All it took was a picture and Senior, and Ford enthusiast, Joe Egan fell in love…with a car.  When his Dad was in high school he owned a 1969 Mercury Cougar and now Egan has one of his own…sorta.

Just over a year ago, in mid April, he found the same make and model of his dad’s car in southern California and he snatched it up for a $1,000.

Since then he’s been working on it in his garage at home with friend and senior Frank Stachowiak.  It’s not nearly done but it’s coming along.

“I’m recreating how it looked back in the day but I’m making it into a dragster or a race car…I’ll be driving it by summer,” Egan said.

He’s restoring the car because he thought his dad’s was cool and looked awesome but he also has other motives.

His grandma was diagnosed with breast cancer so he is also dedicating the car to her.

“There’s a plaque inside the car for her under the hood. I’m not sure what it’s gonna be yet-I’m designing it with my brother.”  The spark plug wires inside the car will also be pink in honor of her.

When he finishes his Mercury Cougar restoring other cars is something Egan would love to do as a dream job but he thinks it’s a little unrealistic.  Instead he is going to follow his passion for cars and go to school to be a mechanic.

“I’m going to trade school….[for cars] and diesels too like semis.”

When asked what he wants the Mercury Cougar to represent Egan jokingly said, “It’s a reflection of me, except it’s good looking.”

By: Christine Juhas