1969 Cougar Eliminator Mercury's Pony Car Hot Rod

While the Mustangs and Camaros had taken over the market with muscled up Pony cars, there was room for more horsepower in the new car market. Mercury entered the fray in 1969 with their Cougar Eliminator to compete with the Mustang Mach 1 428CJ and the Camaro SS 396. Mercury optioned them up with features that would wow the young Baby Boomer generations.

This week a Canadian muscle car collector listed his 1969 Mercury Cougar Eliminator with a 428CJ. These are pretty hard to find today. He knows the second owner who had this car for 42 years. He says it was never raced on the track (although he kind of thinks it may have been in some street skirmishes in its day.) From the description this Pony car Mercury is in mint condition with just 69,000 miles. He says it even comes with a Marti Report.

It looks like it may have been repainted. There never was a factory black color in 1969 for the Eliminator. But the seller says it has original chrome, original body panels and the Hurst Toploader 4-speed.

This one comes with all the equipment that the Elimintor is noted for. It has the front and rear spoilers, racing-style exterior mirrors, bright rocker moldings, a hoodscoop, and a blacked-out grille. Inside it has Hi-back bucket seats in Comfort-Weave vinyl, Black crackle finish dashboard, full instrumentation, including 6,000 RPM tachometer, ET time clock, Rimblow steering wheel, custom door trim, rear seat arm rests and door courtesy lights. It also has the normal Cougar features such as vacuum-operated hidden headlights and sequential rear turn signals.

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This 428CJ is a non-Ram Air Q code. You'll see the Ram Air opening is not present under the hood.

Only 2,250 Cougar Eliminators were built that first year. Of the three engine choices for the Elimintor, the 428CJ was the most desirable.