1967 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Hidden for Decades Is Amazingly Original

Most traditional vehicles that spend loads of time in storage be it a barn or storage, normally emerge with all types of points, together with rust. However some get fortunate and return into the sunshine in stable situation, like this 1967 Mercury Cougar.

9 photographs

Picture: Extra What The Rust?/YouTube

Retired from public roads for unknown causes, this pony automotive from the golden period spent many years with out a sip of gasoline. Fortuitously sufficient, although, it was parked in a storage, so it was stored secure from the weather. Besides, the automobile is in surprisingly good situation, given that almost all garages do not present correct safety from moisture and rodents.

Discovered at an property sale by YouTube’s “Extra What The Rust?,” the Cougar is completely rust-free, and the unique Inverness Inexperienced paint nonetheless shines into the daylight. Positive, it is a bit dusty on the floor, nevertheless it seems like it should come again to life with correct cleansing. The chrome elements are simply as clear, and all of the trim is current.

The inside may be very nicely preserved, which is wonderful in spite of everything these years. The dashboard is crack-free, and the tan upholstery on the seats and doorways is sort of squeaky clear. If each are unique, it is a improbable feat. Furthermore, the headliner seems wonderful and is not sagging one bit, which is uncommon for vehicles which have been sitting this lengthy.

There’s extra excellent news underneath the hood within the type of a whole 289-cubic-inch (4.7-liter) V8. It seems to be the four-barrel carburetor model, which suggests it generated 225 horsepower and 305 pound-feet (414 Nm) of torque when new. The four-barrel 289 was 25 horses stronger than the two-barrel variant that got here normal on the 1967 Cougar. Ford additionally supplied a 390-cubic-inch (6.4-liter) V8 with 320 horsepower that 12 months.

The mill mates to a guide gearbox, nevertheless it’s not the acquainted four-speed. This Cougar was ordered with the three-speed unit, a transmission we hardly ever discover these days. There is no official statistic on what number of models received it, nevertheless it’s positively scarcer than the four-speed guide and three-speed automated.

Talking of numbers, Merury bought 150,893 Cougars in 1967, making it the most effective 12 months for the first-generation pony. Just a little over 27,200 models have been geared up with the XR-7 bundle, which added premium goodies like wooden trim on the sprint, black-faced gauges, and an overhead console. In contrast to the common Cougar, the XR-7 got here normal with the four-barrel 289 V8.

Whereas removed from uncommon, this Cougar is a finely preserved traditional. It is fairly obvious that the proprietor took nice care of the hardtop whereas in storage, nevertheless it’s nonetheless in wonderful situation. Furthermore, it is a extremely unique gem that may very well be price some huge cash as soon as cleaned up, operating, and driving. Test it out within the video under.