Don and the crew,
It’s been a while since I posted here on the forum but I’m always following. My journey with Cougars started in 2008. I had just transferred from Maryland to Washington state and started looking for a project. I grew up strictly around Ford, Lincoln and Mercurys my father is a huge mustang fan having multiple Boss cars, fastbacks and anything with a GT or GTA after it. So, I naturally followed suit and was actively looking for a 1968 GTA when I came across a 1968 Cougar standard. Nothing special a 302/c4 with zero options. I spent the next 2 years putting in the labor. Replacing the entire floor, and that dreaded cowl area boy, that was hard. Cleaned up the interior and daily drove it for the next year.
In late 2010 I had been full on bitten by the Cougar bug and wanted something a bit more interesting and came across a 68 XR7 Lime frost with dark ivy interior. I thought I’d found my forever car. In 2011 I was transferred again this time to the great state of Ohio well, I could only take 1 Cougar with me so the standard had to go and I drove my XR7 across the country and getting to know my new Cougar very well. I spent the next 4 years recruiting for the Navy in Ohio and completely tearing apart the Cougar. My first full on restoration went much better than I feel it should have. The XR7 turned out awesome!! And I’m proud to say I did it all from recovering the seats, rebuilding the transmission to laying down the paint and did it all in a 2 car garage unfortunately It’d be short lived.
2015 came around and transfer time it was. This time to Hawaii! But with the Navy only allowing 1 car to be shipped it had to be the family truckster. The XR7 went to a great new owner in Tennessee. It’s now 2017 and my family and I have found our way back to Washington state and trying to find the right Cougar to begin this journey again has been very difficult. I think this G car is it. As an avid muscle car fan and an aircraft mechanic by trade I have the skills to tackle such a car. It may take me years to do it but, I have the patients for that. I’m also a purist so know that it’ll be as close to factory as possible.
Thanks for the chance.
Matt
P.S. https://cccforum.discoursehosting.net/t/finally-after-2-1-2-years-done-well-kinda/3758/1 If youd like to see how my last restoration turned out.