1968 Cougar Convertible

1968 Mercury Cougar Additional Info:

A rare 1968 Cougar convertible conversion completed by its second owner and 44 year custodian. Boasts being done to Ford “Mustang Convertible” specs noting that a Cougar convertible was not offered until 1969 - making this a very unique automobile.

Nut and bolt frame off restoration and convertible conversion taking 16 months was completed in January of 1998 and has only accumulated 4,100 drive miles since, and the car has not seen rain since 1980.

Features include;

Hi performance 302cu / 365HP

4-sp. 1968 Mustang top loader (new seals and HD clutch plate in ’97)

Hurst Indy shifter

Convertible components from 1968 donor Mustang

Factory Shelby roll bar and hood locks

Mach1 hood scoop w/signals

Rear spoiler

Custom convertible top

DuPont Imron paint with 4 clear coats in ’97

Front disk brakes

Power Steering

Monroe air shocks

Traction bars

Cragar SS rims w/knock off centers

Radials F-245/60R-15, R-295/60-15

Oversized Heads

3 angle cut Stainless Steel valves

Roller rocker arms w/threaded rocker studs and guide plates

Ported and Decked .015”

Bored 40 over

Keith Black Domed pistons Chrome moly rings

Solid lifters

Windage tray

Duel roller timing chain

7qt oil pan.

Holley 600 carb

Weiand high rise intake

Accel super coil w/8mm plug wires

Solid state ignition

Hooker competition alum. coated headers

Custom 2.5” duel exhaust pipes

Hush Thrush mufflers.

Aftermarket High back front seats

Retro stereo radio

The History:

This Cougar has not seen rain since 1980 and underwent a 16 month restoration and convertible modification that started in September 1996 and finished in December of 1997.

Every nut and bolt that could be removed was taken off the car.

A special cradle system was constructed to allow full rotation and the body which was completely sand blasted inside and out after which frame rails were installed and welded to front and rear torque boxes giving this unibody a full frame.

Ospho was applied to seal the entire body. 1 coat of DuPont Imron gloss black paint was sprayed on the bottom followed by a layer of undercoating. Front end and rear end components were sand blasted and painted in Imron gloss black. The car received new tie rods, new front springs new rear leaf springs, ball joints, bushings, front disk brake spindles, and a rebuilt power steering cylinder.

The hood cowling was removed exposing the floor of the air intake for the car vents and heater and two intake areas of the “air box” floor were cut out and new factory-made sections welded in. With the cowl removed the air box floor was also painted with Imron Red.

This was followed by welding in all the body stiffening metal components that a Shelby Mustang convertible would have which also include the rear factory A frame. A Mustang convertible windshield was welded in along with a factory Shelby padded roll bar. All of the interior metal was painted in Imron Red making it look like the body was dipped.

The body exterior had 1 coat of Feather Fill, Imron primer coat, 2- 3 coats of Imron Red paint, 3M vinyl lettering and 3 coats of Clear Imron for the finish top coats.

The original Cougar rear seat frame was cut, narrowed, and reupholstered to accommodate the Shelby rear interior side panels, convertible roof frame, and the smaller seating area. All sub components (dashboard gages, window regulators, heater controls, light and blinker controls stereo components, front grill, front and rear light assemblies, wiring harnesses, etc.) were totally disassembled, cleaned, painted if needed before being reinstalled.

After-market front seats, speakers and a 200 watt amplifier seated between the (2) 10’ sub woofers in the structural A frame behind the rear seat were installed. With the convertible skeleton in place a custom vinyl top was added.

All effort was made to make the 302 engine exceed Boss engine performance specs including valve sizes, head decking, porting, balancing, and combustion chamber volume. In addition, Keith Black hypereutectic pistons, solid lifters, roller rocker arms, a competition racing cam, triple valve springs, double roller timing chain, windage tray, and a 6½ quart oil pan were added.

Block and heads were painted with Imron Ford blue, and Hooker tuned “alumi-coated” headers, dual Hush Thrush mufflers with a customized 2 1/2'” diameter exhaust pipes system were also added. The current engine configuration is estimated at 365HP.

The 4 speed top end loader transmission got the Imron Ford blue paint, new seals and gaskets and a new heavy duty cultch plate.

The conversion and bolt off restoration took 16 months and was completed in by January of 1998.

The original Custodian estimates there are 5 to 7 such 1968 Cougar convertibles on the road today and of those there might be 2 or 3 that were converted to Ford factory standards - and this is one of them.

This car was in a personal car collection in Florida for 3 years until this year when it was brought to Detroit, Michigan and is now offered for sale.