1977 Mercury Cougar wagon

You don't see these very often.

https://santafe.craigslist.org/cto/d/santa-fe-1977-mercury-cougar/6818079060.html

 

Very true. Rare wagon.

 

Wonder why they bothered for only 1 year?

 

The Cougar replaced the Montego in 1977.

The wagon lasted for one more year to be usurped in 1978 by the Zephyr and its wagon which, wait for it, again became the Cougar wagon once more in 1982, again for one year. Really smart people at Ford were in charge of all of this.

 

I didn't know these even existed...

 

YEAH had some identity issues back then.

 

It's proportionally quite the ugly duckling

 

Anybody care to clear up the different applications for a Windsor and a Cleveland? I had a 72? Mustang with a Cleveland. I learned to identify the differences( I think). # of valve cover bolts and placement of the upper radiator hose?

 

I'm no 'expert', but I'm good at googlin'.......

The differences between them:
https://www.onallcylinders.com/2018...e-ford-351-windsor-cleveland-modified-engine/

How to identify them:
https://www.vintage-mustang.com/topics/faq/351windsorcleveland.html

 

This was the era of downsizing in Detroit. GM introduced smaller versions of their full sized cars. Chrysler Corp. dumped their big cars and reskinned their midsize cars and called them their new generation full size models.

I suspect that there were different factions at Ford -- one pushing for the GM route and one for the Chrysler method. Hence the LTD II and full line Cougar for '77. I'd bet there was a team that wanted to make these the full size lines by '78 or '79. Of course Ford actually ended up following GM's lead and introducing totally new smaller full size cars in '79.
Just speculating.

 

I think you’re probably on the right track Mr. ctrysquire. I think Ford was especially rutterless. Duce fired Hal Sperlich in 1977, cause he got tired of hearing about a Minivan platform, then Ioccoa was out the door the next year. Then Henry Ford gave up the throne after that. I can’t imagine how those top guys at the auto companies made through the ‘70’s and early ‘80’s without hitting the bottle. Chrysler was hemorrhaging money, and GM had horrendous issues on the lines. Not the shining hour in that business.

 

Best car of that era was Jim Rockford's.

 

Ha ha! Not a bad argument, but of course with a design that dated back to model year 1970.

 

Anyone have contact info for this listing? Been looking for a cougar wagon!