Yes, sometimes people do need to be “Checked”… especially when they are acting like a whiney B!tch!
Vultures? Give me a break! How many “secret sweet deals” are you sitting on yourself? How many hidden cars or rare parts are you holding out on sharing with the rest of us because you want first crack at it? We all have those nuggets tucked away in our back pocket.
Circle Jerk? Insulting people who put in the extra effort that keeps the Cougar community going, because you feel wronged that you didn’t get told about a car? Or because you think someone was taken advantage of? No one twisted the seller’s arm and made them take that check.
Want to know my rarest part?.. a fine bottle of Cougar Cabernet, delivered to me by Don Rush for joining the ‘circle’ of Cougar enthusiast after buying my first CAT. I’m not holding out on sharing either - I would be honored to open this up with anyone in the Cougar Circle who stops by my house in Chicago!
COUGARSHARK consider yourself checked. You need a little time in the penalty box. You comments are completely unacceptable. Cool off for a month or so and then see if you can come back in a more civil way or just stay gone.
You have no idea what you are talking about. NONE.
First off the owner of the car was not listed in the registry BY THE OWNERS REQUEST. Do you know why? It is because they don’t want to deal with people like you. Next, they asked their nephew, to help them with the car. He is the one that made all of the phone calls and ultimately made the deal to sell the car. He is in the video. He asked them what they wanted and presented the options. They got to make the decision without dealing with the public.
Jim doesn’t flip Cougars. He has had innumerable opportunities. His history is well known.
The video was produced by Jerry Heasley. Obviously you don’t know that name. He is a very highly regarded motorsports journalist and author. You might enjoy his book Jerry Heasley’s Rare Finds: Mustangs & Fords What you are seeing isn’t hype, it is a great story.
Cougar 1 has been owned by Jim since 1994. The restoration was completed in 1997. That is one very slow flip. Had he invested in Amazon back then he could own ALL of the Cougars now. And the current asking price has more to do with winning the National Automotive Heritage Award from the Historic Vehicle Association.
For clarity, I banned COUGARSHARK for 30 days. Thanks to all of you for being the better men and women. Opinions are great, but we will maintain a civil discourse here.
As the thread descends into absurdity, when there should be much rejoicing at the next phase in the story … and at the first for Cougardom - one documented on YouTube
What next - another shrubbery
Whoops - should have read to the end of the thread before posting
Off to find some moistened bint lieing in the pond distributing pesos so I can afford to finish my 428 and sell it to Scott Taylor
Bill, thanks for not locking the thread clearly that would have been the easy way to deal with COUGARSHARK, checking is what he asked for and received. I believe this thread has given us all a rare insight into transfer of ownership of middle to higher end cougars which all of us love and maybe aspire to own ourselves and for this reason I believe this thread a healthy conversation and debate, and best of all the people involved giving of their time to help us all to learn more about our chosen hobby.
You said, “Jim does not flip cars.” And you basically imply you know what you are talking about stating COUGARSHARK does not. Well, Jim is FLIPPING the ultimate Cougar flip for 410K. That’s $410,000. Which is fine, good for him, good for this community, hope he gets his price…really. Smart guy, why flip many cars when one gets the job done. You don’t place an ad in Craigslist for such a car and ask 410K. I see now why he carted the car across the country last year to car shows—to PROMOTE the car for the 50-year anniversary payday. That’s how cars in that class are sold–good for him! No problem! Also, he sold his inherited, awesome 4-speed 428CJ GTE some years ago. An incredible, original 1 of 3 4-speed GTE! That’s fine, but don’t say he does not flip cars.
Today, I finally looked at the part 2 video: 1968 427 GT E Mercury Cougar REGISTRY Find…one of a half dozen known to exist with its original 427 engine". That’s 1 of 6 GTEs with original 427 engine. 6! I have more fingers…yes I can count. Oh my gosh…wow! I think my initial appraisal of the Robie GTE was “wholesale” at 85K. I saw in the video decent original leather, optional AM/FM and headrests. And a “complete” 427 mid-rise service engine with steel crank installed fresh and new early 70s…and then driven little. And what history, lady driven and dry-climate-parked indoors in 1973!!! The mid rise heads alone are worth 1.5-2K, so the extra 427 engine is worth 7.5-10K. Therefore, the Double-Red-Robie car as it sits now with extra parts is worth 100K plus easy. That’s why I am willing to pay 75K…and that offer still stands. I’ll take on the “horrible risk” of fixing the original damaged 427, cleaning out a mouse nest or two (doubt many mice in dry climate) and look for a better engine wiring harness.
So there are “better” original GTEs out there that the “insiders” know about? What are they asking for those rare cars? The Robies should have appraised that car! My wise dad saw me down after I missed a car for sale years ago…he said to me, “Son, don’t you know there is always a better deal.” He was right! Not sure on this deal. The only thing bugging me here is the registry angle…who owns that valuable data collected by a volunteer?
BOSSSGTE, as I understand your classification of a “flip”, it would be buying a car at whatever price and selling it for more than you bought it for. Is that correct?
Also it does not matter how long you owned the car. one week, one year, one decade, one century, it’s all the same?
On to the Cougar Database Project. Information is collected under the purview of the Cougar Club of America (CCOA) for statistical information. The database information is then broken down into the individual Cougar Specialty Vehicle Registries (managed by CCOA volunteers). Because of the sensitivity of some of the information in the database/registries it is not made public except to show various statistical information. If you are an “Owner of Record” in one of these registries then you may be entitled to receive a copy of the registry. However, the information that you get may, or may not, contain information on other “owners of record”.
I hope I have cleared up your Cougar Registry question.
BossGTE – You have some incorrect in your posting in this thread. First of all I took Cougar 1 on the tour of several 50th Anniversary shows last year because we enjoy sharing the car with the public, particularly the Cougar community. We’ve been fortunate to have people from every state and province in Canada, as well as from 13 other foreign countries come here to see Cougar 1. At none of the shows was there a for sale sign in Cougar 1. We did have a small tri-fold brochure printed with information on the car, a reference to the Cougar-1.com website, and on the back cover $330K. Most people are unaware that we turned down two offers to sell the car for that price, because in our view the potential buyers were in it for exactly what you mean when you say “flip it.” Keeping the car since '94 until now does not meet any known definition of flipping the car. Then you say I “inherited” the 428 CJ, 4 speed GT-E? Where did you come up with that hairbrained notion? Oh, and buy the way I owned that GT-E for 12 years; again, hardly what I’d call flipping it.
The definition of flipping cars is buying used cars and selling them without a dealer’s license… usually done without registering or titling the car. Owning a car for 24 years hardly falls into that category…
BOSSGTE, spirited discussion and differences of opinion are absolutely welcome, but personal attacks are not. That goes both ways.
I guess the Robies were flippers? I mean they sold it for more than they paid for it, didn’t they? LOL! They probably made 12 times their initial investment, way better than Jim if he sells Cougar 1 for $400K.
This is just too funny:
“the Double-Red-Robie car as it sits now with extra parts is worth 100K plus easy. That’s why I am willing to pay 75K.”
I was waiting on my question to be answered. Depending on that answer, I was going to make that point of the Robies being flippers.
If he is willing to pay $75K for this red GT-E that is going to need at least another $25K to bring it up to a decent driver level (high 3, low 2), why not invest $85K into the Lime Frost with black vinyl roof and parchment interior that is fully a number 2 (probably high 2) car as it sits (no trailer needed, unless you want to).
I believe, and Jim can correct me if I am mistaken, that the high asking price on Cougar 1 describes what many experts in the hobby (and not just Cougar people) believe the value of the car is. It should also help to keep his phone from ringing off the hook and his e-mail box from exploding. It also relays the importance and responsibility a potential owner/caretaker is going to have thrust upon them to be able to continue into the future. Potential new ownership of Cougar 1 is not just showing up with a check for the asking amount and driving off with the car. A potential new owner will be required to convince it’s present stewards (and probably a number of other Cougar enthusiasts whom are trusted counsel to the Pinkertons) that they are able to look after this important piece of history, that they are able to show it to enthusiasts where it will be living, and be able to transport it around the continent as it has been for various Cougar events.
I think you can get a top secret security clearance in the White House easier than all that, which is why I know of at least two parties that were turned down after they approached Mr. Pinkerton with more than adequate financial reserves.
