Unwanted: The 1973 Mercury Cougar no one wanted.

[@nashvillelewis-jones5666]

I miss my '73 XR7. I bought it back in the mid '90s. Originally was a faded yellow with a brown vinyl roof(so '70s lol). It was equipped with the 351 Cleveland and automatic transmission. So I changed all that, painted Corvette Flame Red(orange), found a '65 T'bird and took the 390 out of it, bored it .030 and mated it to a C6 Transmission out of a 4x4 Ford truck. Installed 3:73 gears then later 4:10s. It was a header turner, fun car on the street and at the dragstrip. Super comfortable ride. One car I wish I would've kept!

[@eric7922]

When I was a kid my neighbour had one of these, a bit darker green. Had the optional sport wheels. I loved that car. Cars had real personality back then.

[@Cstoreri]

We’re just the current caretakers of these work of arts!

[@wallysworkin823]

So true!

[@johnelliott7375]

@@wallysworkin823 Unfortunately I will agree 💯% with you on that one. Afraid of the people who are going to get the paws on it after me.

[@veiledzorba]

Beats the Hell out of the rolling iPhones we're stuck with these days. I'll keep my old stuff running, thank you!

[@jamescosta8270]

Dud ,that was my first car , I bought it used that car was bad ass back in the day lots of fond memories.... Car was only a couple years old. 17 oh, what good times. Oh, yes, the cougar XR7. Don't forget those sequencial blinkers.

[@thatguyoverthere9634]

It is my dream to one day own at least one of every year pony car cougar 67-73. I've got two so far, a base 71 which ive put on the road again and a 70 xr7 with the M code engien which is going to be a total restoration. Luckily I'm in my early 20's so ive got a little while to find myself the other 5 years

[@Wooley689]

My mother had one of these in White, great car but never saw many on the road. I'd take it in a heartbeat.

[@adrianblade5015]

I'm 46 me and my dad bought mine when I was 18, and I still have it. Can't wait to put it back together.

[@KaroshiSalad1987]

As They Say, Some People's Trash Are Other's Gold.

[@drewwho4512]

I love how you filmed this! While I live in the midwest, I'm a bit of a desert rat. The rumble combined with the scenery makes for great viewing of what I feel is a pretty cool car from my youth.

[@LongshotGarage]

I'm diggin' the whole series on the Cougar. You outdid yourself with this video -- VERY well done!

[@wallysworkin823]

Thanks man! This was fun to make.

[@downundercars3921]

Loved the video. I have a 71 Xr7 429cj, right hand drive in Australia. Goes like a cut snake.

[@itneverwasme]

Love this, I have a '71 and you're right, not too many of these 71-73s left on the road.

[@neilmurray6943]

Thanks for saving this car history.

[@bradleyphillips204]

Wonderful. Sounds great too. Reminds me of the early 70s Torino.

[@darren3565]

I had a ‘71 XR7 big block car that was ordered by a doctor in Florida. It had almost every option available at the time. Definitely should have held on to it but life gets in the way sometimes. I am a Ford guy and come from a Ford family but always seemed to gravitate towards Mercury products. The Cougar was an absolute favorite.

[@ClassicAutoPrince]

'71-'73 is the best Cougar years

[@johnniemiera3528]

Beautiful car, beautiful sound, amongst breathtaking scenery, great video. You really showed that old gal some love.

[@RobMyers-t1r]

My 73 Holden Premier found me at a time when I was struggling to put food on table for my family I love driving it and all the comments I get from people being nostalgic about having one or parents who had one Cars are meant to be driven not hidden

[@youtubeLa2023]

love it man...i own 71 Cougar and love it...dont see many of them on the road.

[@johnhenrymcmahon6878]

Hey big bro! This is an AWESOME and beautiful Cougar, man. And she has a great American story-the way you nursed her back to life and drive her all over town. I love it, man! JV Johnny ⚾

[@johnelliott7375]

Beautiful car, I always did like the big Lazy Boy recliners on a full frame! There is no vehicle that rides and handles like a full frame V8 car ! So happy to see you did what you have done with it! Thanks for sharing this beautiful ride with us.

[@SourdoughDan]

I had 2 of these. one XR7 like yours, the other was more basic. The basic one was my first car. I found it in a broke down state in a friends driveway. the second was going to be a parts car for the first but it had all its parts in the trunk also. (you could fit the whole car in the trunk im pretty sure)My dad fixed it up and I had 2. I almost feel like crying seeing yours running and looking so glamourous.

[@johnelliott7375]

Crazy people, I would take one in a Heartbeat, I have a 1988 XR-7 that is mint and not a single spec of rust anywhere on the car. Has the smoged out 5.0 L in it and I love that I was able to save it from being scrapped. It has 50K on the clock and the interior is brand new like the day it was delivered to the first owner who I bought it from. The 90 year old guy and his son tried to get it running after it sat since 1995 in the garage, they replaced the fuel tank, fuel pump, sending unit, fuel lines, fuel filter, Isle air control valve, and put 8 new used injectors in it and it would start idle shortly and stall. I replaced the injectors with 8 new injectors for a HO 5.0L and it runs great now. So happy to have saved it from the crusher. Great car, and I hope you have a great afternoon today.

[@kregscott6653]

Ĺoved my 73. I'm looking for one again. It was nice to see that you enjoyed yours so much.

[@davidparisi4980]

Great video,nice story and talking about it😊.

[@tompastian3447]

Body wise, the 73 is more solid in some ways than the 77 - 79 Cougar. The 73 has steel fenders all the way to the front, where the 77 - 79s use a fibreglass header and cheaper plastic headlight / turn signal covers. Unlike the all the bumperless cars of today, I really miss real chrome bumpers. These cars looks so superior to what people are driving today. I've noticed on 3 different model new EV.s, that there are no manufacturer or model emblems. I see that as a problem, being the only way for a lot of people to identify a vehicle would be by the license plate. States may have to step in and require these manufacturers to display the make and model of the vehicle they sell.

[@wallysworkin823]

My car is missing the emblem on the trunk and hood so people pull up next to me and ask “what is that?”

[@rolandobarreto9388]

Thank you for the video I love these Cougars. I also have a 73' 4spd Cougar I am working on now I appreciate your videos because they help me with my build. Thank you.

[@wallysworkin823]

Good luck with the build!

[@GM-og4ih]

I’m not sure why, but this is my favorite video on KZbin.. Love the scenery, the music, the car. Thanks for a great video.

[@wallysworkin823]

Well I appreciate that! I had a lot of fun making it although it was a lot of work by myself. Next time I’ll bring a friend and make him run back and forth 😂.

[@obd3448]

“I don’t know the future holds for this thing” Well i’ll tell ya if you ever want it off your hands, i’ll be here holdin my hand up. She’s a beaut, great vid man!

[@wallysworkin823]

Thanks, I actually sold the car to a guy who’s taking care of it. I replaced it with a 72 Maverick and I’ll be making videos on that soon.

[@rickh3694]

just got mine 2 weeks ago . convertible 351 Cleveland 4 barrel I love it!

[@MrPoppyDuck]

Nice toy! Not many around anymore. Here in the rust belt you never see them, not even at cruise ins. Had a 72 XR7 decades ago that the tin worm got. I miss that tuxedo interior. Mine was the same color as yours inside and out.

[@wallysworkin823]

“The tin worm” haven’t heard that one yet 😂

[@aperonight]

Great sound , Nice car ! Enjoy american v8 life ! Keep them on te road ! Greatings from France

[@prawnstar9213]

I love ford cougars. Huge fan.. you’re brave for a desert drive though.

[@robertalbertson889]

I absolutely love it! My very first car I bought was back in 1978. I turned 18 that September and my parents said they'd go 50% in on my first car for my 18th birthday! So of course I wanted a Mustang to hot rod around in (don't tell my parents) 😅😅 but actually one of my high school teachers was selling her 1973 Cougar and I had never considered any Mercury, but when I realised the Cougar was basically a fancied up Mustang, then I became more interested! Luckily for me, when my teacher who was a 30's something age, bought it new and she had no ideas about engine and horsepower ratings hahaha apparently according to her story to me and my parents, she had 5 Cougars to pick from at the Dealership! Her brother had told her don't buy one with a 4 barrel carburetor, well she misunderstood him and told the salesman she only wanted a 4 barrel carburetor HAHAHAHA 😆 so she bought the only Cougar there at the time that had a 4 barrel carburetor and it was the Boss 351 but it had been a special order by the Dealership owner and he didn't want the Boss 351 decals or markings and so on. Well the factory only deleted the decals and stripes but the Boss 351 badging was installed and he declined to complete the purchase so there it sat for sale on the lot a brand new Boss 351 4 speed and my teacher fell in love with it eventhough her Father had to drive it home and then spent a couple of days teacher her how to drive a manuel hahaha 😆 Well My lucky score! That Cougar was a BEAST especially for an 18 year old boys first car! Eventhough hp was going way down for 1973, that car was still ratedat I believe around 260 hp?? vs 174 hp for the normal stock 351 2 barrel so obviously I scored a huge win! I drove that car all the time and I put well over 100k miles on it before selling it 4 years later! If I only knew then what I know now as a 63 year old, I would have kept it for the rest of my life but oh well! That car was awesome bcos it was a sleeper bcos other than the factory dual exhaust and the Boss 351 interior badging, everyone thought it was a basic 302 2 barrel Cougar but wow it definitely wasn't! I Miss that beautiful cat! Thanks for sharing your awesome Cougar! I'm assuming it's a 351 ? Looks and sounds like it? Awesome car man

[@wallysworkin823]

Wow great story! Yes, this car is a Cleveland 2v, nothing special just a good old girl. Thanks for sharing.

[@laurenshommen1767]

beautiful up there,and your car to.love to see it.

[@MrShinpu]

I like that approach. I also prefer a normal car, which you can go to the store for shopping and not just for zlotys and put it in front of the garage.

[@roncook4781]

Nice video and story.

[@jaybenefield3259]

Beautiful!

[@dm5433]

Now that folks is the classic US land yacht .... she's beautiful

[@BrodyJoeandBriars]

I've always loved the '71 to '73 Cougars, awesome styling! In late '71, a college buddy of mine went home for the weekend and showed up Sunday with a new '72 Cougar, sort of a butterscotch dark tan...he was a spoiled rich kid. We all jumped in for a ride, and he soon veered off the road and took us on a wild ride through a cornfield where the dead cornstalks were still standing..it was a travesty to subject that awesome car to that abuse on day one...the ugly side of being wealthy and spoiled ...I'm glad I was neither!🙄

[@johnd.1849]

Awesome. Thanks for sharing this.

[@blockr51]

I got one. Ordered a 72 from Nam lost ot scored the 73 restored and spent 10 years retoreing it.

[@michaelmclaughlin6]

My brother should have kept his. It was a 73 with the landau windows. The only one I have ever seen. They came out in 74 models. Must have been special ordered that way.

[@garysarnowski3113]

It was the heaviest version, power was down and the leaking of the new platform 1974 helped in reduction of volume in sales.

[@matthewashbaugh9254]

currently own a 72 factory H code xr7 convertible 4spd. has a donor Q code 72 351 Cobra Jet in it.

[@Peter-hg5qd]

Nice car . You should be proud of that not everyone does what you did

[@jamesziegler2763]

Good save

[@chancepatrick6260]

I had this exact car, same colour but with cragers

[@chancepatrick6260]

With a sun roof

[@alfredrossi5268]

Nice cougar

[@kennethsouthard6042]

With that beanie on you remind me of Skinny Pete from Breaking Bad

[@patrickspeer2990]

Very nice, plus these have the 429

[@wallysworkin823]

I wish, this one has the 351 Cleveland

[@kc0lif]

last great cougar

[@Wydglide]

Wally in your leaf blower videos what kind of Vice is that that you use? I seen it in the BC 800x Sthil video that Chickanic pinned to one of her videos and you did a excellent example of pointing at some of the weak spots on those blowers that "could" occur.... I'm still going to buy one basic homeowner type stuff with an extremely large amount of leaves every year!

[@wallysworkin823]

Thank you! The vise is a Park Tool bike clamp. Check out my hedge trimmer sharpening video to see how I use it.

[@Highintensitylife]

Would you ever consider selling your Cougar? I had 2 of them . Love to get one again 😊

[@wallysworkin823]

Sold it a while back to buy a 72 Maverick.

[@Highintensitylife]

@wallysworkin823 ah damn . Well if u come across another one let me know brother. Please!

[@Donny.C.wlWilliams]

Cool beans I know what you mean about not wanting to drive a perfect car

[@JohnWhite-xc3md]

Growing up, a friend bought a mint '73 Cougar for $1,000 in '81 or '82. Had a 351C. Super smooth highway car until he ruined it with air shocks, and stupid big rear tires. 😂

[@wallysworkin823]

Damn kids! 😂

[@Joe12-t2]

I bought a "73 XR7 medium copper metallic, white leather interior, a/c , white full vinyl roof,351C engine in 1973. I paid $4,315.00 brand new. If you ever want to sell this one, please let me know. Its a great every day driver.

[@sharonmicter8608]

I have a 1973

[@1mattbutch]

Bad ass!!!

[@shaunarchangel3872]

I like the 71 ,and 72 front end better than the 73 but still a good looking car .

[@MrDemoldo]

want.

[@natalieshannon7659]

I'd rather have a 10 foot car that runs than a perfect show car that doesn't. You'd be surprised what a perfect pristine paint job hides. Underneath the paint the frame is rotted and rusted plus held together by bondo. The paint job and great interior hides the undercarriage of the car that is also held together by bondo and cheap welding and soddering. These cars are shiny death traps. I watch vidoes by Uncle Tony's garage and he exposes how lots of cars look great, but are really bad.

[@jasonnelson316]

Not a Ford guy? That's blasphemy...lol

[@D-FIANT415]

This was the downfall 🤢

[@wallysworkin823]

It was for all manufacturers unfortunately.

[@brianjames4169]

Is it for sale??

[@wallysworkin823]

Sold it a while ago.