No other automaker quite mastered Mercurys blend of sophistication and hard-boiled performance, a combination exemplified in this 1969 Cougar XR7 convertible. But this is no garden-variety Cougar, for under the skin theres the heart of a modern muscle car, complete with fuel injection, A/C, and a suspension thatll surprise a lot of newer iron. The Cougar and Mustang diverged, with the Cougar growing a bit to compete with the GM A-bodies, most notably the Buick Skylark GS. The Mercury DNA is easy to spot, from the electric razor front grille to the sequential taillights, and this one looks fantastic cloaked in an off-white paint job that lets the clean sheetmetal do all the talking. With an aggressive hood scoop and rear wing, you dont need flashy colors to get noticed, all you have to do is make sure that its expertly done. Check out the crease that runs from the headlights and slashes down through the doors to the rear fender opening; its razor sharp and lines up just as it should passing from panel to panel. The chrome bumpers are in excellent condition as well, neatly fitted to the body so they blend in as part of the design rather than tacked-on safety measures. True to its name, the crouching stance makes this big cat look ready to pounce. The subtle look continues inside where a tan bucket seat interior shows off all the luxury that Mercury was famous for. Power windows, A/C, and a powerful AM/FM/CD/satellite stereo are all on the options list, and upscale trim like the burled walnut dash all make this as much luxury cruiser as muscle car. New white-faced gauges from Classic Instruments have been nestled into the original openings in the dash, including a matching clock on the passengers side-nice attention to detail! The seat covers and door panels appear to be recently installed, with carpets that remain in good condition. A newer black vinyl convertible top folds with a touch of a dash-mounted toggle switch, yet still leaves plenty of room in the spacious trunk. This Cougars real prize lies under that scoop, however. Borrowing from the OEM parts bin, its a 351 cubic inch Windsor V8 topped by a Ford 5.8 fuel injection system. This is a highly tunable and very tractable system, and it gives this vintage cat the feel of a modern car. It starts instantly, idles perfectly every time, and makes the kind of torque we used to need big blocks to make. The engine was given a coat of Ford Blue paint before it was slipped between the fenders, along with a set of finned aluminum valve covers just for effect. Power steering and brakes with more modern Mustang components made the swap easy, with the original radiator handling the cooling. Its backed by a 3-speed automatic and stock rear end, and sits on a slightly lowered suspension. Late-model Mach 1 alloys have been fitted, and wear 245/45/17 radials that fit inside the wheel wells perfectly. The ideal blend of vintage and modern, this Cougar proves it still has the moves. Call today! This vehicle is located in our Charlotte showroom. For more information, please call (704) 598-2130 or toll free (866) 542-8392.
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