I'm not rich by any means, but I want another bus and have been saving cash. I'm up to about 4K, and a decent bonus and some stock options vesting at $0, both of them in the next couple of months.

My parents are getting older, my mom has retired (early - not her choice) and she wants a 5th wheel trailer to travel in. She wants my dad to get rid of the '68 cougar in the garage that he doesnt work on. It's a '68, I think my dad is the 2nd owner. All original car, Original paint except the hood and one fender, one baseball sized dent in the whole car. The hood paint is cracking. Black vinyl top needs to be done, but it's not that bad. Original interior, pretty good shape for what I remember. No rust on the car whatsoever, unless some is hiding under the top

It is a #'s matching 302 v8 automatic car. Not an XR7, one step below. AC, power steering, brakes, etc. We had the original trans rebuilt. I drove it for a couple months, and then we tore the engine out. It's been rebuilt, heads rebuilt, painted etc, and sat in the garage out of the car for 4 years. It finally got put in, the engine compartment was all detailed first. valve covers, intake, air cleaner are all powdercoated. It's never been started, as far as I know it needs a new carb. So it's been sitting. I think the AC has to be put back on, maybe a few more accesories.

I do have some sentimental attachment to the car, I got laid in it when I was young, but it was my dad's dream, not mine. If he is forced to sell it as is, I don't think he will even get enough to cover the engine and trans rebuild, it's not running and needs paint and a top...

I've thought about buying it. I would probably need to fly home, spend a couple days to get it running enough to get it on a transport, and get it shipped to Houston. Once here, I would probably dial in the engine and trans, get a semi-cheap paint job, and a new top, and drive it as is for a while. Maybe some nicer rims than the stock hubcaps. I would drive it around while it's for sale.

What do I offer my dad? I don't want him to give it to me too cheap, cause I don't intend on keeping it. Realistically, 68 cougars running driving but not restored do not bring big money at all. Especially in Sacramento. And it's not even running. I think I'll get a lot more for it in Houston being rust free, and original. I think 80K miles.

A friend propsed that I get it running, get it here, put some cash into it, and when I sell it, split it with my dad.

I know it's a strain on my parents right now, mom wants it gone, dad always wanted a 68 cougar. There will be some family drama if this goes wrong


any thoughts?

Already new brakes front to back, should just need the fluid replaced, maybe 500 miles on the brakes. New lines, calipers, pads, shoes, master, booster.
How much does single stage paint cost nowadays? I hate 2 stage base clear on a 60's car. It would literally be sand and shoot, the body is perfect other than one little dent.
Looks like the top is actually pretty cheap, $100 for one thats cut and the texture is correct. $50 in trim. People say it's easy to do, but even if I were to pay someone to do it...
Shipping is $600 to $800 as long as it's running and driving. New carb -$400, I have points and vacation time to fly home and do the labor. It literally should be run some electrical, some new fuel line, new carb, new battery. It has a brand new wiring harness already installed and everything working prior to the engine rebuild.

I think the 10 to 13K is realistic when I'm done. Running driving but needs restoration like 4K tops. I see him getting like 3K max as is, and I know he's got 4 into the eng and trans as a minimum


it would definetly be easier to not be involved at all. One of the few things I like about being 2000 miles away

I copied and pasted from a different forum, so I was answering one of my friends already if some of that doesnt flow quite right. Drink a beer or two and it might make more sense lol

One of my friends said let them figure it out. by the time I get it here, new paint and top and get it running, there won't be anything in it to turn a profit. So thats what the prices up there are for. If I can make some, and keep myself busy, I'll sell it and get a bus. If not, I'm looking for a bus but I want something nice, 15 window or an early standard, or a doublecab

3k as-is seems reasonable. My family used to have a cougar, so I really like them alot. I keep my eyes on the market for new cougars popping up, just for fun. I think you're being realistic with your #'s. I love early cougars, but there's not a strong market for them. So selling it might be difficult, especially after you've done everything. If you got it running and driving, don't dump money into it, just get it on the road, you be best off. Then sell it. IMO.

oh yeah, lets see pics!!

We've got a piles of parts for a 68 Cougar at my shop. My nieghbor has one he started as a project 5 or 6 years ago. I can tell you from his experience that those cars will only bring 4 or 5k running and driving in good shape. There is just no market for those cars. Robert's is a rust free car, complete before he started. I don't think he paid anything for it back then, belonged to a family member of his that paid next to nothing for it. I think less than $1000. It was given to Robert.

I wouldn't recommend spending much, if hardly any money on it. But if you need interior parts ,body, engine, or other stuff, he will probably sell them real cheap, or give them to you. He's tried to swap meet them with no luck, and its nice stuff!


Here's picture of Roberts, its was running and driving when he got it. He did tons of work to it then lost interest. It just sits there.

I heart me some cougar

Any one got cliff notes my eyes are tired

I never would have thought Roberts car was worth so little. The mods he has done to it are killer for sure.

I don't know what it would bring with all the fabrication he's done. But the reason he cut it up is because they couldn't get anything for it. He figured what the heck, might as well keep it and make it a custom. The problem with those cars is no matter how nice they are, they will only bring so much.

Thank you Nick for making this a respectable post!

....I would have been HIGHLY disappointed otherwise