Just saw this on eBay -
I’m no expert on G’s but this has enough discrepancies that I’m thinking it’s an XR-7 with G badges. The front and rear valances are wrong (the fog lights are missing and the exhaust tips don’t come through), the console is missing, and the steering wheel is a '67 wheel.
I would ask for a Marti report to prove it on that one. What’s up with the vin tag on the driverside fender apron. Looks like they tried to tag it like a Shelby Mustang?
Are those curb moldings upside down? They don’t look right.
The part of the ad that says “built as a tribute to…” raises my eyebrow.
G tribute.
It even says that it was built as a tribute in the ad!
I know this was addressed to Royce, but really…
Looks like a pretty flagrant attempt to pass it off as a G. Straight up fraud in my book.
1968 Mercury Cougar XR7-G
This Beautifully restored 1968 Mercury Cougar XR7-G was built as a tribute to the great race legend and Mercury Cougar Race Team Captian Dan Gurney. Car is powered by a 302CI Ford V-8 with a 4 Barrel carburetor, backed by a Rare 3 Speed Manual Transmission. The car has been carefully gone through, and restored to better than new quality. Car has the correct 65B Body Code, XR7-G badges on passenger side headlamp cover, “C” Pillars, dashboard identification in gold, as well as non-functional fiberglass hood scope.
8F93F536342
It is identified as G car not a tribute. It isn’t a J code (4V) 302 (VIN Shows F code 2V). The hood scoop isn’t just non functional, it is not even correct for a G (GT-E style) every G part: console, mirror, hood scoop, front valance, rear valance, driving lights, exhaust tips, hood pins, inside door pulls, and on and on is missing. The three speed is so rare I couldn’t find one in the registry. Every supposed G part on it is available as a reproduction part.
And yes, they couldn’t even put the rocker trim on correctly…
In my opinion, that sentence is ambiguous. “This Beautifully restored 1968 Mercury Cougar XR7-G was built as a tribute to the great race legend and Mercury Cougar Race Team Captian Dan Gurney.” It could be interpreted to say that Mercury built the XR7-G as a tribute. If this car is not a real G, I think the ad is poorly written at best, and deceptive at worst.
Edit - Simultaneous post - Bill took words out of my mouth.
The subtitle on the ad says “1968 Mercury Cougar XR-7G”. The tribute statement refers to the original intent behind the G, so IMHO the statement is only ambiguous if we are giving the benefit of the doubt in heaping measures.
Bill, were there any F-code G’s? I thought there were some (hence my statement that I’m no expert! ).
Yes there were F codes, but to the best of my knowledge, no F code with 3 speed manual G cars. This appears to be a very low option (manual drum brake) XR-7.
Quick trivia item: the F codes got dual exhaust as part of the G package.
If I’m not mistaken the topic of a F code XR7G was covered before. I might be wrong but the 3 speed F code XR7G is the rarest as only one was built. Rarest in this case dosen’t make it the most desirable. Desirable and rare is like Bill’s R code XR7G.
Steven
F codes did receive dual exhaust. I own one
After checking the registry there was one F code 3 speed XR7G built.
Steven
But this is one isn’t the one in the Registry. This one is in the national database as a “G clone”; 65B-N=6B-02B-21-2-1; owner reporting in from Barrington, NJ. Further, my information is that the first G vins were in the 537— range.
Thanks Jim I didn’t mean to imply that this was that XR7G. I hope nobody is spending money for this car after reading my post. 
Overall I think is a clean looking Cougar, it just needs to be listed for what it truly is.
Steven
Have you checked out this link? It has an engine breakdown chart.
It is not a real XR7-G. The VIN is too early for XR7-G production. If it was mine I would remove all the G parts and sell them. The car looks pretty decent otherwise.
This one sold for $11,450. How much of that was a premium for the G is hard to determine. I sent the seller this:
This is not an XR7-G and should not be represented as such.
Got this reply: “Very interested. Please explain?”
My Reply:
First and foremost there is a registry that includes the VIN number of every G car built. The VIN numbers were provided by Ford Motor Company. The VIN number on this car places it’s production as occurring before the G cars were built. So not only does the VIN not appear in the registry, it could not appear there. The only G parts on this car are available as reproduction parts. They are easily available and cheap. It is also easy to verify that they are reproduction parts as they are not the exact same dimensions as the originals. The hood scoop on this car is not the one used on the G. The list of G parts that are missing is too long to provide here.
Additionally the VIN indicates that this car was originally a 2V (F code), not the 4V (J code). You have also installed the rocker panel trim upside down.
To be sure that he realized that the car was a known quantity I sent this:
You should be aware that this car is listed in the National Database as follows:
This one is in the national database as a “G clone”; 65B-N=6B-02B-21-2-1; owner reporting in from Barrington, NJ.
Those numbers appear on the door data tag.
The Body code 65B indicates that it is an XR-7 Bucket seats
The Color code N is Diamond Blue, white with a slight blue tint.
The Trim code 6B is XR7 bucket leather in Blue
The Date code 02B means it was scheduled to be built February 2nd 1968.
The District Sales Office Code is 21 Atlanta Georgia
The Axle code is 2 for 2.79 ratio non locking differential
The Transmission code is 1 for 3 speed manual
And I got this reply:
“Thank you. I will check the plate to confirm.”
“I appreciate the info, I bought this car the way it sits. The previous owner gave me all the info that I provided (right or wrong). I am by far not an expert in these cars. Thanks for the incite…”
And this is what he posted on the auction:
“I have received several emails in reference to the car, I am sorry I can not answer some of the questions, the car was restored prior to me purchasing it. I can tell you the car is in great condition, and drives and handles excelent. It has been restored to top notch quality, and needs absolutely nothing. Over $18,000 invested.”
So here we have a seller that knowingly misrepresented the car. Cavet Emptor!
Truly sad. I wonder what eBay would say about this sale being misrepresented? One other thing that should have been added is the fact that it has a 1967 steering wheel.
Steven
And it is back. Looks like the seller is NOT running the same deceptive ad.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1968-Mercury-Cougar-/321245241745?&_trksid=p2056016.l4276