My wife finally convinced me to enter this contest!! My love of cars began helping my father work on his cars (57 Bel Air and 71 Cheyenne truck) in the mid 70’s. So in 1984, when it was time for me to start driving we looked for the perfect car: Camaros, Chevelles, Mustangs, and then a co-worker told him that he had a 68 Cougar he would sell. After purchasing the car we rebuilt the engine and had the car painted. Fast forward to 1994, and I stripped the faddded paint and painted it again. I have now owned the car for 29 years. My youngest kid is now 11 and will be driving in a few more years. This would be the greatest opportunity to get him involved with a project car that would one day be his. I am currently taking automotive classes at the local community college to futher my knowledge of repairing cars. My father is a welder/fabricator by trade and taught himself to repair and paint cars over the years. He has been a great teacher to me! Winning this car would give three generations of the family a great bonding experience while buidling this car!!! Thanks for the consideration and keep up the great work!
Jim Mcadams
[album]1287[/album]
Boy…this is going to get harder and harder to narrow down with some really good late entries 
People are certainly coming out of the woodwork to post for the GT.
In reviewing the stats of the National DB posted on the CCOA page (http://www.cougarclub.org/cougar-database-summary.htm) there are very few 1967 GT 4-speed cars known to exist. This is a very desirable car, and really needs to go to the right person, family, or persons that have the skills and funds to really do it justice.
Will there be finalists announced on July 5th?
The clock is ticking and it is great to see all of the interest & enthusiasm to save this car.
To the people that wants to give me the Cougar GT,
I would like to have the Cougar GT because I love these cars; I have wanted to get another to make one out of two cars. My parents had bought a ’67 new, since then it has seen its better years. When my dad past away, the car was left to me. It was ordered with the 427 w/dual quad intake, top loader 4spd, sea foam green, black leather interior and black top. I have been dying to get another so that I could restore it. My mom loved this car, even though from what I understand that when she did it ended up a side by side with another car, with my dad shifting. I personally do all my own engine, body and suspension work. I am currently building a full tube ’89 cougar with a 557 cu. In. I would just like to be able for my mom to take one more ride in a cougar.
Thanks,
Curt Gass
To own this car is to own a piece of history, a piece of my past. With this car i could build not just a car but memories with my son much like the memories i have with my father. My father and i built a cougar but like many young kids i had to push it as far as it could take me and the thrill i received was more enough until one night i pushed to hard and wrecked my beautiful car. I hadn’t realized how much a car can become part of someone until i no longer had it but the memories of building and driving will remain with me until the end of my time and i hope to someday be able to leave behind memories like these with my son when my time comes to an end. Working out of state for two weeks at a time doesn’t leave much for memories and though my children are all that my world revolves around i fear our bonding moments and memories we share are scares. My son is nearly old enough to begin driving and to learn to drive in a classic car, well that’s something no one could forget
I agree not to many stray cat’s of this breed are out there. It will take a Mercury Stray Cat like Zoe, Her Club, and Her Family to put this car back in the right direction. We need the next generation ladies to rebuild and drive this car for many years to come. As a father I know she can do a great job. Please remember to keep Zoe in mind for the car rebuild.
Lord Leadfoot
Hello my name is Mario Heder and I live in Spokane Washington. I have always loved muscle cars. Ever since I started playing with hot wheels my favorites were always the old classics. The Mercury Cougar However has always had a special place in my heart. My Grandfather rocks one. His name is Dik, but we all just call him papa. Out of the entire family, I have always been the one who showed the most interest in his car because most of the other grandchildren are interested in Camaros, Chargers, and Mustangs. Now there is nothing wrong with any of those cars… except for the fact that none of them are the Mercury Cougar. When Dik noticed my interest in his car he said to me. “I’ll tell you what, one day you and I are gonna work on a mercury cougar for you”. Well it’s been a while, and many projects have come and gone, most of which were with friends. Some of the projects I helped with were a '72 charger, '69 mustang coupe, '66 mustang coupe, '70 Nova, and a bunch of tuners that I really don’t care enough about to mention. I figured I would get to my car soon but Dik was recently diagnosed with Leukemia and he fought it hard enough to put it in remission. Unfortunately it has come back so I don’t feel like I have a lot of time. I really want my next project to be the 67 cougar and since Dik is a very well renouned artist, I wanted him to design the Cougar and then I would build it. I have more than enough experience and I have many friends and family who want to help me build my dream ride. Whether I win this car or not I’m sure I will eventually get a cougar, but I wanted to get it finished soon, so that my grandfather could see it and ride in it.Hopefully you can help me reach my dream.
Cougar Giveaway.pdf (65.3 KB)
Why I’m The Guy To Rescue This Car From The Crusher
I am the person with the passion, expertise and resources to restore the 67 GT project car back to her former glory! Nothing motivates me more than my memories of that Brand New 1967 lime frost Cougar, what it looked like, and yes, smelled like when it was sitting in my Make Ready stall back in the summer of 1966. Although I have never driven an FE powered 4-Speed Cougar (or Mustang), I would really appreciate the first-hand opportunity to do so!
Thank you for considering my entry.
Attached is a pdf of my essay on why I am the best candidate to restore the 67 GT.
Photos of my Cougar Project Cars and other restorations can be viewed at the following web address. Click on the link below. If the link does not automatically connect, highlight the link, copy it, and then paste it into your browser.
Hello, my name is Colton Voorhis.
I am posting this so as to explain why I should be the person to rescue this injured Cougar.
First, I’m going to allow y’all a view of my history. I was born in July of '97, making me almost 16 at the time of me typing this. Also, making me born on the 30th anniversary of this fine piece of worksmanship. The family I was born into was composed of hardworking men and women who lived below their means to not only allow them to fully experience the American Dream, but to allow their children to do so as well. For example, my father lived in a trailer home in a small rural town in Texas for the beginning of his life. While in the process of: growing up, excelling in everything that came into his path, and working towards his future; he and my granddad built a house for their whole family of 5 at the time to live comfortably. During this time, my granddad had already had a predisposition towards muscle cars and automobiles in general. He passed this predisposition on to my father, and one of the vehicles he owned happened to be what looks like a 1967 Cougar, although it may be a 1968.
This is him, his brother, and the car:
(He is on the left)
After this photo was taken, my father went to college and started a family which eventually included 4 kids including me. During this time my granddad worked on his collection of a ridiculous amount of hot wheels as well as a decent amount of Mustangs. For the first 9 years of my life I grew up with muscle cars and vehicles in general, seeing as they worked on the side selling cars and trucks. A few months after I had turned 9 though, my dad and granddad were in the process of fixing up that old house they had built years ago so that they could sell it and my grandparents could move into a nicer house that was closer to us. On the way there, they were hit by a 19 year old kid who was under the influence of several substances. Nobody made it out of the accident. Some things happened because of that side of the family and we now no longer talk to them. To make it worse, my grandma sold all of my granddads collections.
I have gone through the past 7 years of my life without a positive male role model in my life. I include the positive part due to the fact that my older brother has yet to fully get his train back on the rails, in the sense of working towards goals in his life. It’s somewhat difficult to connect with him as a brother unless we work on/talk about muscle cars together.
If I were given the chance to restore this beauty; I would include as many of my dad’s close friends as I could to help build it, and it would be built in remembrance of him and his dad. It would mean a chance for me to work hard and learn the values they learned while working with vehicles. It would mean a chance to connect with my brother more. It would mean a chance for me to start off a lifelong passion for these cars and restoring them to their original glory. And most importantly, it would mean a chance for the passing of the torch so to speak to the new generation, seeing as a lot of my generation likes to not know anything about muscle cars or cars in general.
All of this culminates into a extremely strong determination for the restoration, which has been said to be one of the necessary traits to be able to win the Cougar.
Speaking of things that are necessary, it has also been said that the person to restore this vehicle needs the: tools, expertise, time, and money for such as project.
As for tools, I have a whole shop full of tools that belonged to my dad and granddad which includes everything from the smallest nut, to engine stands.
These pictures show part of it, but doesn’t show it’s full inventory or capacity.
http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/coltclassic/media/64062278-140e-4fda-beee-ff728dcd3a42_zps09f45677.jpg.html?sort=3&o=4
http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/coltclassic/media/c76f3aa3-f0e3-4f54-81cf-da17a2cf0836_zpsaed9f348.jpg.html?sort=3&o=3
Obviously the tools are not a problem.
Now on to expertise. I have recently bought a 1967 Cougar that I have been working on for the past few months. I’ve done everything from fixing the tail lights to doing routine maintenance on her, which has brought me to the final task of fixing the heater core. For those with 67’s, you should be agreeing with the fact that I have determination by now… The recent work with my Cougar (which now doesn’t need any work unless I want to make it perfect, and/or pro street) as well as the work I have done on Mustangs in the past with my brother and way in the past with my granddad, should elude to my expertise with this car. This car will also be a learning experience; but I have a master welder/fabricator that is really close to my family as well as a head mechanic at a shop in town to help me with the things I don’t know or don’t have to ability to do.
http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/coltclassic/media/fba3e3e2-4df3-44eb-a90d-c8b972005230_zps29b441c4.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0
http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/coltclassic/media/4142dbd9-891f-4bea-aad8-47fee3b900df_zps07e4031d.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1
Expertise also seems to be down.
As for money, my brother and I make some pretty decent money mowing lawns, our family is starting a business which will probably be lucrative, in two years I’ll have an EMT and a Pharmacy Technician certification (both make 20,000 to 50,000 a year when used), and I’m sure there are many of my dad’s friends who could contribute to a memorial of him. Especially such a cool one as this.
And for time, my brother and I would both work on it and we’re both under 20 years of age. We have no families or careers to attend to for at least 4 years and therefore possess an abundance of time.
I’m sure a lot of you are wondering what my plan for this Cougar would be. This is what I would do: I would initially get a Marti report and find out what the vehicle came with in it’s original state. To bring it to that state; I would first dismantle most of the vehicle, or as most know this stage as, the easy part. Working towards originality I would begin with body work. New floor pans, trunk pans, etc. I would remove all traces of rust and then go about painting the undercarriage, engine bay, and places that are susceptible to rust that aren’t going to be painted with the original paint, with rust preventative paint. Then I would go about taking off the original paint; and then either painting it myself, or sending it to a painter. The car would be the original color, which I assume is Ice Frost. From there I would look for a 390 block with the correct date code, which I’ve already seen a few for very good prices. I would build the engine with the help of the mechanic (who used to race cars for a living), if you get what I mean. After that I’d locate a 4 speed toploader, which I have seen go as cheap as $75 dollars. I know it was a very rare case though. The rear axle would be rebuilt, and that would be the drivetrain. From there, the rest is quite straight forward.
I believe I have assured that my drive, expertise, money, time, tools, and plan are all up to par with what y’all are looking for; now it is up to y’all.
Thank you very much for the opportunity to win this rare cat, I hope you choose me.
P.S. The Cougar would become a Texan, which living up to the Texan standard, would have a life larger than Cougars from other states. With less rust too.
P.P.S. We have two 18 wheeler trailers full of Mustang parts if it ever came to that, including 2 I6 engines, a Ford 9", and various other parts. These could either be sold for funds, or used on the car. With a preference of using parts that would be original to the vehicle, and selling parts that are not.
Why I should be the GIRL to rescue this beautiful kitty
I guess my first memory of my Grandfathers 1967 Cougar was when I was 7 years old. My mom refused to ride with him because she said he never grew up. All I know is that the car was fast, fun, and there was no where I’d rather be than in that front passenger seat with my grandpa. I always helped him whenever he did anything to it…“bath time” was especially fun, we lived in Norfolk, VA and the humidity is almost unbearable in the summer, but when we washed her it was sooo much fun, water hose fights ,soap everywhere, and generally just great memories of my pappy. He would let me sit in the front seat and pretend to drive…no keys in ignition though…i think he somehow knew I really would try to drive her…lol. My grandfather in his lifetime had 4 cars…and 4 grandchildren…a 1966 Mustang, 1967 Cougar, 1971 Mustang, and 1984 Mustang LX=3.8 For the grandkids there was myself, Bryan, Todd, and Charles…I think most of you can guess what car I got…yep…the NON fast one. Needless to say I was devasted…66 lasted maybe 9 months at the hands of Todd, the 71 alittle longer with Charles and the Cougar didn’t make it 6 months at the hands of Bryan. 3beautiful cars trashed at the hands of young boys who didn’t appreciate them…grandpa figured the LX was better for a girl since it had no real power. Now, don’t get me wrong…I know not all young men do that to there cars, but grandpa made a huge mistake. I would’ve loved, garaged, and babied that Kitty Kat “furever” So, as to my reasoning why I deserve this Cougar…its pretty simple…this would be my “Do Over” in life…I would have a chance to have my dream car and restore her to her original beauty. Obviously I cant do this alone which is where my son comes in…he too has my love of classics…esp. Cougars…he has a 1971 Cougar which I can pretty much guarantee he will NEVER sell and my grandkids will probably drive it at some point…lol. Tyler, my son has all the tools and resources to bring this girl to her original beauty. He even has an open spot in the kitty cave where she can be out of the elements while her transformation is done. I cant think of anything that could be more satisfying then to go to a family reunion and see my cousins…the crash squad…and ask a simple question…“What do you drive”……? Oh how I would love to point at my Cougar and say…"I drive that…and you DON’T…haha. I really hope you can see why I sooooo deserve to win this beauty and bring her home where she belongs.
Monique M.
Hi all!
This is my little video explaining why I think you should consider me for your 1967 Mercury Cougar GT!
My little 55hp from factory Plymouth Cricket with a 3 speed auto is getting a bit slow for me, so a 390 big block 4 speed Cougar seems like the next logical step up!
Thanks for considering me and good luck to all!
Cheers, 
Ps: That link is being posted before the video is completely uploaded, so it may be a few hours before the link works.
On behalf of my husband Paul Newman, I’m posting to your site this evening for your 67 Cougar GT Giveaway. This classic diamond in the rough has potential plus. With Paul’s years of experience in automotive paint and body restoration, and mechanical abilities, would make this into a dream car. Having 2 69s … a lone Classic Cougar stood above and beyond other cars of the era as being one of his all time high school favorites. I suspect he’d build this probably back to it’s original state with the exception of one baaaad 428. With this in mind, he’d probably keep this to hand down to his son one day! (probably many years later but someday)
Paul’s a wonderful visionary and with the right car, quite simply… it would be tasteful. Anyone can restore a car and put their heart and soul into it. He would do that and more while welcoming the challenge. Besides, it would mean more trips out to West Coast Classic Cougars for those hard to find ‘exclusive’ restoration parts, along with any offered collaboration, this diamond in the rough wouldn’t take too long to turn into the GEM it needs to be!
Best of luck to all ~ but as you read through this, I hope you would consider and agree that Paul Newman would be the one to create a vision to be shared for many years to come!
Lilly Newman
Why I’m the Guy to Rescue This Car From the Crusher
Several years ago my dad and I started working on a Resto-mod of his 1969 Mercury Cougar. When he bought it in 2008 it was pretty beat up
It had been sitting in a field in Oregon for many years. At first I was reluctant to work on it, but I started to think about what it might have been like 44 years ago. That made me appreciate what he was doing. It originally had a 351 Windsor which we just finished converting to a 408 Stroker. We have been collecting the trim and other missing accessories for several years. Now that the motor is in and we have all the leaks stopped we are fixing up the dents getting it ready for a fresh coat of paint. Luckily my dad’s friend owns a auto shop where we can borrow a lift now and then for those hard to reach places. That really came in handy for converting the motor. If i won this car i already have a a lot of knowledge about how it is put together and a place to work on it. I would start it down its path of recovery right away. I’ve had summer jobs and i have been saving my money for my first car and my dad has lots of parts laying around that i could talk him out of. This car would be a great first car because it a awesome, hello its a 1967 cougar GT. I don’t know if I would go the same route as my father or the more economic path. Either way I would make mine better than my dads.
To put it lightly, we are a car family. We have never had less than 4 cars for only two drivers at one time and have had up to 16 cars at one time before and have owned well over 100 vehicles (most of which my husband has worked to restore himself in one way or another). I am writing this in hopes of winning the ’67 Cougar GT for my husband and children. We have been through a lot lately and that is a huge understatement. My husband was injured at work as a Ford Senior Master/ASE Master technician in 2011 and due to worker’s compensation’s ignorance, they were never willing to figure out what exactly was wrong. But due to his injury he can no longer work a full time mechanical job. And if you knew my husband and his work ethic and passion for his job, you would know how much this has brought him down. You see, his job was also his hobby and passion. He loved to have people bring him cars that nobody else could figure out how to fix and get them fixed in record time. He loved to see the customer’s happy faces when only he could fix their vehicle. He recently had to have an increase in pain medication and a change to other medications to hopefully make his quality of life better, since he has been increasingly depressed over the situation. This medication change is the reason why he was never able to get the video together that he so desperately wanted to produce and enter for this contest. So here I sit, writing an essay to submit (without him knowing) in hopes that he can still win this car to bring his spirits back up and give him a fun new project to focus on with our children and myself.
We have a 14 year old daughter, 11 year old son and a 2 ½ year old son. Our daughter currently owns a 69 Cougar XR7 factory 4-speed car (bare metal but running) that needs paint and to be finalized, as we have most everything for it. Our son currently owns a 54 Dodge pickup that we put on a 75 Chevy 4x4 frame. This vehicle needs surface rust treatment, paint and some drivetrain work. He also owns an 83 Toyota pickup that only needs paint and new tires before next winter (we drive this on a regular basis). We own a 64 Mercury Comet Cyclone that we drive all of the time and it only needs the paint job to be re-touched and the factory AC option to be finalized. We also like to say we partially own my father-in-laws 29 Model A that needs a full restoration into a rat rod (and is sitting on our property at the moment) and his 56 VW oval window rag top beetle, since my husband has put so much of his own time and money into both. We also house 2 other family member’s vehicles here that we are helping to fix up, a 91 Mustang GT and a really fun to beat up 86 Bronco II. We also have our two daily drivers, an 87 Toyota 4Runner and a 97 Ford F350 that we absolutely love. Even with all of these vehicles and projects, we are always making progress and getting something done on each of them. Scott is extremely proud of the fact that he (along with the rest of our family) is the one that completes every part of each restoration that we do, from the body work and paint to the drive train and even the upholstery. With his injury, he no longer works alone, we all pitch in to help. But this is a blessing because it has not only taught our children a lot about every aspect of restoration but also brought us all closer together.
Being that we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel with all of the projects we currently have, Scott was starting to look for a new project when he saw your post about giving this diamond-in-the-rough away. He immediately started dreaming about what he would do to bring the car back to its original factory state and how he would have it ready for each of our kids to enjoy as they came to driving age. But mostly he was dreaming of the fun times we would have building it as a family. Of course this one would be called our 2 year old’s car, but in reality we would all enjoy the challenge of bringing this beauty back to its glory. Just like all of our projects, it won’t happen overnight and the first thing we would do would be to collect all of the correct parts for it and get it on the road to enjoy it before the final restoration. To answer the question of funding, it will not be an issue, but it will also not be a short term project for us. However, it will be done, as each project we undertake is by penny pinching, pick-n-pull, craigslist, ebay, some very smart and savvy purchasing and of course our favorite Cougar parts place, West Coast Classic Cougars. Our final goal with this gem would be to end up just like our current Cougar and Cyclone, as an all “original” straight from the scrap-yard hot rod that we can drive and enjoy together as a family since we are a hot rod family.
I have added pictures to my gallery of some of our past and current projects to show the kind of work that we do and how we bring each car from “rags to riches” with our love and passion for restoration. Thank you for your consideration. I really hope that we can make this dream come true for my husband and children and bring my husband’s spirits back up.
Kirsta Cassel
(for Scott, Alissa, Cody and Tyler)
***Both Flickr and Facebook require that a user have an account to view the photos:
FLICKR PHOTO GALLERY: http://www.flickr.com/photos/98377079@N07/ ***********************
FACEBOOK PHOTO GALLERY: https://www.facebook.com/TimothyJ225/media_set?set=a.10201865142856813.1073741825.1430432162&type=3
THIS IS A BORROWED PLACE ON MY FRIENDS WEBSITE, BUT NO REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED:
http://www.texassureplan.com/Tim-Sullivan--Cougar-Contest.html
*** Please note we are not trying to sell anything, we just needed a place to put photos so people who dont want to sign up for facebook or flickr can still view the photos.
Why I Should Save This 1967 MERCURY COUGAR GT From the Crusher
In life, there are times when you see an opportunity that you just know was meant for you…and looking back on how long it took to form, how many things had to happen in a certain way, and did, you know it is your destiny.
When I saw the advertisement for the 1967 MERCURY COUGAR GT Giveaway, I knew that perfect opportunity had just smacked me right in the face. The smack rendered no injury or offense, instead my heart beamed with excitement. You see, I am very confident that with the way God works in all of our lives, this is a gift and an opportunity that was meant just for me and for this GT. You will see the timing is beyond perfect and if I do not take the time to share my story then I am doing the 1967 MERCURY COUGAR GT an injustice. This car deserves to be loved and brought back to life one inch at a time and I am all ready for it. My mechanic and I have already been putting together the heart and soul for your car AND DID NOT EVEN REALIZE IT UNTIL NOW.
This story plays out like a box office smash hit, it has action, drama, and true love for the 1967 Mercury Cougar GT …
At age 16, after convincing my parents that having my own ride was a good idea and working hard to save a few grand, I was ready to buy a car…my first car. I searched newspapers and all over (internet not an available option in 1985) for a cool car that would be unique in its own way and that I would fall in love with.
One day my Dad came home and said, “Hey Kiddo, have you seen the old Cougar down at the Gulf Station for sale?” I had no idea what he was talking about and did not know even what the car looked like. He said, “It’s like a Mustang but fancier. I think you will like it, come on and we will go look at it.”
I never will forget the first time I saw a 1967 Cougar! I loved the design and lines and everything about it instantly. It was Metallic Cardinal Red and had some rust and wasn’t perfect but I knew this was the car… my car. It cost double the money I had saved though but Dad came through and matched my money to get it. He knew I was a goner the first time I saw it. He just laughed and so did I, the search had triumphant ending, which was also a triumphant beginning.
The Cougar became my best friend, we were both born in the same year and were quite a team. I polished the chrome and made sure it was always perfect looking. It had a 289 in it and would absolutely FLY. My friends loved it…it turned heads everywhere. I really could not believe this was my car.
My first year in college I worked at a body shop. I pumped gas and ran errands for the mechanics and others who worked there. One of the mechanics, by chance, had a 67 Cougar GT, Black on Black and absolutely flawless. He was always tinkering with it and making it better. He showed me for the first time, upfront and personal, the power that a GT with a 390 really had. The 390 was HUGE compared to my 289. His car made my car look a lot more like a kitten compared to his panther of a vehicle. I loved my car but wished I had a GT.
Down the road, my Dad was suddenly transferred to London, England. My mom and my siblings were elated, but I knew it was time for me to leave the nest. My parents were totally against it and threw up every roadblock you could imagine to prevent me from staying in the states while they all relocated to Europe. When the tension became too thick, I would just escape in my Cougar. No one could touch me there. I arranged to stay in the States and despite their concerns, we said our goodbyes and off they went across the Atlantic.
Now I was on my own: just me, my car, my job and school. Unfortunately, a few weeks later, the situation involving where I was going to live fell apart. So there I was on the street, nowhere to go, family in a different country. It was just me and my Cougar and all my possessions that it could hold. I was so glad to have my precious Cougar. It was my home for months, and I showered at the gym.
Eventually I got my own place and back on my feet. 1987 met us with a terrible car accident. Thank God no one was hurt but my Cougar sure was. It spun from front to back and then slammed facing backwards flat against the curb, which took out both wheels and tires on the driver’s side. I knew the car was toast at that point. Sadly, it wasn’t drivable so I needed another car ASAP.
As I signed the paperwork on an 85 Cougar, I watched them haul my car to a distant back lot somewhere. I was so sad. I had dreams of restoring her to perfection and keeping her my whole life. She had SAVED my life as far as I was concerned. There was no way should I have walked away from that accident. I vowed right there and then that someday I would have another 67 Cougar. No way was I going to go my whole life and not have another. I promised myself I would find a GT and restore it to perfection like I really wanted…. someday. I saved all the photos I had of my car and still cherish them to this day.
Twenty years later as I approached my 40th birthday, I knew my current vehicle was not going to make it much longer and I would have to buy another car of some kind. I decided that if I was going to buy another car I was going to get what I had promised myself a long time ago. I was turning 40 and was tired of giving myself excuses. I was finally going to shut up and step up and fulfill my promise to myself.
For weeks I searched online for the right Cougar. I didn’t want a finished one, but rather one I could help build and be a part of the project. I realized then that this project was going to be next to impossible. I was facing numerous long shots: finding a real GT in any condition was next to impossible, my knowledge of fixing up a car from the inside out was zero on top of that, AND I had no garage or place of any kind for the restoration project. However I did not give up. I continued to search and hoped to find the perfect match.
One afternoon I saw an ad for a 67 XR7 that intrigued me. It was a car owned by a man named Ken who just happened to be a master engine builder and restores cars in his own garage all the way up in New Ulm, Minnesota. The Cougar was not a GT but it was at least an XR7. It turned out that someone bought the car from Ken and hired him to restore it and had about $5000 worth of work had been done on it. It turned out that that owner really did not have the finances to complete the restoration and walked away from the project, leaving Ken the owner of the Cougar once again. Ken needed to downsize his inventory, and as much as he liked the car, it had to go. He was asking $3200 for it.
I kicked the idea around for a night or two then went back to the posting. The ad had changed. I read that a bunch of people had contacted Ken offering him $200 or less to take it off his hands. That just pissed him off due to the fact that he could get that much in scrap weight alone. You could tell by the ad that he did not want to get rid of the car, he wished he could keep it for himself. He had done a lot of work on it already and knew its potential for a full restoration. He made it loud and clear it was perfect for that. He also stated that if the car was not purchased by the end of the auction time (which was 3 days later), the Cougar and three other cars would be hauled to the crusher. He said he would rather do that than get robbed by ridiculous offers.
When I saw that I went into high gear. This was EXACTLY what I was looking for. He had the shop, the tools, had already worked on the car, had the knowledge and experience to finish the car and most importantly I could tell he loved that car and it was not something he wanted to crush. I liked that. I decided to see if I could cut a deal with him. When I finally got Ken on the phone we ended up talking for hours. I offered him $5000 for the car, the $1800 difference going towards restoring it and he would do that for me but it would be OUR project. We agreed and were both elated! I bought the car before I ever saw it and before I ever met Ken. This was exactly the unique situation I was looking for - he was the one to help me make the dream of building MY Cougar a reality.
I realized right away that Ken loved Cougars too. I wanted it to be more than just a car and restored as such. I wanted it to be perfect and flawless. I had ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA what it was really going to cost to take on this restoration, and how long it would take at the rate I could afford it. It was not a GT but it was an XR7 and that was good enough for me. I knew that finding and being able to rebuild a real GT was going to be something that I wanted, but at least I was getting what I needed. That was April of 2008. I would restore it and finally have my car I wanted for the past 20 years!
Ken, who I soon began to speak to daily, and I had become fast friends. Over time the 289 was replaced with a 302 and rebuilt with the bigger valve style Shelby heads, the C4 transmission was rebuilt and I even had a Detroit Locker put in the rear. I was learning just how much time and money it was really going to take to finish it.
Everything was going along slow and steady until the economy fell apart in 2008. My paychecks took a serious hit and I lost a lot in the market. Work stopped on the Cougar except whatever Ken was doing with it on his own time. It was frustrating and I was worried that I might have to abandon the project and all the money invested would go down the drain along with my dream. Years had passed with me putting tighter dollars into getting the body perfect, but never having enough to paint it the way I wanted it. This caused him to have to re-do work over and over again with the climate and weather changes. It was frustrating for Ken because he had a business to run and there was my car taking up space in his shop once again.
Meanwhile my friends and family thought I was crazy. I had been at this for three years, at the time, and had still never been to Minnesota or met Ken or even seen my car yet.
Things began to improve at work and so I took the time and spent the money to go to Minnesota, see Ken and my car. It was a great few days! I got to put my hands on my car that would someday, somehow be perfect. I even got to work on her a little bit, cleaning the insulation out of the trunk over the gas tank and getting it down to the bare metal. That took all day! I was seeing and experiencing for the first time how much effort it takes and how quickly money can be spent on materials and parts.
While in Minnesota on a subsequent visit, I began reading a lot of material about my car, its history and all the options the 67 had. I still wished I could have the GT I really wanted. I told Ken all about my longtime dream of having a GT. He told me how he would have loved to be able to restore a real GT, but to try to convert my car at this point would be an expensive task that I would not want to take on. Not to mention we also had recently finished the 302, C4 transmission and rear end.
Ken went on to explain that my car’s front end would not handle the weight of a 390 even if we had one. We would have to beef up the front end including, but not limited to, shock towers, front disc brakes and cross members. As these words came out of his mouth, he sat in deep thought and went over to his computer in deeper thought. Without saying a word he sat down and started looking at a file of pictures of my car that I had never seen before. These pictures were taken as he completed work on the front end for the last owner who had abandoned the project years ago. Not being the mechanic, I had no idea what I was looking at or what he was looking for. He was shaking his head in disbelief. He showed me the shock towers in my car and they were WELDED to the body. He also told me he remembered filling in emblem holes on the front quarter panels when he did the body work there. We sat in confused silence wondering why the shock towers would be welded if a 289 was slated to go into this Cougar originally. Was it possible that this was a GT car and somewhere along the car’s 45 year lifespan the original engine was replaced with the 289? It was a very exciting moment to discover this. Obviously I was blown away at the mere chance of my car being a real GT!
What would we do if it was a GT? We would want to put a bigger engine in it. We did not have the engine or the drivetrain that would be required for a real GT, and to replace what we had would take us back to square one. April 2013 would be five years and neither one of us wanted any more delays.
The next day we ran the serial number on the car at the shop to see what we really had. Ken was glued to his computer looking at pictures of the front end he had taken over 5 years ago. I could tell the idea of potentially having a GT was as exciting for him as it was for me.
It turns out the car was not a GT model. Much to my disappointment the original engine was in fact a 289. I went outside to get some fresh air thinking about how badly I wished it was a REAL GT. About an hour later, Ken called me over to the computer “take a look at this”. I found myself looking at a very simple ad posting on a website Ken found. The link read “Hi-Po 390 $500”. Ken called the number on the ad to just see what it was all about, but it was late and a business was closed. He left a message.
The next day, after a lengthy phone conversation with the seller of the 390, Ken learned that this particular engine had a made-for-cinema history. It was in a 71 Ford truck, impounded by the police, which had sat in a junkyard for over two years. The 71 Ford truck with this engine, outran the cops in multiple counties before having been T-Boned by a police vehicle, while at the same time, getting its tires shredded by razor wire. This engine experienced real life five star action! After two years the police finally released the vehicle. With the owner still incarcerated, the junkyard owner put the engine up for sale and we were the first to respond to the ad.
Ken and I went to check it out. When they lifted the hood of the truck, I could not believe how big this engine was! Ken assured me it would fit in the XR7. It was a dirty, grimy, neglected mess but Ken looked it over with a fine tooth comb and even had the cab cut off the truck to get a better look (see attached photos). Amidst deep examination, he abruptly looked up at the junkyard guy and said “We’ll take it!” So we bought the 390 and the C6 automatic transmission attached to it. Ken looked like the cat that stole the canary, later I found out why.
After breaking down the 390, Ken told me that he would agree to put this big engine in my car- under one condition only…that I let him install 5-point safety harnesses for the front seats. “Once it is finished the way you want it, this Cougar with this engine will BLOW AWAY 95% of anything that pulls up to you at a light,” he said. He told me he could see that a lot of money had been already put into this engine.
Even though we had just finished a new 302, tranny and rear, I wanted the more powerful 390 in my Cougar. So we pulled it all out to make room for this monster engine and transmission. Ken took apart the 390, put new heads on, and did more fine-tuning. The rebuilt transmission was converted to a C6 BulletProof Tranny with extra clutches and steels. The goal was to clone the GT as close as we could. The front end would soon be able to handle the weight and it was worth the additional time and money to have a car that would truly do the 67 Cougar PROUD.
We now have traversed a 5+ year journey of researching rebuilds and which choices best respect the original car, while also maxing out the power. We have the garage, the knowledge, the man-power and many extra parts specifically for the 67 Cougar waiting to be utilized. Most importantly, we have the passion to make this the best 1967 MERCURY COUGAR GT on the planet.
Going forward, my plans for the GT are to put the 390 in it the way God intended. I will put the 302 with the Shelby Heads back in the XR7 I already have. I have the transmission for the GT done. I have numerous parts, if needed, already on hand and paid for. We have put so much love and hard work into the XR7. We are so excited for the opportunity to do it all again! Ken says sometimes when he walks by my car he does a double take because “it looks like it is smiling at me".
My Cougar is something I talk about every day and as much as I love the car I am building now, I know it is a clone and not a true GT – which, as mentioned, is what I have always wanted. If the engine is the heart of a car, then I have the perfect heart transplant for this GT. (AttAched is a picture of the license plate from the truck, just in case anyone wants to do the research on the history of that particular engine.)
An engine and tranny, this unique and special, with such a wild ready-for-film story should be in a car with the same story of revival…the 1967 Mercury Cougar GT that WCCC gave away in their 2013 Essay Contest. It will be rebuilt by two guys who absolutely love that car, in that year, and have been unknowingly working on it for 5 years already.
I want to build THE BEST 1967 MERCURY COUGAR GT EVER! You have the GT and I have the rest. I will spare no expense, even if it takes twice as long to make it perfect. That has been The Code and the same will apply to the GT. The experience and knowledge gained through the rebuild of the XR7 has been priceless in preparing us to rebuild your GT. I am certain it is divined.
Please give her the home she was meant to have. I will park her next to the XR7 I already am working on and finish them both, side by side. It will be a BEAUTIFUL legacy.
Thank you for your time and consideration. To some, this might seem like just a story but to me,
I WAS BORN TO RESTORE THIS 1967 Mercury Cougar GT!************************
***Both Flickr and Facebook require that a user have an account to view the photos:
FLICKR PHOTO GALLERY: http://www.flickr.com/photos/98377079@N07/ ***********************
FACEBOOK PHOTO GALLERY: https://www.facebook.com/TimothyJ225/media_set?set=a.10201865142856813.1073741825.1430432162&type=3
THIS IS A BORROWED PLACE ON MY FRIENDS WEBSITE, BUT NO REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED:
http://www.texassureplan.com/Tim-Sullivan--Cougar-Contest.html
*** Please note we are not trying to sell anything, we just needed a place to put photos so people who dont want to sign up for facebook or flickr can still view the photos.
My first Cougar was a 1974 XR7 that I bought in 1977. I have always had a passion for Fords, Cougars, Mustangs and Fairlanes. We currently have several '67 / '68 Cougar parts cars, a red 1968 wreck rescue we are restoring, an '85 T-Bird drag car and a '56 Victoria restoration project. We farm and even our semis are Cat powered and we own a CAT tractor! I have 3 years auto & diesel mechanic training and 40 years of experience in welding, fabrication & maintenance keeping my farming operation moving. Our plan for this car would be to keep it close to original. It would have a 390 FE, top loader 4 speed, Inverness Green w/White top, parchment interior, and Magnum 500 wheels.
The link below (if you highlight the link and click on Gallery above) shows some pictures of our current parts & project cars, as well as some of my handy work on our Cat equipment.
Thanks for giving us the opportunity to participate in this giveaway, it’s fun to dream.
And we do like CATS!!
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I guess there is a little ford blood that runs in my family. My father had a 64 1/2 mustang. My Grandfather had a 67. My sister had a white 67 cougar similar to the one you’re asking to be restored.
The 67 cougar is where I learned to drive. We, my brother and I, would “Borrow” it at night and see what it would do. It only had a 289 auto so I’m sure yours will perform a little better.
21 years ago I was given a 69 XR7 parts car. It had been fully disassembled so putting it back together was beyond me. I soon found a 69 that needed to be loved. We merged some of the trim and suspension, I tried to keep it true to the Cougar it was. Although it is not as originally equipped, it is built from Cougar parts. It even has the Ford exhaust they were equipped with.
I have 2 boys that are 13 and 15. It would be nice for them to learn how to restore and maintain a vintage vehicle. We have a shop at our home for working on interesting projects such as this.
We made a great video, but it is taking too long to upload.
Hey WCCC guys, out of curiosity, what kinda dog is that in the end of the video, chilling out in the luxurious back seat? Great looking dog, looks a lot like a Rhosesian Ridgeback, my favorite model of dog. 
If the end of submissions is midnight at the end of July 4th, as opposed to the beginning, and if it’s based on WCCC’s time zone, then that means there is about 2 minutes left to submit entries.
I dunno why people kept doing it, I’m pretty sure I have a lock on the win after my entry a page or two back. 
It got off to a slow start but there were some really great submissions this year, I’m excited to see who the lucky entrants are who get picked for the final round. It’s really not gonna be easy to choose!
I for one would like to say thanks to Bill for making this site such a great place, and to WCCC for having these contests, they’re such a great thing to do. I hope you guys are well aware of this already, but in case it bears repeating, we really appreciate what you guys are doing for these most excellent cars, the good old Cougars! Cheers!
Time test.
Here is the video link.
