1968 SHELBY MERCURY COUGAR XR7-G

Mercury Cougar 1968 Description

This is a Complete REAL XR7-G = one of 619 Lincoln-Mercury's Factory Tribute cars made to Honor Racing Legend Dan Gurney, the 24 Hours of LeMans Grand Prix Race winner - The XR7-G. Excellent #2 Condition. It Has won Two CCOA (Cougar Club of America) National Shows at second place. All COUGAR XR-7 2DR Hardtop features with Factory AC, Power Sun-Roof, Tachometer, and all gauges working. Plus Special XR7-G equipment added at A.O. Smith plant by SHELBY Automotive just like the GT500 and GT350 Mustangs.

Professionally Redone Interior with exact color Saddle bucket seats. Total Professional Repaint to Original Color onto totally sanded bare metal - even the top. This was done before professionals installed the new black oxford vinyl roof and moon-crater headliner that were applied and tucked under both front and rear windscreens with weather stripping. DuPont Centauri paint was used with a performance kit. This Classic is ready to drive to shows and events where it will be the unique talk of the show with the Big Block Dress-up Kit. Take up to Five (5) of your friends or family on "Double dates." This XR7-G is one of ONLY 30 to win #1 or #2 places at CCOA National Shows since I have owned it.

This SPECIAL COUGAR XR7-G was Originally purchased by Elliot B. Gant, owner of the second largest shirt company in the world. It has He got ALL the options that only a millionaire could afford on this grand car.
Martin and Elliot Gantmacher popularized the button-down shirt as a de rigueur garment for Ivy League and Madison Avenue men. They were so taken with their success, in fact, that not long after their company was rebranded Gant in 1949, the brothers adopted the label as their surname. They made shirts and ties for the movie stars and rock stars. The brothers Gant transformed the button-down into a mass-market must.

This is the only Fawn Beige (Paint Code 6) WITH A SUNROOF - a unique collectable. The only one known to exist of the 619 XR7-Gs in the WORLD.

I am the third owner and have refreshed this original car to this Excellent #2 condition over the last 28 years. I have kept it running and showing in each of those years. It has been garage kept since repaint and interior replaced. I have many new and original Ford parts that transfer with the car to perfect it more. It also has the original blue air cleaner and snorkel. We have kept this car as Original and correct as possible. The original running C8WF 12127 distributor with correct dated numbers goes with the car.
If this was a 1968 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 or GT500 it would have to sell for between $120,000 and $250,000 in this condition. This Genuine 1968 Cougar XR7-G was modified in the same Factory by Shelby Automotive. See:

Go to the CCOA XR7-G website search - mercurycougarregistry and XR7-G

XR7-G History

The XR7-G was the tribute car to Dan Gurney for his racing victories with the Ford GT-40 and the Mercury Cougar. Only 188 Hertz XR7-G cougars were made. The Cougar Club of America website has the registry section with a detailed history of the XR7-G cougars and the unique Rent-A-Racer Hertz program. Gurney was Team Cougar Captain in the 1967 SCCA Trans--Am racing season. The Cougars were ahead of the Shelby prepared Mustangs right up to the last race and were the crowd's favorite.

Gurney's AAR Eagle race cars won The Indianapolis 500 in May 1968. Gurney built the cars that took First, Second, and Fourth positions in winning that race - the same Month of May 1968 that this XR7-G was born. Gurney took Second behind Bobby Unser's winning car.

The Photos are of my 1968 Cougar XR7-G that IS NOT a Hertz Rental Car.

True Story from My Nephew in California:

Dear Uncle,

Great looking car. A friend of mine had a ’68 Cougar XR-7 390 GT in the 70’s after his ’67 Mustang Fastback 390 GTA was stolen/stripped. I drove the Cougar down to Laguna Seca raceway one weekend. I had a guy in a 396 El Camino on my butt doing about 90 mph down Hwy 1. He could stay with me up to about 105 mph. Finally I got tired of him and put the “pedal to the metal”. He stayed with me to about 110,,,but at 130 he was a distant vision in my mirror. That car really flew and could burn rubber in all gears with an automatic tranny! But, you already know how fast that car is!

This is "The Queen of Muscle Cars",“The American Jaguar”, and a Luxury Sports Car. It was Made by Shelby's "King of the Road" GT500 KR experts.

See a 1968 Cougar XR-7 Big Block that sold for $228,800 in 2015 in Maine.

See a 1968 Cougar Big Block that sold for $228,800 in 2015 in Maine