^^^ that is a bit of a "sticky wicket" that I'm not knowledgeable enough to get into.
But David's Cougar was rebuilt using parts from the first or "mule" Trans Am Cougar.
That one was sold by Bud at the end of the '67 Trans Am season and was wrecked badly at the first race of the '68 Trans Am season.
Ross's Cougar was built from the remains of one of the 2 (or possibly 3) 1967 Trans Am Cougars that Bud Moore took into the fledgling NASCAR Grand American series when Ford pulled Mercury's funding for the Trans Am.
The car's numbers were switched around during the season so you can't identify which Cougar is which just by the number.
Ross's car was driven by Tiny Lund and actually won the Grand American championship in 1968.
Bud sold the car to Tom Pistone and it was eventually re-bodied as a '70 because Mercury wanted it as up-to-date as possible.
It still had it's '70 body when Ross purchased it.
- Phillip