front vacuum doors are still in great working shape. I’m about to start working on the factory ac (wish me luck).