This 1967 Cougar is a handsome, highly original example of the first-year for Mercury's pony car. This one offers V8 power, a rust-free body, and factory air, making for an unusual, yet highly usable hobby car.

Now before you dismiss the Cougar as just a dressed-up Mustang, take another look at that long, low profile. No Mustang ever looked that imposing on the road, and the stylists nailed Mercury's performance/luxury look. As far as we can tell, this car has had just one repaint, and it's pretty close to the original code T Cardinal Red. The rust-free bodywork is completely original, with no patches or even notable parking lot dings in its surface, suggesting that this car has always been loved. The finish may be showing its age, but it still turns a lot of heads and you won't worry about the things the guys with the trailer queens worry about, you'll just want to get in and drive. The black vinyl top is in excellent condition, perhaps too nice to be original but it's possible, and details like the hidden headlights and sequential taillights all work properly. The chrome bumpers are quite nice, and the chrome trunk rack adds a bit of flash out back.

In place of the usual black, this cat sports an all-original red interior that really works with the bodywork. Stylish buckets show some patina, but no notable damage or wear, a testament to the quality of the original materials and the care it has received over the years. The gauges are simply beautiful, and if I didn't know better, I'd say they were completely restored and quite recently, given their crystal clear lenses and sharp markings. The center console is a nice addition, and it's remarkably to see that the garage door storage compartment hasn't been damaged. Factory A/C is always a welcome option, especially when it works as well as it does in this car, and the original AM radio is still mounted in the dash.

Ford's evergreen 289 cubic inch V8 was the standard engine in the Cougar-no need to mess around with little sixes when luxury/muscle is your goal. With Fords, there's really no way to confirm matching numbers, but we strongly suspect this is the car's original powerplant, nicely detailed and highly correct. Ford Blue paint on the block makes it instantly identifiable, and there's lots of evidence of recent work under the hood. It runs with a nice V8 burble from the dual exhaust, and the 289's split personality is ideal for the Cougar: gentle around town, but get the revs up and it becomes an entirely different animal. Linked to a 3-speed automatic, it offers great reflexes in traffic and relaxed cruising at highway speeds thanks to a 3.00 rear gear. Underneath it's clean and solid, and those rare Mercury styled steel wheels wear recent 215/70/14 BFGoodrich radials.

For a stylish, highly original alternative to the usual pony cars, this Cougar is a great choice. Call today!

This vehicle is located in our Charlotte, NC showroom. For more information, please call (704) 598-2130 or toll free (866) 542-8392.