Got to love a loaded up competition orange 70 vert… I also have one under construction! It’s an M code tho… also a dso 84 but was sent to California new. I bought it In Denver in 1988 and drove it back to Detroit.
Jim
Thanks again for the #2 spring box Steve!.
This is the car that it’s going on.
Every other #2 spring box will be jealous
]Here are a couple updated pictures, hope to have it off the rotisserie soon and back on its wheels. Progress is slow, but still moving. The first picture is what it looked like after the fire and before this journey began. I wonder if that steering wheel would be a good core? hmmm.
Looking good! Rising up from the ashes!
Good think it was put out before the car was completely burned… looks like an upper dash fire
Looking awesome!
Very satisfying to see this Cougar brought back, thanks for sharing.
- Phillip
Thought I would mention that the engine compartment black paint would not have been masked off at the cowl or ends of the inner fender panels at the cowl. If you don’t black out the top edge of the dash (defroster and areas where the VIN tag is attached and the other side) you may find that your unhappy with the bright orange pecking out around the vent holes and the edge of the dash pad. I know I have been after I didn’t 30 years ago when I repainted one of my cars the same original color
Have pictures of unrestored cars - same plant and likely time period if that would help. Please of you find the comments unhelpful or unwanted please ignore and good luck with your project
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I thought I would share some more of the back story on this car. My dad and his good friend Carl were driving thru Hiawatha Iowa in February 1978 ish and Carl spotted the cougar parked on the street under a snow bank from a snow plow. Carl had a couple cougars already and was interested and wanted to buy it but his wife scuttled the deal! Haha. That’s when my dad stepped in and got the deal done for 400 bucks. The car had 51k miles on the clock. Once safely off the street and thawed out and running, it ran but barely. A couple bent push rods was all. Whew! Apparently the previous owner was testing the rev limiter! My old man disliked the hood scoop and thats why there a white hood on it in this picture. This pic is from summer of 78 I think. Fast forward a few years and she got much needed body work and a shiny black paint job and other odds and ends to freshen her up. My ole man entered it in several “mustang” shows as the cougars were kinda the redheads stepchild back then, mid 80s. One guy from Ohio or Indiana spotted my dads car at one of the shows and wanted to buy it. He obviously knew more about the cougar than my ole man did. That same guy kept pestering and calling for years trying to buy it. Whoever that was is probably a member on here! Feel free to chime in if that’s you. Anyway, thats just some of the history of its life before the fire. Thanks for all the encouraging comments! Progress is continuing.
I found another picture taken just after the inferno. And to think, it started and was driven onto a trailer like this! 22 years ago. Yep, that’s the elusive AM 8/track in the picture too! Thankfully, she looks a little better these days…
Interesting that the shifter boot is still there and the Hurst handle did not melt
May suggest direction of travel and what windows were open or broke first
Takes guts to take on a burnt car/ Good luck with the project
Anyone know how many Drag Pack ragtops in 1970 like this one?
The Marti book doesn’t seem to have numbers on the drag pack, but shows only 17 1970 XR-7 convertible Q codes produced with the close ratio 4 speed. That’s definitely a rare cat you’ve got there!
I was wondering the same thing, Marti’s By the Numbers doesn’t break down the drag pak/SCJ. I guess I’ll have to splurge for the Elite report.
Diego, is that the marti on your car??
Would be cool if it was!
You should be able to call Kevin and ask that question. He charges to answer the questions, but it would be worth it. I went through that when I was documenting my 69 R-Code Sport Special. Kevin was able to provide me documentation showing 1 of 8 and the only R-Code Automatic. I think I paid $10 for each question, but he sent written documentation, which goes ALONG way!!!
That’s definitely worth the ten bucks! I think Diego’s Marti report also answered the question - among 70 XR-7 convertibles, there were 7 428CJ’s with drag pack produced.
…and those 7 were with and without ram air.
I wonder how many Standard convertibles had the Drag Pack?
I wonder how many of those 7 are still breathing and if any of them are executive cars. I know there’s one in Florida and read somewhere that one is still alive in the northeast somewhere.