1967, 1968, 1971, 1972 Cougar 6.5 Litre / GT Option

The 1967 and 1968 Cougar 6.5 Litre Click here to contact the GT registrar, Brett Irick The 1967 and 1968 Cougar 6.5 Litre started as either a base model or an XR-7, with the "6.5 Litre Engine Option" added. The 6.5 Litre Engine Option included the following advertised items: The engine could be either: - 1967 and 1968: the S-code 320 hp (325 hp in 1968) Marauder 390 GT V-8 engine with 600 CFM Holley Model 4150 Carburetor and 10.5:1 compression ratio. or - 1968 only: the X-code 280 hp 390-2V engine with Autolite 2- barrel carburetor. Either engine includes chrome dress-up kit:  air filter cover, valve covers, oil fill cover/crank case breather, engine oil dipstick handle, and Autolite 13 pound radiator cap, Low restriction air filter. 1967: Normal restriction dual exhaust with acoustically tuned mufflers. Oval resonators (not round as in GT option) were mounted in intermediate pipes with a transverse muffler behind rear axle. Exhaust outlets "standard" - no chrome tips, etc. 1968: Low restriction dual exhaust system. Intermediate pipes with mufflers followed by outlet pipes over axle and then directly to rear valance panel. Exhaust outlets "standard" - no chrome tips, etc. 2 inch diameter pipes are used throughout system on 390 engine models. Power booster (clutch) fan. "6.5 Litre" ornaments on front fender sides. 1967 1968 Required and Optional Equipment The 6.5 Litre engine option required an optional transmission - heavy duty 3-speed manual ($79.00), 4-speed manual ($184.02), or heavy-duty C-6 3-speed automatic transmission ($215.99). A 9-inch ring gear, removable differential carrier, rear axle design was used on the 6.5 litre engine option. The 6.5 Litre engine option could be ordered with any option available on the standard Cougar except for the GT Performance Group Option that included this engine. The 6.5 Litre Engine Option also included the following, non-advertised items: Rubber seal stapled to top of radiator support. This sealed-off air flow between top of radiator support and hood for improved Engine cooling. Battery "L" shaped heat shield and fan shroud added, when air conditioning option selected. The 1967 & 1968 Cougar GT The 1967 & 1968 Cougar GT started as either a base model or XR-7, then has the "GT Performance Group Option" added. GT Performance Group Option included the following advertised items: 1967: 320 hp / 1968: 325 hp Marauder 390 GT V-8 Engine (6.5 litre) with 600 CFM Holley Model 4150 Carburetor, Low restriction air filter, and 10.5:1 compression ratio. Includes chrome dress-up kit: Air Filter Cover, engine valve covers, oil fill cover/crank case breather, Engine oil dipstick handle, and Autolite 13 pound radiator cap. 1968: the 428 CJ "Cobra Jet" Engine was available as an extra cost upgrade. Includes chrome Dress-Up kit and appropriate Ram Air intake. Engine code in VIN is R (8F91R, or 8F93R). R-code engines are an unusual option in a 1968 GT. See R-code & GTE sections for more details. 1967: Low restriction dual exhaust with acoustically tuned mufflers. Two 3½ inch diameter by approx. 20 inch long resonators in intermediate pipes with transverse muffler behind rear axle. Intermediate pipes forward of resonators are three inches longer than Mustang 390 GT pipes due to Cougar longer wheel base. 1968: Low restriction dual exhaust system. Intermediate pipes with mufflers followed by outlet pipes over axle and then directly to rear valance panel. Transverse muffler behind rear axle used on 1967 GT was deleted for 1968. Exhaust outlets are "standard" - no chrome tips, etc. 2 inch diameter pipes are used throughout system on 390 GT engine models. Power front disc brakes: 1967 Cougar uses 4-piston fixed (non-floating) caliper design. 1968 Cougar uses single piston fixed (floating) caliper design. Power booster (clutch) fan, Firestone Wide-Oval nylon-cord F70-14 Red line (late 1967 model year option) or white side wall tires, Special black painted steel wheels with 6 inch wide rims: 1967 Styled Steel Wheel option had 5½ inch wide rims, 1968 Styled Steel Wheel option had 6 inch wide rims since 5½ inch wide wheels will not fit over 1968 front disc brake caliper. Performance handling package: including stiffer front and rear springs, heavy duty shock absorbers, large diameter (0.84 inch diameter versus 0.72 inch diameter standard) front suspension stabilizer bar and faster manual steering (20.3:1 ratio versus standard 25.3:1 ratio). Fast 20.3:1 steering is standard with power steering option. 20.3 ratio steering is approx. 3.6 turns lock to lock versus 4.5 turns on 25.3:1 ratio. GT ornaments or letters on fender sides: the GT rectangle badge was used on 1967 GT's until somewhere between production dates 22L (11/22/66) and 28A (1/28/67) Required and Optional Equipment: The GT Performance Group Option required an optional transmission: heavy duty 3-speed manual, 4-speed manual, or heavy duty C-6 3-speed automatic transmission. A 9-inch ring gear removable differential carrier rear axle design was used on the GT option. The GT could be ordered with any option available on the standard Cougar except for the 320 hp 390 GT V8 Engine (6.5 Litre fender badges), performance handling package, front Disc Brakes, or Wide Oval F70- 14 Tires as stand alone options. These options were included in the GT Performance Group. Also, Wire Wheel Covers were unavailable on GTs and Wide Oval tire option was unavailable on vehicles sold in the State of Pennsylvania. The GT Performance Group Option also included the following non-advertised items: Rubber seal stapled to top of radiator support. Sealed off air flow between top of radiator support and hood for improved engine cooling. Battery "L" shaped heat shield and fan shroud added, when air conditioning option selected. Rear brake proportioning valve mounted in rear brake line before rear axle brake hose part of disc brake option (1967 only). The 1971 and 1972 Cougar GT Started as a standard model then has the "GT Option" added. This GT option was a "middle ground" between the standard model and the XR-7. The GT Option was available for all engines, including the standard 351-2V, 3-speed manual transmission car. The GT Option included the following advertised items: Color-keyed hood scoop. Hood scoop functional with the 1971 429-4V CJ (J Code) option. Bright Wheel Trim Rings in addition to standard hub caps unless "deluxe", full wheel cover option selected. Dual color-keyed Racing Mirrors: Left hand remote control adjust, right hand manual adjust. Instrument panel finish and steering column all black. Deluxe 3-spoke rim- blow, black steering wheel. Tachometer. Competition handling package. Included heavy duty front and rear springs and shock absorbers and a larger diameter, front stabilizer bar. Rear stabilizer bar added when 351-4V and 429-4V CJ engines ordered. Tire upgrade from E78x 14 black wall to E78x 14 white wall. Performance cooling package with larger radiator on 1971 models. More performance oriented "standard" axle ratio than standard model on most engine/transmission combinations. GT letters on fender sides. Note: GT 1967/1968 letters used beneath and to the right of "Cougar" script ornament on the fender sides. Note: staggered rear shocks (with optional engines only) were not unique to the GT package. These were on all Cougars ordered with an optional engine. Note: No XR-7 GTs were produced in these years; The GT option was not available on Convertibles. Note: In 1971 the 429CJ Engine package includes the competition suspension, and requires power disc brakes, with F70x14 Tires with 7-inch wheels; the 429CJ uses a Rochester Quadra-Jet Carburetor. Note: The 351-4V or the 429CJ were available with either the 3-speed Select shift automatic, or a 4-speed, fully-synchronized manual transmission with Hurst shifter.