Mario's Tribute to the 1962 Ford Cougar 406 Concept Car

1 In the early 1960s, renowned custom car builder Dean Jeffries collaborated with Ford to create a concept car that would push the boundaries of automotive design. The result was the 1962 Ford Cougar 406.

2 1962 Ford Cougar 406 Gull wing doors, big block V8, personal-car poise.

3 In 1962 Ford Motor Company announced the Cougar 406 as a new show model from the outfit that had pioneered the personal car.

4 Entrance was through top-hinged, electrically operated gull-wing doors. Pure theatre before the engine even turned.

5 The car was framed as a two-passenger, metallic-turquoise sports machine that aimed to excite dedicated sports-car fans while preserving the comfort and style expected of a personal car.

6 1962 Ford Cougar 406. The car’s engine was a 406 cubic inch 6.7-litre V8, hence the car’s internal code.

7 The Cougar 406 was first seen in February 1962 at the Chicago Auto Show.

8 The 1962 Ford Cougar made its first public debut at the Chicago Auto Show in February 1962. This version featured a Sapphire Blue Metallic paint job.

9 1962 Ford Cougar 406 showcased at the 1962 Chicago Auto Show.

10 1962 Chicago Auto Show showcasing various car makes both old and new.

11 Paul Anka with the 1962 Cougar at the Cavalcade of Custom Cars that was held in the Transportation & Travel Pavilion at the New York World's Fair in 1964.

12 Original Brochure for the Cavalcade of Custom Cars exhibit at the 1964 New York World’s Fair where the 1962 Ford Cougar was shown.

13 The windows used a jalousie layout, a deliberate break from convention that set the tone for the rest of the car.

14 Inside, comfort-engineered bucket seats sat recessed into the body, the driving position fronted by an aircraft-type control panel.

15 Even the rear-view mirror had been built into the panel and operated by a lever, as if borrowed from a cockpit rather than a boulevard cruiser.

16 Under the hood, the headline number was in the name of Ford’s new high-performance 406 ci producing 405 hp.

17 The Cougar 406 also played the proportions game well. It stood only 49.5 inches high and spread 75.72 inches wide. The length measured 180 inches on a 102-inch wheelbase.

18 The 1962 Ford Cougar 406 was a concept car for the Thunderbird built by Dean Jeffries for Ford Motor Company and designated as D-523.

19 Headlights were concealed in the tips of the front fenders. The car had headlight covers in front of the headlights that rotated down.

20 406 Right side. Power came from a 406 cubic inch V-8. The engine produced 405 horsepower and 448-pound feet of torque.

21 406 Left side. When a Ford 406 CID V8 was installed in the car, it was newly renamed the Cougar 406. The car was sent out on the show circuit to promote the FoMoCo power plant.

22 Product study of the 406-engine Feb 11, 1957.

23 Hot Rod magazine treated the show car to a two-page spread in its July 1962 issue, with the editors including a teaser on the cover that asked, “Tomorrow’s T-Bird”.

24 July 1962 Cougar 406 Hot Rod Magazine two page spread detailing the Concept Car in color.

25 The original version (top) featured a Sapphire Blue Metallic paint job. The movie version (below) was painted Candy Apple Red.

26 Jack Lemon behind the wheel of the 1962 Cougar 406 at the set of "Under the Yum Yum Tree".

27 1962 Cougar 406 as it appeared when it was shown in Frederick Brisson's film version of his Broadway comedy hit “Under the Yum Yum Tree” in 1963. I attached a Trailer for the movie on this Page.

28 Cougar 406 was a bold departure featuring gullwing doors and a sleek futuristic interior. Its sleek, aerodynamic body lines and distinctive finned taillights emphasized its forward-thinking design.

29 A still from the movie that shows Jack Lemmon and Carol Lynley in the car.

30 1962 Cougar 406 in Candy Apple Red from a scene in the movie.

31 The striking red color was applied by famed customizer and painter Dean Jeffries, as photos exist of the Cougar 406 parked in front of his shop at 5807 Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.

32 Under the Yum Yum Tree movie advertisement. Jack Lemmon, Carol Lynley, Dean Jones, Edie Adams, Imogene Coca, Paul Lynde and Robert Lansing starred in the movie.

33 1962 Ford Cougar 406 Diecast Model in Sapphire Blue Matrix 1-43 Scale.

34 1962 Ford Cougar 406 Diecast Model in Sapphire Blue Matrix 1-43 Scale.

35 1962 Ford Cougar 406 Diecast Model in Candy Apple Red Matrix 1-43 Scale.

36 1962 Ford Cougar 406 Diecast Model in Candy Apple Red Matrix 1-43 Scale.

37 Movie Poster for 1963 "Under the Yum Yum Tree".

38 Where is the Cougar today. It was known in 2013 to be in Detroit, Michigan, owned by Joe Moridian, but the car has not been seen in years.

39 New York World's Fair 1964-65. Scale Model of the Ford Motor Company Pavilion.

40 NY World’s Fair August 1964. I was fortunate to have visited there in 1964 to see the NY World’s Fair. The Unisphere is still on the property and can be seen from the Grand Central Parkway in NYC.