Hi All, my name's Dan, I'm 25 and the Cougar is my third car. I live near Blacktown, NSW (and near Greg it seems!) and work at Richmond in an IT related job which is fun. The Cougar is used driving to and from work each day, and unfortunately gets neglected in the car park cos there's pollen out there which cakes onto the paint like you wouldn't believe. Of course the car is Ebony Black, so not the best environment, but what can you do!?
I used to be a big car freak, but lately my interests have been of the aviation kind, so the share of money that would go into modding cars now goes to allowing myself to fly every once in a while. But the car project is by no means finished, or forgotten.
I was a massively obsessed Cougar fan leading up to ownership of my car. I researched everything online, bought brochures from all of the Cougar's markets around the world, even have German brochures I can't read or understand! My history with my Cougar goes back even before I purchased her as we had many random encounters during 2004/2005 prior to driving her out of the caryard in Five Dock.
The Cougar has a completely updated in-car entertainment system including Kenwood Screen and 10 Disc stacker (replacing the factory unit and stacker), Boston Acoustic speakers in the cabin and a Rockford Sub and Amp in the boot. I changed the side markers for crystal clear ones to match the 01's headlights, installed a B&M short shifter and put in a K&N Panel Filter originally. After lowering the car with Pedders springs, I've also replaced the Panel Filter (CougarBoy now has this) and put in a K&N AirCharger Pod kit, enlarged the rims to 19" in chrome wrapped in Dunlop tyres. Upgraded my brake rotors for some cross drilled discs from Canada, upgraded the front brake hoses to Goodridge steel lines, of course there's also the Wings West 4 piece bodykit for the US 01 models, with the rear valence slightly modified to fit the Euro rear, Eibach/Visteon spoiler replaces the standard one I originally had (and pcperfection now wears on his car!). Last and most recent update to the car is the electric sunroof by Hollandia/Webasto.
There are some other minor mods about the place, but that's the main stuff I could think of. I first got to show off the Cougar at NSW All Ford Day '05, and have been at each one since. It won the EFC Award for Best Cougar in 2007 (no awards in '05, and Mark won in '06) as well as the RSOC Best Cougar/Mondeo Award at VIC's Small Ford Sunday '08. She's appeared in Street Fords magazine (Issue 26) with the EFC and Mark (pcperfection)'s Cougar, and Performance Ford Magazine (Volume 8 Ed 3) in the 'On The Street' section. She also got mention in PFM for attendance at Small Ford Sunday '08. She's also in the NECO 2008 Calendar displaying for the month of November.
Still to do, powerchip maybe? Exhaust definitely, update the shocks too... Whatever else comes, but probably not much because she looks great now!
Here are some photos of my Cougar.
When I first got her back in mid 2005
After the bodykit went on in mid 2006
After the rims in 2007 - this is the shot that made the NECO 2008 Calendar, and damn I'm glad I bought a cheap shorty antenna cos the standard one is looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong!
Recent trip to Bathurst in 2008
Dan