For Sale: 1967 Mercury Cougar in Cleveland, Ohio

Handsome first-year Cougar. Super clean Texas car. Recent paint and top in excellent condition. Headlights and sequential turn signals work properly. 289 replaced with strong-running 302. A great alternative to a Mustang, all at a reasonable price!In recent years, we've seen the increasing popularity of 'not Mustangs' like the Cougar, Falcon, and Comet as enthusiasts look to stand out without going to something exotic. The Cougar, designed as a 'grown up Mustang,' is a great choice, offering all the virtues of a Mustang with an upscale feel. Hailing from warm, dry Texas, this very clean 1967 Mercury Cougar offers laser-straight bodywork with a recent repaint in its original code V Cinnamon Frost. There's a bit of metallic in the finish, so it has a great glow in the sunlight and the sophisticated color is a great choice on the more mature Cougar. Of note, the headlights open properly and the sequential taillights work like they should, alleviating two major concerns of Cougar buyers. It's also worth noting that the black vinyl top was recently replaced by Gary Jr. at Bedford Auto Trim, the area's best upholsterer, and it remains in excellent condition. The chrome is mostly original and as a western car, remains in very good condition, and all the lenses and glass are in good shape. This Cougar is attracting a lot of attention in the showroom, and it's easy to see why.The black vinyl interior was considerably more upscale than the Mustang, offering more deeply padded seats, a better grade of vinyl, and more interesting detailing. This particular Cougar sports an unusual split front bench with center armrest, offering the look of buckets with a bit more versatility. The carpets have probably been replaced, as they're just too nice to be original, but we believe the rest is 1967 FoMoCo stuff. The 3-spoke steering wheel wears a black leather wrap, and we have not investigated the condition of the plastic rim underneath. The gauges are operational, covering the basics, although the clock is offline. There's also a newer digital AM/FM radio in the center of the dash, just ahead of the floor-mounted shifter. Other details include excellent door panels, a taut headliner without any sagging or tears, and a back seat that looks barely used. There's also a spacious trunk with a fresh plaid mat, as original.The door tag says this car was originally equipped with an A-code 289 with a 4-barrel carburetor, but in 2013 it was replaced with a warmed-over 302 from Mabbco Motors in Texas. Thanks to the interchangeability of the small block Fords, it fits perfectly and if you didn't know this was a 302, it would easily pass as the original 289. There's still a 4-barrel carburetor on top, aided by an open-element air cleaner, and given the slightly lopey idle, there might even be an upgraded camshaft inside. It's far from fussy and always starts easily and runs great, pulling the Cougar around with enthusiasm. Power steering and power disc brakes make it easy to handle, and the C4 3-speed automatic transmission was rebuilt in 2021, so it shifts cleanly. There are easy cruising 2.79 gears in the rear end, so this Cougar is comfortable at today's highway speeds, and the dual exhaust has an appropriately muted rumble that works on the upscale Cougar. You can see just how clean the Texas floors are and there are no issues in the torque box areas, so this cat has obviously led an easy life. 15-inch Magnum 500 wheels are the right choice and carry 215/65/15 white-letter radials for a sporty look.Documentation includes the original owner's manual, a manual for the replacement radio, and some service receipts, plus some spare rubber door seals.Nicely finished, this Cougar stands out with its handsome good looks. The great-running 302 makes it fun to drive, and all the critical things on a car like this are in good order. It isn't a perfect car, but someone has always taken care of it and it remains a fantastic alternative to the garden-variety Mustang coupes running around for about the same price. Take a closer look then give us a call today!Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.