Bud Moore Cougars

[firstgenaddict]

Jon,
Move this to the appropriate place or delete if it should be else where.

June 68 Hot Rod
Roundy Round Corner by Steve Kelly
Inaugural NASCAR Grand Touring (GT) Division Race Rockingham Speedway

The article states that all three 1967 Cougars entered were built by Bud Moore Engineering and were former SCCA Trans Am cars from the 67 series, The cars were driven by Tiny Lund, Swede Savage, and Bud Moore and finished in the above order 1,2,3.

Article also lists Buck Baker and Frank Sessoms driving 1968 Camaros.

Have all three of the Cougars been located?
 

[Jon Mello]

James,

There are two Cougars around that are presenting themselves as former Bud Moore team cars. The one that David Tom owns or owned has some pieces from one of the cars but that original chassis was destroyed in a crash at Sebring. David Tom got another car and welded in the original cage (which he got from the Paul Pettey Mustang) and hung a few other original parts on it such as the gauges and some other tidbits. The other car was a '69 bodied Cougar when found. Supposedly the '67 sheetmetal was under the '69 sheetmetal. I don't understand how that's possible and certainly no racer would have two sets of fenders welded on the same car. It makes no sense. Do '69 Mustang fenders and quarters slip into place on a '67 Mustang? I'm no expert, but I don't believe so. The original Bud Moore chassis numbers associated with these cars are not found on either of these "survivors" to the best of my knowledge and the third car has not surfaced.

[cuda48]

Jon is correct on both of these.  The rebodied 69 Cougar does have a bit of truth in it as it was found at Pistone's shop rusting away and it all seems to add up on this one.  As I understand it there were 4 Bud Moore Cougars all together.  One even got a Gurney-Westlake engine for testing.  Recently there was a Bud Moore Cougar featured in Vintage Motorsport magazine.  I've seen this car up close and I find it hard to believe it was one of the original cars (my opinion) so 3 of them are still unaccounted for.
Mike  Camicia

[1109RWHP]

Which is the one at Ross Meyers?

[maroman]

I think Ross Myers had one at Hershey AACA fall show about 3 years ago.

[firstgenaddict]

I saw the one in the Vinatge Motorsports Mag a few months ago then ran up on this old article and it spurred the post.

[maroman]

http://www.3dog.org/racecars/rc_1967_mercury_cougar_15.htm  I hope that worked, it's hopefully a link to Ross Myer's 3 Dog garage showing the number 98 Couger.

[cuda48]

The Ross Meyers car is the one that was updated to 69' bodywork and back.  David Tom's former car is on display at the Miller Motorsport Museum.

Mike

[crazyamc]

from the " Strictly rumor mill"    I vaguely recall a story of a Cougar body being buried so as to "never surface again"   minus some parts??   anyone?

[Jon Mello]

I'm pretty sure that's the one that crashed at Sebring in '68. The cage and other parts were used on the '69 Mustang raced by Paul Pettey. When that car was being restored, David Tom purchased the cage and leftover Cougar pieces and they built a new cage for the Mustang.