I am in need of some parts for his new project.  I have been aware of this car for many years and have always been on the search for a parts car that might help with replacing the missing front clip from this project.  There are many ways to collect such parts.  The most expensive way it to purchase after market parts from one of several Cougar and Mercury parts supply stores.  They have physical addresses but online or phone is the easiest way to connect with them since they are most likely in the USA.  I have no problem with used parts if I can find them.  I was on facebook marketplace and found several individuals who have made a business of breaking down vehicles into their components and sell these.  This is still a pricey way athough cheaper than new.  For example I found a decent condition front bumper in Regina Saskatchewan for $450.00 but it did not have the brackets needed to secure it on the car.  These brackets were $100 each for the two that I would need.  I found a gravel guard that is special for the 1970 cougar.  It was $289 for a decent conditon one and a damaged version requiring more body work and straightening was $149.00.  All ot these parts require shipping added on to the price.  The last two parts were from Calgary Alberta.  You can see how shipping can add up in a hurry based on weight and box size.

I found a parts car on Face book in southern Alberta.  It looked really decent for being a parts car but the owner could not provide a title and only a bill of sale as many older vehicles for sale seem to be plagued with.  It is a pain to try to get a title here in Manitoba.  I purchased this Cougar and paid the owner to transport it to my shop.  He was eleven hours away and it was difficult to take the time to drive with a car trailer, stay in a hotel, food, etc and then do the whole drive all over again, weather depending, to get back home. This gentleman had other items to drop off from Alberta to this area so he made the trip.

There was no motor in this car, but the car had a whole bunch of needed parts. Whoever was doing this vehicle had invested in a new front end and new springs and shocks for the back. The rear brakes were new and the axle seals had been done.  This car was a front disk brake car so that would be coming out and onto the new project car.  The exhaust was an ordered dual exhaust system from Flowmaster including H pipe and mufflers.  It was originally set up for factory exhaust manifolds but our Cougar has headers so some modification would be necessary.

I have to jump around quite a bit for the order that I am doing work to my car.  I need to get it moving on its own power so that it isn’t such a pain pushing in and out of the shops.  The engine in the project Cougar is dry seized.  The antifreeze in the whole system has evaporated leaving dry rust colored flakes and hard crust throughout the whole cooling system.  I took the plugs out of the engine and added diesel fuel to sit in the cylinders to try to loosen up the rings that were holding the rotating assembly back from moving.  There are many mechanics who say to use Marvel Mystery oil.  I have tried this before with not much success.  Others swear by a mixture of acetone and transmission fluid, but the acetone evaporates from the mixture before it has a chance to loosen up rust.  Most of the reasons why the cylinders are seized is due to mice that climb throught the exhaust system into the engine and urinate in the cylinders.  Their urin is a definite rust creator.  I will leave with a photo of the inside of the water pump off of this Cleveland 351 2 V motor. Yes some of the coloring is rust but the larger chunks is glycol (sugar) residue and it is like cleaning burnt sugar from a frying pan under high heat.

You may be wondering if I was going to update this motor to a four barrel motor if I can resurrect it from 40 years of sitting.  I have 4v heads and intakes if I wish and apart from a different cam shaft and head spring configuration I could do this……but………..I want a good running engine that runs on todays fuel.  The 2V Cleveland has enough power to move the car to all the speed I may need.  The less performance parts the less chance of an expensive breakdown and the adage “Pay to Play” is the reality.  I want a car that starts well and drives well and gets me from point A to point B in style.  If I wish to go a different direction in the future I can.