This Cougar XR7 Coupe with a Cobra Jet V8 and 4-Speed was as Hot as it Got for Mercury in 1973

[@ericbucci6325]

Bill you have a God given gift of knowledge, humor, and just fun. Know that you are bringing a relief to thousands who get to escape for 35 to 50 minutes.

[@budarbys]

Agree.

[@tacey01]

Absolutely agree! I’d turned off the tee vee about four years ago. I would much rather watch curious cars than ANY of the so called entertainment on network tee vee.

[@marksman4004]

He really does. I learn more from Bill about cars than I ever have. And I grew up with old school real cars. I hate these plastic and aluminum ass cars these days.

[@jblfd4600]

It's almost like sitting back in a lawn chair with a couple of ol gearheads at night reminiscing about cars of days gone by...you just can't act that out. Bill has heart and soul invested and is as genuine as they become

[@c.bernardwebb4658]

Bill, What I love about you and your videos is you throw in history, which if anyone knows is great for me and the knowledge of 1970's..Well, whatever you presenting at the time is just great for me. I take the time and listen to your videos. Thank you for your time. I appreciate you.

[@LakeNipissing]

Bill... driving a manual transmission car while holding a camera... AND using the signal lights when changing lanes. Epic.

[@garywalters3007]

i believe he mighta been taking some corona whiskey with the other hand

[@ricochetey]

@@garywalters3007 As a truck driver this is a daily occurrence while having lunch too lol keep that diesel trucking

[@ricochetey]

Well minus the whiskey that is

[@andrewhazenberg3398]

The man is certainly a multi tasker ! 😄

[@paul5683]

Lucky he doesn't have a manual choke to operate also.

[@robbleblanc]

Bill that is the sweetest sounding car you’ve had on in a while!!!

[@rdsreference]

Sounds straight piped. Insane

[@curbozerboomer1773]

There is nothing...nothing!...more enjoyable than cruising down the road, behind an American V8 engine, with a stick transmission...I would likely never listen to the radio/tape deck...the engine would be singing to me!...and the overall styling of that Cougar is just awesome.

[@chasbarnes3425]

Lmfao “our country would have to be insane to not build a pipe line”! Bill your funny as hell man keep it up, I could watch your clips forever brother keep them comein please and thank you

[@midnightgambler3718]

Very rare cat, even the early hot ones were rare with a 4 speed....Kudos Bill!!

[@hankwilliams2761]

They offered a 428 package for the earlier Cougars.

[@markremy4946]

@@hankwilliams2761 Low compression

[@hamms35]

My first car was a 1972 Cougar and I loved it . The only downside was I always wanted a XR7 . This one is a total dream car.

[@millerdlv541]

Make a bid for it. It is sweet!

[@patriciarogers8883]

I almost bought a 67 Cougar with a 427, 4 speed

[@homiesenatep]

You can still get it!

[@averyparticularsetofskills]

"...that prick Richard Dreyfuss" 😅😂🤣 OMG BILL !! You my friend are a Natural National Treasure! You have no idea how entertaining it must be to just be around you. I nominate BILL for the Late Night Show we all deserve! ✌ _Bill'S NighT OuT_ ™

[@theplayernkc]

Imagine how much better that car would have looked if Mercury had left the headlights hidden like the 1st gen Cougar.

[@stephendeluca4479]

My thought exactly!

[@michaelfiguly1654]

Good point I've often thought that the later Cougars from 71 to 73 would look great with concealed headlamps.

[@jaymorgan8017]

Yup

[@brucebreedlove7743]

You can get after market hidden headlight kits for less than $400

[@randalllowe4252]

I miss my 1970

[@danielbennion80]

I'm typically a Buick guy, but I gotta say that if I had to choose between this one and a Wildcat, LeSabre or Riviera it would've been a tough choice to make. The Cougars are undeniably impressive!

[@stoneylonesome4062]

It’s a beautiful car. I just wish someone would take off that ugly malaise-era bumper and put on one of the subtler earlier one.

Nah, the Riv' is still a better/nicer car.

[@cargogh]

A manual and a tach in a big old Cougar. Sweet!

[@1972mercurycougar]

All XR7 Cougars have a Tach. 4speed is rare though!

[@cargogh]

I was basing that on a friend's later '79 XR7 he got new in high school, which didn't have one. I used to send off to Ford back in late 70s for books which listed all the specs and options of each model. XR7s came with an electric clock, but a performance gauge package was a $105 option, but it incl a tach, volt, and oil pressure gauge. I only have '77, '78 and '79.

[@LulaRoberts]

We really love you Bill. Especially with the history knowledge of the vehicle.

[@michaeljohn9263]

I don't even have to watch one of Bill's videos to automatically give it a like! Bill NEVER fails at making me laugh and providing me with fantastic knowledge about cars I would have never gave a second look at. Thank you Bill!! OHH, Greets from a "Chipper" Canadian 🤣🤣

[@WSNO]

yes, he sure is delicious. i am one of the cats who is good friends with the goats and birds. i would know.

[@aj-ww8zr]

lp l

[@WSNO]

@@aj-ww8zr thank you please make some videos of your car

[@TheBigRed.]

He hasn't got a fking clue!!!

[@Platos-Den]

Love Bill's sarcastic humor, and his ranting of Florida weather. He has a unique niche in car reviews. Very entertaining and educational.

[@StonemanRocks]

Maybe he should put snacks and a sleeping bag and some water to drink in the truck in case of being stranded ! With the temp drop you cant be too careful!

[@ryansease7066]

Though they aren't as good looking as the first generation, I thought these Cougars were pretty cool in their own right. Love your videos. Take care and keep up the great work. Happy Holidays from Norman, OK.

[@randolfo1265]

True, the first ones were better looking, but this one in all black with the four speed makes me like it better . . . Happy Holidays from Toronto!

[@B3burner]

Ahh Norman, OK: Home of the Severe Storm Research Laboratory. I’ve been there to visit.

[@nolarobert]

If I ever win the lottery, I would go out and find a first-gen Cougar to restomod. They have a very classy look that makes them stand out amongst pony cars. The second-gen Cougar (along with its stablemate, the Mustang) suffered from some bloat but it still looks sharp. The trend towards making the Cougar a personal luxury car like the Thunderbird was in motion and would be realized from the third generation onward. The 351 Cleveland CJ was the last "hot" engine Ford offered before the Malaise Era firmly took hold.

[@matty6848]

And me Robert. All the Cookie cutters would go and buy Tesla trucks and Lamborghinis etc. me , you where we’d go and buy something like this. As a kid I always loved and still do these old aggressive looking American V8s with that V8 grunt and bubble sound m, just beautiful. And I’m not even American. Yes our roads in the U.K not not built for some of our 200/300 year old horse & cart tracks for the big American muscle cars, but to Hell with it, I’d still buy one. No fancy computer chip controlled economy systems, and computer controlled breaking blah blah blah. Just give me a old mean machine like this any day👍🏼

[@craiglarge5925]

True.

[@jeffreycampbell5757]

The sound of an "old school" American V-8, with a 4-speed, will never get old! This sound is why Dodge can still sell Chargers and Challengers on a design which dates back to the early 2000's! Thanks for the video.

[@WayneCampbell-l3b]

HEY! DON'T GO DISRESPECTING ROLLER-SKATING BECAUSE THE HEALTHY SPORT FADED BACK INTO POPULARITY AROUND THE SAME TIME THAT THE IDIOT HIPPIES FADED OUT AND DISCO, * WHICH CAME FROM EUROPE), - AND, incidentally, this 1973 Cougar, which looks better than ALL the mustangs before it!

[@rob1sp]

Greetings from Ireland Bill! The reverse to check on the deflated christmas bear cracked me up 🤣🤣

[@brunoprimas1483]

Not really a Mercury fan, but when you started her up, I clicked the, 'Like', button before you even said a word. BTW, in Wisconsin today, they're forecasting a foot of snow.

[@jblfd4600]

Bill, you have no idea how much I look forward and patiently wait for these videos! Please don't change a thing, you have this all dialed in to perfection! Next shot of the Corona whiskey is on me sir 👍

[@LakeNipissing]

34:12 . . . Definitely the unique sound of a manual transmission in reverse, with a bit of speed.... for Bill's epic video comment: "There's nothing sadder than a deflated air ornament." LOL

[@isaacho4573]

I love Bill's history lessons 😂

[@JLG1130]

I’ve watched the last few minutes of this video about ten times now. I just can’t get enough of how gorgeous that Cobra Jet sounds, as you row through the gears. Thank you Bill, for brightening my day.

Such a shame they had been severely smogged down to 245 BHP, by that point.

[@klasseact6663]

Bill clearing his throat at the right time...LETS GO BRANDON😇

[@stephendavidbailey2743]

F DJT

[@klasseact6663]

@@stephendavidbailey2743 you know what dude, I'm not a fan of his either. One person spoke TOO much while the current one CAN'T even string together a sentence....see where I'm going here🤔🙄

[@bws1971]

Thank you for the oil pipeline commentary, Bill. I'm pickin" up what you're layin' down. You are absolutely correct

[@jinxylad71]

Great weather report, amazing machine! Does look amazing in black. Like your stance on manual drive. Thanks Bill 😇

[@MisterMikeTexas]

That's a great looking Cat!! Even better with the hot Cleveland and 4 speed! I'm sure Lou Costabile would love to feature a car like this in his "My Car Story" videos.

[@LexxAKonn]

What a sweet ride! love those wheels. My parents had one of these back in the day.

[@CovenantOfAmber]

The 351 Cleveland was most definitely a small block. You could even take the Cleveland heads and with some work put them on a Windsor block and make a 351 "Cleavor". The is it a small block or big block debate comes in with the 351m (modified) series that followed, where Ford produced a 351 and 400 with the 351 Cleveland heads, but then made the 351m by deboring the 400, so it had the tall block of the 400 but the displacement of the small block.

[@briansearles4473]

The 351M was made from the 400 by changing the stroke from 4.00 inches to 3.5 inches. The bore remained the same at 4.00 inches. You can put a 400 crank into any 351M and you have a 400. I have had both a 400 and a 351M, with a 10.3 inch deck height they "look" like big blocks.

[@carlosg1165]

Agreed 100 percent 👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@Hapkido82AUS]

351C up front, I was wondering why it sounded like the Mad Max Interceptor idling, before he took off after the Night Rider😁🚀

[@rayb.868]

Billie Jean King was the female she played Bobby Rigg.

[@GamingWerk]

Didn’t she win against him as well?

[@libellusmagnus]

Pretty sure he knew that quite well. 😂

[@bertram46]

Now that's a cool car!! It's sounds like an old Chris Craft. Love it

[@marcfuerch3638]

Wasn’t Billie Jean King the woman tennis player? Booby Riggs the male who played her? He was considerably older than her and took the match as mostly a joke. Billie Jean King beat him.

[@ganderson158]

Love your videos. That was a great car. Love the growl. You drove a car like that made you in tune with driving.

[@jeffpoag1415]

Love your intros. You have a lot of wit and I get some laughs when you open your monolog at the beginning of each show. I love to see these cars and enjoy listening to your description and history of each car. God Bless sir!!

[@dogofj616]

Love this car. My family and i watch every episode you make. Dont ever stop! Id pay to watch ya do live stand up as your commentary is hilarious and usually in point! Whiskey fueled with 2 doobies .45 style lol AAAYYYEEE! Much respect Bill

[@codyluka8355]

I've been looking forward to this since getting the notification! Sweet Cougar...and a factory 4 speed to boot! Doesn't get much better. The 351C is not a big block, nor a small block. It's a 335 series block, which is based on the 400 that came out in 1970 to replace the old FE blocks from the 50s and 60s. The 351 Cleveland engines were arguably the best of the 335 series engines. Great presentation Bill!

[@klasseact6663]

Who's with me here...a set of 15" Magnum 500 wheels w/a fat set of blackwalls🔥🔥🔥

[@randolfo1265]

I am Canadian and I would not sit in the back, especially the middle. Gives new meaning the the words 'Tranny Hump'. Anyway, that is a damn nice car. Those wheels are definitely not from that era. Too big. I like them though, a little bit of Resto-mod. The steering wheel looks wrong too. Wrong colour for the interior but I would keep it. I think it would feel good with the four speed.

[@LawrenceMarkFearon]

1st car owned was a '70 XR7 convertible. 351 Cleveland. Automatic. Yellow on white leather. Same model as that James Bond movie shown. Exuded muscle car swagger and I loved it at 21. Buddy had a '73 too. You forgot to mention the cool sequential tail lights all Cougars had up to this point. Good review. ➠ 🟥 🟥 🟥◻️ ◻️🟥 🟥 🟥

[@lilibethdoherty295]

What you have there is a rare Gem of a CJ 351 266HP , 102 more HP than the standard 351 C and a 4 Speed you have a very desirable collectable !

[@ricksidenstricker2144]

Love the 71-73 Cougars. One of the sexiest muscle cars ever. Even the safety bumper looks the best on these. And they did nail the rear styling as well. Awesome and unique.

[@Seventizz]

Gorgeous car. That car was my childhood. My dad had the same car in gold with a brown side landau roof. Not entirely sure if it was a ‘72 or ‘73. How did you forget the sequential taillights?!? That was model distinct! Thank you for putting it in reverse. I distinctly remember that sound. The motor and muffler sound familiar too. It’s a shame about the steering wheel not being original. My dad’s had the wheel where the horn was operational from the centre and squeezing the wheel with a rubber like mechanism surrounding. I’ve never seen that feature in any other car. Oh, and your Canadians will not be happy in that backseat. I remember it being cramped for me and my sister as children lol.

[@marcfuerch3638]

Thank you for sharing this car! It seems almost like a unicorn. When this generation came out I thought they were a sad departure from prior years. I had major desire for the 1970 XR7. But being 14 years old that would be dreaming! This has aged well. Your description of sinister look is spot on. Very cool ride. Many thanks for the look!

[@doctorhorton]

1:10 now that’s the sound of a real car door!!!

[@jasonshawver7227]

Net is still at the flywheel, just with the engine in more of an “in car” representation with accessories included

[@cadillacguy1890]

Exactly right Jason. Manufacturers horsepower ratings were all over the board, in comparison to reality of the engine installed in the car, before ‘72. The SAE standardized how the horsepower was calculated and rated.

[@matty6848]

@@cadillacguy1890 what was the official H.P on Tuesday cars? Because I’ve heard conflicting answers? Some say it produces more than the manufacturers say, some say it’s less???

[@cadillacguy1890]

@@matty6848 Tuesday cars?

[@trevorsutherland5263]

DAYUM! I was only 3 but wow that looks hot!! I grew up in the Midwest and by the time I was old enough to care, cars like this were rusted and dented hulks spewing blue smoke everywhere. These were beaters when I was lusting after Supras and 300ZXs. If the bloody things had looked this good I would have noticed!!

[@richardlopez4563]

Just discovered your channel Bill. How as a car guy did I miss this for so long. I am addicted to your way of delivering history and car facts associated with the cars the year they were sold along with commentary on past and present political and social trends.

[@jeffstonecipher1594]

Awesome job on this one Bill. Love how you captured the growl right at the opening of video to foreshadow the test drive -superior car porn!!!

[@christianmaitner1403]

Awesome one Bill! Beautiful car! I remember the Cougar (later generation) was very close to the Montego. In fact, I believe the 1977 Cougar actually replaced the Montego. I drove my dad's 1975 Mercury Montego MX wagon when I was in high school and it looked almost exactly like the cougar. It had the standard 351C 2V motor with 150hp. The car was nearly 20' long but I really enjoyed driving it... we used to call it the "boat"

[@marcovarela6702]

Billie Jean King‘s opponent was transgender Renee Richards

[@josephvaldora49]

This is truly a rare bird! Sounds sweet as hell and the top loader is just icing on the cake! Another home run, Bill!

[@timothyforce1949]

That's one rare "cat", LOL!

[@Roadking556]

You mean cat

[@jpate89]

Cool car Bill sir!!! Great info as always and also good weather griping to start us off!!!

[@christopherkraft1327]

Hey Bill, sorry about the humidity, I recommend an extra dose of coronavirus whiskey!!! When you showed the taillights you should have put on the turn signals to show off the sequencial signals!!! I had a 71 Cougar XR7 & loved it!!! 👍👍😷

[@MitchHayes_FG]

That is simply a great/cool/find !!

[@Aegean2012]

I can't tell you how much I love your videos. I hope you do them forever! Merry Christmas!

[@anthonybertone2336]

You know it’s going to be a great late afternoon early evening when there’s a video from Bill, Made my day,

[@henrystowe6217]

1973 was the last good year America had. After October 73, we had the energy shortage and in 74, the 55 mph speed limit It has been a bumpy 48 year ride downhill.

[@curbozerboomer1773]

Welcome to the senior citizen's auto commentary!...I suspect you, like me, were around to experience that awful decline that took place in the 1970s...I stubbornly drove several late 60s and early 70s Detroit iron, but by the late 80s I had to give up, and buy an Asian product!..The only thing I appreciate about the newer cars--is FWD, which is superior in traction to the RWD dinosaurs that I used to drive..no need for chains, if you encounter snow.

[@henrystowe6217]

@@curbozerboomer1773 I am early Gen X with GI and Silent parents. From a very early age, I was hooked on cars. Because of that I was acutely aware. My dad was stopped in late 74 for doing 72 in a 55 on a road that was posted 65 a year earlier. It affected me to the point that I had to try and get rid of an unjust law. I became very aware at a very young age that things weren't right. It took me longer to hate emissions and safety laws that have ruined cars.

[@johnhenrymcmahon6878]

What a joy this gorgeous Sith Lady of a Cougar Chickie is, Bill. Truly, man. Badass in black for sure. I would be behind the wheel in a black leather jacket and a huge grin every time I rowed through her gears. Thanks for highlighting this wonderful piece of Americana, brother. :) JV Johnny

[@luisrolon6421]

This man needs his own national Sunday morning show.

[@markscungio2996]

The 2nd Generation was HATED BY US in '73...and 264 horsepower was what was in Mom's station wagon - not in an XR7 for Christ sakes!!! Barf !!! And yet, at age 62 years I am afraid to admit it is a nice looking car, and does sound good. "Mill the heads 20-30 thousands of an inch, and a slightly better camshaft, rebuild to 1970 style carb jets, accelerator pump, properly re-curve that "lazy" 1973 distributor and drop in an Pertronix type electronic ignition ...and that Clevland would make another 100 - 125 Horsepower!! Bill...YOU MAKE MY CRAP DAYS SO MUCH BETTER ENJOYING YOUR COMPANY SIR !!! 9:17 P. M. in Texas, and having a 3rd Makers-Mark in your honor!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS BILL AND EVERYONE!!!

[@lukeskywalker1574]

For an American car, it looks great. I really like its old school style. Kinda muscular but not OTT. Love the Greta killer front bumper too.

[@stoneylonesome4062]

They Should’ve kept the Cougar as Mercury’s Pony Car. Small, comfortable, but still powerful and decent-handling. It should’ve been Ford’s answer to the Dodge Challenger and Pontiac Firebird. It’s a shame it turned into a personal luxury land yacht, and ultimately a front-drive budget 4-cylinder econo-hatch. I think the first generation will always look cool, but they should’ve given it a fastback roofline. This one in the video looks cool, but the giant malaise-era bumper gives it a bit of an underbite look, and the shape of the trunk deck-lid in relation to the roofline doesn’t look quite as good as a fastback. There’s a recent video on KZbin of a first generation Mercury Cougar that was given the roof and lift-back panels of a fastback first generation mustang.

[@jimlubinski4731]

Thoroughly enjoyed this review. I have a first gen Cougar and I love it. The second gen is great, too, as you described. Extremely rare to find one with any manual transmission. Being shiftless, my Cougar is an automatic.

[@Cincy32]

You should upload some videos of your Cougar!

[@theariesexperiment4642]

What an interesting car. The paint is absolutely beautiful. That interior is stunning for original. I personally love the wooden steering wheel. To be a survivor,....it feels restored. Which is a testament to the previous owners meticulous care. Does the car have service records??? Someone is gonna end up with one cool Cougar.

[@razorridgeback4516]

You are awesome Bill. I grew up driving these cars and I love the reviews you do. Keep up the good work brother.

[@phillanassa759]

Love the Sand Shovel (or Sugar Scoop) rear window, the 351 Cobra Jet, and the 4 Speed. The wheels make the car 100%, henceforth known by/as "The Sign Of The Cat....GGGGGRRROOOWWWOOOWWLLLLLL !!!!! Thanks for bringing this one around, not something you will see more than once or twice in a life time with todays world as it is. And 1973 was a super year, the year my wife was born..

[@Rmzkm007]

This car looks badass, I have to say. And God bless Bill!

[@randolfo1265]

Battle of the Sexes (according to Wikipedia) between 55-year-old Bobby Riggs and 29-year-old Billie Jean King. The term is most famously used for an internationally televised tennis match in 1973 held at the Houston Astrodome, which King won in three sets. "He won the match easily" - I don't think so Bill, unless there was a rematch.

[@tacey01]

Love the video and love the series! So much fun for an old guy who remembers these XR7s very well. Keep up the great work and merry Christmas and all the best in 2022!

[@markmaiello9180]

Holy crap Bill. You’re sarcasm (?) reached a new zenith: it was Bobby Riggs - a guy - who LOST to Billy Jean King in ‘73...and graciously too. For the love of God...you had that totally messed up (deliberately?)... Best moment: the cat staring you down as you cruised out the driveway. Actually, the best moment was throwing the XR7 into reverse to see the sad deflated air ornament. But seriously, except for the wheels, steering wheel, turbo exhaust & the missing spare, this vehicle is beautiful (I like them as stock as possible). The swooped rear deck is special. And that full gauge dash & center console was a nice touch. Liked the buttery gear box too. The pipeline comment and sigh did not go unnoticed! Take care Bill.

[@charger19691]

This Cougar is one of the nicest I’ve ever seen from this era. Plus it’s a 4 speed car.👍🏻

[@patrioticaussiesams8581]

While In the US Ford phased out the Clevos (Cleveland) yes Aussie slang for them Ford Australia used the Clevos from 1970 in the XW Falcon GTHO phase 2 til end of 1984 with the XE Falcon. In both 302 and 351cu. in size

[@darrenflynn1056]

Man I love your videos keep em coming 👍

[@LakeNipissing]

10:49 . . . Speaking of "paid for marketing" in James Bond films... anyone else remember how in one scene of "Live and Let Die" (Bond being picked up at the airport), it seemed EVERY SINGLE CAR seen was a full size early 70s Chevrolet Impala?? I think as a kid when I first saw that movie I was laughing about that.

[@jakereal3604]

Thanks for another cool car and entertaining video. As a kid I loved these Cougars. I bought a few 1:25 scale model kits and built them. I liked the sail panels that outlined the rear glass. Similar to 68-70 Chargers.

[@michaelfiguly1654]

That's right Jake , I had a 71 Cougar, it reminded me of those Chargers.

[@jfro5867]

Sit over here in England learning about cars I will never ever see but it’s so enjoyable. Love your monologues Bill. I am a similar age (born 1969) so grew up watching Starsky and Hutch, Smokey and the Bandit, Dukes of Hazzard etc on tv. Modern cars may have significantly more performance but to use a phrase of yours, ‘they suck’. Bland, boring, no style no chrome, no presence.

[@MikeSmith-ks4yg]

Bill I am amazed at your media research .all the vintage advertising you dug up was awesome. That Cougar was a tremendous find.

[@maryvallas772]

Hi Bill, I am so glad I just came across this video, I would really like to talk to you. My Uncle recently passed away and he left his 73 XR7 4 speed with a 351. (I just checked the VIN there is a Q) The only difference is that it's a Convertible. It's yellow with all original brown interior, includingthe steering wheel. My uncle bought it brand new in July of 73, he was the only owner. It has been garaged every winter and is in great shape. I'm trying to value it for the estate, and if there's any way we could talk, I'd be so appreciative!

[@rjbiker66]

The wider stance from the aftermarket wheels really adds to the looks

[@richardmorris7063]

Wtf Bill,Billie Jean king beat bobby Riggs in tennis!Yea we lost but she was champ & he was 56 yrs old.Nice rumble on that cj..

[@chrisc338]

A beautiful car, with a great video review once again by Bill. Keep them coming! Cheers from Canada.

[@curbozerboomer1773]

This video was done with great care, and it is one of his very best!

[@kcindc5539]

What?? Good lord. Man you got the Battle of the Sexes tennis match entirely wrong. It was Billie Jean King (female) vs Bobby Riggs (Male)…. he was a loudmouth but SHE won the match! She wiped the floor with him. She won in straight sets!

[@brentboswell1294]

The 351 Windsor was a truck engine through and through. Good low end torque, nobody home at high rpm. No comparison at all to the Cleveland block 🙂

[@billybronc9980]

Had a 74 Cougar with the low compression windsor. terrible mountain car. Found a 351 cleveland out of a mustang. Swapped it out, one drug crazed night :). Amazing the different car, it was then. Dual exhaust on top of engine swap. Loved that car after the change.

[@leecordell7418]

Ive had all versions of the 351's,had one 429,and several 400 Modifieds! I have always liked and felt that the 400M seemed to have the most HP and especially felt it was the Torque monster of them all tho! Once I started putting 4bbl carbs on the 400M,It became my favorite Ford Engine ever and still to this day!

[@wraithconscience]

Thank you, Bill -- I've always hated Rchard Dreyfuss. Never understood the appeal of him. Awful! Now onto another topic. Although this is certainly a special edition and therefore noteworthy, the 1. generation convertible is unbeatable. If you find one, let us know. God bless!

[@hgg2577]

Love that sound 💪 On streets crawling with SUVs this is the ultimate eye-catcher. All the best to you from Germany Georg

[@ahmedal-khadar3924]

How come this channel still got 107k subscribers it deserves 5 million man what’s wrong guys……. AHMED FROM BAGHDAD IRAQ

[@johnnymula2305]

I have a 1st Gen 67 Cougar. Its a numbers matching “S” code, 390GT. Factory HP rating was 320 and 400 feet Torque. It now has 420HP and 550 Feet of Torque with a 6 speed manual. 1st two years are by far, the best looking, and most sought after. Looking at this generation Cougar makes me think the car was designed with hideaway headlights. But im betting the bean counters complained it was to expensive for a model selling less models each year. You can clearly see it from the shape of the surround. I bet this would’ve also looked pretty cool if it had a fastback option. Fords never called their engines Big, or Small Blocks. That was a GM term. They were labeled as the 385 series, Windsor, and Cleveland designations.

[@Terminxman]

Is it still an FE?

[@Terminxman]

@@mikekokomomike 390GT = 390 FE. I wasn't commenting on what he said about big vs small block.

[@thoof2001]

To my mind, there is no controversy. The 351C is a small block; all Windsor and Cleveland heads interchange with Windsor and Cleveland blocks and the 429-460 heads do not. That's all, folks.

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

Better pour myself another glass of Whiskey Bill's uploaded.

[@petergibbs]

I was just thinking, a video not to buy Bill for Christmas. Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds. You know we love you. Happy Christmas, Bill.

[@funfunfun732]

LETS GO BRANDON

[@philipp9481]

I really like your new video-timemarker-style and startup-clips. Really cool! Keep it up, your videos are awesome!

[@matthewnosal6893]

I would consider the 351C a small block due to the fact that it takes the SBF bell housing. 351/400M…? Big block. Bolts to the BBF bell housing.

[@ryanlavarnway7835]

So, so good. The car, the history, the cats and other wildlife, relentless ribbing of the Canadians.....just the best. Keep up the great work. Hope you get some relief from the humidity. Maybe better than the cold up here in Buffalo?

[@rjanderson7394]

In '69 drove the unfished I-70 in my Cougar the 72 miles from Terre Haute to Indy in 42 minutes, NO COPS, NO PROBLEM!

[@retiredammo4617]

Now I-70 always has construction & is more like a parking lot in places.

[@richardmanzo9843]

.... I own a 1972 XR7 Cobra Jet car with 4 speed .... in process of restoring it ....1 of 156 made ...love it because it is different !!

[@trentryan27]

I believe "XR7" was a factory code name for the cougar while it was being developed, GM did the same thing with the Z28, its just what engineers called the car while developing it then later these code names were given to options packages for these cars

[@seH2i]

A gentleman's version of the Mad Max V-8 Iinterceptor Ford Falcon XB GT. ( Originally advertised at Adventure Classics, Tampa, FL. )

[@austinfrazier7325]

I’m all for originality but on old V8s like this a set of long tube headers really wakes them up. Oh and I can only imagine how huge the bushes would have been on chicks back in 73

[@Postmortumaz]

Canadians are here for winter in Arizona. Sweet car. Dont tell anyone, but I like Abba.