1978 Mercury Cougar XR7 Junkyard Find

[@robertvance1873]

Always loved those wheels

[@kbeg132]

Nice looking car back in 1978. The red piping on the seat is an indicator the color is original. I recall seeing them in that configuration. Personally, I lined the navy blue with light brown combination. Smooth riding and comfortable car. Nice video

[@scott4668]

My dad had a silver one like this when I was a kid

[@josephstarnes8747]

My first car was a 78 Cougar! It was a great car.

[@khalifgreen581]

My grandmother had the same car in the 90s. It had the silver hubcaps

[@pdennis93]

Reminds me of Brandon's car in the first season of Beverly Hills 90210.

[@ClassicRideSociety]

@@pdennis93 I dont remember Brandon's car. Loved Dillon's car

[@pdennis93]

@@ClassicRideSociety it was only in the first season. He crashed it later in the season while driving drunk. It was apparently a 1979 although on the show it was once referred to as a " '78 bomber" www.imcdb.org/i086942.jpg

[@pdennis93]

@@ClassicRideSociety I tried to add a link but apparently KZbin deleted it. You can find it on imcdb under Beverly Hills 90210. It was a 79 cougar although referred to as a 78 on the show. It's almost this same faded red color too. He only had it for the first 2/3 of the first season before crashing it while driving drunk.

[@chriskishbach9633]

Another great video! That car is from the good old days before computers and crap

[@komalBrar-m7w]

It's been suggested that "XR-7" is a cipher for "experimental racing," and there was, in fact, a team of Cougars prepared by NASCAR specialist Bud Moore for drivers Dan Gurney and Parnelli Jones to compete in the 1967 Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Trans-Am road-racing championship.

[@chevchelios8820]

what a shame this beast bites the dust of junk..always wanted those tanks of americans benny bro you the best ty for your vids i bet all enjoys your contect

[@ClassicRideSociety]

@@chevchelios8820👍

[@rogercamp6071]

I knew a woman who had the '79 XR7 same color but with red interior, I used to work on it whenever it broke down.

[@oliverpetroski4205]

The car looks good and fixable. Its a damn shame how we never got any American cars imported here in Europe.

[@johnbartol8511]

I remember those cars when they was new my neighbor owed one same color the hood ornament had a cougars head color keyed to the car

[@robertvance1873]

Poor Kitty

[@googleusergp]

The 'cat will soon be flat.

[@santinocappellaro7468]

🏁 Great video on the cougar Benny thanks !! 🇺🇲🏁🏁🏁😎🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁

[@ClassicRideSociety]

@@santinocappellaro7468 👍

[@emeyer6963]

Held up pretty good for a 46 year old cat.

[@ClassicRideSociety]

@@emeyer6963 agreed 👍

[@googleusergp]

Whoa Nelley, 1978 and was never great. Both Everco and Four Seasons became part of Standard Motor Products Temperature Control division out of Lewisville, TX. Both parts were likely purchased parts from others and reboxed. I'd say they date from the 1980s-1990s based on the packaging. The dealership name on the back is Marstaller Lincoln-Mercury and they were located at 3000 Speight Ave, Waco, TX 76711. They closed in 2020 after being around for about 70 years. We got the VIN, we win: 8 for 1978 model year, H for Lorain, OH assembly, 93 for Mercury Cougar XR-7 two door hardtop, H for 351 CID V8 with two barrel, aka "Small, Slow and Sloppy", and the rest is the production sequence. The Lorain, OH plant operated from 1958 to 2005. There were 213,270 Cougars made for the 1978 model year and 165,508 of them were XR-7 models. That equates to roughly 78% of them being XR-7 models. You know my feeling about the 351 CID V8 and Ford products of this (and most) vintage, no sense in repeating that. Cheryl Tiegs, a 1970s supermodel who was about 31 at the time in 1978 when she was in Mercury Cougar commercials was the daughter of an automotive assembly line worker, oddly enough. Back then, she was not errrrrr, a cougar in that sense of the word yet. We got the tag, we can brag: 81 for Russet lower exterior paint, YW for rearmost White vinyl top, 22 for Dallas, TX sales district, 65L for Cougar XR-7 two door hardtop, E7 for Red and White interior trim (which appears to be original), 15E for Monday May 15, 1978 scheduled production, B for 2.47:1 rear axle ratio, non-locking, W for C4 automatic transmission, and A for factory installed air conditioning. Whoa Nelley, the 'cat will soon be flat. That's it, time to quit. Made in Lorain and always a pain. 351 and it's done. Lots of junk in the trunk. Many a mouse made it a house. Motorcraft needed a life raft. Going to be flat and that's that. Model year of 1978 and soon to meet the final fate. Going to get squished and only the FOMOCO faithful and maybe Benny, but not the Google Man are going to be slightly pissed.

[@garymckee63]

247 to 1 ratio, you could leave to the floor forever 🫠

[@kennethsouthard6042]

If I remember correctly starting in 74, the Cougar commercials tended to feature women. I think the plan was to market the Cougar more towards women and the Thunderbird towards men.

[@googleusergp]

​@@kennethsouthard6042Yes by then they realized women had a decision in car buying.

[@googleusergp]

​@@garymckee63Popular ratio at the time for gas mileage.

[@khalifgreen581]

The interior is the original color. My grandmothers 78 cougar had the same colors.

[@garymckee63]

Benny I had a 73 Buick Century that was a maroon in color white interior,black carpet and the dash pad was the same color as the exterior. I bought it from the original owner and it had manual steering, brakes with a 350 4 barrel. Talking about throwing everything in the interior 🙂🙃

[@googleusergp]

GM did that back then, as did others. It sometimes required an approval for a trim "override" because no dealer wanted to be stuck with an unpopular color combination that had a limited audience.

[@DonaldMWilliams]

Amazing that the Ford Accessory of the time license plate frames in the left side of the trunk (2:50) stayed with the car all these years.

[@Jtels85]

Bring that car to Ohio, give it a bath, vacuum and disinfect… it would bring a few grand as-is. You guys in Texas junk stuff only us midwesterners could dream of finding.

[@kennethsouthard6042]

These Malaise era Cougars don't bring much.

[@conantigard7348]

I have a 1979 Mercury Cougar XR-7 in my shop. Wish i could post a picture here. It looks good and is very drivable.

[@googleusergp]

Last year before it went to a Fox platform car in 1980.

[@conantigard7348]

@@googleusergp Yes, it sure was.

[@rudyflores9395]

My cousin bought his in Houston back in 79 brand new. Hey I wonder can you buy the whole car to rebuild it??

[@randallderr8519]

it was a nice car...

[@kevindoxey]

In the trunk was a license plate surround that came with these cars new still partially in the plastic never used! Such a shame people sell them for junk. I'm sure they could have sold it to someone who would like to fix it up!

[@sasz2107]

No - when you got white seats, you got white door panels and a white headliner. It came like that from the factory. The dash and carpet were a different color that matched the exterior. My friend's mom's 75 Lincoln was exactly this way - white seats, door panels, and headliner but the dash and carpet were blue. This was commonly done. You don't want a white dash because the sun would reflect off it so badly and the driver wouldn't be able to see. And you'd never have a white carpet because it would get dirty as soon as people started getting in and out of the car.

[@ClassicRideSociety]

@@sasz2107 great points

[@rscamarolover]

Damn she looks Hella straight, ,even though I'm not a mercury or Lincoln person, this boat shouldn't be there

[@MsToddboy]

I wish I could buy it and fix it up I had one when I was young 1977 but same car

[@seanpool8028]

Hey Benny, do you suppose that the early 1980s Mercury Grand Marquis used the headlight and side marker/turn signal design with this model?

[@johnhill8046]

Very nice car

[@richroj]

that XR7 looks nice Benny, I wish the forklifts wouldn't ruin them. don't rip open the trunk or hood. use the keys if possible. 😡

[@kennethsouthard6042]

I don't think it matters in the case of this car. I'm going to guess it's going to go into the crusher petty much intact.

[@snakeboren4814]

I BOUGHT A Blue 78 Cougar XR 7...4 $50..Had A BAD Rod Knock...But STIL..DROVE HER Anyway...!!!

[@ClassicRideSociety]

That beats me. Cheapest I've bought a car was $300

[@robertlyman9789]

Wifey poo had a 79 t bird back in the day, super cold blooded on first start, like running on 7 cylinders 😂

[@googleusergp]

You can thank that Motorcrap carburetor (a poor rip off of a Holley) for that.

[@MB-hv3ic]

lindo bataton. 👍

[@mikeperry8598]

Junkyard digs just did a video on his.

[@samthompson1080]

351 W

[@robertlyman9789]

Make,sure someone steals the brake booster cap

[@OldCanadianguy953]

That car does NOT belong in the junkyard.

[@debbiebermudez5890]

Mr. B. Here ! 🍩☕️👀😎👍 : ⚰️⚰️🥃🥃

[@snakeboren4814]

It Probably Doez Hav Tilt...Push The Turn Signal Lever Bac Towards The Instrument Cluster !!!!

[@ClassicRideSociety]

Yea I know about the Fords having the tilt integrated with the turn signal. I checked it when I looked the car over before I made the video

[@ronaldlebowitz7409]

disco cougar

[@googleusergp]

Cheryl Tiegs, a 1970s supermodel was featured in commercials for the car in 1978.

[@rudyflores9395]

@@googleusergp I thought it was that chic from the Charlie's angles

[@googleusergp]

​@@rudyflores9395It was Cheryl Tiegs. You can find the commercials online.

[@XCELERATIONRULES]

213,000 suckers,opted for the cougar in 1978,could have got a Monte Carlo,which sold 358,000 cars. Who's the dummy? Lmfao.

[@XCELERATIONRULES]

Nobody wanted that pos when new,and nobody wants it now. To the crusher,!

[@googleusergp]

They were fairly popular and sold well, and they weren't bad looking, but yes, they were complete crap. Typical of Ford of that era.

[@valentinrobert1192]

Hey nobody's wanted them you mistake on that there were popular it better what you driving now don't know what drive ill bet not American car that cat good bath in and out she will look petty look at how good shape it is can't find that in no junk yard ill would buy it if live in Texas but they wouldn't sell it it parts

[@kennethsouthard6042]

​​@@valentinrobert1192This was the height of malaise era junk. .The last of the good Cougars was 73 and the last of the really good ones was 70.

[@XCELERATIONRULES]

Good idea Benny,start adding production numbers,into your videos.