This one arrived in good shape yesterday

[SuperCars]

This arrived in excellent shape yesterday anyway. It's "Dyno Don" Nicholson's 69 "Super Cat" Cougar 428 Cobra Jet. It was the 1969 Car Craft Magazine Project Car featured and built by "Dyno Don" in conjunction with Lincoln Mercury, and Coca Cola. If you remember the "Mod Generation" and "Flower Power" times, you will see those influences in this car. It was featured in a series of Car Craft magazine issues in 1969 as built by "Dyno Don". He balanced, blueprinted the 428, and added some of his personal tricks and touches. It was then shipped around the country to various Auto Promotional Events. Additionally "Dyno Don" took it to various Races to make exhibition runs during a major NHRA event.

At Auto shows Lincoln Mercury had the exhibit of this car with "Dyno Don" in attendence. They had a slogan of, join the "Streep Scene". It was a word derived from Street/Strip combined to make one word. I know, it sounds corny to me too! But what they did have which was neat, was an early version video exhibit as part of their display. It was comprised of two seats behind a screen in which a person was able to sit alongside "Dyno Don" and go for a trip down the dragstrip as if you were in his race car. Possibly the first type of virtual reality video. This was in the "Dyno Don" Funny car that he campaigned with the name "Eliminator" on the side of it. It was most likely the origin of the name for "Cougar Eliminator".

After this, the "Super Cat" was turned over to the Coca Cola Corporation to became a give away contest car. Coca Cola expanded on the "Eliminator" theme in their contest by saying become a "Thirst Eliminator" by buying a coca Cola card, and enter the contest for the car. You would see this full page contest ad on the back of many car magazine covers. MPC model company made a model of this car in that time frame as well. When it was found several years ago, it still had the original graphics/names and logos as it had not been re-painted. But it was severely faded and deteriorated, requiring extensive restoration to the way you see it here.

http://www.corvettes-musclecars.com/yenko.net/69 Super Cat 021.jpg

[SuperCars]

Another angle.

http://www.corvettes-musclecars.com/yenko.net/69Cat009.jpg

[SuperCars]

Coca Cola Contest ad

http://www.corvettes-musclecars.com/yenko.net/CatAd.jpg

[NEW]

Awesome car, and a great history behind it!

Does it still feature the same engine/drivetrain as it had back then?

How did it perform, when Dyno Don drove back then,


NEW /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[COPO PETE]

That is a neat car with neat history.... even for a Ford. And your right.... it does look much better than the Olds! That is unbelievable!
Peter

[DarrenX33]

Neat stuff. Thanks for sharing with us first Kevin. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[Belair62]

WOW what a beautiful car...Kevin how are you prying these cars out of Sixtiesmuscle ? I saw that car from beginning to end of a very extensive restoration.The work was done from start to finish by Performance Restorations here in Mundelein Illinois.The lace work is unbelievable.Mike you should have called me when this thing got home ...we could have taken it for a test drive !! Now it's a thousand miles away already !! Finding parts for a Cougar is probably harder than finding parts for a Pontiac...Kevin...there were models made of this car back in the day...

[whitetop]

Kevin
Do you have any before pics? Nothing like modified cars that's for sure!! Cragars, candy paint and lace. Can't get much better than that.

[SuperCars]

Belair Bob, I'm sure Mike would've given you the keys for a test drive the day before shipping it. He told me you drive just like the guy with the 68 Hurst Olds. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Just kidding! But it sure makes a guy think twice about taking chances with cars that are irreplaceable.

[Stefano]

Cool car Kevin, but has anyone ever seen Belair62 and SixtiesMuscle together at the same time. I have a theory, put a mustache and Wig on SixtiesMuscle and I don't believe you could tell the two appart /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[DjD]

[ QUOTE ]
Another angle.

http://www.corvettes-musclecars.com/yenko.net/69Cat009.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]

Very nice!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif Something about lace that brings back warm memories!! (paint jobs and women /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif ) I'd ask for a close up of the lace with less glair but I don't want you guys to get the wrong idea!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[SuperCars]

Here's your Lace. But don't ask for any garter belts.

http://www.corvettes-musclecars.com/yenko.net/Lace.jpg

[Belair62]

Damn that is cool....It must have been a hell of a table cloth in its day !!!

[Kim_Howie]

Super nice car Kevin. Of the Fords back then Dyno Don And Hubby Platt were my favorites. A lot of history there. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif Kim

[68SS396]

Here are a couple of before pics of the car. http://carsinbarns.com/blueovalsinbarns/pg9.html /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

[Steven J]

Here's some before photos.
http://www.classicmusclecars.com/cgi-local/swrm/det.cgi?id=473&p=2&bl=m-;;k-;;nhs-30;;status-Available;;sb-

[whitetop]

Kevin
Noticed the car has Lakewood traction bars in the Coca Cola ad. Not sure if your car has them now but I have a set of NOS early style Lakewoods with the long tail for the Ford 9" rear for Ford Mustang Cougar 68-70 if interested.
Dave

[SS427]

Kevin,
you call that severely faded? That is being kind. Seriously though, congrats on a very neat find and beautiful restoration of a very famous car. Thanks to Steve for posting the early pictures.
Rick

[DjD]

[ QUOTE ]
Here's your Lace. But don't ask for any garter belts.

http://www.corvettes-musclecars.com/yenko.net/Lace.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]

That's too sweat!! Ahhh! the youthful memories!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[Belair62]

This car needs to be seen in person to be believed...the restoration is outstanding....

[DjD]

I'll be in Seattle in aug for Camaro / Chevy show. Think that cat would look out of place with a bunch of bowties? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[hvychev]

I saw this car at Northern Illinois Auto Brokers a while back and it was awesome! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[redeuce]

Congratulations. The ownership history on the car is even more unbelievable than the car itself. The car had been basically in the same family since it was given away. I was involved in the original purchase, and father and son were pretty much the only owners after the original winner defaulted. I can also verify there was no rebody or any funny stuff. The work and expense put into that car is unbelievable. I was also lucky enough to be the guy that drove the car around and positioned it when Shaw did his original photo shoot. To my knowledge, that is the only time it was moved under it's own power since restoration. The resto work was so precise that the owner of the shop did the paint work himself. He didn't trust the intricate paint scheme and lacework to anyone else. Nice, nice car.

[redline]

That is one Gorgeous Cat..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif