I like living in a world where people are free to drive whatever they please, as some form of personal self-expression. I am entertained by novelty and amused by ridiculousness.
My grandfather, on visits, used to park his white Mercury Monarch in front of our house. It had a pseudo-Rolls Royce grille, complete with a stand-up hood ornament, and a continental kit on the back. He lived in Beverly Hills, and I guess it was a legit part of the landscape out there. My buddies cut me some slack about it, but definitely gave it the side-eye.
Ok, I actually have room in my heart for this car. It makes sense to me. There are plenty of people who want more style and panache and excitement in a car than what a garden variety dullsmobile family sedan, like the Cougar started life as provides (and it IS a two door sedan!) but want something with modern reliability and parts availability. Do you REALLY want to go back to 1930 something with finicky parts and carburetors and leaking 1930s build quality and tractor like driving characteristics? It makes at least as much sense as modern day worship of the three pointed star and whirling propeller as status symbols. It makes much more sense than when celebs were purchasing original Hummers as every day vehicles. It indubitably confers upon its owner a level of distinction and uniqueness you cannot find anywhere else and it’s honestly fairly well done for a ?Replica? The mods seem fairly well engineered and have held up over the last 35 plus years. Everyone will notice you in this car and it probably drives reasonably well and is comfortable, roomy, and practical. I don’t know if I LIKE it but I do approve (for what it’s worth).
We’re all of these painted white? I saw one that looked exactly like this when I went on spring break in Clearwater beach Florida years ago, if there is any compliment I can muster up for these they seemed to built very consistent.
I have to balk at SavageATLs assessment that these are 2 door sedans, the Fairmont being the sedan this chassis is derived off of these Cougars and Tbirds are comparably on a shorter wheelbase and share zero sheetmetal with bespoke rooflines. These are Coupes.
Does that Cougar has elephantitis?
Still better looking than the modern eco-creasy-blobby-angry-icky-yucky-ka-ka-poo-poo things on the roads.
(Challenger, most VWs and most Audis excepted of course)
As a designer, I always try to consider context/intent before judging a design. If the point here is to be absurdist, I say it’s successful. But I don’t think that was the mindset.
I think you are on to something here. For a certain crowd at a certain moment, it was valued and liked, and fit right into the specific scheme of things. The moment may (or may not) be long past for that crowd, but it likely never was, for the rest of us.
Speaking of which, a non-car blogger today was recalling a neighbor father and son, a long time ago, restoring an early ’70s Chevelle, and “driving it around the neighborhood like one permanent, noisy erection”. Made me laugh. Time, place, subcultures, always.
Ha! I laughed when I read the last part of your reply. I think there was a “moment,” probably in the ’80s (remember the Excalibur?), when this kind of car made sense to a small group of people. Whether it appealed to nostalgia for a long-gone era of automotive design, or one simply wanted to have people gawk…that’s harder to say. I have to say that though I personally find this kind of automotive chimera cringe-worthy, it, if nothing else, adds a little visual spice to a sea of gray and black SUVs and pick-ups and provides a “WTF is that?!?” kind of moment.
If it were my car, I’d drive it as a statement of irony. I have a 1989 Deville with a pimp grille and factory Cabriolet carriage roof treatment for the same purpose. Looks pristine with all the awful downsized FLA seniors’ excess built in.
Patrick Bedard once said in c/d that per sae definition, publication j1100, a coupe had less than 33 Cu ft of back seat room and a sedan had 33 Cu ft or more so that’s the definition I go by.
CC effect strikes again. A couple of weekends ago I passed one of these or at least one of the neoclassical cars produced with this era Cougar donor. It actually kicked off a string of old or uncommon cars that I saw on that little trip. It was the first sunny and warm Saturday in a while so a lot of people, me included decided to get out the toys and exercise them.
I was wishing I had a dash cam to catch it all. Lots of pairings too. A 67 and 62 Galaxie. Two early Broncos, one with the top off. An early Firebird convertible, top down, actually seen twice and a Solstice. A SSR and nice survivor 60-66 C10. Another Marauder, though it was parked. The loners were a customized Boattail Riv and a 72 Challenger.
This picture shows two ways to repeat the 1930s. The Tiffany pastes some fake cues from 1931 onto an ’80s body. The rest of the cars in the picture repeat the overall dimensions and arrangements of 1931 with new pasted cues.
I would love to see the demographic for this car. Likely buyers that come into a large amount of money one way or the other but lack the knowledge or life experience to see how this is the equivalent of a Velveeta mobile. A hundred percent artificial with no flavor except that it costs a lot more.
“Styling by Disney Animation Department”
I believe it was a late-80s Mercury cougar in its first life?
As Driven by Cruella DeVille. Check the interior for Dalmatian upholstery.
Mid-80s, not late-80s. Specifically, ’83-86.
Here’s an ’88 that can be yours for $30K.
https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/tiffany/classic/2462755.html
I like living in a world where people are free to drive whatever they please, as some form of personal self-expression. I am entertained by novelty and amused by ridiculousness.
My grandfather, on visits, used to park his white Mercury Monarch in front of our house. It had a pseudo-Rolls Royce grille, complete with a stand-up hood ornament, and a continental kit on the back. He lived in Beverly Hills, and I guess it was a legit part of the landscape out there. My buddies cut me some slack about it, but definitely gave it the side-eye.
Sounds like an aftermarket (or dealer installed) Lincoln Versailles package! 😂
Ok, I actually have room in my heart for this car. It makes sense to me. There are plenty of people who want more style and panache and excitement in a car than what a garden variety dullsmobile family sedan, like the Cougar started life as provides (and it IS a two door sedan!) but want something with modern reliability and parts availability. Do you REALLY want to go back to 1930 something with finicky parts and carburetors and leaking 1930s build quality and tractor like driving characteristics? It makes at least as much sense as modern day worship of the three pointed star and whirling propeller as status symbols. It makes much more sense than when celebs were purchasing original Hummers as every day vehicles. It indubitably confers upon its owner a level of distinction and uniqueness you cannot find anywhere else and it’s honestly fairly well done for a ?Replica? The mods seem fairly well engineered and have held up over the last 35 plus years. Everyone will notice you in this car and it probably drives reasonably well and is comfortable, roomy, and practical. I don’t know if I LIKE it but I do approve (for what it’s worth).
Might be a dumb question, but how does the steering work?
I’m thinking the steering column was lengthened and the rack was relocated.
Reminds me of Cruella de Ville’s car in 101 Dalmatians!
This is more of a Tiffani, with an I.
So this is what the Mitsuoka Le Seyde is a crib of!
I prefer this to the swarm of angry faced new pickups and silver SUV clones that surround me as I commute home every day
We’re all of these painted white? I saw one that looked exactly like this when I went on spring break in Clearwater beach Florida years ago, if there is any compliment I can muster up for these they seemed to built very consistent.
I have to balk at SavageATLs assessment that these are 2 door sedans, the Fairmont being the sedan this chassis is derived off of these Cougars and Tbirds are comparably on a shorter wheelbase and share zero sheetmetal with bespoke rooflines. These are Coupes.
Maybe it was this one; it’s for sale.
https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/tiffany
Nope, the one I saw was a 1985 or 1986 like the featured car, so apparently there are TWO in that town!
Does that Cougar has elephantitis?
Still better looking than the modern eco-creasy-blobby-angry-icky-yucky-ka-ka-poo-poo things on the roads.
(Challenger, most VWs and most Audis excepted of course)
As a designer, I always try to consider context/intent before judging a design. If the point here is to be absurdist, I say it’s successful. But I don’t think that was the mindset.
I think you are on to something here. For a certain crowd at a certain moment, it was valued and liked, and fit right into the specific scheme of things. The moment may (or may not) be long past for that crowd, but it likely never was, for the rest of us.
Speaking of which, a non-car blogger today was recalling a neighbor father and son, a long time ago, restoring an early ’70s Chevelle, and “driving it around the neighborhood like one permanent, noisy erection”. Made me laugh. Time, place, subcultures, always.
Ha! I laughed when I read the last part of your reply. I think there was a “moment,” probably in the ’80s (remember the Excalibur?), when this kind of car made sense to a small group of people. Whether it appealed to nostalgia for a long-gone era of automotive design, or one simply wanted to have people gawk…that’s harder to say. I have to say that though I personally find this kind of automotive chimera cringe-worthy, it, if nothing else, adds a little visual spice to a sea of gray and black SUVs and pick-ups and provides a “WTF is that?!?” kind of moment.
+1 hehehehhehehe!!!!!
“driving it around the neighborhood like one permanent, noisy erection”.
We still have those around here, they’re called ‘cruise nights!’
If it were my car, I’d drive it as a statement of irony. I have a 1989 Deville with a pimp grille and factory Cabriolet carriage roof treatment for the same purpose. Looks pristine with all the awful downsized FLA seniors’ excess built in.
You are definitely on to something. Is it subversion of the dominant paradigm? Maybe giving the dominant paradigm a swift kick in the nuts.
Patrick Bedard once said in c/d that per sae definition, publication j1100, a coupe had less than 33 Cu ft of back seat room and a sedan had 33 Cu ft or more so that’s the definition I go by.
CC effect strikes again. A couple of weekends ago I passed one of these or at least one of the neoclassical cars produced with this era Cougar donor. It actually kicked off a string of old or uncommon cars that I saw on that little trip. It was the first sunny and warm Saturday in a while so a lot of people, me included decided to get out the toys and exercise them.
I was wishing I had a dash cam to catch it all. Lots of pairings too. A 67 and 62 Galaxie. Two early Broncos, one with the top off. An early Firebird convertible, top down, actually seen twice and a Solstice. A SSR and nice survivor 60-66 C10. Another Marauder, though it was parked. The loners were a customized Boattail Riv and a 72 Challenger.
So which of those is going to pop up here next?
Wow; again my ignorance shows. If you’d shown me that photo alone I would have said “Exccalibur” and thought myself clever.
…except I would have said “Excalibur”. I’m not THAT ignorant!
You’re feeling the “CC” effect!
This picture shows two ways to repeat the 1930s. The Tiffany pastes some fake cues from 1931 onto an ’80s body. The rest of the cars in the picture repeat the overall dimensions and arrangements of 1931 with new pasted cues.
This should surely have been a T87 post, it looks so very Mitsuoka…..
No landau roof on this one I shot a few years ago.
File size too large. Didn’t attach.
Woah, I never saw an F body derived one before. No Landau top but it does have T tops!
To quote my dear mother: “There is no accounting for taste.”
SuperFly making the rounds to see if his working girls were working.
I would love to see the demographic for this car. Likely buyers that come into a large amount of money one way or the other but lack the knowledge or life experience to see how this is the equivalent of a Velveeta mobile. A hundred percent artificial with no flavor except that it costs a lot more.
Like an elongated and modernized Zimmer/Excaliber…
We are a nation of people who don’t have gray or white hair at 60, 70, or 80 years of age, but somehow this car stands out as being ridiculous?
It makes the Stutz Blackhawk look restrained.
It looks like something Harry and Lloyd would drive if they came into some money again.
Lol! Harry and Lloyd will just write it down, keep the receipt and everything will be OK.
To paraphrase the old cigarette ad slogan:
“The car that dares to be known by bad taste alone!”