Hi everyone…I recently bought a 69 std 351w 2bbl from a buddy (second owner) who hasn’t driven the car for about 20 years. Its in decent shape with only 81k miles. Completely virgin sheet metal with no accidents or rust problems. I just finished rebuilding the brakes so i can take it out to evaluate the drive train. So far I’m leaning towards an Eliminator clone. I just recently moved to the Birmingham, Al area and don’t have any car buddies here so…any one who would like to help me get familiar with the shops and stuff around here; give me a message.
Frankie
Welcome to the cougar madness Frankie 
Good luck with the build, you will find a ton of imformation from the members here 
Welcome to the Classic Cougar Community Frankie. I like the Eliminatir clone idea of yours. Build and enjoy.
Steven
Welcome! and…
at the far top left of this page, you’ll see member locations. Click there, and Just add your pushpin, and check out who’s near you.
Welcome to the madness. ROLL TIDE!
Now that THAT’S out of the way… these cars have great lines. It will get a ton of attention (good AND bad! 
) I hope youre a bit of an extrovert.
welcome. Neat looking car. 
A couple days ago I tried to start the Cougar after 18yrs sitting, however I discovered that the gas tank was gummed up and had a huge hole in the corner. Next day I tried rigging up a temp fuel tank just to get it fired and see if the engine and trans are in good order. Next I found that the fuel line as well as the carb was gunked up completely. So, after several cans of carb cleaner and a rebuild kit it finally started and continued to run! Even better yet…the headlight doors CLOSED! I’m assuming that the check valve needs replacing. Anyway, I drove it down the street and back and it ran just fine and shifted into all gears and reverse. Now I can pull the engine and trans knowing that much. I have a video of it and a website with more. IM SO PUMPED UP! http://cougarrestoration.weebly.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKpWwzF0NUk
Glad to see the car is running. After sitting 18 years that is a good thing. I bet that first ride was real rewarding.
Steven
Very nice…from the pics it looks like a pretty complete car with most, if not all, the trim. The trim can get pricey if you dont have it.
(Wheel well trim, front hood trim and especially the vinyl top trim) Looks like you only have a few minor dings in the trim and it needs a good buffing to be really nice.
Any way, WELCOME to the madness that is the Cougar obsession!
As you get deeper into your project, the guys at West Coast Classic Cougar will be your best buds with any part you might need. (Best parts and customer service hands down)
InlineTube for the steel gas and brake lines, and I can’t remember who I ordered my Gas tank from at the moment.
Enjoy the ride!
I had a couple days off so I decided to tackle a small rust issue on the trunk lid. The original plan was to just clean it up a little and put some POR 15 and a little fiberglass patch. Well upon close inspection, I ended up getting into it KNEE DEEP! I know some of you will cringe when you see how I did it, but 1 I can’t weld anymore due to a pacemaker, 2 can’t afford to have it fixed professionally, 3 not building a show or concours car. That being said I opened it like a can of beans and blasted and sealed the inner panel with POR 15 and then glassed in the rusted area and then pop riveted it all back together somewhat like a Frankenstein surgery, then covered my mess with a fiberglass bandaid. That’s the good part…while doing it I peeled the bottom seam apart as I could see that was rust infected too, I thought I could just separate the two panels dab some POR 15 in there and bend it back and be done. OH NO…the lip broke into as I was trying to bend it back, due probably to the rust. So… I got some aluminum sheet metal and fabbed a new bottom seam starting under the chrome trim and wrapping around to the inside. Then I finished it all off with more fiberglass. I still have to do a little grinding and filling with some bondo. http://cougarrestoration.weebly.com/
Here’s a little update on my project. Pulled the front end apart and started restoring the headlights, wiper assembly, and the lower valance and turn signals.
http://cougarrestoration.weebly.com
