Factory options question - decor group/courtesy light group

Cougar Community Classic Cougar Community Discussion
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Hello all.

I’m new to this site, but have been a 1968 Cougar owner for a few years now. (Bought the car back in '07 as a broke but smitten 21 year old, and am just now getting the time/money to do a proper restoration) Anyway, I got around to ordering a Marti Report, and had a few questions regarding some of the factory options.

Most of it is pretty self explanatory, but there a few things I can’t seem to find solid info on. According to the report, the car came with the “Decor Group” as well as the “Courtesy Light Group.” According to this http://gte.mercurycougarregistry.com/mid-year-changes/ the Decor Group options are listed, but mine was built after Jan '68, and it’s still called the Decor Group, not the New Decor Group as stated on that page (probably just a textual nuance?)

Does anyone know much about these packages? I’ve got the rear seat arm rests, as well as (I think) the windshield A pillar padding. Missing seem to the be the wood grain steering wheel, and as mine came with the Dan Gurney Special turbine wheel covers, I imagine that replaces the deluxe wheel covers (or are one in the same?) Is the ‘bright curb molding’ referring to the rocker panel moldings? I have the door mounted courtesy lights, but I had always assumed that every cougar that rolled off the line had those. And if the decor group includes those, what does the “Courtesy Light Group” give you? The round rear seat C pillar lights? Again, I just assumed that every Cougar had those. And even more baffling is the ‘customer grade seat and door trim,’ which implies if you don’t have the Decor Group, you get less than customer grade…? :think:

My car is far from factory original (different paint, and a terrible head gasket-leaking '78 302 which I am in the process of taking out and replacing with a proper '68 302) so it’s entirely possible some of these things have been removed or replaced over the years. Anyway, if there is anyone out there who can shed some more light on these package groups, I would be very appreciative. Thanks!

-Paul

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Paul, according to my 1968 Cougar brochure, the Décor Group included deluxe seat and door trim, door-mounted courtesy lights, color-keyed rear window interior moldings and deluxe wheel covers. The Courtesy Light Group included rear roof pillars, luggage compartment, and parking brake warning lights.

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Oh ok, very cool. Thanks! Yeah all of the lights you mentioned are present, and there definitely is a recurring interior door/seat design that must be the trim package. Unfortunately, the window sticker and the wheel covers are all that remain of the Dan Gurney Special package, as the chrome dress up kit bit the dust along with the original engine. According to my paint codes, mine originally looked very similar to your Lime Frost pictured under your reply, except now the Sea Foam Green on mine was repainted white at some point, and the black vinyl top is gone (I’m assuming it was rotted away, and removed when the car was repainted). Still rocking the Light Ivy Gold interior though.

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If I remember correctly, you didn’t get the chrome in '68.

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Interesting. So for 1968, the Dan Gurney Special package was just the sticker and the wheel covers, or was there something else as well? The chrome engine dress up kit must have been for 67 then, maybe that’s what I read (this was a number of years ago, so I don’t quite remember all the details). Because unless I’m mistaken, the DGS package was discontinued for 69

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Correct. In 1968 the DGS kit is a cardboard box with four wheel covers and a Dan Gurney Special window sticker inside.
Installed on a car same thing, no box.