Looking for more info on the staggered shock Cougars.
Anybody know when( month/ year) they started putting them on the 4 speed cars?
How many were made.
Also in CBT#'s
Is this a typo?
69 eng/trans production
(R) w/ (6) trans XR-7’s HT = 139
69 option production
ram air hood XR-7’s HT= 163
Thanks in advance!
I thought that only the R and Q code 4 speeds and Boss2 Cougars received the staggered shocks in 1969?
Uh, Bill … the 163 number is in the 1970 data.
I thought they are the only Cats that got them too. The 4 speeds Boss & CJ’s that is. Was trying to pinpoint a start date. Bill B said he thought he had looked at a 68 1/2 cat that had this.
Sooo my eyesight is failing Scott… wrong side of book, that explains a LOT!! LOL
Scott,
Wouldn’t that be R and Q code 4 speeds as well as G(B2) in 1969?
Yes, my bad.
Bill, you might try posting this, or searching for an answer over on the Boss 302 and 428CJ forums. A larger number of “staggered shock” owners to poll over there for a start date.
My 69 XR7 R Code 4 speed was built 8-26-68. It has the staggered shock set up. So for 69 right out of the gate. I read where Royce had said all the typical cars that got it in 69 70 were supposed to get it in 68, some did some did not.
That’s good, too early for Japanese steel.
One of the 68 CJ 4-speed Gs that is in Ohio has staggered shocks. I got pretty muddy slidding under to see. So I would assume some other 68s have them too.
The CJ registry might know.
Nice effort! 
The 68 1/2 Mustangs that were being readied for the Winter Nationals got staggered shocks for at least the 4 speed cars. The staggered shocks reduced wheel hop that was making the 4 speed cars slower than the automatics. I believe that all 4 speed R code Cougars and Mustangs got the staggered rear shocks, with the possible exception of the early mules and test cars.
I just happened to buy all the Motor Trend magazines from 1968. In the October 68 issue there is an article about the new 69 cars and their features.
The part of the article that talks about Cougars states, “The 1969 competition handling package has been beefed with a rear shock mounting set-up that’s new for Cougar. Instead of mounting both shocks ahead of the axle, as in other Cougar suspensions, the left shock is attached behind the axle and connected to a special crossmember built into the floor pan. This staggered arrangement of rear shocks acts to resist spring wind-up and directly damp out pitching motions that cause wheel hop during full throttle starts.”
So it sounds like 1969 cars without the competition handling package had shocks that were not staggered.