Q: Greg I enjoy your nostalgia car columns on the Mercury, especially the one you just did on Dan Gurney and those special Mercury Cougars. I know you always liked the looks of the 1955 and 1956 Mercurys, so can you give us a little more on these special Mercurys? William L., RI.
A: William, let’s start with the special Mercury Cougars, as I just received some great updated information.
Bill Basore, from classiccougarcommunity.com, sent this information on the Dan Gurney Cougars and corrected some of the info I printed. (Yes, I strive to get things right.)
Said Basore, “Greg, it looks like you confused the Dan Gurney Special, of which there were many, with the XR7-G , which was also called the Gurney Cougar. The XR7-G is the Mercury analog to the Shelby Mustang and there were 619 XR7-Gs built and they are extremely collectible. The XR7-G was available with any engine offered except the 427, including the 428CJ exactly as offered in the Shelby Mustang GT-500KR. (G parts carry Shelby part numbers).
“There is a wonderful book called “Cougar by the Numbers” by Kevin Marti that provides a world of information about the numbers of Cougars built including the break out of engine, transmission and even optional equipment. It informs readers that there were 394 of the GT-Es built, 279 XR-7 GT-Es and 115 base standard hardtop models built. Some 357 were equipped with the 427, the balance with the 428CJ. The GT-E and GT packages had nothing in common. You can visit the Dream Cougar Window sticker generator that allows seeing how the order process was done. This will clarify how the GT-E was a complete free-standing package and not just an engine option added to the GT.
“There were also at least three Boss 429 powered Cougars built, the two dedicated race cars you mention, plus a third car that actually predated the other two that was reviewed by Car Craft Magazine. There were also indicators that a fourth was built.
“In every case they did not leave the assembly line with the 429, but were modified afterwards. The only one that wore Eliminator trim was the "magazine" car.
“The XR7-G was the first American production car built with a power sunroof by what was to become ASC, American Sunroof Company.
“Best of all, they're all Cougars and just now turning 50!”
Thanks Bill for this info, and here’s a letter from an actual owner of one of those rare 429 Cougar drag cars, namely Doug Herzog, of Herzog Motor Sports in Warrenton, Missouri.
Said Doug, “The two Boss 429 Cougars were not Eliminators but standard hardtop cars. I own the (Eddie) Schartman car and am good friends with Ed Meyer with the (Dyno Don) Nicholson car. Both were production 428 Super Cobra Jet hardtops sent to Kar Kraft in Brighton, Michigan, for the Boss conversion.
The Nicholson car was sold to Dyno for $1 to modify as he saw fit. The Boss 429 was removed immediately and replaced by an SOHC 427 at Jack Chrisman's shop.
“The Schartman car was built and painted by Mercury contractors after leaving Kar Kraft and sold to Eddie for $1 and was to be used at dealers around the country for High Performance Tuning Clinics during the 1970 year. It was never really legal for any class (of racing).”
Thanks Doug for your letter and input. I remember talking to Nicholson at Atco, NJ, about his 427 SOHC “Cammer,” which he preferred over the Boss 429 and quickly quipped that the 427 Cammer was faster, period. Also, readers can check YouTube for “A Visit to Kar Kraft 1969” to see the Boss 429s and specialty Ford muscle/sports cars being built.
As for those ’55 and ’56 Mercurys, my initial affection came thanks to my late uncle John Goretskie who worked at the Mercury assembly plant in Metuchen, NJ, not far from his home in Rutgers Village. Many times in my youth he would take me there to see hundreds of brand new Mercurys sitting ready for delivery.
The Metuchen plant, also known as the Edison plant, lasted from 1948 to 2004 when the last Ford (a Ranger pickup) rolled off the line that February. For 56 years Ford built vehicles there, including the very first Mustang.
The great looks of the Mercurys in question began in ’55 with a complete redesign including a one-inch longer wheelbase to 119. It was a clean, progressive look with a great front-end motif and nice, more horizontal, rear pattern. Fins weren’t yet going that big, and Ford and Mercury never really bought into the giant fin craze that was brewing and to follow.
Three ’55 models included Custom, Monterey and Montclair. The station wagon, still at a 118-inch wheelbase, was available in Custom and Monterey trim and one engine powered them all, specifically the 292 V8. Sales for the year were good at over 329,000 Mercurys sold.
In 1956, there were some minor design tweaks while mechanical changes found the engine growing to 312 inches and Mercury switching from a 6-Volt to a 12-Volt charging system. Joining the Mercury family was a new, lower price Medalist, which replaced the Custom. Sales in 1956 were again strong as 328,000 Mercurys ended up in driveways across America. To this day, these ’55 and ’56 Mercurys are still some of the best designed cars of the decade.
Thanks for your letter William.