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I have a 1969 Mercury Cougar XR7 that has been my mid-life project car. My husband is ready for me to get my mid-life crisis out of the driveway, so some lucky soul will get to take it to the next level. 1969 is the sweet spot year for these cars. It will be beautiful and quite valuable when it is done. The Nada value for a full restore with this engine and A/C is over $42,000. Early Cougars are great values with easy to source parts from many vendors. And the 69 model XR7 is the one everyone wants. This American Hotrod is Fast, Loud, looks Mean and gets a TON of attention. And best of all, there aren't 10,000 lookalike cousins in every parking lot. Mercury Cougars initially were luxury versions of Mustangs with nicer interiors and quieter cabins. Here's what I've done so far: replaced the driveshaft, carburetor (2bbl), spark plugs, belts, some hoses, the air and fuel filters. Also replaced the hinge pins and bushings on one door and have the pins and bushings for the other one. I also cleaned up the interior and polished the chrome on the exterior. I've got new tail light lenses and casings for you to mount. The current lenses are cracked, but the groovy sequential lights work. The liquids are all changed out and the A/C works. The original color was black with tan interior. The paint was chipped and peeling when I got the car, so I did a light sanding and put a flat black coat on it to protect it. The engine is a 351 Windsor. The car runs (it starts right up), but doesn't drive well because it needs a new timing chain. I had a mechanic work with me on it, so I believe that this is all that is needed to make the car functional. On the exterior, those cool headlight eyelids seem to work fine, though I obviously haven't tested them on a drive over time. In my driveway, they do open and close. The car needs a new front valence. The old one is crunched, but the lights are intact, so they can be used. Front and rear bumpers aren't perfect, but totally usable. The chrome has some pitting, which is pretty bad on the rear bumper. As far as rust goes, the floors are clear. There is an area on the rear passenger quarter panel that will need to be replaced. I'd recommend getting a new panel, which is about $500, but if you are good with welding, you may be able to patch it. There's also some holes in the rear wheel wells. The previous owner removed the vinyl top, so it's a bit rough. You could either replace it or sand and paint it. The passenger door has a dent that may be able to be pounded out, but the body looks straight. The car comes with super awesome American Racing wheels. Tires have good tread as you can see from the photo. I also have four original chrome Mercury hubcaps that come with the car, in case you want to replace the rims and go for an original look. The interior is old, but functional. I planned to purchase an upholstery kit as some of the upholstery is torn. Upholstery kits aren't terribly expensive and you can do the work yourself if you are so inclined. The dash is in good condition and has the faux burl finish, through for a restoration, you'd want to replace it. I was planning to replace the plastic burl with actual burl veneer, which isn't expensive at all and would create a very luxury look. The original radio is still there, but I also have a newer radio with a CD player that you may install, if you like. The carpet is free of holes. If you are the lucky buyer of this car, you'll have a great time seeing its restoration to completion. When you are done, you'll have a car that will be the envy of your friends, which you could flip for a good profit. NADA LOW RETAIL VALUE ON THIS CAR IS $11,270. I HAVE PRICED THIS CAR FOR QUICK SALE. I worked on this car with my daughter and it was a great experience. Would be a fun project to do with a teen who wants to restore their own classic muscle car. For more information, please text me. Don't bother contacting me if you are a scammer.
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