Info/pics wanted on New Jersey raced '69 Cougar in early 70s

[cjxr7ragtop]

New member seeking any info on a car I have now restored. It is a 1969 Cougar XR7 convertible, R code (428 Cobra Jet, Ram Air) 4 speed car. I purchased the car from Norm Swenson, of Beach Haven, NJ in 1996. It was very, very rough. He purchased the car in 1971 and took it racing right away. The car, originally red, with white top and leather interior, was changed to a two-tone silver with a brighter silver across the top half, and a lighter (almost grey/white) on the bottom.

Mr. Swenson converted the 4 speed to an auto that his good friend, Al Joniec, gave him. (I got the original, VIN coded trans with the car) The ato was an original Ford piece, purpose built for the factory sponsored drag racers featuring a fully manual, reverse pattern shift pattern and no provision for the vacuum shift module. When I got the car, it had a roll bar added, slicks, modified rear axle and had been parked since 1974 when he blew up the engine. One really neat graphic he had painted on the front fenders was, in big letters, "Henry's Best Idea" with a giant coiled Cobra forming the letter "I" in the word "Idea".

I saved the front fenders because of that. According to Mr. Swenson, the car set an NHRA record for MPH that held for several years in it's class. The car was raced a lot in the New Jersey area from 1971-1974. I have tried to locate Mr. Swenson, via the internet, several times in the past few years to no avail as I promised pictures upon completion. Anyway, any information, and pictures would be genuinely appreciated. My email is kennyb@iowatelecom.net and this may be the best way to forward something.

Thanks so much, great forum!!!

Kenny Bailey

[draglist]

Good luck with your search, Kenny, and don't think we didn't see your state listed! You are now obligated to come to the draglist nationals at Eddyville! bp