As many of you know, my hunt for a 4-speed ’70 Eliminator is over after 20+ years of yearning and 2 or 3 years of searching for “the right one”.
When I was young my Mother would tell me about her tearing around in an Indian Fire 1969 Mach 1, a 428CJ Ram-Air 4-speed car. With that in my brain, I always wanted to own a CJ car, and of course it had to be a 4-speed. I remember buying a Mustang / Ford magazine that had an article about something called a “Cougar Eliminator” with a 428CJ engine. The scoops, spoilers and stripes on that bold-colored body hooked me. They were rare cars, but they were almost affordable compared to a comparably equipped mustang! Hmm…
I was a pup in the Navy at that time, and I photocopied some pictures of that ’70 Eliminator from the magazine and colored them with a colored pencil (color copiers weren’t wide-spread back then). I tucked the pictures into the clear cover of my binder that I carried around on the Sub.
Life occurred between then and now, with family, house and work happening every day. The Eliminator dream was dormant for years – there was simply no money, place, or time for it. But I saved a little bit here and there for my “someday project car”.
Some years ago while unpacking boxes after a move I found that old binder and promptly hung the Eliminator pictures up on the wall in my new garage. I started casually watching various websites, just checking out Eliminator ads and prices. I was also lurking around the Cougar forum. Y’know, learning. I noticed folks posting various cougar ads in the For Sale section, so every now and then I would throw in something that I had spotted and ask a few questions as well. As my search became more serious it became a monthly collection of Eliminator for-sale ads; “Eliminators on the Market”.
In April of 2012 a fellah posted a message on the Classic Cougar forum saying that he had an acquaintance who was selling an “orange” 1970 Cougar Eliminator, 428SCJ, 4-speed car. He asked for opinions on the value of the car, which “has no rust”, was still owned by the original owner, and was in running and driving condition. A few of us chimed in with generally vague values based on the limited description. I pointed him at a few recent CJ Eliminator sales, for reference, and exchanged some emails with him about the car. I decided to just “keep in touch”, and would send an email every now and then asking if he had any more information about the car yet.
In July the seller got back to me with a VIN: 0F91Q513786. Well, the Q at least confirmed a 428CJ car.
In mid-October the owner was ready to sell. I asked for detailed pictures and submitted the VIN to Marti Autoworks. Their report confirmed that 0F91Q513786 is a competition gold 428SCJ (V-code 3.91 axle ratio), 4-speed Eliminator that left the factory with ram-air, power steering, power brakes, a black décor interior with an AM/8-track radio, styled steel wheels and tinted glass. Being a California car, it was also originally equipped with the evaporative emissions system. Wow!
The pictures showed a “well loved” (my wife’s phrase for things that are about worn out) ’70 Eliminator with a 428 and 4-speed. The paint was dull and scratched all to hell, and it had old bodywork that was showing its age, having been in a major accident long, long ago. But the interior was in great shape, and the mechanicals had all been gone through 5 years ago. If the numbers all matched up could this be “the one”? I was in the middle of a 2 week business trip, so I made arrangements for an extended layover to see the car during my return home. Now I just had to tell the wife…
She was less than happy when I told her “I found a car and I’m going to go see it, and probably buy it if it all checks out.” In fact, she hung up on me and didn’t talk to me for a week after that! sigh
While I waited to see it in person I solicited opinions from the experts online ~ thanks guys!
http://www.classiccougarcommunity.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1767
I arrived at the seller’s shop in a not-so-good neighborhood of Oakland. There were bars on every door and window in sight, and graffiti on the front of the shop as high as a man could reach. Inside the shop, the car looked just like the pictures ~ rough, but ready. I looked it over, noting that most of the important items where there and matched up. Yeah, some things were missing, and it would eventually need bodywork and paint, but everything could be fixed given time and money. Besides, I wanted a “project” that I could work on, right? 
I test drove it and decided; this is a car that I don’t have to fix everything on right away, it is mostly complete, it isn’t horribly rusty, I can drive it and enjoy it as I clean it up, and it has a gosh-darn 428SCJ with a 4-speed. Yeah, this is “the one”! I told the seller I would take it and we made the arrangements.
After that it took a few weeks for the owner to get a replacement title, and then there was more waiting for the transporter, but it finally arrived December 23rd, 2012.
Let the adventure begin! 
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