Your Host, Eric

The love of the Fox-chassis Cougar certainly extends to more corners of the globe than was originally planned, yet sometimes we can feel all alone in that love. In the era before the Internet permeated the world, that was especially true. It was in the winter of 1997 I decided to create a website where that love could be channeled and shared.

My name is Eric Dess and I live in northeast Ohio, U.S.A., about an hour from the Ford plant that made these cars. I've had the great fortune of owning Fox Cougars for about 25 years. The Cougar is such an extension of my personality that most of my friends say that we are one and the same.

But until this website came into existence I'd felt alone in that passion, just like you probably did. Reading this page proves that we've found each other, and rest assured that you'll always have a home here.

As for me, the love for the Mercury Cougar goes back to high school when the local Lincoln-Mercury dealer was located next to the school and these cars were brand new. I used to daydream out the classroom window at those beautiful new Cats. Two days before I graduated in 1987, my parents helped me buy my very first car—a light blue '84 Cougar V6. It was love at first sight. She got me through college, numerous road trips, and to my job and back without ever giving me trouble. But I had to sell it 6 years later; although I never regretted the sale, I did miss the car more and more as the years went on.

As fate would have it, an identical 1984 Cougar V6, found me 15 years after selling the first one. I still have that one and don't intend to sell it.

In 1996, my dream Cougar found its way into my life: an ultra rare '86 Cougar LS convertible. I had hunted this Cat locally for 8 years; through a series of fateful events the car became mine and I began the modifications immediately. That process continues to this day.

Throughout the years I've owned a black '86 Cougar V8, a white 1988 Cougar XR7, a light blue 1988 Blue Max Cougar V6, a dark blue 1988 Blue Max Cougar V8 and a red '88 Thunderbird Sport V8. Just like people, those cars all had distinct personalities that forever shaped my perception of them. In fact, they were partially responsible for the creation of this website.

I hope that you enjoy your car as much as I've enjoyed mine. Thank you for visiting COOL CATS! Remember that you can add your car information and photos for free to the Viewer Photos section of this site. And never be afraid to contact me—I'd love to hear your story too!