I had 69 XR7 with the 390. It could roast the tiires at any stoplilight and kept up neck and neck with my buddies 396 Chevell. Loved that car, put in focker switch panel to light up all the interterior lights seperatly. My Best friend did all the hard stuff. Great Friend! Yes great lines and bad *ss 390!
I was just a kid when this car came out. Had I been old enough to drive, and a man of adequate means, I would have bought a Mercury Cougar, any year, until they changed it. It got all those great Ford engines, and had that Mercury luxury, too. Nice on a long trip. This car is a work of art.
Thanks for featuring this awesome example of Mercury muscle. I owned a ‘69 XR-7 done up with Eliminator body mods and stripes - kind of a “What-if” car. A couple key things that differentiate the Eliminators weren’t mentioned here. One is the Eliminator- only “Camera Case” dash insert. But the MAJOR thing to look out for especially since some people try to pass off clones as legit... all real Eliminators have staggered rear shocks from the factory. MOST fakers are NOT going to go to the trouble of doing the staggered shocks, so take a quick peak underneath- if the shocks aren’t staggered then it’s not the real McCoy. There’s another subtlety having to do with how the trunk lid is set up for the spoiler that most fakers won’t bother with either. The best thing to do with ANY classic Cougar is to ask for the Marti Report to find out what it really is (granted there’s been no VIN tampering. Also, if there’s no G in the VIN, it’s NOT a real Boss 302 car.
I has a ‘68 Cougar XR7 GT with a 390 engine 4-barrel carburetor rated at 325 horsepower stock. It was the best of both worlds for luxury and subtle design while also sporting awesome big block power.
The 69' Eliminators with the S-code 390 GT engines are quite rare and most had 3.25 or 3.50 Trac-lok gears but you could get 3.91 TL. When I was at the Cougar Club or America Nationals East in Aug 6-8, 1993 at Matamoras, PA. there was the Best 1969' Eliminator w/390 GT engine that I ever saw ... It was Comp Orange w/ Black interior 390 GT, 4 Speed, 3.91 Trac-lok ! Just Beautiful it took 2nd place for Eliminators a 428SCJ took 1st place ... they always do ! The Best place to see many "correct" Cougars are at the "Ford Nationals" at Carlisle, PA. held every June. CCOA
@@rickkowalske4116 ; Yep. I'm thinking the same. This could be a clone? I thought the hi-po 351 windsor was standard and the Boss 302 and 428cj were optional. Anyone could order a Cougar with a 390 4barrel. And as far as I know, 67-70 Cougars standard engine was either 289 (early 1968) and 302. Don't think 6cyls were standard? I'm 61 and not sure.
Surprising the 390 wasn't more widely used in the Torino and Mach one. Plenty of 351 and 427/8/9, but 390's don't get much mention in these classic muscle car videos.
I was in high school at the time all these great cars were new. Today looking back I think the Cougar had the best styling of them all. Didn't consider the Cougar so much at the time but I sure do now. Also the 1970 Mercury Cyclone styling looks fantastic 55 years later.
I used to own one in the 70s a 1970 grabber orange boss 302 Hurst 4 speed hooker headers all the after market high performance parts roll cage drag raced it every Saturday blew a piston then had it rebuilt by Bill Maier racing it got even meaner than stock. But then got married and raising kids had to get rid of it. Sold it to a dentist who wanted to bring it back to factory condition. Good for him. I was blessed to experience the American muscle in the 60s and 70s. Also owned a 1966 Chevelle ss took out the 396 and stuffed a 427 in it Hurst 4 speed 4:88 gear roll cage...boy did I have fun with that! Should have kept that one!
I have a 67 S Code. 390 GT. Im in the process of swapping the C6 for a Tremec 6 speed. Im also swapping out the 3.0 gears for 3.83 gears. Should be a nice off the line car, as well as a canyon carver after suspension upgrades too. I love the styling of these cars. (67,68 are my favorites) but am not a fan of their antiquated suspensions. Definitely a great candidate for a modern swap.
My father and grandfather were Ford, Lincoln & Mercury dealers in Podunk , Illinois. I got Mr greasy hands on one of the XR7 GTEs my junior year of High School. Evil Knievel had driven it before me. That car would fly.
I'll take a first gen Cougar any day over a Mustang. Mustangs are nice, don't get me wrong, but everyone's got one. If you have a Cougar, chances are you're the only one in town that has one. The thing that sells it for me are the concealable headlights. Such a bloody nice car.
I have a 70 Eliminator competition orange, it's a conversation starter. Most people don't know what it is, but the people that do are wild about it. I prefer the 70 body accents but that 69 in the video is gorgeous, in much better condition than mine.
@@bigrig4385 69 and 70 are the best looking years for the Cougar. 67 and 68 are nice but they look too conservative for my tastes. Congrats on landing such a rare car. Those Eliminators are like more refined Mach 1's. Just as good looking and just as powerful.
My first and 2nd car. Both 69s both needed power steering lines that tended to blow off every 200 miles. My 2nd car I bought in 1984 it was owned by my Aunt Leila who took it to church. 72,000 original miles. Traded for a 1984 Toyota Supra. Both had black vinyl topz.
I'm an Olds guy through and though. All of the olds. I've loved the Gbodies but my baby.. is my 1982 98 BIG BIG BIG car. HUGE car but the thing floats like a cloud and I love it. But being an Olds fan I'll admit The Cougar Eliminator is the ONLY car i'll look to the dark side on and enjoy it.
Lol Savage Tilley, you got my thing...i am 68 Olds lover..those four split headlights and rear handsome tail got me but yeah other than 68 Olds only cars can get my attention is this 69 Eliminator or 67 GTO!!
Jim Powell speaking. How about the 1969 chevelle SS 396/375. Now that ride is a true muscle car. Back in the day this muscle car could beat most and hold its own with whatever was on the street. To me the lines on the 69 SS Chevelle has the best lines of any muscle car of the 60’s. A great front end and the best rear end with the molded tail lights. Just sayin.
The available 2, 3 and 4 speed tansmission technology back then were E/T killers. Stick modern tires and transmissions in these cars and they would easily a second quicker in the 1/4 miles.
I love the Cougars. And still morn not getting the Dan Gurney Special sitting in the Junkyard when I was 14. Dad said "No, Too Fast". I wish I had bought it anyway. Better to ask forgiveness than ask Permission.
The 390 was a little detuned. The 66 390gt was rated at 335hp not 320 like this one. The 390gt cam was used in 428cj. Henry II didn't want kids killing them selves in Ford products. Most Ford engines had lots more potential for sure. If you put a hotter cam and headers in the 390 it really woke them up!
I beleve there was also a 2 speed rear axle and also a 427 modle as seen in a james bond movie. I also think the 2 speed rear axle was avalible in the cyclone modle as well.I remember reading about this opion when the cars were new. I had a 68 xr7 and still miss that car.
It always bothers me when there is a Beautiful rare muscle car with cheap non-era tires on it. This should have Goodyear Poly-Glas tires , BF T/A Radials are OK because they were the 1st good looking Performance Radials in the 1970s. The correct wheels are a chromed stamped steel like on the Mustang GT but without the GT emblem and Merc made a Chrome and argent grey Mag wheel for 69-70' Merc's and most Eliminators buyers got these. The Magnum 500 wheel was not offered on the 69' Eliminators they are NOT factory issue. CCOA
I lost my ugly 69 a few years back and still miss it was of the rew that year they made a hounds tooth roof and intruder people would laph at it until. Take 0ff
No 390 wedge to my knowledge, but the Boss 429 was known as a “semi-hemi” or “twisted hemi”. The Boss ‘9 would be a more appropriate comparison to a hemi.
Since it was detuned to big car Thunderbird specs, is it any wonder? Once upon a Time, there was a 401HP 390. Then again, Mercury could have installed 406 or 410.
Great car; Do you people know that NHRA has completely eliminated Mercury from the stock and super stock programs !!! Cars like these cannot compete at NHRA events !!!
On of the best looking Cougars from the 60s love those 390s great engines.
Fe 390 👎🏻
I had a 75 F 250 with a 390. It was a beast! A Stop light monster!
One of the most beautiful muscle cars ever , elegant , rare and classy
I had 69 XR7 with the 390. It could roast the tiires at any stoplilight and kept up neck and neck with my buddies 396 Chevell. Loved that car, put in focker switch panel to light up all the interterior lights seperatly. My Best friend did all the hard stuff. Great Friend! Yes great lines and bad *ss 390!
As 60's and 70's cars go this one , the Eliminator , was " BAD ASS" in It's day and still is today.
Another beautiful car from the past. Man I got to get me a time machine. I miss those days , I really do. 😍😘 . 😎Cool don't you think.
life was definitely a bit easier back then
I’m a Cougar guy. 68 XR-7 G. I like 68’s to win, 69 Eliminator to place, and 70 Eliminator to show. That’s a gorgeous 69.
I was just a kid when this car came out. Had I been old enough to drive, and a man of adequate means, I would have bought a Mercury Cougar, any year, until they changed it. It got all those great Ford engines, and had that Mercury luxury, too. Nice on a long trip. This car is a work of art.
Thanks for featuring this awesome example of Mercury muscle. I owned a ‘69 XR-7 done up with Eliminator body mods and stripes - kind of a “What-if” car. A couple key things that differentiate the Eliminators weren’t mentioned here. One is the Eliminator- only “Camera Case” dash insert. But the MAJOR thing to look out for especially since some people try to pass off clones as legit... all real Eliminators have staggered rear shocks from the factory. MOST fakers are NOT going to go to the trouble of doing the staggered shocks, so take a quick peak underneath- if the shocks aren’t staggered then it’s not the real McCoy. There’s another subtlety having to do with how the trunk lid is set up for the spoiler that most fakers won’t bother with either. The best thing to do with ANY classic Cougar is to ask for the Marti Report to find out what it really is (granted there’s been no VIN tampering. Also, if there’s no G in the VIN, it’s NOT a real Boss 302 car.
I used to have a 1969 Cougar base with a 2-barrell 351-W with auto and a/c. Fantastic car! I miss it so much :(
i really like the detailed description of the models design and development, and comparison to other years.
What can we say, just another awesome performance car.
I has a ‘68 Cougar XR7 GT with a 390 engine 4-barrel carburetor rated at 325 horsepower stock. It was the best of both worlds for luxury and subtle design while also sporting awesome big block power.
The 69' Eliminators with the S-code 390 GT engines are quite rare and most had 3.25 or 3.50 Trac-lok gears but you could get 3.91 TL. When I was at the Cougar Club or America Nationals East in Aug 6-8, 1993 at Matamoras, PA. there was the Best 1969' Eliminator w/390 GT engine that I ever saw ... It was Comp Orange w/ Black interior 390 GT, 4 Speed, 3.91 Trac-lok ! Just Beautiful it took 2nd place for Eliminators a 428SCJ took 1st place ... they always do ! The Best place to see many "correct" Cougars are at the "Ford Nationals" at Carlisle, PA. held every June. CCOA
Never knew the eliminator came in a 390.I thought they were either boss 302 or 428
@@rickkowalske4116 ; Yep. I'm thinking the same. This could be a clone? I thought the hi-po 351 windsor was standard and the Boss 302 and 428cj were optional. Anyone could order a Cougar with a 390 4barrel. And as far as I know, 67-70 Cougars standard engine was either 289 (early 1968) and 302. Don't think 6cyls were standard? I'm 61 and not sure.
@@cobracharmer6178 i don't think a 6 cylinder was ever offered in any 67-70 Cougars, even the base model
@@jeremythompson9122 ; Yep, I agree. Thanks. John
This is my Cougar CCOA# 10080
The increase in width and rear wing spoiler makes the Eliminator the sleeper of 69.
Surprising the 390 wasn't more widely used in the Torino and Mach one. Plenty of 351 and 427/8/9, but 390's don't get much mention in these classic muscle car videos.
Cougars are just drop dead gorgeous!This ones a beauty..
Beautiful Cat!! Great engine sound!
I was in high school at the time all these great cars were new. Today looking back I think the Cougar had the best styling of them all. Didn't consider the Cougar so much at the time but I sure do now. Also the 1970 Mercury Cyclone styling looks fantastic 55 years later.
I used to own one in the 70s a 1970 grabber orange boss 302 Hurst 4 speed hooker headers all the after market high performance parts roll cage drag raced it every Saturday blew a piston then had it rebuilt by Bill Maier racing it got even meaner than stock. But then got married and raising kids had to get rid of it. Sold it to a dentist who wanted to bring it back to factory condition. Good for him. I was blessed to experience the American muscle in the 60s and 70s. Also owned a 1966 Chevelle ss took out the 396 and stuffed a 427 in it Hurst 4 speed 4:88 gear roll cage...boy did I have fun with that! Should have kept that one!
I love this car!
I have a 67 S Code. 390 GT. Im in the process of swapping the C6 for a Tremec 6 speed. Im also swapping out the 3.0 gears for 3.83 gears. Should be a nice off the line car, as well as a canyon carver after suspension upgrades too. I love the styling of these cars. (67,68 are my favorites) but am not a fan of their antiquated suspensions. Definitely a great candidate for a modern swap.
I drove a XR7 with the 390. It was a hoot!
Beautiful car!
1969 was the best year for every car!
beautiful that was my granddaddy's first car
Opinions vary but I still think the lines of those 69 and 70 cougars are the best looking cars to ever leave Detroit.
I just turned 50. I remember seeing one of these for sale for $3500 in the early 90s. It was a 4-Speed 351W car with bright yellow paint
Don’t ever tell this story if you didn’t buy it 🤦🏻♂️
Yes sir I have a 1969 Eliminator looks like this one just a different motor I love it
seriously great looking car...............one of the best.
Didn’t know they made a 390 eliminator
Forza Fans? Also that beast looks beautiful in that orange color.
Seen one of these few years back at the Ford Nationals :) Same color and EVERYTHING
Best looking muscle car for that year
This Car is a true timeless Beauty
What can I say, timeless design!
My father and grandfather were Ford, Lincoln & Mercury dealers in Podunk , Illinois. I got Mr greasy hands on one of the XR7 GTEs my junior year of High School. Evil Knievel had driven it before me. That car would fly.
the cougar was such a under rated car.
I'm a Chevelle SS guy but I love this car, especially the orange
Awesome body style
I love your channel. Brings back so many memories.
great vid....always loved this car design- especially the sequential taillights...
Damn take me back to 1969 please
I'll take a first gen Cougar any day over a Mustang. Mustangs are nice, don't get me wrong, but everyone's got one. If you have a Cougar, chances are you're the only one in town that has one. The thing that sells it for me are the concealable headlights. Such a bloody nice car.
Also less expensive 69-70 mustang compare to 71-73 where people seem to not like big nose mustang or even cursed mustang 2 1974
I have a 70 Eliminator competition orange, it's a conversation starter. Most people don't know what it is, but the people that do are wild about it. I prefer the 70 body accents but that 69 in the video is gorgeous, in much better condition than mine.
@@bigrig4385 69 and 70 are the best looking years for the Cougar. 67 and 68 are nice but they look too conservative for my tastes. Congrats on landing such a rare car. Those Eliminators are like more refined Mach 1's. Just as good looking and just as powerful.
My first and 2nd car. Both 69s both needed power steering lines that tended to blow off every 200 miles. My 2nd car I bought in 1984 it was owned by my Aunt Leila who took it to church. 72,000 original miles. Traded for a 1984 Toyota Supra. Both had black vinyl topz.
I had a 1970 eliminater, 351 boss. It was an animal
What a beautiful car.
Good stuff loved the old muscle cars
Wow, had no idea. Thought all the eliminators were 351c or the 428's.
You could get the Boss 302 also in the Eliminator starting mid year 69
You could even get a 351 w.
Drove a lot of those but most had the 351c engines.
I believe the 390.often gets overlooked. Lotta ft.lb...
I'm an Olds guy through and though. All of the olds. I've loved the Gbodies but my baby.. is my 1982 98 BIG BIG BIG car. HUGE car but the thing floats like a cloud and I love it. But being an Olds fan I'll admit The Cougar Eliminator is the ONLY car i'll look to the dark side on and enjoy it.
I had a '66 Starfire for a while. 18 1/2 feet long and 425 V8.
69 cutlass here....but oh the mercs are hot.
Lol Savage Tilley, you got my thing...i am 68 Olds lover..those four split headlights and rear handsome tail got me but yeah other than 68 Olds only cars can get my attention is this 69 Eliminator or 67 GTO!!
72 Supreme owner here. The cougar is a sweet car.
Jim Powell speaking.
How about the 1969 chevelle SS 396/375. Now that ride is a true muscle car. Back in the day this muscle car could beat most and hold its own with whatever was on the street. To me the lines on the 69 SS Chevelle has the best lines of any muscle car of the 60’s. A great front end and the best rear end with the molded tail lights. Just sayin.
The available 2, 3 and 4 speed tansmission technology back then were E/T killers. Stick modern tires and transmissions in these cars and they would easily a second quicker in the 1/4 miles.
I love the Cougars. And still morn not getting the Dan Gurney Special sitting in the Junkyard when I was 14. Dad said "No, Too Fast". I wish I had bought it anyway. Better to ask forgiveness than ask Permission.
My dream car is a 70 eliminator with the boss 302.
70 had the vertical slats and chunky nose tho
@@josephsummers2427 never did like that nose.
@@unicornwolfteam718 1969 is the best deal. It has the slim nose, horizontal slat grill, and first year for eliminator.
@@josephsummers2427 I know. My dad had a 69.
i have that one in my garage and its so nice
SPinning a burnout doesnt equal performance in a dragrace situation. To see it move out with limited spinning would be much more impressive
Wow that's awesome.
The 390 was a little detuned. The 66 390gt was rated at 335hp not 320 like this one. The 390gt cam was used in 428cj. Henry II didn't want kids killing them selves in Ford products. Most Ford engines had lots more potential for sure. If you put a hotter cam and headers in the 390 it really woke them up!
Wow.. I didn't know Henry II detuned them on purpose.
What a beautiful car that is very classy
I’m the owner of this car.
no you're not
Joseph Summers yes I am , it’s sitting In my garage. come see it.
I used to have one of those yep she was slick-looking all my friends were a bit jealous, I ended up giving that
Hot Wheels to a friend.🤣
Ha! Awesome...
Lynnwood 😈 Brian- Yes my brother had a Cougar it was nice to drive until someone rear-ended him. Tail lights were impossible to fin.
Who designed this beautiful Coupé?
What a beauty
Wish that I could drive again
Awesome
that is a perfect car
No puedo creer que no este el Eliminador 428 Super Cobra Cougar del 69
O El 1971 euroshelby or El 1971 Shelby GT-700 429 scj drag pack
I beleve there was also a 2 speed rear axle and also a 427 modle as seen in a james bond movie. I also think the 2 speed rear axle was avalible in the cyclone modle as well.I remember reading about this opion when the cars were new. I had a 68 xr7 and still miss that car.
I'm just a young whipper snapper, compared to you if you read about them when they were new; but didn't two speed rear ends only come in race cars?
427 were very early 67 and some pre production 66 models
my old man had this exact car, bough it new mid year . damm did it haul ass/.
It always bothers me when there is a Beautiful rare muscle car with cheap non-era tires on it. This should have Goodyear Poly-Glas tires , BF T/A Radials are OK because they were the 1st good looking Performance Radials in the 1970s. The correct wheels are a chromed stamped steel like on the Mustang GT but without the GT emblem and Merc made a Chrome and argent grey Mag wheel for 69-70' Merc's and most Eliminators buyers got these. The Magnum 500 wheel was not offered on the 69' Eliminators they are NOT factory issue. CCOA
Looks quite a bit like my old Torino!
Always liked Cougars better than Mustangs
My 69 Cougar Eliminator was a Boss 302. The other engine available was a 428 Super Cobra Jet. I do not recall a 390 being available in the Eliminator.
I lost my ugly 69 a few years back and still miss it was of the rew that year they made a hounds tooth roof and intruder people would laph at it until. Take 0ff
You sound like Ron Swanson.
And sometimes Nicholas Cage
That's not a bad thing. Nick Offermann does the voice for Axe Cop, and it's funny af.
What does everyone think about the Orange "general lee" Paint?
That's the factory paint color: Competition Orange (aka Calypso Coral).
@@mikeb.1705 Well I like it. Not sure it's a great re-sale color. But it appeals to me.
@@majik_man it's actually one of the most popular Eliminator colors. Right up there with Competition Blue (aka Grabber Blue).
Like a cross between a Mustang and a Torino.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
I'm not a fan of wings but it just fits on the cougar with the sloping trunk line the 442 and the 70s GTO pull it off sa well
Same driveline as my 68 wagon, other than the rear gears.
Back when they still built a car
🇺🇸 💪
What is hanging underneath car??
Power steering lines
Was there a 390 wedge head?...kind of Ford's answer to the Dodge hemi???
No 390 wedge to my knowledge, but the Boss 429 was known as a “semi-hemi” or “twisted hemi”. The Boss ‘9 would be a more appropriate comparison to a hemi.
It’s basically Mercury’s mustang.
Torino profile ?
Wonder how much they payed him for that burnout doesn’t look like he does that much with that beauty
1969 Cougar Eliminator. NO need to drive fast or burn tires in public if you want to make a statement. Just Arrive in this CAR and Park...
don't see any here in central pa. to bad
Kind of miss mine ioi
I hate hood pins. Otherwise that's a great looking car.
I'm not certain, but I believe the Cougar was only available with a fixed rear spoiler.
JC Image Inc
The Eliminator had a rear spoiler but my 70 XR7 convertible doesn't have a rear spoiler. I wish it did tho.
My 69 Eliminater spoiler could be move or tilted by loosing allen wrench bolts
390 doesn't get it's due...
what do you mean?
Since it was detuned to big car Thunderbird specs, is it any wonder? Once upon a Time, there was a 401HP 390. Then again, Mercury could have installed 406 or 410.
Dished pistons. Should have at least came with flat tops. Venerable engine. Bad exhaust manifolds. Should have had the 428's.
@@unicornwolfteam718 I agree. My 428Pi in my 66 Thunderbird would scoot! I can't even imagine what it would have done in a car 800 lbs lighter.
Great car; Do you people know that NHRA has completely eliminated Mercury from the stock and super stock programs !!! Cars like these cannot compete at NHRA events !!!
On my lottery list...
Its on a Mustang frame
It's a unibody car. It shares almost no sheet metal with the Mustang ~ even the floor pans are different, although similar.
knock out car
And let me guess... Automatic gearbox 🤦🏻
BETTER MPG LOL!!! Those $&@!? POWER STEERING HOSES!!