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1968 Mercury Cougar coupe, side view with hood scoop
Home/Registry/Mercury/Cougar/1967–1970supermotors.net/registry/mercury/cougar/1967-1970

1967-1970 Mercury CougarFirst-Gen Cougar

1967–1970 10 on the wall 33 documents ↓

The first-generation Mercury Cougar (1967-1970) is a pony car built on a stretched Ford Mustang platform, with the wheelbase lengthened 3 inches to 111. Every Cougar left the factory with a V8, starting with the 289 and running up through the 302, 351, 390, and the 427 and 428 Cobra Jet big blocks. Hidden headlamps behind a full-width electric-shaver grille and sequential rear turn signals set it apart from the Mustang, and Motor Trend named it Car of the Year for 1967.

Other Mercury Cougar generations

1971-1973 Mercury Cougar 1974-1976 Mercury Cougar 1977-1979 Mercury Cougar 1980-1982 Mercury Cougar 1983-1988 Mercury Cougar 1989-1997 Mercury Cougar 1999-2002 Mercury Cougar

Platform

The 1967-1970 Mercury Cougar shares its unibody structure, front suspension, and rear leaf-spring layout with the Ford Mustang, but rides on a 111-inch wheelbase, 3 inches longer than the Mustang's 108. The extra length sits between the firewall and the rear axle, which gives the Cougar a smoother ride and slightly more rear-seat room. Through 1968 the only body style was a two-door hardtop. A convertible joined the line for 1969, when the body was restyled larger and wider along with the Mustang. No fastback Cougar was ever built.

Engines

No first-generation Cougar came with a six. The base engine in 1967 was the 289 cubic inch V8 with a 2-barrel carburetor at 200 hp gross, and a 4-barrel 289 rated 225 hp was optional. The 1968 model year opened with the 289 2V, now rated 195 hp, and during the year the 302 took its place, rated 210 hp with a 2-barrel or 230 hp with a 4-barrel. For 1969 the 351 Windsor 2V at 250 hp became the standard engine, with a 4-barrel version at 290 hp optional; for 1970 the 4-barrel car switched to the 351 Cleveland at 300 hp. All figures for these cars are gross ratings, since net ratings did not take over until 1972.

  • 289, 200 hp 2V standard and 225 hp 4V optional in 1967; the 2V dropped to 195 hp for early 1968
  • 302, 210 hp 2V or 230 hp 4V, replaced the 289 during 1968
  • 351 Windsor, standard for 1969, 250 hp (2V) or 290 hp (4V)
  • 351 Cleveland 4V, 1970, 300 hp
  • 390 4V, 320 hp in 1967 (GT option), continued through 1969
  • 427, 390 hp, GT-E only, 1968
  • 428 Cobra Jet, rated 335 hp, from spring 1968 through 1970

The rare GT-E package appeared for 1968 only. It launched with the 427 side-oiler wearing a 4-barrel and a hydraulic cam, rated at 390 hp and sold only with an automatic. Partway through the 1968 model year the 427 was dropped and the 428 Cobra Jet took its place in the GT-E. Total GT-E production was 394 cars, 357 with the 427 and 37 with the 428 CJ.

Drivetrain and transmissions

All first-generation Cougars are front-engine, rear-wheel drive. Small blocks used a 3-speed manual as the base transmission, with a 4-speed manual and a 3-speed automatic optional. The automatic was the C4 behind the 289 and 302, the cast-iron FMX behind the 351, and the C6 behind the 390 and 428. The 427 GT-E came only with the automatic, but once the 428 CJ replaced it a 4-speed became available. Rear axles are Ford 8-inch on most small-block cars and the 9-inch behind the big blocks, with optional Traction-Lok limited slip. 428 CJ cars ordered with the Drag Pak got 3.91 or 4.30 gears and an oil cooler, making the engine a Super Cobra Jet.

Year-by-year changes

  • 1967: Launch year. 289 standard, 390 optional, GT handling package available. Hidden headlamps and sequential turn signals from the start.
  • 1968: 289 (now 195 hp) starts the year, then the 302 replaces it. GT-E package with the 427, then the 428 CJ mid-year. XR7-G appears, a Dan Gurney-themed dress-up package built with hood scoop, fog lamps, and optional sunroof. Side marker lights added per federal rule.
  • 1969: Full restyle, wider and about 3 inches longer overall, headlamp doors now horizontal. Convertible added. 351 Windsor 2V becomes the standard engine. Eliminator introduced in spring 1969.
  • 1970: Front-end refresh with a vertical center grille section. 351 Cleveland replaces the Windsor 4V. Eliminator continues. Last year of the first generation before the bigger 1971 body.

Trims and variants

The XR-7 was the luxury trim all four years, with a wood-rimmed steering wheel, full instrumentation including a tachometer, toggle switches, and leather-and-vinyl seating. It could be combined with any engine, which means an XR-7 with a 428 CJ is a real factory combination.

The Eliminator ran 1969-1970 as the performance package, answering the Mustang Mach 1. It came with a blacked-out grille, front and rear spoilers, hood scoop, side stripes, and high-back buckets, offered in bright colors like Competition Orange and Bright Blue. Engine choices ran from the 351 4V up through the 390 (1969 only) and 428 Cobra Jet, plus the solid-lifter Boss 302 at 290 hp, the same engine as the Boss 302 Mustang. Eliminators are far scarcer than their Mustang counterparts: 2,250 built for 1969 and 2,268 for 1970.

By the SuperMotors Editorial Team · Last updated July 2026 · Spotted an error? Suggest a correction

Asked all the time

What engines came in the 1967-1970 Mercury Cougar?

Every first-generation Mercury Cougar (1967-1970) has a V8. The base engine was the 289 in 1967, replaced during 1968 by the 302, with the 351 Windsor becoming standard for 1969 and the 351 Cleveland 4V arriving for 1970. Big-block options were the 390 (1967-1969), the 427 in the 1968 GT-E only, and the 428 Cobra Jet from spring 1968 through 1970.

Which years did the Cougar GT-E use the 427 versus the 428 Cobra Jet?

The Mercury Cougar GT-E was a 1968-only package. It started the model year with the 427 rated at 390 hp gross, automatic only. Partway through 1968 the 427 was discontinued and the 428 Cobra Jet replaced it in the GT-E. Only 394 GT-Es were built in total, 357 with the 427 and just 37 with the 428 CJ.

What is a Cougar Eliminator and what years was it made?

The Cougar Eliminator was Mercury's performance package for 1969 and 1970, introduced in spring 1969. It added spoilers, a hood scoop, stripes, and a blacked-out grille. Engines ranged from the 351 4V to the 428 Cobra Jet (335 hp gross), plus the solid-lifter Boss 302 at 290 hp. Production was 2,250 for 1969 and 2,268 for 1970.

When could you buy a Cougar convertible?

The first Mercury Cougar convertible arrived for the 1969 model year, when the body was restyled larger. For 1967 and 1968 the Cougar was sold only as a two-door hardtop. Convertibles continued through 1970 in both base and XR-7 trim.

What made the Cougar XR-7 different from a base Cougar?

The XR-7 was the luxury trim of the 1967-1970 Mercury Cougar. It added leather-and-vinyl upholstery, a wood-rimmed steering wheel, full gauges with a tachometer, and toggle switches on the dash. Any engine could be ordered in an XR-7, including the 428 Cobra Jet, so luxury trim and big-block power were not mutually exclusive.

How is the first-generation Cougar different from the Mustang it is based on?

The 1967-1970 Mercury Cougar uses the Ford Mustang's unibody and suspension but stretches the wheelbase 3 inches to 111, all of it added between the firewall and rear axle for a better ride. It also got hidden headlamps, sequential rear turn signals, more sound insulation, and V8-only engine lineups. The Mustang's six-cylinder and fastback body were never offered on the Cougar.

Technical Reference

Member-uploaded diagrams & documents for this generation. AI-classified; community-verified where badged.

Brochures & Literature (9)

Data/Spec Plates (2)

Manual Pages (4)

Service Procedures (4)

Schematics (2)

Exploded Parts (3)

Wiring Diagrams (3)

Blueprints (5)

Vacuum Routing (1)

The wall · registered 1967–1970 Cougars

Sorted by depth of documentation. Click any vehicle to open its permanent record.

1967 Cougar1967 Cougar · Jerald Hedden0 photos 1969 Cougar1969 Cougar · BOB HARPER0 photos 1967 Cougar1967 Cougar · bndaddy rickman0 photos 1968 Cougar1968 Cougar · Tim Taggart0 photos 1969 Cougar1969 Cougar · Nick Gomez0 photos “ricerdicer”1967 Cougar · cougrrrr0 photos “topcat”1969 Cougar · Curt Collier0 photos 1969 Cougar1969 Cougar · Curt Collier0 photos 1967 Cougar1967 Cougar · 351capri0 photos 1968 Cougar1968 Cougar · James Pathmann0 photos
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