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What’s Inside
Features
- King of the Cougars – In 1968 more than 100,000 Cougars were built in spite of a costly strike that cost Ford a half-million units of production. Of that year’s production Mercury built exactly three 428, Cobra Jet GT-Es with a four-speed manual transmission. This is the story of one of those three cars whose owner Joe Valenti tells Bill Basore how he acquired this ultra-rare cat.
- Moon-Shot Mileage – The distance from the earth to the moon is about 288,000 miles. One 1969 Cougar, a Burnt Orange Metallic with White vinyl roof XR-7 (a striking combination) built on April 8, 1969 has lived a long, long life, much with Todd Gregory behind the wheel. Todd’s Cougar has now traveled more than 300,000 miles and he’s happy to share its story. Georgina May snapped the striking photos.
- Black Cat – The last year Mercury offered a Black Cougar was 1971, and in a year when 62,864 were built, a grand total of just 91 would be XR-7 convertibles. Of those 91, just 18 would get the contrasting white-leather interior. Jennifer Kysar tells how this black cat would cross her path while friend V. Lynn Moore and Jennifer provide the photos.
- The Best Medicine – Three years ago, Keith Vermillion was diagnosed with stage IV esophageal cancer. This is a story of how family and friends in Cordell, Oklahoma, rallied around Keith as he bravely confronted the cancer, getting his Cougar back on the road. And before his passing on October 19th of this year, he took one final drive. Randy and Jeanne Christian were there, with Jeanne staging some wonderful photos paying tribute to a guy who was loved by all who knew him.
- T7: The Genesis of the Cougar, Part Three – With the introduction of the Mustang in April 1964, the Ford Motor Company knew it had a huge hit on its hands. And immediately work started on a Mercury version for 1967 when the second-generation would launch. Bill Basore charts the timeline and the challenges in getting the Cougar to market. Rich Truesdell, with help from the Ford Photo Archives, uncovers some rare development photos, many that have not see the light of day in more than three decades.
Regulars
- Cat Tracks – Co-editor Rich Truesdell explains how LCM is paying tribute to a Cougar enthusiast like no other, Keith Vermilliion. Keith lost a three-year battle with cancer just as the issue went to press with Rich explaining why it was an honor to feature his Cougar in this issue.
- Cougar Events – The 50th anniversary of the Mercury Cougar has been marked by great shows across the nation. Bill Basore and Heather Whitaker cover 50th anniversary events held this summer in Cypress, California, Ft. Langley, British Columbia and Tacoma, Washington. Rich Truesdell, Robert Nowland and Larry Quay provide the photos.
- Cougar Bookshelf – Collectible Automobile has been published since 1985. More than 30 years ago, in April, 1986, it published a 22-page story “Untamed Elegance: 1967-1973 Mercury Cougar.” Rich Truesdell explains why, if you see it available on eBay, why you should snap it up.
