1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator 428 Cobra Jet

Pony car powered by Ford 428 Cobra Jet V8.

Competition Gold 1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator; exact-year package context, with engine identity not established by the photograph

Body Standard Cougar two-door hardtop with Eliminator package

Engine Q- or R-code 428 Cobra Jet V8, rated at 335 gross hp

Transmission C6 automatic or four-speed manual

Reported production 374 428 Cobra Jet Eliminators

Story

1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator 428 Cobra Jet

The 428 Cobra Jet was the big-block choice for the 1970 Cougar Eliminator. The Eliminator remained a package on the standard Cougar hardtop rather than an XR-7 or convertible. Its black grille, side graphics, hood treatment, spoilers, wheels, full instruments, and competition suspension identify the package's appearance, but a Q- or R-code VIN and supporting factory records establish the 428 drivetrain.

Registry records rate the 428 at 335 gross horsepower and 440 lb-ft with 10.6:1 compression and a Holley four-barrel carburetor. Both C6 automatic and four-speed manual transmissions are reported. All 428 Cougars used a 31-spline rear axle, while ratio and differential depended on the individual build.

The reviewed production compilation reports 374 428 Cobra Jet Eliminators: 192 automatics and 182 four-speeds. It separates 247 regular Cobra Jets from 127 Drag Pak or Super Drag Pak cars. Hemmings reports 268 Ram Air cars within the 374 total; Ram Air and Super Cobra Jet are separate dimensions and are not treated as interchangeable labels.

Six regular Eliminator colors are documented for 1970: Competition Orange, Competition Yellow, Competition Blue, Pastel Blue, Competition Gold, and Competition Green. The reviewed Mercury chart resolves Pastel Blue as code N and White as code M. Special-order paint required a blank paint field and six-digit DSO evidence. Paint, graphics, a hood scoop, or an installed 428 alone do not establish a factory Cobra Jet Eliminator.

**Competition Blue 1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator; exact-year package context**BUTTON74 via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Price history

Values

Nominal dollars from original price sheets, auction archives, and approved value references.

Original Price

A verified original price is not yet available for this car.

Market Observations

Price guide value $91,200

Jul 28, 2026 · Hagerty Price Guide · Current guide point
Hagerty #3 Good value for the exact 1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator two-door hardtop with the 428cid/335hp four-barrel Cobra Jet configuration. · unknown · good A dated configuration benchmark, not a completed sale or individual-car appraisal.
1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator 428 Cobra Jet price guide, July 2026
Auction sale $90,200

Jan 14, 2026 · Mecum Auctions
Q-code Eliminator 0F91Q530343 presented with a 428 Cobra Jet, four-speed, Traction-Lok, dealer invoice, Marti Report, and restored Competition Orange configuration. · restored · unknown Mecum records the $90,200 completed sale. The restored configuration is classified separately from survivor examples, and the current drivetrain presentation is not treated as proof of factory transmission.
1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator 0F91Q530343, 2026
Auction sale $132,000

Jan 11, 2024 · Mecum Auctions
Q-code Eliminator 0F91Q523332 with a date-correct 428 Cobra Jet, C6 automatic, Ram Air, factory air conditioning, Marti Report, and a comprehensive restoration using NOS parts where possible. · restored · unknown Mecum records the $132,000 completed sale. The comprehensive restoration supports restored classification.
1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator 0F91Q523332, 2024
Auction sale $176,000

Jan 14, 2023 · Mecum Auctions
Q-code Eliminator 0F91Q507482 with a 428 Cobra Jet, automatic transmission, original build sheet, Deluxe Marti Report, and a rotisserie restoration to factory specifications. · restored · unknown Mecum and Hagerty record the $176,000 completed sale. The disclosed rotisserie work supports restored classification.
1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator 0F91Q507482, 2023
Auction sale $99,500

Jan 17, 2022 · Bring a Trailer
Q-code Eliminator 0F91Q515837 with documented Drag-Pak 428 Super Cobra Jet, C6 automatic, 3.91 Traction-Lok, Deluxe Marti Report, a 1990s repaint, and non-original exhaust. · modified · unknown Bring a Trailer records the $99,500 completed sale. The repaint and disclosed incorrect exhaust support modified classification.
1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator 428 SCJ 0F91Q515837, 2022
Auction sale $137,500

May 22, 2021 · Mecum Auctions
Q-code Eliminator 0F91Q512580 with a 428 Cobra Jet, four-speed, 4.30 Super Drag Pack axle, original window sticker, Elite Marti Report, and an older 2009 restoration. · restored · unknown Mecum and Hagerty record the $137,500 completed sale. The disclosed older restoration supports restored classification; the auction did not represent the engine as matching-numbers.
1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator 0F91Q512580, 2021

Values move with paperwork, originality, options, condition, venue, and body style. High bids and guide values are labeled separately from completed sales.

Reference records

Options, Colors & Components

Source-backed details for trim, chassis, production, and authenticity.

Engine Details

Gross horsepower rating 335 hp @ 5200 rpm · 1970 Cougar Eliminator 428 Cobra Jet · engine assembly / specification
Gross torque rating 440 lb-ft @ 3400 rpm · 1970 Cougar Eliminator 428 Cobra Jet · engine assembly / specification
Compression ratio 10.6:1 · 1970 Cougar Eliminator 428 Cobra Jet · engine assembly / specification
Cobra Jet block rear bulkhead scratch mark C scratch with reinforced crank saddle webbing · 428 Cobra Jet block, June 1967-March 1970 range · block / stamp · Rear bulkhead of engine block
Block casting date location Casting date should precede vehicle build date by no more than a plausible few-month window · 428 Cobra Jet engine block date-correctness check · block / date code · Bottom of engine block near the oil filter adapter and oil pan rail
Engine assembly date format Year-month-day plus assembler initial · 428 Cobra Jet engine assembly date-correctness check · engine assembly / date code · One of the four flat spots near the cylinders, commonly above the oil filter adapter
Engine VIN derivative stamp location Partial VIN or VIN derivative consistent with vehicle VIN when present · 1969-1970 Cougar 428 Cobra Jet engine authenticity check · engine assembly / stamp · Typically on the rear of the engine block or rear of the cylinder head
Cobra Jet cylinder head engineering number C8OE-6090-N · 1968-1970 Cobra Jet production engines · cylinder head / engineering number · Outside of the cylinder head casting
Holley carburetor date-code location Application/list number and date code stamped in air horn in front of choke plate · 428 Cobra Jet Holley carburetor identification check · carburetor / date code · Air horn in front of choke plate
Holley carburetor ID-tag location Aluminum ID tag on passenger-side choke assembly · 428 Cobra Jet Holley carburetor identification check · carburetor / other · Passenger-side choke assembly

Transmission

Factory transmission Ford C6 automatic
Factory transmission Ford Toploader four-speed manual
Factory transmission Ford close-ratio four-speed manual (code 6)

Options

428 Cobra Jet V8 reference for the 1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator 428 Cobra JetClassic Muscle · Reference illustration

Eliminator option package factory · performance · Factory option package on standard Cougar hardtop; exact order code not captured in reviewed references. Included appearance and performance equipment.
Drag Pak / Super Drag Pak Drag Pak and Super Drag Pak for 428 Cobra Jet / Super Cobra Jet pathway optional · performance · Cougar Club records describe the Drag Pak path from 428 Cobra Jet to Super Cobra Jet. A particular car requires factory documentation before that claim is made.

Paint

**Black 1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator front view; exact-year package context**Greg Gjerdingen via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

1 Competition Orange factory · solid
D Competition Yellow factory · solid
J Competition Blue factory · metallic
N Pastel Blue factory · metallic
U Competition Gold factory · metallic
Z Competition Green factory · metallic
blank paint / six-digit DSO Special-order paint special_order · special-order

Appearance

Black Eliminator side, hood, and rear spoiler graphics factory · stripe
Hood scoop factory · hood
Front spoiler factory · spoiler
Rear spoiler painted body color with Eliminator callout/graphic factory · spoiler
Eliminator exterior callouts factory · badge
Blacked-out grille and taillight treatment factory · lighting
F70-14 belted black sidewall traction tires factory · wheel

Interior

Black vinyl trim code 1A factory · upholstery
Medium blue vinyl trim code 1B factory · upholstery
Black vinyl with houndstooth check trim code 3A factory · upholstery
Black Comfort-Weave vinyl trim code 5A factory · upholstery
Medium blue Comfort-Weave vinyl trim code 5B factory · upholstery
White vinyl with black components trim code AA factory · upholstery
White Comfort-Weave vinyl with black components trim code EA factory · upholstery

Chassis

Performance handling package / competition handling equipment Suspension · factory
Standard drum brakes Brakes · standard
Optional front disc brakes Brakes · optional
31-spline Ford 9-inch rear axle Rear axle · factory
3.91 Drag Pak axle Rear axle · 3.91:1 · limited-slip · optional
4.30 Super Drag Pak axle Rear axle · 4.30:1 · limited-slip · optional
Air-conditioning rear axle Rear axle · 3.25:1 · standard

Production

Transmission Records reference for the 1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator 428 Cobra JetClassic Muscle · Reference illustration

1970 Eliminator with 428 Cobra Jet by engine · 374 · reported
1970 428 Eliminator with C6 automatic by transmission · 192 · reported
1970 428 Eliminator with four-speed manual by transmission · 182 · reported
1970 428 Eliminator regular Cobra Jet without Drag Pak by option · 247 · reported
1970 428 Eliminator Super Cobra Jet with Drag Pak or Super Drag Pak by option · 127 · reported
1970 428 Eliminator Ram Air subset by option · 268 · reported

Authenticity

Rear Axle Records reference for the 1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator 428 Cobra JetClassic Muscle · Reference illustration

Body style code 65A standard Cougar hardtop · Door data plate body style field · fraud detection
428 Cobra Jet VIN code Q or R as fifth VIN digit for 1969-70 Cougar 428CJ cars · VIN plate at lower driver-side windshield and door data plate VIN · numbers matching
Eliminator option proof Original invoice, Elite Marti Report, build sheet, or equivalent factory-order documentation · Vehicle paperwork and registry authentication records · fraud detection
Paint/data plate check 1970 Eliminator paint code 1, D, J, N, U, Z, or blank paint code with six-digit DSO for special paint · Door data plate exterior color and DSO fields · trim correctness
Data plate tamper caution Untampered original data plate consistent with VIN and documentation · Rear edge of driver door on 1969/1970 models · fraud detection
428 Cobra Jet engine VIN derivative stamp VIN derivative or partial VIN consistent with the vehicle VIN when present; confirm against factory paperwork · Typically on the rear of the engine block or rear of the cylinder head · numbers matching
428 Cobra Jet block casting date Block casting date should predate the vehicle build date by no more than a plausible few-month window · Cast into the bottom of the engine block near the oil filter adapter and oil pan rail · date correctness
428 Cobra Jet engine assembly date stamp Assembly date stamped after the block casting date, using year-month-day plus assembler initial format · One of the four flat spots near the cylinders, commonly above the oil filter adapter · date correctness
428 Cobra Jet cylinder head engineering number C8OE-6090-N iron cylinder heads for 1968-1970 Cobra Jet production engines; verify dates and vehicle paperwork · Outside of the cylinder head casting · numbers matching
428 Cobra Jet carburetor identification and date code 735-cfm Holley Cobra Jet carburetor with application/list number, date code, and ID tag verified against transmission and equipment · Air horn in front of choke plate for stamped application and date codes; passenger-side choke assembly for aluminum ID tag · date correctness

Still Researching

engine Q/R-code identity, major 428 specifications, and selected 428 Cobra Jet block, assembly-date, VIN-derivative, cylinder-head, and carburetor identification/date-code facets are recorded, but complete regular-CJ, Ram Air, Drag Pak, and Super-Cobra-Jet component and date-code tables are not.
transmission C6 automatic and four-speed paths are recorded, and the 1970 Cougar door-data-plate code for the close-ratio four-speed manual is resolved as code 6; complete transmission tags, shifter applications, and date-code tables are not.
rear axle The 31-spline axle, performance ratio range, and manufacturer-listed 3.25:1 air-conditioning axle ratio for 428-4V engines are recorded, but the complete code, ratio, differential, non-air-conditioning, transmission-specific, and Drag Pak matrix is not.
brakes Standard drums and optional front discs are recorded, but package interactions and every service component are not.
suspension Competition handling and a rear anti-roll bar are recorded, but every 428-specific spring, shock, bar, and steering part number is not.
option packages Major package choices are recorded, but all order codes, mandatory combinations, exclusions, and prices are not.
production Engine, transmission, regular-CJ, Super-Cobra-Jet, and Ram Air counts are recorded, but color, axle, and option subtotals are not complete.
paint colors Regular and special-order paint paths are recorded, but exact 428 color frequencies and every special-order finish are not.
trim and appearance Major Eliminator cues are recorded, but every stripe, spoiler, wheel, tire, molding, and dealer-install variation is not.
interior Seats, instruments, shifter, and trim codes are recorded, but the full upholstery and option combination matrix is not.
authenticity markers Core VIN, body, engine, documentation, package checks, selected 428 Cobra Jet engine date locations, VIN-derivative location, and selected engine engineering-number/application checks are recorded, but complete component date and engineering-number guidance for every drivetrain and chassis part is not.