Okay so I am gonna say it is not but too be sure I want to see what you guys have found in past research.
So my 70 J code Marti report came in looks like it was pretty basic with a few upgrades. Ordered in 69, built in May of 70 (5 days early) sold in July of 70 by Channel City Motors in Santa Barbara. Was ordered in competition blue, medium blue vinyl high back buckets, 351 2v, built in Dearborn, EES, and console.
So that was cool to see.
Today I pulled a title history report. Shows it was first titled in 2002 as a 1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator? Then again in 2020 when the dealer I bought it from got their hands on it.
Can people title the car through NMVTIS under what ever they want or could this be a baby Eliminator in hiding?
I think you could select any motor you wanted after checking off the Eliminator 302 option on the order slip based on the stuff I have found online. Sounds like the 302 Eliminator option would get the handling package and bigger rear end?? So in theory you could select the eliminator 302 and then select the 429cj or scj, or 390 or 351 after that.
There is no real vin code or door code for just an Eliminator it was just seeing the combo of options I guess from my reading.
I think this dealership just order an “Eliminator appearance” package without spending for the additional items to make it an actual Eliminator. Looks like it sat on the lot less than 2 months so it seemed to work ha ha.
The only engines available in a 1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator are: G code Boss 302, M code 351-4V, or Q code 428CJ/SCJ.
Also only available in body code 91. No convertibles or XR7’s. Available in limited colors without special order.
A base Eliminator was a 351-4V with 3 speed transmission, drum unassisted brakes, no power steering.
A Boss 302 was an available option on any Eliminator, as was the 390-4V (1969 only) and the 428-4V CJ (or SCJ).
No Eliminator was ever equipped with a 351-2V and no Cougar was ever equipped with a J engine code after 1968 model year so there are a lot of issues in the OP’s statements.
Yeah sorry for the confusion on the paint code I didn’t know previous year engine codes. I was just referring to the paint code on the marti door tag.
And for the record I don’t think it is an eliminator its just odd seeing the title come back with that. Between youtube vids, and online articles it seems like there was a lot of trickery going on with these cars.
Where all G code ‘Boss 302’ cars, Eliminators? Someone could select various options that would otherwise be available in a ‘Package’. The car can receive some decals and no one would be the wiser. After-all it is the same equipment with one being legitimate and the other not. For anyone looking to invest in a actual ‘Eliminator’ as Mercury, from what I am understanding, placed no distinguishing alpha-numeric characteristic that specifically states a car came off the line with that package.
Yes, all g code Cougars were Eliminators. No, you couldn’t get any of the Eliminator specific items like the dash, black out grill, or stripe package individually.
The alphanumeric is is a part of the 80 character vehicle order image. When Marti decided that it will identify the Eliminator option. There are other indicators like the high back seats only available in the Eliminator in 1969.
Maybe Dave W can chime in on a few of the other items.
Bill, did you mean Marti decodes that alphanumeric from the order to determine if it was an Eliminator or not? Or did Kevin actually decide if it was an Eliminator from other combinations of options?
Lol - spellcheck did the same thing to me when I typed the reply. Good to know we can be confident the Marti report will tell us if it’s an authentic Eliminator or not - as Al posted earlier. I’ve learned a few things about Eliminators from this thread.
The order image on the top of a Marti report is what Kevin uses to determine how a vehicle was equipped. Each column has a meaning and various codes within the column detail how that vehicle was equipped. Kevin has binders by model year that notate what those codes mean and they would sometimes change during the model year. An example of that is in 1968, GTE was automatically applied when the “W” engine code was ordered. When the 428CJ was introduced midway through the model year and was made available in a GTE, an extra code was added to one of the existing columns to designate that. FAQ on order image at Marti Auto.
All Eliminators were equipped with 4 venturi carburators.
1969 Eliminators are easily identifiable because they were only produced in 4 colors (2 of which were Eliminator only) and the interior code was only available on an Eliminator. There were special paint Eliminators ordered in 1969 but none were produced.
1970 Eliminators are slightly more complicated. There were 6 basic Eliminator colors (and all were available on any other 1970 Cougar). There were also special paint cars produced. Proper documentation (window sticker, invoice, Marti report, etc.) is required to confirm an Eliminator with the exception of the BOSS 302 motor, which was only supposed to be available with the Eliminator option.
That certainly narrows down the Boss 302 ‘G’ code. Other engine options included the 351 4v Windsor in 1969 and the Cleveland 4v in 1970; both ‘M’ codes, the 390 ‘S’ code, and the 428 CJ ‘Q’ or ‘R’ codes. ‘R’ being for the ‘Ram-Air’ induction. Aside from the engine being other than a ‘G’ code -as that would be a legitimate car- the remaining ‘M’, ‘S’, ‘Q’ and ‘R’ equipped hardtops can essentially be made to replicate an actual Eliminator. Such a car can be sold off as the actual McCoy by someone who is either dishonest or is actually oblivious to the fact that what they believe is one, in fact, isn’t. The Marti Report is a great method in vetting these claims, true or not. But what if there were no such validation resources like Kevin Marti provides?
Eliminators (and clones!) are kinda tricky that way. To elaborate some on what Bill and Dave said, and to clarify on the prospect of selecting “various options” and adding decals…
Eliminators came with the Competition Suspension, which could also be ordered on any Cougar.
The Eliminator Option included camera case dash panels, front and rear spoilers, and a tape stripe package. But none of those items could be ordered on a non-Eliminator.
The hood scoops were also used on 428CJ Ram-Air Cougars, but were not otherwise available as an optional item.
For 1970 the Eliminators received a passenger side mirror and a running cat fuel door emblem, neither of which could be ordered on a non-Eliminator.
HOWEVER, all of these components were available via the parts counter. So with a little money, time and effort, you could bolt on your parts, slap on your stripe stickers, maybe spray a little black-out paint around, and you have yourself an Eliminator clone that can be very hard to detect.
ALWAYS do your due diligence if you are considering purchasing an Eliminator. A $20 basic Marti Report is the best insurance to make sure the Cougar you are looking at really is / is not an Eliminator.
If a Marti Report becomes unavailable for some reason in the future, then contact the Eliminator Registry. The Registrar has an extensive database of Eliminator VINs.
Alternative documentation that a seller could provide may include the original factory Invoice (also currently available through Marti Auto Works), or the vehicle Build Sheet. Both of these documents clearly state if a Cougar has the Eliminator Option.
It would be fun to do a concours level restoration on an Eliminator. As of current I’m still cutting my teeth on the 67’ ‘A’ code that I have been gradually working on over the past few years. She is going together, albeit slowly and there is no better teacher than experience in and of itself. After a few more cars plus a lot more experience will I have the competence necessary to do an Eliminator. The goal is to preserve these classics for people to enjoy into the future be it a base, XR-7, GT-E, GT, Eliminator or other make/model.