In '69 Ford upped the ante for the third production year of the Cougar, opting to make it a lot bulkier and more powerful. Additionally, they changed the front grille to horizontal bars from its vertical look in previous years and added optional RAM hood scoop and spoiler.
The biggest difference from the '68 model however was the inclusion of a soft top convertible model named the XR-7. These are highly sought after by classic car collectors and will increases the resale value of your restoration substantially if you're lucky to find one that needs work.
The standard engine option in 1969 was a 351 cubic inch V8, that kicked out a respectable 250 horse power. Upgrades included a 390 cubic in V8 that was rated at 320 horsepower and a burly 428 cubic inch V8 that pumped out a sizable 335 ponies.
All told, back in 1969 you could pick up a fully loaded Mercury Cougar for about $4,000. Nowadays, at auction, you can flip the same car in mint condition for anywhere from $20K to $40K!
Image credit: oldparkedcars.com
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ReplyDeleteWhen I was younger, my father owned a Cougar. The car was an absolute thrill to drive. However, with time it began to suffer from old age. My father and I thought about looking into car restoration, but never got around to it. We ended up selling it to a car collector. After looking at the photo above, I realized that we made a terrible mistake and wish we still had that beautiful machine.
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