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Muscle Cars
Carlton Wright restored his first Cougar in the late 1990s: a Competition Orange 1969 Eliminator. He then took the car to shows, where it sucked up awards and trophies like a 428 Super Cobra Jet-powered Shop Vac.
The former General Electric maintenance mechanic and lifelong Ford fanatic from Salem, Virginia, retired that Cougar from active show duty a few years ago and set his sights on another interesting home restoration project: the 1970 Cougar Eliminator Boss 302 featured here. When our man Matthew Litwin spotted this Cougar at the Carlisle All-Ford Nationals back in June, it was on its way to winning first place in the 1969-'70 Cougar Eliminator class, as well as earning special recognition as one of 50 "Nifty Fifty" cars chosen from the 3,000 or so vehicles in attendance.
We see and feature many impressive owner-restored cars, but what made this Cougar particularly intriguing was that it had been completely disassembled and had passed through two owners in pieces by the time Carlton acquired it in 2008. If you think it's frustrating and challenging putting a car back together after disassembling it yourself, try rebuilding a car when someone else does the tear-down and scatters the unlabeled pieces over a collection of boxes and containers.
"I read about this car on an online forum and got in touch with the owner, who happened to be nearby. It took us awhile to make a deal. I was supposed to go look at the car but on the night before, the owner called and said he had decided not to sell it. I kind of forgot about it, but then he eventually called me back and asked me if I was still interested."
Though the Cougar was stripped to its basic components, it was supposedly all there--a claim that can be difficult to prove or disprove, of course, when you're staring at a mountain of car parts.
"My first impression was that I should leave it alone," Carlton said. "With any car that is that far apart, there is no way of knowing if everything is there until you start putting it together."
The engine wasn't the original, but a service replacement Boss 302 needing a rebuild.
But the allure of the car's pedigree was too great. It's estimated that just 469 Cougars received Boss 302 power in 1970 and, of course, far fewer exist today.
"I knew that I could bring it back," Carlton said. "Being that it was a Boss, it was worth the effort."
Ford's legendary Boss 302 V-8 was a homologation engine built to satisfy the Sports Car Club of America's Trans-Am series' 1,000-unit production requirement. Consequently, the 301.6-cu.in. race engine shared a lot of architecture with the production engine. Standard fare included: a four-bolt-main block; huge, staggered, canted valves in the ''semi-hemi'' Cleveland-type cylinder heads with ports big enough to push your fist through; threaded rocker-arm studs; pushrod guide plates; mechanical lifters; and a high-rise dual-plane aluminum intake manifold with a single four-barrel Holley 780-CFM carburetor. This was an engine designed to make all of its power at the upper reaches of the rpm range.
This high-winding, road-racing engine is most commonly associated with Mustangs, but it could also be ordered in the Cougar Eliminator, as could the thundering 428 CJ and SCJ. The Cougar Eliminator package was, in fact, a separate Cougar model and advertised its performance intentions with front and rear spoilers, sport mirrors, a blacked-out grille, hood scoop and special striping. The base powertrain included a 300hp four-barrel 351 mated to a three- or four-speed manual transmission or an automatic transmission with a 3.25:1 rear axle ratio.
The Eliminator also included heavy springs (leafs in the rear, coils up front), heavy shocks and a rear stabilizer bar, as well as F70-14 belted tires on steel wheels. Inside, the performance theme continued with high-back bucket seats, a full set of instruments including a 6,000-RPM tachometer, an oil pressure gauge, "rally clock," and a two-spoke steering wheel. In addition to the meanest of Ford's V-8 engines, Eliminator buyers could also opt for the Drag Pak, a Hurst shifter or a Detroit Locker.
With many of the aforementioned pieces loaded up, Carlton headed for home to sift through the boxes and really assess the condition of his latest project. "We packed it on the trailer the best we could. Then, once we got it home, I started sorting through the parts," he said. "That took several months and I never did find everything that was missing."
A complete floorpan was removed from a donor car and installed in the Cougar. Repros are widely available, but OEM is nice if you can get it.
The Cougar was hauled to a friend's place where the underside was media blasted. A combination of chemical stripper and sanding was used to remove the paint from the rest of the body, revealing a mostly solid set of quarter panels and doors that would require some surgery. The floor, which had been repaired previously, was in need of attention, too; portions of the front inner fender aprons and tail panel also needed work.
The lower portion of the quarter behind the rear wheel, a common place to find rust, was cut off and replaced with a fabricated piece.
"I used chemical stripper to strip the body and found whatever needed to be repaired and replaced. There was some rust in the bottom of the quarters and the bottom of the doors. The bottoms of the doors were rusty because they had sat outside. I replaced the floorpans as an entire unit using a pan out of a donor car."
Carlton repaired the sheetmetal using fabricated patch panels along with some premade patch panels, MIG-welding everything into place. When the metalwork was done, he shot the body with epoxy primer and smoothed out the panels with Evercoat Rage Gold body filler. Once the filler was blocked out, he began laying on coat after coat of Kirker high-build primer, which he block-sanded with 180-, 220- and 400-grade paper.
Bare metal was covered with an epoxy primer prior to the bodywork. Rage Gold filler was used, followed by many coats of high-build primer.
"I used a couple of gallons of primer and block-sanded it for days--it's hard to tell how many hours I have in it," he said.
When he was finally satisfied that the panels were acceptably straight, smooth and sand-scratch free, he applied the last coat of primer, thinned out with 10-20 percent reducer.
For paint, Carlton opted for Sherwin-Williams urethane basecoat/clearcoat because it was available in an exact match for the original Competition Gold. He painted the car in pieces and fashioned stands to hang the doors and fenders vertically, just as they would be attached to the car.
"I used five coats of base and four coats of clear," he said. The whole job consumed about two gallons of base. Once the clear had cured, Carlton color-sanded the body first with 1200-grade paper, then with 1500.
He enlisted the aid of his friend Melvin Harris to buff the car, as Melvin works at a nearby restoration shop as the operation's buffer-in-chief. For the finishing touch, Carlton applied a set of NOS Eliminator stripes that the previous owner had purchased when they were still available.
The Cougar's Boss 302 engine was complete, but it was determined that the engine was a service replacement. Carlton tore it down, sent the pieces out for machining and then reassembled it himself.
"The timing chain cover was off and the oil pan was off," he said. "The pan had been cut and deepened. I bought SRP Boss pistons and had the machine shop bore the block to .030-over just to clean it up. I used the old rods, new pistons, a Comp Cams Nostalgia Plus cam and Comp Cams roller rockers."
The Toploader four-speed transmission was inspected, found to be serviceable and reinstalled.
The rear axle third member was missing when Carlton bought the car, so he tracked down a correct unit and rebuilt it, installing a set of 3.91:1 gears in the process. The front suspension was rebuilt using new control-arm assemblies and coil springs, while the rear springs were sent out to be reconditioned and re-arched, then sprayed with a phosphate-color paint.
For wiring, Carlton fished through the boxes of parts included with the car and grabbed the best-looking harnesses. "I had a box that was full of wires so I just picked out the best sets," he said.
Inside the car, Carlton installed a dashpad that had been included among the parts, reused the original door panels, and installed fresh carpeting, seat upholstery and a headliner himself.
"When I got the car, it had green seats in it and I recovered them, but the seats were the correct style for the car."
Carlton finished the Cougar in April 2012 and admits to using it more for show than go. "I've only put five miles on it," he confessed. "Actually, I don't put many miles on any of my cars, other than driving to local car shows--they need to be driven more."
OWNER'S VIEW
At 74, Carlton Wright's enthusiasm for restoring cars seems to be stronger than ever, though he says his pace has slowed somewhat.
"I just worked on this car as I felt like it," he said. "It wasn't like I was working on it for someone else. It took me about two years just working on it now and then. Back in my younger days, I'd have finished it in six months."
There doesn't seem to be any end to his love of Mercury's sporty Cougars, either. He's currently on the hunt for a 428-powered XR7-G to add to his collection. "My downfall has always been cars and I've always been into hot rodding or drag racing. But in the last 20 years, I've gotten into restoring them more than using them as hot rods."
If the Cougar he finally settles on is a project, it likely won't be as extensive a job as our feature car. "I don't care how rare it is, I'll never buy another car as far apart as this one was."
Recent
Based on the Marathon four-door station wagon, the Aerobus was introduced in 1962 with a two-model range. One was a nine-passenger model with three pairs of passenger doors, and the other a longer 12-passenger version with four pairs of doors, such as the one now listed on Hemmings.com. A standard Checker taxi sedan from 1956 to 1982 rode on a 120-inch wheelbase. Limousine models sported a 129-inch wheelbase. The nine-passenger Aerobus had a wheelbase nearly three-feet longer than the sedan at 154.5 inches. Finally, the 12-passenger version had a distance between the axles of 189 inches. Its overall length was a hair under 270 inches, meaning it was over 22 feet long. For comparison, a current 2024 Ford F-350 Super Duty Crew Cab with a full eight-foot bed rides on a 176-inch wheelbase and has an overall length of 266 inches. That’s how long the big Aerobus was! Some sources indicate that the bigger Aerobus holds the record for the longest production car ever made, though volume was never particularly high.
Checker advertised the Aerobus not only for airport transportation as the name implies, but also “Perfect for schools, institutions, resorts, motels, hotels, inter-plant transportation, employee pick-up—even large families! It’s the practical idea in mass transportation.” Some model years, Checker used the name “Aerobus Limousine” for the model, incorporating both the six- and eight-door versions under that moniker.
The Aerobus included the features of the A8 that were carried over to the A9 and later A11 models, such as the high roofline and tall doors that allowed for easier passenger access. Low, flat floors contributed to the roominess as well. The commodious nature of the Checker cab that made it a leader in its field fully carried over to the Aerobus, which not only accommodated 12 people, but also plenty of luggage behind the fourth row. The rear cargo compartment glass was protected by an internal cage of sorts made of stainless-steel strips.
Underpinning that massive wagon was a modified version of the Checker sedan’s frame. Unlike some extended-wheelbase limousines, the Aerobus’s frame was not cut and then extended. Rather, the side rails were one-piece units fabricated especially for the job. Standard equipment included power steering and power brakes and a V8 engine. During its production lifetime from 1962 through 1977, the Aerobus featured both Chrysler and Chevrolet engines. At first, Checker sourced a Mopar Poly 318-cu.in. powerplant, which was later supplanted with a Chevrolet small-block V8. For a while, that meant a 327-cu.in. version but later a 350 V8, as seen on this 1972 version, when the engine was rated at 215 horsepower and 335 lb-ft of torque.
Other features on the Aerobus included a 23-gallon fuel tank, a heavy-duty alternator, and two additional floor-mounted auxiliary heaters for the rear passengers. Much of the chassis and suspension consisted of heavy-duty components needed to accommodate the vehicle with a curb weight of nearly two-and-a-half tons.
Variants of the Aerobus included the Convoy, which Checker billed as a “12-passenger security van,” a euphemism for a prisoner transport vehicle. The second and third row seats were removed and replaced by a pair of inward facing benches. All of the seats behind the front row were enclosed in a welded steel cage with a single door at the front that, when open, would allow passengers to exit a right-side passenger door. The front passenger sat, reserved for a guard, faced rearward toward the other passengers, but outside the cage. It is believed that at least one Convoy prototype was built, with any sales unknown and no examples believed to exist today.
Checker's Aerobus has made plenty of appearances in popular culture. In the film Catch Me If You Can, Leonardo DiCaprio’s character, dressed in a pilot’s uniform, emerges at the airport drop-off from an eight-door Aerobus along with a bevy of flight attendants. The distinctive Aerobus has made plenty of other appearances over the years in other American and overseas productions, including in the original Hawaii Five-O, the film Medium Cool, and, appropriately enough, the original disaster movie Airport.
This 12-passenger, 1972 Checker Aerobus now listed on Hemmings Auctions, features a paint scheme that pays homage to four very distinct taxi styles in four colors, including the near ubiquitous yellow. A black-and-white checkered stripe runs the length of each side and additional taxi components include what appears to be a New York City taxi sign on the roof along with a fare schedule posted on the side.
Power comes from what is believed to be the original Chevrolet-sourced 350 cu.in. V8, which puts power to the rear whiles via Turbo Hydra-Matic three-speed automatic. The seller’s notes indicate some mechanical upgrades with the installation of a stronger rear end and rear axles, along with precision bearings. A modern audio system has also been installed as well as a backup camera, the latter surely an essential when navigating such a long vehicle in everyday traffic.
Head on over to Hemmings Auctions to take a closer look at this mega-extended wagon. Make a bid, but be sure to consider who will be on your guest list when you're driving this unique Checker Aerobus.
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