Desirable S-code 390 cubic inch V8. Extensive recent work, including new leather interior. Older repaint in good condition, original vinyl top. Mechanic-owned, lots of spare parts included. A great-driving Cougar that’s a lot more car than a comparable Mustang!

We’ve sold a lot of Cougars and we’ve noticed that they keep getting more popular. That might be due to the fact that they enjoy the benefits of being Mustang-adjacent (parts, service, and advice) but they’re a little less ordinary. The Cougar was the pony car for adults, and even today a Cougar is an unusual sight at shows. So if you like the Mustang’s many virtues but want to stand out a little bit, this bright blue Cougar might be just what the doctor ordered. The car was originally Medium Lime, so the repaint is understandable, and while it was done perhaps in the late 1990s, it looks appropriate on the Cougar’s muscular shape. It’s pretty close to the Medium Blue that was on the factory color chart and with the black vinyl top, it looks crisp. There are some signs of use and age, of course, but nothing that should stop you from getting in and heading out to your favorite cruising spot or local shows. Bodywork is well done and it was clearly a full disassembly job because there’s no trace of the original color, even in places like the door jambs and engine bay. There’s some minor bubbling under the original vinyl top, but we’re not so sure we’d go after it—it’s not like you’re going to be driving this car in the winter, right? It shouldn’t get any worse. More importantly, things like the folding headlights and sequential taillights are fully operational, and those are some of the Cougar’s best features. There’s also plenty of nice chrome and stainless trim, particularly the taillight lenses themselves, which are in great shape. It’s a pretty car.

The black leather interior was restored to factory specs and looks fantastic. Buckets and a console were standard in the Cougar and there’s a bunch of faux burled walnut that does an amiable job of warming up the passenger compartment. You’ll note a full complement of gauges, including a factory tach, as well as Ford’s familiar “Rim Blow” steering wheel that might take some acclimation so you don’t accidentally blow the horn now and then. New carpets are nicely fitted, but it appears that the door panels and headliner might be original and in very good condition. There’s also an aftermarket digital stereo radio that looks like it belongs there, and it includes an auxiliary input jack so you can customize your tunes. The car does have A/C and the entire system has been rebuilt, but for some reason we can’t get it to blow cold—an expert will probably be able to solve it easily. And those little rocker switches in the center of the dash manage things like the courtesy lights and map light, and they’re all working like they should. Even the clock is ticking away! The trunk is more spacious than a Mustang’s, and includes a full-sized spare tire and the original mat that’s a little dingy, but that’s easy to fix if it bothers you.

The S-code 390 cubic inch V8 made a rather stout 320 horsepower in 1969, and even Ford called it the IP engine, meaning “improved performance.” There’s a GT camshaft inside, but it loses none of the smoothness for which the 390 was rightly famous. Extensive service work includes a rebuilt carburetor, new ignition components, a big aluminum radiator up front, and new belts and hoses. The Ford Blue engine enamel makes the engine look correct under the hood and even factory decals remain intact. It starts easily, runs cool, and makes nice V8 sounds without ever getting annoying, which is the entire point of a Cougar—competent, but not showy. The 390 is backed by a C6 3-speed automatic that shuffles the gears without issues and there are 3.00 gears out back, making this a comfortable highway cruiser. You’ll also spot a new power steering control valve, recent brake work, lots of new front-end components, and new shocks, so it drives quite nicely. There’s one floor patch that was reasonably well done, and again, if you’re not using this as a daily driver in harsh weather, it should never become an issue. There’s a fresh gas tank out back and it sits on correct Magnum 500 wheels and fat 215/70/14 BFGoodrich T/A radials.

This car includes A LOT of extras, including the original owner’s manual, Chassis Assembly Manual, all five volumes of the shop manual, and a Deluxe Marti Report confirming that it’s a real-deal S-code. It also comes with a big cache of spare parts, including emblems, valve covers, trim pieces, a spare alternator, headlight bulbs, weatherstripping, and much, much more (the cache fills the trunk and back seat).

We obviously like Cougars quite a bit, and this one nicely balances performance, luxury, and price. It isn’t a perfect car but it’s a great cruiser with plenty of silky smooth power and a great look. Add in all the extras and you get a lot of car for the money. Call today!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.