Was The Mustang's Twin Better Than The Mustang? - The 1969-1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator

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In this Rare Cars documentary, we go into the history of one of the coolest and most underappreciated muscled cars ever made, the 1969-1960 Mercury Cougar Eliminator. The Cougar Eliminators were built to excite younger performance hungry buyers about the Mercury brand by offering bright colors and a slew of awesome engine options.
But did it succeed?
This video aims to provide a short history of these unique and rare cars so you can learn about them in a quick, easy to digest video.
*Note, we are not historians. If you see an error in our research then please mention it in the comments!
For business inquiries or other inquiries, reach out to: [e-mail]

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

The Cougar, much like the Plymouth GTX, Buick GS and, to an extent, Olds 442, were the "bankers hot rods" of the era. A velvet glove wrapped around an iron fist.

[@rarecars3336]

That is an awesome way of phrasing it

[@gteefxr3094]

The "velvet glove" phrase is kinda' played out.

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

@@gteefxr3094 Maybe so but, it still works. How would you phrase it?

[@BuzzLOLOL]

The frame shown at 01:21 is nothing like the cheap unibody that Mustangs/Cougars actually had...

[@stephenmatthews4061]

The velvet glove in an iron fist ten was used specifically for the Monte Carlo, not the others.

[@markgreiser464]

My God I miss all my Cougars, Mustangs, Fairlanes, Comet and Torino GT. At 63 , I can say they were some of the finest and coolest Cars ever built.

[@rarecars3336]

Wow you had quite the lineup!

[@markgreiser464]

@@rarecars3336 they were more Fun, than the Law allowed lol

[@kennybailey140]

I own a '70 Cougar Eliminator, Boss 302, 4 speed with 3.91 gears. Competition Blue. So fun to drive! Great job on this video!!!

[@clevlandblock]

My mom was a secretary at the local Merc dealer 68-71 (Kazmier in Glen Ellyn IL). That's when I was in high school and college and really getting into cars. I'd have to disagree about the looks of the 67-68 cars. I remember a new black 68 xr-7 with black vinyl roof and dark tan leather with Merc mags. Simply a work of art. A couple of years later in October 69 I arrived at my parents house on a Friday evening, on weekend leave from college. Their car was gone but when I opened the garage door, there was a new 1970 yellow Eliminator backed into the garage. The sticker was still on it. It had the 428 CJ, non-ram-air, 4 speed with 3:50 axle. I went in the house and there was a note saying my parents had gone out to dinner with the service manager and his wife and that the car was a demo. Also, the ignition keys were there with a note from the service manager saying I could take it around the block a few times. I actually went through about a tank of Super Shell and a certain amount of rubber off the Goodyear Polyglas rears. It was a fantastic car with perfect throttle response, loads of torque, and power right up to 6000 rpm. The Goodyears actually hooked up pretty well and that sweet combination of induction and exhaust roar I'll never forget. Unfortunately, over the succeeding decades, I was never able to find one like it. Seems like all the 70 Eliminators vanished. However, as a loyal employee, mom was offered a new Mercury at cost. So, with my technical assistance, we ordered a 70 XR-7 with a 351 C 4 barrel and FMX trans. Once it arrived, I was elected to drive it straight from the dealer to home. I gave it a loving break in over the next few weeks. The Cleveland sounded nearly as good as the 428. It was mom's car, but I did have some fun times with it. Like most cars of that era, it was hit with rust after a few years, and in 1985, the engine blew. A mustang restorer bought it in 1992 and towed her off to her fate.

[@ldnwholesale8552]

390s and 428s are bothe FE Big blocks. I like those Cougars. They are as Leno describes them a Mustang that went to college

[@rarecars3336]

I like that analogy

[@Grodd70]

I was always a Chevrolet kid. First car was a 67' Camaro with the RS package ...loved the hide away lights. However, there was a kid in HS that was a grade a head of me that had a super cherry 1969 Cougar I want to say he got as a hand me down from grand parents. It was super clean and he had it painted black with a small bright blue pin stripe. Pretty much an all stock little 289 I think, not really fast but with the stock Rally wheels it was just beautiful.

[@michaelbausch1511]

My friend has had a Cougar Eliminator Boss 302. Has had it for over 30 years. It is on the Boss registry and is a 1969 yellow car. He tried to get it ready for the Boss reunion a few years ago but didn’t get it completed in time. He did trailer it to the event and there is a KZbin video with it on the trailer.

[@rarecars3336]

The BOSS302 one would be the one I would have to get if I got an eliminator, just such an awesome combo

[@opera93]

Thanks, Rare Cat…. Heard about those:: ended up getting a 1970 Coronet 500 / 383/ loaded @$3000.00 Dealer Neighbor, *& in Budget ((* in those days also!!)…

[@Godzukidan]

Love the 1969 Cougers 😎👍

[@alexgolovchenko3791]

Really nice cars. As a former auto mechanic from that era in the Canadian market I can attest to the exclusivity of the Cougar. Unfortunately the cars did not stand up well in the Canadian climate and rotted out quite rapidly if not stored in the winter months. The reason they are so rare now up here is simply because they rotted away, too bad. 😢

[@myleslong5584]

Did they rot away worse than any other vehicles,up there? I mean,was it poor quality steel used by FoMoCo,like when GM used steel from Japan on their pickups in the mid ‘70’s? Or it’s just that those Canadian Winters/salt are going to wreak havoc upon ANYTHING that’s left to exposure of the elements,no matter the vehicle or manufacturer?

[@bongodave13]

@@myleslong5584 Pretty much everything rusted out in those days. Metallurgy and rust-proofing have come a long way in 50 years. Rust is still a problem for cars in the snowy north, but it's not as bad as it was.

[@stephencurry8552]

Worked on one many years ago. Was helping the owner change spark plugs. We had to release the driver side engine mount. Jack-up the car in order to get to the rear two plugs on the drivers side working from the bottom up. We need two wobble extensions in order to change out the two plugs. Those two alone took forty-minutes due to the brake booster being in the way.

[@eliminatorownersenthusiast158]

Nice video and a good summary of the '69 & '70 Cougar Eliminators. However, I do have a correction / clarification: The Boss 429 engine was listed as an available option for the Eliminator in period literature, but as you mentioned, none were built for the public. However, several orders for Boss 429 Eliminators are known to have been placed and subsequently rejected or replaced with the 428SCJ drivetrain. Also, the two 1969 Boss 429 Cougar drag cars were not actually Eliminators. They were built as standard hardtop Cougars without the Eliminator Option. Furthermore, there was a third 1969 Boss 429 Cougar that was built before the two drag cars and well before Eliminator production began. That car was used as a prototype and referred to in documents as the "magazine car". Thanks for the great video!

[@roberthill2219]

As a 40 year Mopar guy, there's always going to be a few that got away over time... but the one that i really regret was a '69 Cougar Eliminator... with a R code 428 Super Cobra Jet! One of 115 or so built... in Comp Yellow with the XR7 black leather interior and gator grain top... and to take it to the next level, a C6.... knocking it down to 14 built! I could have bought this clean, two owner car for 2,500 bucks in 1993... ugh... I made the mistake of telling a false friend about this car and he beat me to it...

[@rarecars3336]

Wow that’s a brutal one, hey at least u knew of one of the 115 or so, that’s more than most people can say!

[@roberthill2219]

@@rarecars3336 yeah... the one that got away... that and the '68 GTX... i owned that one almost 10 years... Should have kept it and sold the wife instead....

[@CJColvin]

Gotta love the Mercury Cougar, if the Mustang is so good and wayyyyyyy better than both the Camaro and Challenger in every way then how come Ford didn't invest enough money into the Mercury brand to bring back the Cougar with a 525 HP 5.0L Coyote V8 in it for or the 550 H0 5.2L Voodoo V8 for the Cougar XR1 or the 850 HP Supercharged 5.2L Predator V8 for Cougar Elminator?

[@jobamasux]

He's the same guy who stole your girlfriend too! What a dick!

[@ramblerdave1339]

@@CJColvin As a long time Mercury fan, I concur.

[@MrJoeltrain]

I am not a Ford fan. I WOULD be very very happy to own one of these. Absolutely gorgeous, and I love the sequential turn signals. I think this, then the Continental Mark 3 are Ford's best vehicles ever produced.

[@gregatkinson7276]

Always LOVED Cougar and these were the best! The muscle car era was something else but too short lived.

[@eldorado1830]

Cougar Eliminator great car.

[@trainnerd3029]

A fast, good looking cougar is always a lot of fun! 😎😈

[@SuspenseESCAPEremastered]

"Eliminator" has to be one of the coolest names for a muscle car!

[@olddirtycougar6401]

Great video, thank you for including my Restomod 70 cougar twin turbo

[@rarecars3336]

Glad you enjoyed it! And of of course, you have an absolutely gorgeous car!

[@jeffschwartz5199]

Don't forget about the 1968 Mercury Cougar GTE's (GT Eliminator) . Some were available with the 427 in the early part of the year .

[@pappagetti]

Mec Dre had one. Featured it on his last album cover. What happened to him was awful...but the fact that they lost probably the most famous Mercury Cougar (being these aren't prominently featured in any movies), is even more devastating. They lost his Road Runner and Duster too...Enjoy your toys while you're here.

[@curtismccombs2212]

I could do without the wing but I've always loved the looks of a cougar! 💘

[@sauletto1]

Awesome video !

[@pooddescrewch8718]

Don’t believe that 428 big block was truly 335 bhp . That was a figure they gave to make insurance cheaper and their cars more appealing

[@thebionicbassplayer]

I remember when I was a child, my teacher had a 1969 or 70 Cougar. I believe it was an XR-7. The Cougar began to lose it's way as a muscle car after Mercury changed the platform it was built on.

[@trudygreer2491]

The Cougar didn't exactly "lose its way" so much as "took a different direction", as the muscle car era faded and luxury became the new norm..

[@Olds_Gold]

I had an orange 70 eliminator and a 69 cougar convert! Nice for a Ford product!

[@buggyridge]

Nice to see our local drag strip in the first 45 seconds. Another big race this weekend.

[@jason3280]

I remember when I was young thinking that the big block was the best engine but now im older and know that a small block is best because the car will actually handle and small blocks can make some serious power and high revving is so much fun

[@jimmyhamm6041]

Would be great to see a Retro come out on the "Cougar Eliminator"!

[@barryhickman6911]

The first generation Cougars had a slightly longer wheelbase than the Mustang!

[@rarecars3336]

Really?! I actually did not know this so thank you for sharing. How much longer?

[@hbetz5300]

@@rarecars3336 Three inches! It does a lot for making a softer ride. Hence why the 71-73 mustang got so much longer, they wanted it to ride smoother like more of a “GT” car.

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

Yes, that's true. If I recall correctly, the Dodge Challenger also had a slightly longer wheelbase than the Plymouth Barracuda.

[@ramblerdave1339]

​@@MikeBrown-ii3pt That has also been my understanding, but don't remember how much, maybe 2"?

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

@@ramblerdave1339 I believe it was about the same, 2 or 3 inches.

[@bongodave13]

Had I been a young man of means at the time, I would have looked at the Cougar for sure. Such a gorgeous car, to this day. They were more expensive than Mustangs, and like the vid said, a lot of guys were just about the performance. They didn't care about electric windows or AC or any of that. Now, people want SUVs with all the trimmings. Not a lot of us left who remember the thrill of big V8s with 4 on the floor.

[@mikemcquinn6738]

Would love to find one. Great information.

[@rarecars3336]

Same! I first found out about these playing Forza Motorsport, the racing video game and loved them since!

[@eliminatorownersenthusiast158]

Do a Google search for "Eliminators on the Market". You'll find a list of Eliminators available for purchase.

[@500clapbox]

@@rarecars3336I fell in love with these when my grandpa told me he had one when he was younger, I believe his engine caught on fire I don’t remember and yes it was an eliminator, it’s sitting somewhere in the woods at my uncles (his childhood home) he’s cleaning out the woods too so I might try and get the thing.

[@bossfan49]

The one Diana Rigg drove in James Bond had the 428 cu. in. 4V Cobra Jet Ram Air V8, automatic transmission.

[@mry82]

Sweet cars! My wife had a Foxbody gen. Cougar... her Grandpa slapped a supercharger on it for her birthday, but sadly she had parted ways with the car before I met her.

[@upsidedowndog1256]

You showed a chassis with a frame. Mustangs and Cougars were both unibody. The frame is the body. As an ex owner of a 67 Mustang I have lots of love and hate for those cars.

[@rarecars3336]

Yes that is an aftermarket chassis in that image, I am aware they are unibody cars. My 04 mustang which is based off the fox platform is also a unibody! What’s the hate relationship with these cars for you come from? Is it rust?

[@upsidedowndog1256]

@@rarecars3336 Mine had little rust but became a real problem with age and high power. It's a light car that responds well until you get your 289 making 350+ hp. Then the damn things twist like hell even with Shelby export brace and Montecarlo bar. Put subframe connectors on it and you will need another 100hp to overcome the weight. It was just not a good platform. I have a Fox ex racecar. Same issues. Has subframes but is heavy as a truck. My 67 beat it racing years ago. It has 450+hp. And is a little spooky to drive. Wheelbase is too short compared to my 67. Drifting all 4 wheels is how you drive a 67 fast. Fox Mustang doesn't do that well. It always blew me away how much bigger but lighter the 67 was compared to the 88 Fox. Almost a thousand pound difference.

[@MikeBMW]

My first car was a 1968 Cougar. I loved that car! Once the 1969 model came out, I really didn't like the new body style.

[@rarecars3336]

My dad is the same way he loves the 68 and doesn't like the 69. I like them both but I can see why you would like the 68 more, more simple and clean.

[@TheRedneckGamer1979]

Hands down my favority mercury through the entire line it was available was the marauder

[@Imnotyourdoormat]

"Boy she's a bute and I like those Blue-Walls." "Cousin Eddie" Vacation Movie circa era 1983

[@lddeckert]

1969 was the best year of cars,

[@v1-vr-rotatev2-vy_vx31]

Wish I could go back to those days, was a lot of speed shops around Los Angeles areas, could find good deals on original take off parts of muscle cars. There was a lot more local drag strips which have since been closed to build planned community homes to collect massive property taxes so everyone has to race on the streets now.

[@worseorbetter]

Unfortunately, the Eliminator trim level of the Cougar can easily be replicated by anyone and sold off as a legitimate example. This is because FMC did not put any designation onto these cars to distinguish ones with the Eliminator package vs other Cougars produced between 69 and 70. The only exception is the Boss 302 as that engine was exclusive to the Eliminator package and the engine code is on the VIN plate. Otherwise it is necessary to cross reference the sequence number on the Vin to determine if it's the real thing.

[@eliminatorownersenthusiast158]

Yes, the Eliminator package was an option not a separate production model, so the VIN has no codes specific to the Eliminator ~ with the exception of the Boss 302 ("G-code"), as you mentioned. There are a few ways to spot Clones or weed out fake Eliminators, but it is easiest / best for an Eliminator shopper to order a Marti Report or contact the Eliminator Registry to determine if a car is a factory Eliminator or not. The Eliminator Registry can often also provide history on cars that come up for sale, as well as help steer buyers away from scam listings or rebodied cars.

[@street-level]

The 67 Cougar had such cool (electro-mechanically driven) sequential turn (triple) rear lights.

[@mylanmiller9656]

The first car called the Eliminator was a 1966 Fairlane funny Car raced By dyno Don Nickelson. the Cougar was the third Eliminator.

[@RUfromthe40s]

i used to sell american cars in Europe when younger, one of the cars i kept was a fully black mercury cougar with a 7.0L engine,at the time i thought it was a bigger mustang for rich people ,it´s trhe first time i see a video talking about it ,i found it so cool that i had to kept it , don´t know if it´s a eliminator or not allthough mine didn´t had the wing in the back ,but if it had i would have taken it, it as original special wheels with bf goodrich tires, but those cut in the side body it doesn´t have them, it´s 69 car ,i have others mainly from 1967, manual gear shifter ,i don´t like or why the use of pointless automatic gears maybe to cross america on thousands of km´s roads all straight

[@workingclassperson2124]

Mean machine.

[@rarecars3336]

Indeed!

[@markbergthold6181]

I have owned 3 Cougars & 2 Mustangs. 1st gen Cougar IMO was the best.

[@quagmiredavis4117]

When I was 19 I had a 2 cougars one had 4 wheels one had 2 legs killer headlights and 35 yo ❤😅😊

[@rarecars3336]

LOL

[@derekhebert734]

Had a 67/69 never Forget Em!

[@richardmletzko2918]

If I remember right some were available with a 2 speed rear.

[@eliminatorownersenthusiast158]

That's a myth. The 2-speed rear axle was tested and featured on the Eliminator Prototype / Show Car, and had several articles on it that appeared in magazines. Unfortunately it never made it into production, and the Eliminator Prototype remains missing and is presumed to have been crushed.

[@ceejay960]

Very nice history and accompanying videos. However, I can't help but think your videos would benefit from the inclusion of at least a few clips with the sound of the car as well. Let's see and hear these cars in action!

[@stevejarred6484]

It's sad to think of all the Cougars that were picked over in order to save a couple Mustangs...

[@randymack2222]

What... No mention of the "Dan Gurney Special"

[@roberthill2219]

Yeah, or how about the GTE???

[@rarecars3336]

This video is just for the eliminator itself, I won’t rule out a separate video on those ;)

[@roberthill2219]

@@rarecars3336 Wanna talk about rare... how about a '67 Cougar GTE 427 side oiler with a sunroof? There's a few still out there and to me, the ultimate Ford....

[@barrycampbell534]

I sold mine for a wedding ring guess can't second guess. I miss that car tho.

[@bretgeren5695]

He failed to mention that they made two Boss 429 Eliminators. The reason they only made two of them is because it was much harder to get the engine to fit in the engine bay then the Mustang, and the Mustang wasn't easy either. I read about this years ago from a book on rare Fords. I imagine that who ever bought them most likely pulled the drive train out and install it in something else. They would be worth a fortune today.

[@rarecars3336]

I did mention the 429 eliminators!

[@kkjoe1911]

​@@rarecars3336you didn't mention the 67/68 428 & 429 GTE's which were the true fastest cougars ever made

[@eliminatorownersenthusiast158]

@@kkjoe1911The GTE was 1968 only and used the 427 until early April when the 428CJ became available. The 429CJ wasn't used in the Cougar until 1971.

[@jameswieler3295]

Still have my 69 xr7 hard top 4 speed

[@tommagness3523]

Some early 69’s came with the 427. Which would have been my choice

[@mylanmiller9656]

Accelya Ford sold their Quickest cars in 1971 the Boss 351 and 429 Super Cobra jet Mustangs Were the Quickest Ford tested by the Magasins of the day.

[@richardisner3671]

There was also a Cougar built with a 427 cid.

[@rarecars3336]

Yes but not in 1969, that would have been one of the earlier cars

[@richardisner3671]

@@rarecars3336 Yes You are right. I do believe it was a 68 model. There were also rumors that they dropped a BOSS 429 in one. Now I had a aunt that bought a 68 & a half Cougar convertible with a 428cj brand new.

[@eliminatorownersenthusiast158]

@@richardisner3671The '68 GTE had the 427 (and later in the model year they changed to the 428CJ). The did build 2 Boss 429 Cougars for drag racers, and 1 as a prototype / demonstrator vehicle, but none for the public.

[@brettedgar6733]

COUGARS WERE GREAT LOOKING CARS. MERCURY WAS LIKE A BUICK BUILD. BUT BUICK WAS ONE SOLID CAR.

[@LenTexDIY]

I will take this gen Cougar over the same gen Mustang ANY DAY.

[@rarecars3336]

I’m torn personally

[@CJColvin]

Agreed 100% brother

[@Flies2FLL]

1985, '77 Volkswagen Rabbit, fuel injected. Four speed manual. 1985, '68 Mercury Cougar, two barrel 289. Three speed automatic. Daytona Beach Florida, the two cars line up in a development just north of Beville road. The flag drops, and the Rabbit screams bloody murder from its front tires! Steve's Cougar is slightly out in front at first, but the Rabbit eats the cougar and wins! This was a REAL race in 1985, and it involved cars that needed 9.4 seconds to reach 60 mph. My '77 Rabbit could hang with an '84 GTI....

[@johncronin5311]

Yeah, but it be a vw and be U G A L Y

[@billypater5287]

I had a 67 COUGAR XR7 STOCK I JUST REALIZED OF THE LIMITANATER did it have a 428 COBRA JET OR SMALL BLOCK

[@radioguy1620]

the name killed it , just my 02

[@johnsheetz6639]

I thought they had a longer wheelbase.

[@johnsheetz6639]

7.2 60 time and the quarter mile mph makes me think she definitely needed a tire probably a half second or better

[@johnfairchild3421]

Give me the. 69 cougar anyday my. Favorite. Ford. Ever

[@arnoldanderson1501]

Just my opinion, but unless the Cougar Eliminator was lowered on really good suspension, they looked just as silly as the Mustang with it's off road look. As usual, Ford and Mercury wanted to appeal to granny and road warriors with one vehicle. The only exception being the Cougar Eliminator with the 429 cubic inch motor designed for drag racing.

[@halfwaydecentvehicles]

What happened to the 427 ?

[@413x398]

Never made it to '69.

[@mescko]

It was offered in 1968 but it had to be detuned to comply with the first year of the new emissions regulations. It even had hydraulic lifters that last year.

[@joesutherland225]

They were.imo

[@unclejessiesrodshop8432]

The more "luxurious Mustang" thing is a bit overdone. Other than styling, 3 inch longer wheelbase (more room in the back seat) and maybe a bit more sound deadening you could option a Mustang to be just as "luxurious" as a Cougar. It was mostly just about marketing. Now yeah, a base model Cougar was better equipped than a base model Mustang but really, it's just an image thing.

[@mikecone4049]

Suprise new video

[@rarecars3336]

Yup and you are the first comment again!

[@jamiedriscoll9781]

Sad my 2017 turbo four cylinder civic coup is 0-60 in 7 seconds.

[@CJColvin]

Yeah but it'll never look as beautiful as the 69-70 Mercury Cougars.

[@teeoshbe]

You Really Talking about a ugly ass civic try again lol 🤣

[@sixoaksfarm1556]

Why did the speedo go into the red at 70 MPH?

[@rarecars3336]

What time in the video?

[@mikecone4049]

Yeah in that 1 shot I couldn't tell which one was the attack and which 1 was the speedometer

[@sixoaksfarm1556]

@@rarecars3336 was at 4:51

[@j.moneyfilms]

​@@sixoaksfarm1556and 2:46

[@rarecars3336]

@@sixoaksfarm1556 I assume that is to let you know you are "speeding", American cars did weird stuff like that. My 92 silverado the Speedo stopped at 85 to discourage owners from driving fast

[@rono3045]

It was Lee iacocca and ford that held back Mercury, trust me the cougar would have taken the crown away from the mustang if ford didn't stop them everybody loves the cougars not very many people likes a mustang

[@gteefxr3094]

Yeah, people hate Mustangs. Why do they even keep making them?

[@gteefxr3094]

What other cars do you likes?

[@ramblerdave1339]

Wow, a message from a different dimension. Don't see those much. 😮

[@guycabral1847]

Heck no!!!

[@deadend85]

The cougar was being designed before the mustang

[@johngroll9186]

The Cougar as far as I am concerned beat the pants off of the Mustang

[@Wally56S]

Nice video, but I feel your photos/videos rely too heavily on modified vehicles instead of stock models since you're telling the history of these vehicles. Someone seeking knowledge of these vehicles and references might be led astray by some of the modified vehicles shown with questionable "upgrades", taste, and quality work . Perhaps modified subject matter vehicles could be the subject of another video.

[@rarecars3336]

I compile video content based on what is out there on youtube currently regarding certain cars. Unfortunately lots of videos people have of totally stock cars are not great hence me using modified footage like the blue restomod

[@bossfan49]

Some kind of phenomenon...over the last few years, more and more youtube channels across the board seem to be using the same narrator. They all have a very repetitive speech pattern....same rhythm, same up and down inflections. The sentences all sound like carbon copies of each other.

[@keith3970]

The '67 and '68 cougars didn't look very good? What are you smoking?

[@tima6549]

Never been much of a Ford guy, and I absolutely loathe every version of the mustang. Funny thing is with that being said, the 69-70 Cougar is one of my favorite cars. Such beautiful aggressive styling, almost like a smaller Charger. I had a 69 cougar XR7 and loved it wish I still had it. So much better looking than the butt ugly mustangs

[@Robert-dx4fq]

Used to eat this cars up in my 428 fast back mustang