67 Cougar restification

[Frizzle Fry]

Ever use flap discs? They work really well for blending welds down to the surface.

[screamin_c10]

Originally Posted by Frizzle Fry

Ever use flap discs? They work really well for blending welds down to the surface.

I am now!!!

[screamin_c10]

Little bit of homebrew export bracing and a new Monte Carlo bar. The old braces hit the EFI intake on the 68 so I fabbed these up today. I'll have the bars TIG welded and powder-coated. I know 1/4" plate, 1" DOM tubing and 1/2 heims are way overkill...but at least the front end wont sag

[screamin_c10]

Beau dissecting the passenger side floors today, hopefully we will have them in tomorrow... too many delays lately.

And a present from the guy in the big brown truck...

[screamin_c10]

Floor and toe boards are done. She's back on all four tires. Now the fun part begins...

[67ChevyRedneck]

Really? Really? Come on, you're making the rest of us look horrible and lazy!

Cars looking great! I put about 200 miles on the 65 today

[screamin_c10]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

I put about 200 miles on the 65 today

Rub it in why dontcha?

[67ChevyRedneck]

It was absolutely perfect cruising weather yesterday. I got in it yesterday morning and drove all over. Leaves are starting to turn. I just started driving, turning whenever a road ended, etc. I had my GPS with me, so after a while I figured I would just GPS my way home... when I decided to do that, I had somehow wandered an hour from home Ooops.

Then I went to my friends house to watch football. One of those "moments" came that kinda choke you up a bit. His sister and husband came over with their two kids. Their son FLIPPED OUT over the car. It was hilarious. He's maybe 8? When I asked him what year he thought it was and he said "sixdy fhive?" (yeah, I spelled those right) I figured that deserved a ride. I took him around the block, a "country block", and he loved it. HUGE smile. Made me smile even bigger.

I've said on here before that I think this hobby is dying. It's not. Kids love these old cars. We're just too lazy as a society to care about each other, get off our asses, and take them out for a ride anymore, figuratively speaking.

That's my speech for the week. God bless.

[screamin_c10]

Seam sealed everything up and painted the floors and jambs today... boys got the dash and inner quarters sealed up and painted. Tomorrow I'll hit the inner firewall and toe-boards one more time. Hopefully while the paint is drying we can get the engine and trans dropped into place... before the rains hit.

[screamin_c10]

Another update...

Sound deadening is done.... had some left from the 'Boo so I gave it to the boys.

Heater box is completely rebuilt. Every piece of the car that can fit in my media blaster has been blasted and recoated with rustoleum.


They stabbed the engine with limited success. looks like the C4 pan fill "truck" dipstick tube will need to be swapped for a "car style" other than that the motor is in despite the rain.

They are really doing it right...These two are my eldest boys, born 3 years apart. As polar opposites, they have fought like cats and dogs their entire life... The BEST thing I could have done as a father was was to give them this car, they have really bonded over it and work together using each others talents to get the job done... I am very proud of them

[rambler]

nice work..love those cars,,,,

[screamin_c10]

put some finishing touches on the export/MC bracing and got it all installed, didn't like the car sitting with engine weight and no braces... Rain has really hampered the build, still trying to get the little stuff done but its obvious our "running by the end of october" deadline is blown all to hell...

Probably gonna do some more EFI wiring to get her ready for the swap...

[Palf70Step]

Just found this one...Guess I have been to lazy on my board roaming. You guys are doing a great job on that ole Cougar.

[bollybib]

Just prior to our graduating high school in 1967, a classmate of mine rolled into the parking lot one day in a brand new 67 Cougar with a 390 and 4 speed. I was so jealous. I've always admired these cars. It's nice to see you are bringing one back to life.

Congrats and good job !

[screamin_c10]

So one inherent issue with the 67-68 Cougars is the grille and headlight door assembly. They look cool as hell and are an iconic feature of the car, but the design sucks... The doors way a ton and are vacuum operated with spring tension to close them, a recipe for disaster. The frame is pot metal with very little support. Do a Google search and I bet every 67-68 pictured will have sagging doors. I have found literature from 1967 showing the doors misaligned from the factory.

OK I'm off my soapbox now...

The fix... First the headlight doors needed an upgrade into the era of electric actuators. A common swap consists of Miata or Probe motors so I hit ebay and cooked up this setup:

[screamin_c10]

More pics

[screamin_c10]

To solve the pot metal basket sagging issue I spent some time gently bending it back straight and then added two supports made from the discarded headlight door adjusters. This allows me to adjust the basket up or down to dial in the grille. I also made offset hinge bolts so I can adjust the hinge point in and out as needed, all this work makes for a laser straight grille. Now for some paint and wiring in the relays.

[screamin_c10]

Last ones for tonight...

[Zoomin]

Ingenious! Hidden lights on Vettes and Camaro RS's are easy fixes because of the aftermarket, but after that you're on your own.

Glad to see you're back on it.
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[67ChevyRedneck]

That's really cool! With the pace y'all had been moving at I thought this thing would have been painted by now!

[screamin_c10]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

That's really cool! With the pace y'all had been moving at I thought this thing would have been painted by now!

Weather and life kinda got in the way... Trust me, if I had a heated shop this thing would be done, and the wife would be much happier...

[screamin_c10]

So the weather is getting better, but it's still too damn cold to do much on the body and drivetrain of the Cougar. I bought the boys a complete TMI interior for the car for Christmas and Hunter has started re-doing the seats with all new buns and covers... Looks good to me so far...Mom isn't too happy that the game room has become a make shift trim shop though

He still needs to dye and install the side hinge covers, but I think he did a bang up job, especially at 17

[screamin_c10]

Big brown truck rolled in and pooped a new Magnaflow system for the Cougar... Should receive the headers today some time.

We finally fired off the 289 after having to replace all the lifters and she runs pretty good. Still plan to drop the injected roller 5.0/347 and T5 in it eventually. I was toying with tossing my split ram on it for a bit, but I don't have 2 small enough carbs LOL.

[NONHOG]

Glad I can watch you (and the kids) work now before I buy a Cougar!
Someday......... a few projects down the road.
Fun to watch, keep up the good work!

[screamin_c10]

Thanks Nonhog... headers showed up yesterday, I've been so frickin busy I haven't even opened up the boxes yet. Probably best as those will be going in with the new motor anyways. We did get out to the local yard and robbed a 99 Ford Exploder of its 3.73 Trac-Loc 31 splined disk brake equipped 8.8 rear end. Hunter has it pulled apart and is getting it ready to be narrowed 3 inches. This will allow plenty of tire under the ass end. Hopefully we can get the housing cut and shortened within the next couple weeks.

I'll get plenty of pics of the process...