Hello everybody,
I am new to this community. I recently graduated and I bought this 76 mercury cougar xr7 as a project to do with my dad. I have never restored or rebuilt a car, but I have fixed up a couple dirt bikes and a four wheeler (took apart the carb put new filters on ex.), so this whole thing is pretty new to me. I love the build of the car and would love to get it back on the road again. There is a lot of work that needs to be done so to start I need to ask questions and explain a few things. The rod to shift gears is broke, do I need a whole steering column or just a new rod? How do I replace either of those including getting the steering wheel out? Where is the fuel pump located? I can get it started but I can’t get fuel to the carb so it doesn’t run. It’s not the fuel filter.
Also it has a 400 Ford big block in it rather then the Cleveland or Windsor. Thanks
I doubt very much that the shifter rod is broken. Most likely it is either not connected or a pivot point broke. You will need to get under the car to do a visual inspection, that is the only way you are going to find out what the real problem is. There is no need to remove the steering wheel for this problem. The fuel pump is on the drivers side of the engine block just behind the power steering pump. I would suggest that your first purchase would be a factory shop manual. If you already had one of those you would have found your answers in it.
Randy Goodling
CCOA #95
If you are talking about the shift lever on the steering column? It is held in by a pin that would need to be tapped out. The shift lever should be easy to find in wrecking yard or evilbay.
Same shift lever on T’Bird ,Ranchero, Cougar, LTD II, and probably on many other Ford models in that year range
Parts of the column shift linkage are pressed together through plastic grommets. I had one of these break in a 71 LTD years ago. Not the easiest thing to replace.
These cars share a lot with 72-76 Torinos and Montegos as well as the later cars mentioned above.
Idk if you can see the picture but I believe it’s what you called the Shift lever, also is there anywhere that re does a steering wheel or sells restored ones? Also the chrome around the tail lights isn’t rusted but looks like it’s got some sort of mold that won’t come off. Should I try and redo the chrome around these or buy new tailights? Thank you guys for the help
Okay, that it not what I pictured being broken. Your photo does not really show exactly what is broken though. Is the shifter lever broken right near the base of it? What are the vise grips doing? Do you use the vise grips to change the gears? We are going to need more information to really help you with this.
Randy Goodling
CCOA #95
I went ahead and took the steering column out, that lead to some other problems lol. I broke the ring around the steering column in the lower dash part. I also broke the plastic pieces behind the gauges. The plastic was so rotten the gauges just fell out when I removed the screws. I can find replacements for that luckily. The thing I cannot find replacements for the heating core case. I broke the case around it when I was removing the heater core. This cougar is/was in rough case but I’m working hard on it. Any tips for removing the fan blower it needs to go too. This thing had sat for probably 3 years before I got it and the mice and rust has got it pretty bad.
Since I need so many parts does anyone know any good websites I can get some parts? I’ve had a lot of trouble just finding parts for it.
I parted out a 74-76 Cougar a few years ago. I may still have the heater box, I would need to look to say for sure though.
Randy Goodling
CCOA #95
Parts sources for this car include 72-76 Montego and Torino, 74-79 Cougar, 77-79 LTD II and Thunderbird.