Taking Out and Putting Away The Cougar 2017

The last time I visited Wisconsin this year, there was snow and I couldn’t get the Cougar out. This time, there wasn’t any snow (There’d be some kind of record if there was in July), so I was able to take the Cougar out like I did the year before.

I just cruised around a took a few pictures of the car.

Classic Mercury Cougar dashboard with wood grain trim showing four circular analog gauges including speedometer and tachometer White 1969 Mercury Cougar with black vinyl top parked on gravel driveway under shade trees White Mercury Cougar hood and front end showing power bulge and horizontal grille, dappled with tree shadows White Mercury Cougar convertible with black top parked by lakeside with recreational area in background Side profile of white Mercury Cougar showing fastback roofline and distinctive body styling near lake Rear three-quarter view of white Mercury Cougar showing fastback design and sequential taillights by water Mercury Cougar engine bay displaying blue-painted 351 Windsor V8 engine with air cleaner and accessories Front view of white Mercury Cougar showing split grille design, hood scoop, and Chrome bumper on lakeside path White Mercury Cougar Eliminator with black side stripe parked on rural gravel road with farmland visible Close-up of Mercury Cougar Eliminator badge and chrome door handle on white body panel Mercury Cougar instrument cluster showing four gauges with speedometer reading approximately zero miles View through Mercury Cougar windshield showing hood and rural two-lane highway ahead Mercury Cougar dashboard gauges showing odometer reading 93175 miles with amp and tachometer visible Mercury Cougar rear deck clock panel with Cougar nameplate and analog clock in black padded surface

Because the car was sitting, I decided to take a drive to Cousin’s Subs in Stevens Point to burn the tank of fuel out.

View over white Mercury Cougar hood driving through small town intersection with traffic and buildings Cousins Subs wrapped sandwich with lime margarita and chips on restaurant table with promotional materials Cousins Subs restaurant exterior showing yellow and brown building with company signage and entrance Driving view over Mercury Cougar hood on suburban street with residential area and utility poles

I then filled the car up and took it through the Lava Wash. It did a heck of a job and the car even shined in the garage.

Mercury Cougar hood showing power bulge with hood scoop trim and pin details in residential driveway Mercury Cougar white roof showing vinyl top condition with tree shadow patterns and residential setting behind Rear three-quarter view of white Mercury Cougar showing fastback roofline and body lines parked in residential driveway White Mercury Cougar inside wooden garage showing clean fastback profile and body condition during storage

I got back in the nick of time. There were some storms coming and we did get some rain.

Weather radar map on smartphone showing severe thunderstorm system over Wisconsin with Marshfield location marked

I let the car sit overnight to cool and then got it ready for winter the next day. I removed the battery and then setup dryer sheets and mouse traps to keep away the mice. After that, I covered the car up.

Rear view of white Mercury Cougar in garage showing sequential taillights, bumper, and Wisconsin license plate 603-TZS Mercury Cougar interior showing black vinyl bench seat with cardboard protection and wood steering wheel visible Mercury Cougar dashboard and wood-rimmed steering wheel viewed from driver's side in dim garage lighting Blurry photo of Mercury Cougar black vinyl rear seat showing pleated upholstery pattern in low light Mercury Cougar covered with tan car cover on wooden blocks in garage for winter storage Side view of covered Mercury Cougar on wooden storage blocks with tan protective cover in garage Victor wooden mousetrap set with bait on dirty white mesh fabric on garage floor Hand holding Smucker's Magic Shell caramel ice cream topping bottle with product label visible Garage interior showing John Deere riding mower with yellow snowblower attachment and covered car behind Mercury Cougar covered with tan car cover on wooden storage platform in garage with overhead lighting

I do love this car, and while it would be nice to bring it to Texas, I’m not risking it with the horrible drivers and horrible roads. This is a treat I get to have when I go to Wisconsin and I’m glad this time I was able to take it out on my last visit. I did only drive it about 150-200 miles, but overall it was great the time in those limited amount of miles. I'm happy it’s protected and stored in a safe place. I’ll continue to be able to enjoy it for years to come!

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