NEW BUILDS: Cat’s Eye!

“You’re just a big fat alley cat chasin’ a little pup….”

This is the second Auto World Cougar I’ve added to my collection, closely following the first green one, and like that one this was one of the special “promo” editions, a “Popular Mechanics” release. It’s a lot easier to find that many of the early “standard” releases and I’m not sure why that is, but I got it for a pretty fair price and did it up with a set of Road Race Replicas “Magnum” wheels with the black accents that look awesome on any car. Other than the wheels, axles, and tires, not a whole lot else was needed! In Cardinal Red with black interior and very little in the way of extras, this is definitely a “pony express.”

We probably all know the story about the genesis of the Mercury Cougar: that it was conceived to be an upmarket, more luxurious version of the “Pony Car” concept based mechanically on the Ford Mustang. As the car developed, the Cougar became a little more than just a “fancy Mustang.” Sure, the driveline was all Ford and some parts were shared, but by the time the first Cougars hit the showroom in 1967 they were quite a bit different from their more humble sisters; in fact, I would dare say that there was more of a difference between a Mustang and a Cougar than there was between the Chevy Camaro and the Pontiac Firebird. But without trying to spark a “Brand War”, a good number of Firebirds were sold with a bevy of performance options, while its safe to say that the overwhelming majority of Cougars were built as moderately powerful semi-muscle cars; while many were equipped with luxury options like power windows and air conditioning, really high powered, high performance Cougars are rare.

That doesn’t mean models like this 1967 “S” Code GT aren’t still out there prowling the highways and byways of ‘Murrrca. This one was built as a near “stripper” without A/C or power windows, although it  did come with power disk brakes and an upgraded radio. Clearly the original buyer opted to go fast rather than go comfortable, since it also left the factory with the 390 big block, the top loader 4-speed, and a 3.25:1 “Power Transfer” limited slip rear.

The lack of XR7 appointments like leather seats, woodgrain trim, and the “adult” 2-spoke steering wheel may have seemed “plain jane” when it was new, but lighting up the tires can only bring a smile to the faces of crowds at Drag City today, where Nevada native Dallas “Deathstalker” Darnell plans to continue the tradition of tire-smoking competition rather than boulevard cruising. He restored the car over a period of nearly 3 years after discovering it on a ranch outside Reno, bringing it back to number’s matching accuracy with the exception of a hotter ignition, upgraded radiator, and a few other performance and handling updates. In deference to her feline lineage, he named this no-nonsense GT “Cat’s Eye.” Stephen King would be proud, but other racers should beware the shine of this cat’s eyes!