he was looking in this area on floorboard above transmission
it would be a 2 inch x 4 inch or 4 inch x 4 inch hole that has been covered back up with a panel
a question for the experts would the build sheet list any “delete” items when on assembly line?
This might give her a better idea on what to look for to what they were testing.
this might also save some of her time and effort looking for guesses to why it was being tested.
I am still looking for the build sheet.
I do not know how it would be marked on a build sheet but I would think that if something was to be deleted during assembly
It would be shown as a credit on the invoice. One thing that was a more “common” downgrade was to not have the leather on the XR-7 seats and this is usually shown on the invoice. Also I would think that if something was deleted it would show up on the Marti report as that would be fairly unusual and I think Kevin would make it a part of the report.
Randy Goodling
CCOA #95
My 8 year old daughter found the hood number! 77D3
you need to invert 1st image to read properly
3 = march
2 = 2 day
W = Woodhaven
3 = 3rd shift
so hood was built 4 months after your car was built march 2 1969 at Woodhaven MI
so hood has been replaced by 1 of the previous owner, more than likely when 351 Cleveland was installed.
same for the hood latch support
with those 2 date I would wonder if vehicle had a front end collision?
Looks like paint code 6, Bright Blue Metallic, under the yellow hood paint. One of the four colors available on '69 Eliminators. Not conclusive of anything in and of itself, but consistent with the theory that a salvaged Eliminator provided many of the parts now on the car.
It’s probably impossible to read while the drivetrain is in the car, but my hunch is that if there’s a partial VIN on the top of the transmission, it’ll trace back to an Eliminator, likely a G code.
have you checked the fender apron VIN?
The VIN should be just forward of this image between the shock tower and radiator support
The hood’s date stamp: 3 2 W 3. The car was painted blue when Ed bought it so that could explain the blue you’re seeing. The previous owner did not replace the hood but did, in fact, install the 351 Cleveland… replacing a 351 Windsor put in by the 1st owner. Does it make sense that a 73 hood would fit a 69? And it fits perfectly.
The shock color codes on the front and back shocks are PINK & WHITE. The rear spring color code is GLDORG and the front is GLDG…(I can’t see the letters but I’m assuming GLDGLD).
59" rear leaf springs. F80x14 tires. High back seats, 8000 Rpm tach, sports console… Is this reason to believe it was a competition/heavy duty package?
I wonder how long Production Engineering had this test car? Could it be possible it didn’t come out until 73???
The previous owner came out yesterday! I was so excited to talk to him. He, of course, is still kicking himself for selling this car, and wants first dibs if I ever do sell it!
He replaced the leaf springs because he would bend them! He once got a ticket from the LeRoy cop for doing a wheeling with that 351C! He made the traction bars for it in high school, and they’ve held up pretty good over the years.
John bought it from a farmer. A barn find he called it. It did not run when he purchased it for $400 in 1980. The original owner died.
John put the straight pipes on it. He put a quick disconnect on the headers. My husband put the Holley Carb on it after he bought it in 1990.
John put the air shocks on it and also the Hurst shifter. There was no hood stripping (CJ428) when John bought it, so my husband must have put that on when he had it painted Comp Yellow. The Eliminator sticker was on it when John bought it (when it was the originally yellow - John thought the paint was faded) from the farmer in 1980.
The odometer stands at 80000. John said he probably put 20,000 - 25,000 miles on it and Ed couldn’t have put more than 10,000. So the farmer did drive it some 40 - 45,000. Must have not been that suited for a fast car because he, more than likely, blew up the original CJ 428 and replaced it with a 351 Windsor that didn’t run when John bought it, and then the original owner put it in a barn. John replaced the Windsor with the Cleveland immediately. John told me there is a 9 bolt rear end.
John said that is the original interior, and he never replaced any interior components. He said he would, however, change out a motor in a day with no problem! He got that Cleveland out of a 1970 Red with white vinyl top RX7 from El Paso, Illinois. He swore up and down that it was a 1970 engine, and not a 73. That red RX7 was totaled.
***John wants to know what is the difference between big & small block coil springs on the front end.
Good Morning! Happy Monday! Michelle
A 1973 Cougar hood would not bolt onto a 1969 Cougar, they are a lot bigger hood. A 1969 hood is a one year only part. You could bolt a 1970 Hood onto a 1969 but it will not look right. A replacement hood bought through the dealer parts department could have a later date code since it was made after regular production was done.
The high back seats, tach, and console have nothing to do with the competition handling package. That would include things like spring rates, sway bars and such. For 1969 the high back seats were only available in the Eliminator and Mach I cars. All other 1969 Cougars received a low back seat with adjustable headrest.
The rear would be a 9 inch, not a 9 bolt.
Conventional wisdom says that the interior is not original. The door panels and rear side panels are 1970 decor style. The seats are 1969 Eliminator style and there are other Eliminator only interior pieces there are well. They may well have been there when the second owner John purchased the car in 1980 but that still leaves 11 years in the hands of the first owner for things to be changed. It is still possible that those parts were installed as a part of the car being a test car but that has yet to be proven.
Randy Goodling
CCOA #95
Thanks for the additional information.
A few quick notes:
HOOD is not from 1973. It was made March 2, 1969, as Thunderchero previously stated. It’s the ENGINE that was made in 1973. (Obviously was a replacement, if it came out of a 1970 model.)
Probably F70x14 tires. Cougars never came with F80x14. High back seats and 8000 RPM tach aren’t original to the car, but were added later. A console was original equipment.
Competition/Heavy Duty package refers only to suspension, and has nothing to do with seats or gauges or such. It was included on all Cougars built with a 428CJ, so your car would have had it originally.
No such thing as a Ford 9 bolt rear end. He probably meant 9-inch rear end, referring to the ring gear diameter.
Interior may have been in the car when John bought it in 1980, but that doesn’t make it original.
RX7 is a Mazda. Cougars were available as an XR-7.
General differences between big and small block coil springs are rate and overall length. There are further differences among big and small block springs, depending on options the car was ordered with. Mercury used a computer program to match the springs to each individual car, as there were so many variations.
PS: I see Randy was quicker on the draw and posted while I was typing. I agree with what he says.
Were you able to find this VIN?
You would have to unbolt the fender and move the top of it out about 1 1/2 inch to see it. At this time I would not bother doing that. If you can’t find the previous owner then it may be a good idea.