I’m new to this forum so I thought I 'd try asking about the speed control option for a 1968 Cougar. I recently picked up a highly optioned 1968 XR7 GT (CA and Georgia car) and plan to restore the cat this winter. Sometime back the owner sold off the speed control parts. I can’t find much on the internet about the parts making up the speed control system so maybe some members can comment here. Are most of the parts interchangeable with other Ford/Mercury Lincoln vehicles. The turn signal lever with the button, servo unit (bellows) and the speed control regulator assembly seem to be the same as a Lincoln Mark III. However, the on/off switch under the dash to the right of the steering wheel is different on a Cougar as it looks more like a light switch.
I have a Hollander Mustang interchange manual and there is nothing in the book about speed control parts. Any help will be appreciated!
This is one of the hardest options to find and restore. The bellows itself can be replaced with the one reproduced for the Thunderbird. The actuating mechanism is unique to Cougar. The turn signal arm is common, but the last one I saw NOS went for over $1000. The regulator is common across a lot of cars and is relatively easy to find. Every thing else is specific to Cougar. I say Cougar because out of over 317,000 Mustangs only 437 got the speed control option, compared to 904 Cougars.
In particular, the linkage from the actuator to the carb is really tough to find. I ended up buying Lincoln parts and then using a forge to heat the steel and reshape it to make the part I needed.
I figured this would be a tough find and now know why the speed control stuff was sold when the car had been apart for many years. I appreciate your help and I suspect I will be back here frequently for more assistance as I dive deeper into the restoration.
Is there any active Cougar club specifically for the XR7 GT model?
Nothing specific to the XR7 GT.
I have a few boxes full of speed control parts. Most of it I won’t sell because as you know the parts are very hard to find. If you’re interested I might sell some of it that I have more then one of.
Be aware (some different parts) there were two different providers (Ford didn’t make these they were subbed out) so you’ll need to match like parts to get everything to work right.
If you go to http://www.concoursmustang.com/ and join (cost is $000000 in the library is an article showing the vacuum routing and some other details of the 69 system.
Think I kept copies of a Bendix (Believe Dana was the other provider) 67 NOS Mustang cruise control kit I had many years ago but would have to dig around to find it
The early 1967 Cougars had the Curtis-Wright Speed control system [ even more uncommon ( i.e. = rare ) than the Dana ], and the later 1967 / 68’s had the Dana Corporation “Perfet Circle” Speed control. I believe the changeover was somewhere after the 1/2 way point in the1967’ model year ( Jan - July ? ) with the Dana style and no 68’s came with the C-W systems. Bendix was a supplier to Ford and their system ( noted for the fingertip controls on the spokes of the steering wheel ) never made it into the 1st gen. Cougar. The guides and new model tutorials for the Bendix system are of limited use with either the Dana or the C-W versions. The turn-signal stalk is the same in the 1968 and the 1969 Cougars, and bears a ( last service ) part number of D1VY ( i.e. - Lincoln ) whereas the C-W turn signal stalk is of a whole different design ( it has a rotating collar on the end of the stalk ) and 1967 part number ( I believe it was a C7VY number )
in the library is an article showing the vacuum routing and some other details of the 69 system.