I picked up my cougar last fall after looking for a while. Not the color or the options I was looking for but in the end it was what I was looking for. Drive able with a standard tranny. I am tackling the wiring first since it is what I know best so I thought. I installed an electronic light sequencer, The relay module in the trunk was rusted to the point the pads were missing where the wires are connected. I ordered a 67 and discovered I have a 68 sequencer module in my car. So I returned it cause it would kill me to hack into a brand new part.
It rained on the day i brought it home so i know the floor is rusted because of the leaky cowl. It also elevated it to the place of honor in my 1940’s detached garage. That fact should tell yo that i can barely walk around while its in the garage. The best part of having a standard transmission it rolls easy so it gets pushed three time a day on average.
Here is to my wife that encouraged me to buy a car only a year younger than my self. I know she has no idea. The parts keep showing up on our door step. Vacuum lines, wiring harnesses, transmission, shifter, manifolds, carburetors, alternator, and rebuild kits. The the new tools every week.
Congrats on your purchase. I would get that cowl fixed before you go too far.
Welcome! That is a great color IMHO. If you mention it on your first order with us these are free! Cute user name BTW
I am going to pickup a bore scope to check on the condition of the cowl. Ideally a total replacement will be done this winter. If its not a sieve I may do a repair through the drain and top hat. Wait till next winter to replace entire cowl and keep the cowl vent cover available.
Don,
I hoped if you saw the grill you would take pity on old blue and throw in some bump stops. The color comment was its the same color as most of my past vehicles. I truly wanted something that said 60’s (Frost Green)
Thanks
Kevin
You are in Luck! I take trade ins…
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1967-mercury-cougar-xr7-2/
Love the blue.
Besides the Tail light sequencer I upgraded the alternator to 130 amp. replaced the E brake cable under the dash. This week the kids and I pull the trunk lid. Removed the weather stripping, corrosion and cleaned up the trim. Treated all the surface rust and got the weather strip back in place. Its so different dealing with an antique car as apposed to a classic car. Everything is a process and it all needs to be cleaned and re-protected. The kids were shocked how much debris was under the little piece of trim on the lid. I wish 4-H had category for body work.
I have a new intake and carburetor That I need to get put on. I will do that this week and plan on replacing the fuel line and A couple weeks down the line. Pop the tank and check it and the rear shock mounts while I am at it.
I have done nothing. That is what happens when you have 7 kids in the old farm house all summer. I did manage to get and endoscope down the vent grill and see what is up with the and the drain. The metal looked good from what I could see but the drains are definitely full of pine needles and what ever. So I need to pull the fenders and clean it out and see what the ends look like. I found someone to work on my barn and put on an addition to the house so hope fully I can get to some of my cougar tasks.
Life does get in the way! I try to do simple little projects, as small as cleaning off a section of wiring, just to keep some sense of progress going.
I took your advice (little steps) and made some progress. I put on a carb adapter to more or less mock up my intake setup. I did notice that the fuel line is on the passenger side of the distributor and I need to move it to the drivers side. I also noticed that the linkage is contacting the A/C lines that run behind the air cleaner and underneath the throttle linkage. Hopefully that will change when the real parts get installed. I did prove to my self that the carb was functional, no leaks and everything seems to work on it. I picked it up used last year so there was some questions I had. I need to lay out everything out on the bench and make sure I am not missing anything, gaskets, sealant or plugs. That is the biggest pain to be missing that 2 dollar part and have to drive for an hour to get it.
My son and I did get the intake swapped out. The motor was suppose to be rebuilt not that long ago. I still ran into hose clamps that were bad and homemade vacuum caps and several that just looped back on themselves. It was good having little hands around to get into those places mine would no longer fit for the distributor hold down. Still waiting on some odds and ends to get it running again. I am so glad I bought a running cougar. I don’t think I could do a full restoration all at once. Stll have that issue of garage space. A buddy of mine can over during the install he got a good laugh at having to move the car to get to a tool chest on the other side of the garage. Hate to tell him that I had to clear out a bunch of things to get to the car in the first place. Its still bigger than the one car garage I wrenched my old Chevelle in.
So I did manage to get the intake on after installing studs. The intake shifted when attempting to use bolts so I picked up some studs when getting a new gasket. Then the usual change the fuel line and picked up a 1 inch drop base air cleaner to take care of clearance issues. Car restoration 30 minutes at a time…
So the first Holley 4-barrel ran well when tested last year. This year the fuel pump hose collapsed when the fuel pump ran. So I would get a little fuel to the carb then nothing. The pump was pretty beat to I replaced it as well. So I was getting fuel to the carb now. Then the floats were sticking front and rear. They would not adjust. Since I picked up three carbs for the price of one. Set that one aside to a thorough going through. The second cranked up quicker than it ever has. Yea!!! I can get it timed and get on to the next project. Not so fast my friend.When timing, I noticed than nothing changed when I pull the vacuum advance hose. Well it has about 18 lbs of vacuum, so new next thing on list. Then the family found me so that’s the end of working on the car today.
I feel like its a human game of duck hunt. Its 75ft to my detached garage from the house. Can I make it with out being spotted. Most times no, the door opens and down goes the duck. So I try the fake and go towards the barn. At the last second dive for the garage. Bang the door opens again and down goes the duck.
My wife works nights, so anything I can take off and do in the house while the kids sleep is great. I over plan everything. I gather the tools and lay the out . I might not get to work on it for a week so it will sit there. I knew this going in I have twin two year olds and three other kids, It will be a few years before I can spend time in the garage. I can still shop and my shelves are filling up with all I already know that needs to be done.
Starter finally gave up the ghost. Cables were all bad, exposed wire at the connectors.I cut through it like butter. Surprised it worked this long.I was shocked zero issues with the starter replacement and getting fresh cables on. I can get back to cleaning my carburetor. The current one on the car needs work too, but it ran well enough to get the timing set.
So the car is back to running status. I junked that knock off air-gap intake. Installed a Weiand and all is well. The Holley runs well on the inital settings. No leaks and good vacuum. I will get it tuned up and take care of some odds and ends. Then get the vinyl top removed.
Then COVID. Well the I was wrong about the intake. I put studs on for the intake.Installed dry measure the stud exposure. Installed the gaskets dry, layed the intake on and it started to shift. reset the gaskets and it kept doing it. When and found some gaskecinch. Followed the instructions slowly laid the intake on verifying it was straight using the studs the entire time. Half turn each nut till it was at final torque. What a pain. Then I knocked the button of the distributor cap. I ordered another, dropped the old distributor back in. Tried to start it , it was 180 out. So mad at my self. Corrected that and it started. Oh what a difference no popping just a rumble out the exhaust. The carb needs some work that is obvious.But I swapped carbs so much in the last year thing that was the problem. I am happy at this point. Work on the carb and drop the drums and get them adjusted and on the road. It stinks not being able to drive it all year.Time to put that behind me.
Well the front drums are rusted on. So treating it with penetrating oil. The lovely alternator I picked up a year ago has a bad rectifier to I ordered a replacement. Still looking to get it on the road soon.
After having the leaf springs for two years. I finally started replacing them. I had to cut every bolt sometimes twice. I picked up another couple of classics over the last two years so since the cougar was running it didn’t get much attention. I will finish the other leaf spring next day off. Then do rust treatments, I need to get the 4spd in shape to replace the toploader three speed in the spring.
