1970 "Houndstooth" Cougar XR7

It's springtime in the Okanagan Valley.  Muscle cars will soon be on the road, including mine.  Unfortunately, this one isn't mine, but oh so sweet!





My 1970 Cougar XR7 has wintered in the garage under a dust cover.  My wife sees the long, protected hood and thinks its a place to store food when her extra fridge is full.  We call it the "smorgas-Ford".  At Christmas it was the place to find round tin boxes full of baking, cookies and other goodies.  Today we are only weeks away from wash, wax, polish and shine, 2011.

The old Cougar is 41 years old, soon to be 42 and she looks outstanding......


1970 Cougar XR7, known as the "houndstooth" Cougar because of the black and gold houndstooth pattern vinyl roof and matching interior.  Only made 488 XR7's with this special roof.



She has a 351 Cleveland with an automatic transmission.  Loaded too!  Power windows, tinted glass, even has variable speed wipers.  About the only options not included were air, tilt wheel and a better than AM only radio.  Every year we upgrade something.  Last year it was the differential, distributor and a couple of the links in the steering mechanism.  This year it'll be the cooling system.  The 351 runs hot and that's not good in the Kelowna area. 

Nothing like the throaty growl of an old school V8.  Can't wait!

3 comments:

  1. This is almost exactly my car from years ago ! Mine had all leather seats (no houndstooth). Everything else appears to be identical. I miss that car so much !

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    1. Glad you enjoyed the photos and stories on my blog. I've owned the car for 26 years and have taken the restoration about as far as I can afford. She is original and runs great but now needs new paint and a couple of minor dents fixed. With the houndstooth package and the M code engine, she is a rare cat.

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  2. dear ted Im sad to say i just sold my car with houndstooth and was a member of delmarva and the cougar club and know ron crouch there were more than 488 made with that roof i remember you asked to buy mine a long time ago. don't forget the black and white and green and white and yes red and white top. I was frantic about this car If you realy want to know the total take more than a word.. get a mari report.Ron 's car minus the top is at a shop geting restored for his daughter.mine was with tilt wheel a/c 351-c 4bLL

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