In mid 1967 Fran Hernandez of Lincoln Mercury asked Bud Moore be the Mercury Cougar Team owner/manager for the “Team Cougar” SCCA Trans-Am racing effort. Bud Moore was a natural choice since he had been racing NASCAR Mercury products for several years. Mr. Hernandez had decided that Mercury needed to represented as a high performance touring car with a “Group II” car and the Trans-Am was the only US racing series that would provide the instant publicity to generate sales to the performance buyer.

On August 3, 1966, an order from the Home Office Ordering District was received to build a “Special Purpose Vehicle” at the Lincoln-Mercury (L-M) factory in Dearborn, Michigan. This vehicle was to become the “prototype” for the Group II sedan. The car was slated for production on September 26, 1966 and was actually produced on September 20, 1966 and serialized as 7F91A503668 the 3668th Cougar built (referred to later as 3668 and/or Car 1). It was released (not sold) to the Home Office Reserve on September 20, 1966.

Bud Moore was asked to travel to Dearborn to inspect the car and help with the transition to a racing car. Bud Moore states that he did not go to Dearborn. Two of his mechanics have stated that they did go to an engineering facility (possibly Kar Kraft or Dearborn Steel Tube) to help prepare the car.
A roll bar and other racing/rally modifications were done at Dearborn and the car was then shipped to Bud Moore Engineering in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The first known photograph of a Cougar in Bud Moore’s shop is a Ford Archive photo dated Oct. 16 1966. It shows Bud, Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones and Fran Hernandez looking into the unfinished engine bay of one of the racecars to be. There is a street-looking Cougar in the background. Another photo, taken at the same time shows what appears to be a third Cougar in the shop.

Therefore it is believed that all of the Cougars that were to be modified for the Trans-Am were in Bud Moore’s shop by Oct. 16, 1967. David Pearson states in an Autoweek & Competition Press article that he saw the number 98 Cougar (Car 1) at Bud Moore’s shop in Mid Oct. 1966. Parnelli Jones confirmed to this author that there were three Cougars in Bud Moore’s shop during the photo shoot on Oct. 16, 1966.

The 1967 Cougar serial number 7F91A503668 was completed at Bud Moore Engineering (BME) in time to send it to Monterey California on Nov. 2, 1966 for the press introduction of Team Cougar. Many photos show 3668 at this Press Introduction. These are the first known photos that clearly show the unique roll bar location and construction as installed in 3668.
Subsequent to the Nov. ’66 press intro, 3668 appears in photos taken at Virginia International Raceway on Nov 30 through Dec. 1, 1966. This is first test session for the Bud Moore Cougar. Again it is clear that the car is 3668.

An article in Car Craft Magazine in May of 1967 details 3668, showing many details of the car in early testing configuration. The photos and cut-a-way drawing clearly show the simple roll bar configuration prior to the installation of the remainder of the cage. This article, and the accompanying photos, was written in late 1966 or very early 1967.

FIA Homologation/Recognition papers were filed between Oct. 27, 1966 and Dec. 31, 1966. These recognition forms clearly show the use of 3668 as the photo car in three photos included on the forms. The photos on pages 1 and 2 show race prepared 3668. Oct 27th, 1966 was also the date Lincoln-Mercury introduced the line of special racing parts for the Cougar.

All BME prepared Cougars built after the completion of 3668 feature a different location to the main hoop of the roll cage. BME mechanics state that the reasons for this are that the 3668’s roll bar was installed by Lincoln-Mercury engineers at their Dearborn, MI facility. The addition of more bars to construct a roll cage in 3668 was accomplished at BME. All subsequent BME Cougars, be they prepared for Trans-Am or later for NASCAR Grand American, were built entirely at BME and feature the main hoop in a location behind the rearmost corner of the top of each door.

In the History of Team Cougar and Other 1966-72 Cougar Racecars, by David Tom, serial number 7F91A503668 is be referred to as “Car 1”. All subsequent BME Cougars could be referred to as Car 2, Car3, Car 4, Car 5, Car 6, or Car 7. This reference is necessary since no serial numbers are available for these cars 2-7 at this time. (Source Bud Moore July 2003 taped interview)

Car 1 was presented to the Press at Carmel (Monterey) CA on Nov 1, 1966. Parnelli Jones at Virginia International Raceway first tested this car on Nov. 30 –Dec. 1, 1966. Jones, Dan Gurney, and Ed Leslie also tested this car at Riverside, CA in late Dec. 1966. It was not raced at Daytona in early Feb. 1967. This was probably due to the belief that the more conventional NASCAR-type location of the main hoop of the roll cage affixed to the top of the front of the leaf spring front perches in Cars 2 & 3 was better suited to the high banking at Daytona.

The first race for Car 1 was at Sebring with Ed Leslie Driving as #98.

1967 SCCA Trans-Am events for Bud Moore Engineering Cougar designated as Car 1:
Car 1 is always identifiable in photographs by the unique structure of the roll cage.

Race Number 1 Daytona:
Car 1 not entered, may have been backup

Race Number 2 Sebring:
Car 1 raced as number 98 Ed Leslie started 6th, finished 5th.

Race Number 3 Green Valley:
Car 1 did not enter

Race number 4 Lime Rock Park:
Car 1 did not enter

Race Number 5 Mid Ohio:
Car 1 no evidence of entry probably a backup

Race Number 6 Bryar Motorsports Park:
Car 1 no evidence of entry probably a backup

Race Number 7 Marlboro:
Car 1 no record of entry, actually practiced but DNS
All three cars were at the Marlboro MD race. However, only two raced. Car 1 had problems with Peter Revson driving in practice and did not race. No race number for Car 1 is known for this event.

Race Number 8 Castle Rock:
Car 1 no evidence of entry, most likely a backup

Race Number 9 Crow’s Landing:
Car 1 number 98 Ed Leslie started 6th, finished 6th
Note: This is the first race for Allan Moffat in a Cougar prepared by BME and maintained by Moffat's crew. According to Bud Moore in a taped interview in July 2003, BME simply repainted one of their current cars in the green and gold Allan Moffat colors. This car AKA Car 3, was the most modified of the three Cougars and was equipped with a slightly de-tuned engine with the hope that it would finish if the team cars failed.

Race Number 10 Riverside:
Car 1 number 15 David Pearson started 2nd, finished 1st
Note: this is the only known event where it is clear from photos that Car 1 was given race number 15. It does demonstrate that BME would switch numbers of the cars from race to race. A garage photo of Car 1 at Riverside for pre-race practice shows Car 1 with no number in the white number circle!

Race Number 11 Las Vegas:
Car 1 number 98 Peter Revson started 7th, finished 19th

Race Number 12 Kent:
Car 1 number 98 Dan Gurney started 2nd, finished 3rd. A broken windshield and a loose gas cap resulted in a penalty that cost Team Cougar the 1967 Trans-Am Championship.

At the conclusion of the 1967 Trans-Am season, all three cars (including the Moffat car) were returned to BME. Allan Moffat worked at BME for a short time after the season but then returned to Australia. The car he had driven remained at BME. (source: correspondence with Allan Moffat historian)

Ford Motor Company forced BME to abandon the Cougar Trans-Am effort since Ford didn’t want the Mustang to have “internal” competition. Bud Moore then convinced Lincoln Mercury to support him in his quest to have NASCAR start a “pony car” series. That series was to be known initially as the GT series.

At the conclusion of the 1967 SCCA Trans-Am season Bud Moore had three 1967 Trans-Am specification Cougars. Car 1 was sold to Paul Pettey, Charlie Rainville, and Bruce Jennings (the actual buyer/owner was Reno Argento). 1967 Bud Moore Cougar Prototype Trans-Am Racecar
This is the specific history of the 1967 Mercury Cougar mentioned in the beginning of this history. This car is referred to as Car 1 serial number 7F91A503668.
On August 3, 1966, an order from the Home Office Ordering District was received to build a “Special Purpose Vehicle” at the Lincoln-Mercury (L-M) factory in Dearborn, Michigan. This vehicle was to become the “prototype” for the Group II sedan. The car was slated for production on September 26, 1966 and was actually produced on September 20, 1966 as serial number 7F91A503668 the 3668th Cougar built. It was released (not sold) to the Home Office Reserve on September 20, 1966.
The Mercury order consisted of the following:
ORDER TYPE SPECIAL PURPOSE VEHICLE
DSO ITEM # 2346
DEALER# 84230J
LINCOLN MERCURY DIVISION GO
3000 SCHAEFER ROAD
DEARBORN MI 48121

The 84 in the #84230J indicates Home Office Reserve Ordering District
Further information from Ford (Mercury) indicates “this car was prepped for the Bud Moore racing effort”.

As stated earlier, Lincoln-Mercury Engineers (possibly Kar Kraft as Fran Hernandez had an office at the Kar Kraft facility or a company called Dearborn Steel Tube) did the initial work. This work became the basis for the first Bud Moore Engineering Trans-Am Cougar (Car 1).

This car became the Homologation car photographed for the FIA forms. It was the car shown to the press at the Nov. 1, 1966 Monterey Press Introduction. This car was the test vehicle used by Parnelli Jones at the first on-track test at Virginia International Raceway in late November 1966.

Photo documentation shows that this car (Car 1) was raced at the SCCA Trans-Am races as shown above. It was also used as a test “mule” during the 1967 Trans-Am season at VIR, Riverside, Mid Ohio, and possibly Road America. It was at Mid Ohio (or possibly Road America), according to Bud Moore, David Pearson, and Bobby Israel (crewmember), that the special floor cross bracing was installed to correct unwanted chassis flex. This modification is found only in this car. The car also was fitted with rear disc brakes at least at the final race at Kent in 1967. While this was technically a violation of the homologation rules for 1967, the 1968 FIA homologation papers were filed on August 23, 1967 listing the four-wheel disc set-up.

This car, Car 1, was sold to a group of SCCA racers in late Feb. 1968. Charlie Rainville, Paul Pettey, and Bruce Jennings took the car to Sebring for the Trans-Am event in March 1968. They were running seventh in the tenth hour of the 12-hour event, when the flywheel exploded and tore through the brake lines and master cylinder as it exited the top of the cowl ahead of the windshield. The resulting loss of brakes sent Charlie Rainville on a series of flips over a sand dune. The Cougar’s was heavily damaged. The Cougar was listed as finishing 26th overall and 10th in the T/A class.

Rainville took the Cougar back to his shop where it sat for more than a year. In 1969 Pettey and Rainville decided to build a Mustang for the Trans-Am. They (Charlie) cut out the entire roll cage, trailing arm brackets, and part of the floor of the damaged Cougar. He also removed all of the suspension, engine, transmission, rear end, springs, shocks, seats, dash, instruments, Monte Carlo bar and brackets, sway bars, panhard bar, and any other usable racing parts. Using all of those parts, Charlie Rainville built a 1969 Mustang. The Mustang raced in several Trans-Am events and was given Brass Tag # 72-AS-15 in 1972. The Mustang sat for several years until discovered in Connecticut. The Mustang was offered for sale and ultimately a buyer was found in California.

All of the Bud Moore Cougar items: the roll cage, suspension control arms, trailing arms and fabricated brackets, fiberglass racing seat and seat cover, instruments, Monte Carlo bar and brackets, rear end, spindles, rotors, and panhard bar were removed from the Mustang. The original Bud Moore and Mercury built racing parts were subsequently sold along with documentation to David Tom.

David then went to Bud Moore’s shop as Moore was in the process of selling-out to the Fenley Bros. David made a total of five trips to Bud Moore’s shop. He searched the attics and other storage areas for 1967 Cougar parts. He found and purchased doors, fenders, a deck lid, brake ducts, a special fuel tank, suspension parts, and springs. David subsequently obtained taped documentation authenticating the sale of the prototype Cougar to the Paul Pettey group.
In subsequent trips to the Spartanburg, SC area, David Tom obtained many additional items specifically produced by Bud Moore engineering, his suppliers, and/or Lincoln Mercury for the Cougar Trans-Am racing program. These items include:
Fiberglas front and rear fender extensions, doors, Instrument panels with silver and red overspray (one with 2 miles showing on the odometer), Taillight bezels in box shipped to Bud Moore Engineering, rear quarter windows, decals, and photos.

Mr. Tom purchased a complete set of fiberglass bumpers, and fender extensions, with the special lightweight brackets. Also purchased was an original Bud Moore Engineering modified 2X4 Cougar intake manifold. (These items were purchased from a collector, who went to Bud Moore’s shop earlier than the first trip by David Tom, found and purchased the parts that were used on the racecars in 1967). Each of these items was used on one or more of the Bud Moore Trans-Am cars in 1967. All of the above have been rebuilt or refinished and are on the car now.

Taken as a whole, the above indicates that nearly every part that was specifically produced for use on the Bud Moore Cougar Trans-Am cars is part of this car. Most importantly this Cougar has the original roll cage structure including the original factory engineering group-installed roll bar and supports. The car is accurately restored/rebuilt to period correct condition. The only incorrect part is the current aluminum radiator.

David Tom then tracked down all known persons associate with the Paul Pettey, Charlie Rainville, Bruce Jennings racing team from 1968 through 1972 Each of these people has been interviewed. Each has confirmed to David Tom that the roll cage installed into the Pettey/Rainville Mustang was cut from the Bud Moore Cougar that was wrecked at Sebring in 1968. Each also confirmed the use of the undamaged Cougar racing components in the Mustang. Photographs of the 72-AS-15 Mustang confirm that the roll cage is that taken from the Cougar.

David Tom confirmed, in a pre-purchase visit to the Connecticut shop, that the roll cage cut from the Mustang had a base red color identical to that of the Bud Moore Cougar. The construction and the shape of the roll cage were identical as well.

Once in possession of the roll cage, David Tom carefully cut two of the lower reward-facing support bars from the cage structure. These bars had been added when the Mustang was built. The original red paint of the Bud Moore roll cage was still evident on the main hoop area under the added bars. Additional original red paint was found throughout the roll cage structure.

Likewise the two holes drilled to accommodate the SCCA brass tag were still on the right side of the main hoop. These identifying holes were left on the restored roll bar/cage structure.

The Bud Moore Engineering-built Cougar has been registered with the National Cougar Club Registry as serial number 7F91A503668. Kevin Marti of the officially licensed manager of the Ford Motor Company database has confirmed the serial number 7F91A503668 as a “Special Purpose Vehicle” …”prepped for the Bud Moore Racing effort”.
The History of Team Cougar and Other 1966-72 Cougar Racecars may be obtained by visiting the racepast.com website or by contacting David Tom.