9,843-Mile 1979 Mercury Cougar XR-7

Description

OFFERED WITHOUT RESERVE

By 1979, the Mercury Cougar had fully transitioned from its late‑1960s muscle-luxury origins into a plush personal coupe, reflecting broader market trends favoring comfort, styling, and upscale features over outright performance. The XR‑luxury origins into a plush personal coupe, reflecting broader market trends favoring comfort, styling, and upscale features over outright performance. The XR7 remained‑7 remained the top-tier trim — offering distinctive elements such as a half-vinyl roof, body stripes, upgraded instrumentation, and specially tuned suspension — and it accounted for nearly 25 percent‑tier trim — offering distinctive elements such as a half- vinyl roof, body stripes, upgraded instrumentation, and specially tuned suspension — and it accounted for nearly 25 percent of Mercury’s ’79 overall production.

Showing less than 9,900 miles, this 1979 Cougar XR-7 is finished in Medium Dark Orange Metallic paint. Features include a Chamois vinyl landau roof, opera windows, paint-matched XR-7 aluminum turbine-style wheels, and an XR-7-specfic suspension. Interior highlights include Chamois vinyl upholstery, a deluxe XR-7 steering wheel, burl-wood appliqués, upgraded carpeting and lighting, and an AM/FM radio. Under the hood is a 151-horsepower, 351ci Windsor V8 paired with a Select-Shift three-speed automatic transmission and Traction-Lok rear axle.

This ’79 Cougar XR-7 is now offered at no reserve by the selling dealer with a window sticker, bill of sale, dealership documents, and a clean Florida title.

Highlights

• Offered from the Burnyzz Collection of February vehicles

• Showing 9,843 miles

• Medium Dark Orange Metallic paint with Chamois vinyl landau roof

• Chamois vinyl upholstery

• 351ci Windsor V8 with two-barrel carburetor generating 151 hp

• Select‑Shift three-speed automatic transmission

Factory Equipment

• XR-7 trim package included:

  • Vinyl landau roof with opera windows

  • XR-7 body stripes and wheel covers

  • Burl-wood appliqués

  • Deluxe XR-7 steering wheel

  • Upgraded carpeting and lighting

    • “Ride ‑Engineered” dual anti-roll bars with XR-7 runinf

• Power steering

• Front disc and rear drum brakes

• Body-colored remote-operated sport mirrors

• Bodyside molding

• Cougar crest hood ornament

• Air conditioning

• Cut-pile carpeting

• Chamois vinyl door trim with color-matching carpeted lower portion

• 80-mph speedometer and gauges for fuel, oil pressure, temperature, and alternator

• AM/FM radio

• Front-seat lap and shoulder belts, rear lap belts

• Electric clock

• The data sticker decodes as:

  • Paint: 5N – Medium Dark Orange Metallic

  • Body: 65L – Cougar XR‑7 two‑door hardtop

  • Vinyl roof: XT – Half-vinyl landau roof

  • Molding: 58T – Bodyside molding

  • DSO: 41 – Chicago District Sales Office

  • Interior: DT – Chamois Meteor vinyl

  • A/C: A – Factory air conditioning

  • Radio: V – AM/FM

  • Axle: B – 2.47:1 open differential

  • Trans: X – Three-speed automatic transmission

• The chassis number (9H93H700661) decodes as:

  • 9 – 1979 model year

  • H – Lorain (Ohio) assembly plant

  • 93 – Cougar XR-7 Coupe

  • H – 351ci Windsor V8 2bbl

  • 700661 – Sequential production number

Documentation

• Ford “Ownercard” showing original owners name, address, and in-service date of May 15, 1979

• Bill of Sale from Uptown Motors in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, dated May 18, 1979, with an original sales price of $8,691

• Dealer paperwork envelope showing name of dealer and name of original owner

• Window sticker

Known Imperfections

• Spots on paint near hood ornament

• Cosmetic imperfections consistent with age

• Clock is inoperable

Ownership History

This 1979 Mercury Cougar XR-7 is offered from the Burnyzz Collection of February vehicles.

Included Items

• Full-size spare tire

• Aftermarket gray carpeted floor mats

• Carpeted trunk mat

• Owner’s manual

• 1979 sales brochure

• Paper visor sleeve showing seat belt and starting instructions

• Tire warranty booklet

• Window sticker (plus laminated copies)

• Additional documentation listed above

• Factory headlamps (two reportedly inoperable)

Additional Information

The selling dealer states, “[This car is a] true survivor from the late-1970s personal luxury era — an unrestored, highly original 1979 Mercury Cougar XR-7 that is quite simply a time capsule. What truly sets this car apart is its incredible originality and mileage. The odometer shows just 9,827 miles, and the overall condition fully supports that figure. The paint on the meter shows only 2mils thick over the entire car, so it has to be original paint also. This Cougar has never been restored, modified, or altered — making it a rare survivor and an increasingly hard-to-find example of a late-1970s Mercury XR-7.”

Disclaimer Provided by Seller: Seller does its best to inspect, drive, and note any known imperfections in the advertisement and pre-sale of vehicles it lists for sale. However, due to the nature of collector automobiles, seller cannot guarantee that every vehicle function, whether electrical or mechanical, will work as it originally did. These components will need upkeep and attention. In addition, often these vehicles can sit for periods of time and once you begin to drive them issues can arise without warning. Please make sure you are comfortable with this before buying a collector or vintage automobile. Seller did NOT build or restore this vehicle. Vehicles are sold AS-IS by seller, with all faults known/unknown and with no implied warranty. Pre-purchase inspections are welcome, and seller simply describes these vehicles to the best of its knowledge.