Exactly! they were awesome looking cars! nobody liked them because of the power rating and they somewhat resembled they pinto! But when you get a cobra 2 with all the fiberglass bits and other appearance mods that were all options such as side scoops, quarter louvers rear louvers, front chin splitter, 3 piece rear spoiler!!!! it it ends up looking like a badass old skool muscle car! now all it needs is more power! Simply build a 302 how ford should have done it back in the day now you got a light nimble car with 300+ horsepower rack and pinion steering staggered rear shocks front and rear sway bar comfortable interior! it's a head-turner there's practically none left on the road and it's a mustang to how Ford should have done it from the beginning but unfortunately they couldn't because of the gas crisis and import sub-compacts taking over! I'm so happy I found my 78 Cobra to not to mention we're starting to get a lot more aftermarket support, shout-out to classic Auto reproductions! I love my "terrible ii" and I'll never get rid of her! I'd like to find another one but honestly there are more 1st and 3rd gen mustangs driving around these days!
My sister had one. It was the worst handling car I ever drove to the point of being a death trap. Do not take one of these on a curvy road with any speed or you will end up in a ditch or wrapped around a telephone pole. I won’t even get into the crappy brakes. Worst car I ever drove and had such a cheap feel, imprecise shifter, terrible clutch, rattled, rode rough, hated it. My 4 banger Datsun pickup I had at the time was actually much quicker and handled much better and was a quality vehicle.
@@fastdude2002 the car didn't get proper care that's why it was garbage and the brakes weren't that horible probably also were not maintained with drum brakes there's certain maintenance you should to keep them working properly
That’s incredible that they sold over 1 million from 74-78. It’s the reason for that that the Foxbody existed and the production numbers for those were so high! Thank you Ford!!
@@rizkyananta5461 I know this is an old comment but the UK got the Mustang II and the first couple years of Fox Body in RHD. Pictures of the brochures can be found online.
Bought brand new 1978 Mustang hatch back, V-6, 4 speed, PS, PB, Aluminum slotted dish wheels, A/C, T tops, AM/FM, Sport Steering Wheel, Silver with Red interior. It was a LOOKER. Drove the heck out of it. That German 2.8 Lt V-6 could really rev. Drove great and served me well. Wish I had it back.
Really enjoyed the video. I am the second owner of a 1974 unrestored/100% original coupe, 2.8L V6 auto - white over avocado interior. Purchased new in Honolulu HI (Sep 1974). Daily driven by first owner for 15 years. I purchased in Jan 2009 - moved to San Diego in 2010. Always gets lots of questions (and jokes). But, I am proud to own a true survivor that has never been restored.
I helped build that Mustang at the San Jose Assembly plant in Milpitas Ca. Mustangs shared the same production line as the Pinto. Building 58 cars per hour was normal production. Mustang penetration averaged every 5 cars. 4 Pintos & 1 Mustang. This fluctuated based upon cars sales requirements. The Mercury Capri was fit in as well thinking they ran every 20 jobs. Starting off 1 shift 6 days per week. Sales increased & we added a 2nd shift. Pintos & Mustangs everywhere. Good times!
A Ford fanatic friend of mine had a 302 MII and at the time his Dad had a 74, V6 4 speed car. His Dad being a AirForce mechanic knew "things". He installed a lmuch higher CFM holley 2barrel on the V6 and messed with the timing curve. I watched that car half track a Opel GT 2 times in a row in a drag race. At the time the Opel was rated at 10 seconds 0-60...100% true story. He had that V6 running like they were supposed to run. Ford just strangled their cars with tiny carbs back then.
It is a grossly overused cliche in this video, but there's some truth to it. This model turned up in showrooms in the fall of 1973, just in time for the oil embargo that led to the 1973-74 energy crisis. All of a sudden there was a surge in demand for smaller more fuel efficient cars, and a lot of buyers were looking for something a bit fancier than a Pinto. That energy crisis also helped get Japanese motor companies like Honda and Toyota get a foothold on this side of the Pacific, but that's another story. For the record, I had a 1978 Mustang II and rather liked it.
I'm glad to hear the owner of that Mustang loves it and works in the sales department. Hopefully we will see some new reproduction parts in the future from CJ Pony Parts for 74-78 model years. We desperately need them.
When I was younger I owned three mustang's II at once. Two hatchbacks one with the 2.3l, one with the v6, and a notch back with the 302. The 2.3 you could not kill. I did not care for the v6 very much. But i loved the notch back. The power rack and pinion was great in the corners, and some basic hop up and I could keep up with the Camaro's of the time. Now that I am in my 50's i just bought another 302 notch back to add to my collection. It needs work but nothing i can't do. It was a fun car to drive. Not the fastest, but fun never the less.
Memory lane! I bought my ‘76 Mach One in 1980 and, based on the title, I was maybe the 10th owner. Ditched the bias plies and put on fat radials, and had Meineke bend a dual exhaust with Thrush mufflers. My first car, and I drove the heck out of it!
I own a '71 Mach 1. There's enough haters and 1st gen Mustang snobs that hate that car. The Mustang II gets even less respect! My first Mustang was a '77 hatchback Mustang II. I guess I have a thing for owning the Mustangs that the haters hate. I also had a '76 Cobra II in High School. That was fun! I tweaked the 302, added nitrous and promptly snapped a leaf spring during a burnout! Owned several fox bodies too over the years. Thanks for showing us this car, bring back a lot of memories seeing under the hood and inside.
I have a 75 mach one that came with the field to red and black paint scheme. I've upgraded exhaust with headers flowmasters put on a four-barrel and put a cam in there in that makes quite a bit of a difference in these cars. Like you said, with a little TLC these can be made into a hellova car 👍
Brings back fond memories! My second car was a 1975 Mustang II Hatchback V-6 4 -speed, rally wheels with B.F. G’s. Was a metallic copper color with tan cloth interior, center console, upgraded the stereo and speakers. For senior high school spring break 1980 drove the car from Ann Arbor Mi to Ft. Lauderdale with my two best friends. I actually enjoyed that car a ton. Was a good handler too! Great high school car!
Learned to drive in my Dad's '78 Mach I. He still has it. Fun to drive. I've got a '68 fastback, but I still love the II's. Thank you for putting them in perspective!
You are correct it was the right car at the right time. Ford would love to have those sales numbers out of any of these newer ones. I have owned 2 off them. A 75 Mach 1 in medium green glow and a 1976 Cobra Ii. I actually really enjoyed driving them both. With their fairly light weight and some performance mods they really can be fun cars to drive. To be honest. I still prefer them over a 71 to 73 and the 79 to 81 which never really was that great either.
I think a lot of folks would love to travel back to the 1970's. No COVID 19 and everyone together socializing. Music was fun and the POP charts were diverse with lots of different sounds. Not a bad time when you think about it. What a beautiful car.
LOL! Brings back memories and too funny. I loved Mustangs all my life and when I turned 17 in 1977 the salesman talked my mom out of letting me get a Mustang and I ended up in a 1977 Pinto. Well, I got a Black 1989 Foxbody LX 5.0 and Race Red S550 5.0 GT PP1 now!
Mine was a 70 Buick GS 455. Mom said no, but you can have the red Pinto. My mom wasn't all bad. That Pinto had a 2.6L Capri motor, dual exhaust, and a 4 speed someone swapped into it. A narily hood scoop to cover the hole in the hood, candy apple red with giant 70s style metal flakes in the paint. It would skip across intersections. Coolest Pinto at school.
Thank you for sticking up for my Mustang two it’s a 1975 I bought it in 79 I have done A-to-Z on it and yes it is garage kept! One of the mistakes I made when I was young and dumb I took the air-conditioning system off I need to find another one also I need to do a heater core sounds like a lot of work is coming thanks again
I love the Mustang II. My dad bought a new one back in 1977. Black with Ox Blood red interior. 4 speed and 4 cylinder. I would love to track that car down.
I remember working on these cars back when they were new. I had a special "cheapo" wrench to remove the spark plugs on the V-8 equipped cars. I thought in 1975 that 302 V-8 had 119 horsepower. Ford sold 385,000 Mustang IIs in 1974 making this the 3rd best selling Mustang of all time. Handling wasn't bad; it had rack-and-pinion steering like the Pinto (same chassis). It also had the same design fuel tank. Great video!
The Pinto was great in the snow, especially if you had the 4-speed model. I loved mine. It had decent power and got about 32 miles per gallon way back in 1978. It's hard to beat that today with any gas-powered car. I've owned both the Mustang II and a Pinto. They were the right cars at the right time at the right price and they don't get the love and respect they deserve.
I understand, but this guy's a moron in that car is not based on the pinto whatsoever. I've spoken to the cars designers and they don't know what the hell people are talking about when they say that. Other than the trunk pan and the genius coilover front suspension they don't have anything to do with each other and not one single part will fit.
My first new car bought in Oct. 73 at Ezra Galpin Ford in Buckeye, AZ. LOVED IT ... man it was a head turner. Fastback 2.8L V6 Silver with Black Stripes. $2800.00. LOVE, LOVE, LOVED that car.
My Aunt had one. It was so cherry looking. Ghia v8 with a trunk. She took us around San Fran and someone in the parking garage side swiped it. Broke my heart.
That car that you have featured on here is exactly the same car I had as my first car in '95, same color and all.... I'd love to find another one of those.
My first car was a 78 liftback. 2.8 ltr, 4 spd. Great gas mileage and loads of fun. I still think it's the best looking mustang, especially the king cobras.
Yes,you are correct about it being the right car for the time. I had a similar one to the one that you're driving. Mine was a Mach 1/4spd V6 white w/black interior. The interior I found to be very comfortable,and of very good quality. Although it was based on a Pinto platform it reminded me more of the imported Capri's in the way that it handled. The styling I felt was very good as well. The one that you show looks to be in very good shape for it's age. I would consider it a keeper.
I bought a 1978 mustang 2 in 1988 for $200. It had the 2.3L with the C3 automatic. I drove it stock until 1992, when i put a built and blueprinted 302 that i assembled myself, had the machine shop do a full rebuild on it, bored over, hot tanked, new valves and guides, crank ground and align bored. I assembled it myself with top name parts. Trw pistons, crane cam, eldebrock intake, holley carb, accel distributor, coil, wires, and ignition box. I built a c4 automatic with hardened planetaries, and a shift improvement kit . Thing would book. Had to add ladder bars as it kept breaking leaf springs from the torque. Eventually did a five lug conversion wirh a narrowed ford 9 inch rear with posi. All that was left was painting. Was driving home from work one night and struck a deer and went in the ditch, destroyed the front end and bent the unibody. Was unrepairable. I about cried. Ended up putting the engine in a 1978 ford f150 stepside 4x4.
My first Mustang II was a '78 Ghia V6,after a while my heart was sold to the Mustang II and I've started to collect them,my baby was a '78 Cobra II,here in Belgium only imported with the V6 but I replaced the engine to a 302ci V8,I had this one for 14 years,the good old days :-)
I'm looking at a Mustang II or a Maverick for a project car/ fun daily driver. I love em and the people that don't respect them are just missing out on a good time. And just imagine rebuilding one of these with a younger car enthusiast. Planting that seed and getting them to fall in love with the hobby/ lifestyle we all love so much with a car they could actually afford...
This is a gorgeous T-Top Mustang, wow beautiful Color top that black with stainless steel trim mouldings Targa top with the Gold /Copperish WOW those Mustang II will be next thing you just watch it , I’ve always loved them ❤all the best from Adelaide South Australia 🇦🇺
I still dream of the Mustang II I drove in the 80's. We had a Ginger Glow '74 Ghia V6. It was good looking and a fun car to drive. My main complaint was tied to the rubber. If you didn't have good snow tires on, it could spin out pretty easy being rear wheel drive and front end heavy. The other, minor, complaint is the inside door handles and window cranks were made of that cheap metal that broke easy if pulled wrong. The hate this car gets must be tied to base models, because the Ghia was a great pleasure to drive compared to other small cars of the era.
I had to go to your website to see where you're located. Is that PA? Beautiful country roads, this car brings back vague and hazy memories but seeing it in the fall is superb.
I had a coworker that had one, he would haul concrete cylinders around in his. We worked for a construction testing lab. It was a good car from what I remember.
I remember these cards as a kid what are used to see those more on a TV show Charlie's Angels I don't remember the other two angels had the basic Mustang and Farrah Fawcett had the cobra. I think the cobra looks much better
There was usually an opening shot of all three cars parked in front of the Townsend Agency. Jaclyn Smith drove a Mustang II Ghia (1976?) that was yellow with a brown vinyl top equipped with a V-8. Kate Jackson (later Shelley Hack and then Tanya Roberts) drove an orange Pinto. Farrah Fawcett-Majors (later Cheryl Ladd) drove a (1976?) King Cobra that was white with black striping. David Doyle drove a 1977 (later a 1978 and then a 1979) Ford Thunderbird and later a 1978 Ford Country Squire and then a 1980 Mercury Colony Park station wagon. These cars remained until the show moved to Hawaii for part of season 5 when all three drove customized Chevrolet Camaro convertibles (1980-81?). When the show moved back to California all three resumed using their original cars. Great video!
Actually Jaclyn Smith had a beige Mustang II Ghia in the show and then there is Kate Jackson who got that orange pinto of which the later year model she had in season 3 got passed onto Shelly Hack and you saw a lot of that Pinto in season Four then to Tanya Roberts of which was seen only in two episodes. I do recall in the last season of the show there was a lot of that Ghia seen in there. The Cobra did look hot then again Farrah looked hot in it.
@@johngossert3908 I custom built my own with 1.75" primaries as I've been doing exhaust for my living since the mid '80s. A '74 didn't come with a V8 so that was an issue plus I used a steel lakewood scattershield and I set the engine back 4" for better weight distribution and make room for the radiator. A 351w is of course wider than a 302, don't think you'll find headers that fit but you're lucky yours is a '75-'78 model. You may have to take a cast manifold and cut the flange area off and nickle weld a new extension to it for the exhaust pipe to connect to.
In the early 80s this was the Aunt's Car. My aunts and most of my friends cool, party aunts drove this car. I can still see the roach clip in the ash tray. Cool car.
Having lived through the Mustang II era I have all kinds of respect for this car. While not fast at least most people could afford to drive this beauty. Yes it is a proper commuter car which helped a lot of us earn the money to buy the later hot Mustangs. As for looks, for the era, it looks great! Nice interiors with real colour quite unlike todays emphasis on grey, black, and possibly tan. I'd love to have a mint one today.
I bought a '75 Ghia coupe in '91. Already had a 302 in it. i blew that up and built up another one out of a van. I put all the goodies on the drive train and it ripped. Blew fox body 5.0s away all the time.
Just bought a 76 ford mustang cobra 2 garage find. It needs a lot of love but it has a 302 boss and 4 barrel carb. The engine only has 75k miles on it so I hope it works.
The 1974 Mustang II had a couple of style quirks exclusive to that year. The grill opening was smaller so the strip between it and the hood was wider. Also the gas cap sat lower on the rear fender. Just throwing that out there.
Former 74 Mustang II owner and you are correct. Also the 74 model had a horizontal bar across the front clearance lights in the grill. That bar disappeared in later years. I think that Ford moved the gas filler up in later years as the 74 configuration was always causing spillage and other issues when refueling as I recall. I did love that car though. It was my first car ( I bought it in 1983) which probably helps but I remember it as very comfortable and I always loved the looks of my hatchback. Thanks for the video.
Ford had to move the Rad ahead to fit the V8, so the Front header board and Hood had to be modified! People say that there was no V8 in 1974, but that is not true, there was a V8 Mustang made in Mexico in 1974!
I was working a Ford dealer in NJ in 1975 and got to drive one of the first 302 powered Mach 1's It wasn't that fast compared to the 68 302 I was driving but none of the new cars at that time were.
I always said: "This car was important back then." In Brazil, Ford built a car with the same size and the same weight, but with a 4 cyl (1.6 liter), it was a Ford Del Rey. It was luxury back in the early 80s. Everybody hates it, because the 1.6 was too slow...well...I got one of this (1984 model), and it wasn't that bad. I guess, the Mustang II, will make the same impression on me. I drove 60s Mustangs...all of them was small-blocks.
I own a 1978 V8 Mustang with the t-tops as well and it is a very nice vehicle it's up at the shop right now and I can't wait to get it back on the road brakes blew out on me
I always thought the fastbacks were pretty cool looking. And the graphics they offered were pretty cool. And its a 5.0, you couldn’t ask for an easier and cheaper Ford motor to modify. And c’mon, it has T-Tops!
Mustang ll Bordom 0. I've always liked the Mustang ll. I preferred the 1974 Ghia roofline to the 75 to 78. You could still get the old roofline, just not on a Ghia after 74. My sister had a 1976 Mustang ll Ghia MPG. It was a fun car to drive. A little underpowered and the gas mileage was not as advertised. Having driven both Pinto and Mustang ll, all I can say is I love both cars and would take both again if I could find nice one out there. Unfortunately they were not well loved and I remember seeing 100's of them In wrecking yards while picking through the different yards looking for stuff to fix up my Pinto in the eighties.
Great cars with plenty of hop up potential (and better looking than later models IMO). Much more in the spirit of the original than any other since 1966. I suspect that the 6cyl has the best potential for all around road car due to weight advantage.
When this car has been sorted out another review-drive would be appreciated. With a modern engine and all the bits sorted out these are good cars. The heavy 5 mph bumpers were required by law, so if you want to remove those and put some lightweight chrome bumpers on you will get much better power to weight ratio. A 3.7 L Ford V6 would be a good engine to swap into a Mustang II.
I live near Austin, Texas and have a 1978 Mustang II bought brand new. It has the V8. I have kept it in good shape and it is kept in the garage. Even though the population of the Austin area is over 2 million, I only know of four other Mustang IIs around here. I also have a 1963 Ford Falcon. There are quite a few Falcons around, many more than the Mustang II.
That’s a nice Mustang II. Had a 1977 Ghia which was a POJ and had the V6. The only redeeming thing about that car is Jaclyn Smith had one similar to mine in Charlie’s Angels. She looked good and still does.
Man, I drove a 75 Ghia. It had a sunroof that you manually opened with a window lever and pizza-cutter wheels. Don't forget the massive V8 stuffed inside.
Hello CJ, Nice video of the rare Mustang ii. I live in Germany and build a new Mustang II 1978 Coupe. I'm looking for new and stronger springs (leaf springs) for the rear, which bring the car a little higher. I've already seen some in the US, unfortunately they do not deliver to Germany. Unfortunately, I did not find them on your site, could you include them in your program? Nice greetings from Germany ;-)
i love the II with 1.2 million produced its funny how no body make parts for it. i realize they arent popular like the fox bodys but someone should make sheet metal for it.
MEMORIES!!!!!! My father had this high performance Mustang 2 《same color》 and mom had a Pinto 《green》. I made $4 washing both cars in the 1970s. I think my parents took advantage of my child labor rates. Great overview.
I had a '77 Mach 1 Mustang in metallic green. The dash in mine was pretty identical to what this one looks like. I was 20 years old and it was the first car that was mine, not a hand me down. I kick myself in the you know what every time I think about when and what I traded it in for. Definitely a should have never got rid of it situation.
My First car was a New 1975 Mustang II at was the Only bad Car I ever had. The Pistons And Cam were shot at 18,000 miles as I learned that on the 2.3 a couple lubricating areas were eliminated. The Gas Mileage was a Measly 16 on the Highway. Every Ford that I have had ever since have been Fantastic and I have 11 Fords 3 Mercurys and 1 Lincoln. Very Happy FO MO CO Customer!!
I had a Mustang II "MPG". It had the 4 cyl. with the 4 speed, hatchback. At 44,000 miles the engine needed to be rebuilt, due to poor upper cylinder lubrication. At 86,000 the rebuilt motor was junk again. The 1st to 2nd syncronizers in the trans went out and when you shifted and took your foot off the clutch it would pop out of gear. As I was in construction, the majority of my miles were highway. You couldn't pass another car (on a two lane road) unless you had "plenty of" open road. Best time I had with it was when I got rid of it.
Ford also called the Mustang 2 the right car at the right time. My parents had a 1976 silver Ford mustang with red interior and of course it was an mpg trim which meant that it had the 2.3 L four-cylinder. The car was fantastic on gas, but for a family of three going on for it was too small. It also had a lot of problems due to lack of maintenance. I honestly hated that car growing up. Its replacement was a 1978 Ford Fairmont station wagon which wasn’t much bigger.
A few notes here, the 140hp 302 was rated "net" and has about the same HP as a 1965 Mustang with a 289 which war rated 200hp "gross". Although the 302 was rated at 140hp this is because it was breathing through a 275cfm carb, seems Ford thought strangling engines was a good way to increase HP (scratches his head). A 302 equipped MII with the Ralley Pack was tested and found to hit 0-60 in 9 seconds flat, this with 240ft/lbs of torque (net) running through 13" tires. The torque rating as well is around 300ft/lbs when corrected from net to gross. The MII's with a performer intake and a holley 600cfm would flat get it (based upon 1970's standards). And secondly, although it isn't a huge deal it is a peeve of mine, the MII was not "based" on a Pinto. The original design study used a highly modified Pinto chassis which which had it size increased for the MII. That was te design study chosen by Iaccoca for production. The MII shares no body panel or glass with a Pinto and has more Granada parts than Pinto. They were as cool as one could get back in the day...a day when automatic Trans Am's needed 10 seconds to hit 60, when a Z28 needed 9 seconds and these were running 4 barrels carbs.
Thank you!! I hate when I see people put this car down, If you lived during the time you would have known as you said "It was the right car at the right time"! And yes, I had a 1974 Mustang II Ghia, 4 speed 6 cyl. silver, moonroof ( with half vinyl roof).
Had a 78 notch in high-school. My pops and I built a nice sleeper out of it. Had over 300hp with a 4speed stick. Took some weekend money with it. Wish I still had it today. The price of these have gone way up last few years.
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I have a 1977 mustang II Mach 1; however I can not find the body type that I have, help. Raw Game Kennels
Love them! Dont care if they have 80 or 140 hp. It's history. Drive it with confidence🏁💯
That's right! 🤩😍😎 Thanks fellow Ford fan!
Exactly! they were awesome looking cars! nobody liked them because of the power rating and they somewhat resembled they pinto! But when you get a cobra 2 with all the fiberglass bits and other appearance mods that were all options such as side scoops, quarter louvers rear louvers, front chin splitter, 3 piece rear spoiler!!!! it it ends up looking like a badass old skool muscle car! now all it needs is more power! Simply build a 302 how ford should have done it back in the day now you got a light nimble car with 300+ horsepower rack and pinion steering staggered rear shocks front and rear sway bar comfortable interior! it's a head-turner there's practically none left on the road and it's a mustang to how Ford should have done it from the beginning but unfortunately they couldn't because of the gas crisis and import sub-compacts taking over! I'm so happy I found my 78 Cobra to not to mention we're starting to get a lot more aftermarket support, shout-out to classic Auto reproductions! I love my "terrible ii" and I'll never get rid of her! I'd like to find another one but honestly there are more 1st and 3rd gen mustangs driving around these days!
My sister had one. It was the worst handling car I ever drove to the point of being a death trap. Do not take one of these on a curvy road with any speed or you will end up in a ditch or wrapped around a telephone pole. I won’t even get into the crappy brakes. Worst car I ever drove and had such a cheap feel, imprecise shifter, terrible clutch, rattled, rode rough, hated it. My 4 banger Datsun pickup I had at the time was actually much quicker and handled much better and was a quality vehicle.
I love my rusty 351w '77 mustang II fastback. She took alot of bracing to work lol, but I made it work.
@@fastdude2002 the car didn't get proper care that's why it was garbage and the brakes weren't that horible probably also were not maintained with drum brakes there's certain maintenance you should to keep them working properly
That’s incredible that they sold over 1 million from 74-78. It’s the reason for that that the Foxbody existed and the production numbers for those were so high! Thank you Ford!!
I was 21 back then and living in London. Seeing a Mustang was super cool over here back then.
wait..they sold mustang II in london?
@@rizkyananta5461 I know this is an old comment but the UK got the Mustang II and the first couple years of Fox Body in RHD. Pictures of the brochures can be found online.
I had 2, a 74 4 cylinder and a 76 cobra 8 cylinder. I loved them both.
Bought brand new 1978 Mustang hatch back, V-6, 4 speed, PS, PB, Aluminum slotted dish wheels, A/C, T tops, AM/FM, Sport Steering Wheel, Silver with Red interior. It was a LOOKER. Drove the heck out of it. That German 2.8 Lt V-6 could really rev. Drove great and served me well. Wish I had it back.
Really enjoyed the video.
I am the second owner of a 1974 unrestored/100% original coupe, 2.8L V6 auto - white over avocado interior.
Purchased new in Honolulu HI (Sep 1974). Daily driven by first owner for 15 years. I purchased in Jan 2009 - moved to San Diego in 2010.
Always gets lots of questions (and jokes). But, I am proud to own a true survivor that has never been restored.
Awesome Mustang!
You guys are legends
I've always liked these and felt they never got the credit they deserved. Glad to see some love.
Also 71 boss 351 and 70 torino never get the credit they deserve
I helped build that Mustang at the San Jose Assembly plant in Milpitas Ca. Mustangs shared the same production line as the Pinto. Building 58 cars per hour was normal production. Mustang penetration averaged every 5 cars. 4 Pintos & 1 Mustang. This fluctuated based upon cars sales requirements. The Mercury Capri was fit in as well thinking they ran every 20 jobs. Starting off 1 shift 6 days per week. Sales increased & we added a 2nd shift. Pintos & Mustangs everywhere. Good times!
I first saw a 1974 mustang when it just came out. Beautiful. Its always been my favorite mustang.
A Ford fanatic friend of mine had a 302 MII and at the time his Dad had a 74, V6 4 speed car. His Dad being a AirForce mechanic knew "things". He installed a lmuch higher CFM holley 2barrel on the V6 and messed with the timing curve. I watched that car half track a Opel GT 2 times in a row in a drag race. At the time the Opel was rated at 10 seconds 0-60...100% true story. He had that V6 running like they were supposed to run. Ford just strangled their cars with tiny carbs back then.
Take a shot every time he says "it was the right car, at the right time"
It is a grossly overused cliche in this video, but there's some truth to it. This model turned up in showrooms in the fall of 1973, just in time for the oil embargo that led to the 1973-74 energy crisis. All of a sudden there was a surge in demand for smaller more fuel efficient cars, and a lot of buyers were looking for something a bit fancier than a Pinto. That energy crisis also helped get Japanese motor companies like Honda and Toyota get a foothold on this side of the Pacific, but that's another story. For the record, I had a 1978 Mustang II and rather liked it.
@@Abitibidoug I know, and it gets much more of a worse reputation than I think it deserves. It was a smart product.
I'm glad to hear the owner of that Mustang loves it and works in the sales department. Hopefully we will see some new reproduction parts in the future from CJ Pony Parts for 74-78 model years. We desperately need them.
This would be a go project to watch. My older brother has a 74 hatch back 4 cylinder 1 barrel carb. He’s had it since 78 I believe.
When I was younger I owned three mustang's II at once. Two hatchbacks one with the 2.3l, one with the v6, and a notch back with the 302. The 2.3 you could not kill. I did not care for the v6 very much. But i loved the notch back. The power rack and pinion was great in the corners, and some basic hop up and I could keep up with the Camaro's of the time.
Now that I am in my 50's i just bought another 302 notch back to add to my collection. It needs work but nothing i can't do. It was a fun car to drive. Not the fastest, but fun never the less.
Where do you find these things? I'm having a ton of trouble finding one.
Memory lane! I bought my ‘76 Mach One in 1980 and, based on the title, I was maybe the 10th owner. Ditched the bias plies and put on fat radials, and had Meineke bend a dual exhaust with Thrush mufflers. My first car, and I drove the heck out of it!
I own a '71 Mach 1. There's enough haters and 1st gen Mustang snobs that hate that car. The Mustang II gets even less respect! My first Mustang was a '77 hatchback Mustang II. I guess I have a thing for owning the Mustangs that the haters hate. I also had a '76 Cobra II in High School. That was fun! I tweaked the 302, added nitrous and promptly snapped a leaf spring during a burnout! Owned several fox bodies too over the years. Thanks for showing us this car, bring back a lot of memories seeing under the hood and inside.
I've got a 78' mach 1 with a 306/c6 & ford 9 inch rear end
with some time & love, they can be one hell of a car
I have a 75 mach one that came with the field to red and black paint scheme.
I've upgraded exhaust with headers flowmasters put on a four-barrel and put a cam in there in that makes quite a bit of a difference in these cars.
Like you said, with a little TLC these can be made into a hellova car 👍
Brings back fond memories! My second car was a 1975 Mustang II Hatchback V-6 4 -speed, rally wheels with B.F. G’s. Was a metallic copper color with tan cloth interior, center console, upgraded the stereo and speakers. For senior high school spring break 1980 drove the car from Ann Arbor Mi to Ft. Lauderdale with my two best friends. I actually enjoyed that car a ton. Was a good handler too! Great high school car!
Learned to drive in my Dad's '78 Mach I. He still has it. Fun to drive. I've got a '68 fastback, but I still love the II's. Thank you for putting them in perspective!
That is awesome!
You are correct it was the right car at the right time. Ford would love to have those sales numbers out of any of these newer ones. I have owned 2 off them. A 75 Mach 1 in medium green glow and a 1976 Cobra Ii. I actually really enjoyed driving them both. With their fairly light weight and some performance mods they really can be fun cars to drive. To be honest. I still prefer them over a 71 to 73 and the 79 to 81 which never really was that great either.
I guess they're trying again by coming out with the ecoboosts too!
@@rihe2692 mustang mach e electric suv mustang and ford maverick truck
I think a lot of folks would love to travel back to the 1970's. No COVID 19 and everyone together socializing. Music was fun and the POP charts were diverse with lots of different sounds. Not a bad time when you think about it. What a beautiful car.
LOL! Brings back memories and too funny. I loved Mustangs all my life and when I turned 17 in 1977 the salesman talked my mom out of letting me get a Mustang and I ended up in a 1977 Pinto.
Well, I got a Black 1989 Foxbody LX 5.0 and Race Red S550 5.0 GT PP1 now!
Mine was a 70 Buick GS 455. Mom said no, but you can have the red Pinto. My mom wasn't all bad. That Pinto had a 2.6L Capri motor, dual exhaust, and a 4 speed someone swapped into it. A narily hood scoop to cover the hole in the hood, candy apple red with giant 70s style metal flakes in the paint. It would skip across intersections. Coolest Pinto at school.
Wasn't the Mustang more expensive than a Pinto? He talked his way out of a higher commission.
Tacoma98 true he did. My 77 Pinto cost $3400.
Thank you for sticking up for my Mustang two it’s a 1975 I bought it in 79 I have done A-to-Z on it and yes it is garage kept! One of the mistakes I made when I was young and dumb I took the air-conditioning system off I need to find another one also I need to do a heater core sounds like a lot of work is coming thanks again
Thanks for showing the love for this car; I had a 78 T-top V8 back in the day and miss it o this very day
Great video CJ, now crack the whip on your suppliers to make the parts we need to keep them on the road!
Such a beautiful car, especially that one. 😍😍😍😍😍 dream car right there!
I love the Mustang II. My dad bought a new one back in 1977. Black with Ox Blood red interior. 4 speed and 4 cylinder. I would love to track that car down.
My favorite car I’ve owned was my 78 Mach 1. It was a fun car to drive and easy to work on
I had a 76 black and silver hatchback Mach 1 Stallion V8 while I was in college. I LOVED it! Wish I still had it!
I remember working on these cars back when they were new. I had a special "cheapo" wrench to remove the spark plugs on the V-8 equipped cars. I thought in 1975 that 302 V-8 had 119 horsepower. Ford sold 385,000 Mustang IIs in 1974 making this the 3rd best selling Mustang of all time. Handling wasn't bad; it had rack-and-pinion steering like the Pinto (same chassis). It also had the same design fuel tank. Great video!
The Pinto was great in the snow, especially if you had the 4-speed model. I loved mine. It had decent power and got about 32 miles per gallon way back in 1978. It's hard to beat that today with any gas-powered car. I've owned both the Mustang II and a Pinto. They were the right cars at the right time at the right price and they don't get the love and respect they deserve.
I understand, but this guy's a moron in that car is not based on the pinto whatsoever.
I've spoken to the cars designers and they don't know what the hell people are talking about when they say that.
Other than the trunk pan and the genius coilover front suspension they don't have anything to do with each other and not one single part will fit.
I love these mustangs. My dad and I are restoring his 78 mustang.
Glad to see some respect for the Mustang II.
I DID NOT know there were Mach 1s in the 74-78 range..... never even heard that get mentioned anywhere. you live and learn.nice car.
I just bought a 78 notch back with a swapped 302. Needs a little work but I'm gonna love it
I love my 75 Mustang II coupe, and my dad's 78 Mustang II Mach 1! Great cars
I had a 77 Mustang II, that car was a blast to drive, I wasn't going to break any speed records with it - but it was a fun car.
I bought a 76 Mustang II Stallion fastback brand new..loved it. Would love to have another..
“Mustang II, boredom zero’”. I drove one in high school. 1977-78
My first new car bought in Oct. 73 at Ezra Galpin Ford in Buckeye, AZ. LOVED IT ... man it was a head turner. Fastback 2.8L V6 Silver with Black Stripes. $2800.00. LOVE, LOVE, LOVED that car.
I always thought these were so cool looking.
Having owned a ‘78 Mustang II, I have a love/hate relationship with that gen. It was constantly breaking down on me.
My Aunt had one. It was so cherry looking. Ghia v8 with a trunk. She took us around San Fran and someone in the parking garage side swiped it. Broke my heart.
That car that you have featured on here is exactly the same car I had as my first car in '95, same color and all.... I'd love to find another one of those.
My first car was a 78 liftback. 2.8 ltr, 4 spd. Great gas mileage and loads of fun. I still think it's the best looking mustang, especially the king cobras.
Yes,you are correct about it being the right car for the time. I had a similar one to the one that you're driving. Mine was a Mach 1/4spd V6 white w/black interior. The interior I found to be very comfortable,and of very good quality. Although it was based on a Pinto platform it reminded me more of the imported Capri's in the way that it handled. The styling I felt was very good as well. The one that you show looks to be in very good shape for it's age. I would consider it a keeper.
I bought a 1978 mustang 2 in 1988 for $200. It had the 2.3L with the C3 automatic. I drove it stock until 1992, when i put a built and blueprinted 302 that i assembled myself, had the machine shop do a full rebuild on it, bored over, hot tanked, new valves and guides, crank ground and align bored. I assembled it myself with top name parts. Trw pistons, crane cam, eldebrock intake, holley carb, accel distributor, coil, wires, and ignition box. I built a c4 automatic with hardened planetaries, and a shift improvement kit . Thing would book. Had to add ladder bars as it kept breaking leaf springs from the torque. Eventually did a five lug conversion wirh a narrowed ford 9 inch rear with posi. All that was left was painting. Was driving home from work one night and struck a deer and went in the ditch, destroyed the front end and bent the unibody. Was unrepairable. I about cried. Ended up putting the engine in a 1978 ford f150 stepside 4x4.
My first Mustang II was a '78 Ghia V6,after a while my heart was sold to the Mustang II and I've started to collect them,my baby was a '78 Cobra II,here in Belgium only imported with the V6 but I replaced the engine to a 302ci V8,I had this one for 14 years,the good old days :-)
First car was a 74 2.3L loved it! It was my pride and joy. After that I had a 75 5L...those were the days!
I'm looking at a Mustang II or a Maverick for a project car/ fun daily driver. I love em and the people that don't respect them are just missing out on a good time. And just imagine rebuilding one of these with a younger car enthusiast. Planting that seed and getting them to fall in love with the hobby/ lifestyle we all love so much with a car they could actually afford...
This is a gorgeous T-Top Mustang, wow beautiful Color top that black with stainless steel trim mouldings Targa top with the Gold /Copperish WOW those Mustang II will be next thing you just watch it , I’ve always loved them ❤all the best from Adelaide South Australia 🇦🇺
I still dream of the Mustang II I drove in the 80's. We had a Ginger Glow '74 Ghia V6. It was good looking and a fun car to drive. My main complaint was tied to the rubber. If you didn't have good snow tires on, it could spin out pretty easy being rear wheel drive and front end heavy. The other, minor, complaint is the inside door handles and window cranks were made of that cheap metal that broke easy if pulled wrong. The hate this car gets must be tied to base models, because the Ghia was a great pleasure to drive compared to other small cars of the era.
I had to go to your website to see where you're located. Is that PA? Beautiful country roads, this car brings back vague and hazy memories but seeing it in the fall is superb.
Yes, it is!
My dad put a boss 302 engine in one of them. It was badass.
I had a coworker that had one, he would haul concrete cylinders around in his. We worked for a construction testing lab. It was a good car from what I remember.
I remember these cards as a kid what are used to see those more on a TV show Charlie's Angels I don't remember the other two angels had the basic Mustang and Farrah Fawcett had the cobra. I think the cobra looks much better
Seeing a mustang 2 always reminds me of Jacklyn Smith.
There was usually an opening shot of all three cars parked in front of the Townsend Agency. Jaclyn Smith drove a Mustang II Ghia (1976?) that was yellow with a brown vinyl top equipped with a V-8. Kate Jackson (later Shelley Hack and then Tanya Roberts) drove an orange Pinto. Farrah Fawcett-Majors (later Cheryl Ladd) drove a (1976?) King Cobra that was white with black striping. David Doyle drove a 1977 (later a 1978 and then a 1979) Ford Thunderbird and later a 1978 Ford Country Squire and then a 1980 Mercury Colony Park station wagon. These cars remained until the show moved to Hawaii for part of season 5 when all three drove customized Chevrolet Camaro convertibles (1980-81?). When the show moved back to California all three resumed using their original cars. Great video!
Actually Jaclyn Smith had a beige Mustang II Ghia in the show and then there is Kate Jackson who got that orange pinto of which the later year model she had in season 3 got passed onto Shelly Hack and you saw a lot of that Pinto in season Four then to Tanya Roberts of which was seen only in two episodes. I do recall in the last season of the show there was a lot of that Ghia seen in there. The Cobra did look hot then again Farrah looked hot in it.
Geoff Franklin Yep I drove one similar to Jaclyn’s only mine was turquoise with a velour interior and had the V6
I've owned my first car, a 74 Mustang ii for 39 years. It now sports a 69 351 4V and 4 spd toploader.
What headers are you running? I am installing a 351 in my ‘76 Cobra and not sure what headers will fit!
@@johngossert3908 I custom built my own with 1.75" primaries as I've been doing exhaust for my living since the mid '80s. A '74 didn't come with a V8 so that was an issue plus I used a steel lakewood scattershield and I set the engine back 4" for better weight distribution and make room for the radiator. A 351w is of course wider than a 302, don't think you'll find headers that fit but you're lucky yours is a '75-'78 model. You may have to take a cast manifold and cut the flange area off and nickle weld a new extension to it for the exhaust pipe to connect to.
In the early 80s this was the Aunt's Car. My aunts and most of my friends cool, party aunts drove this car. I can still see the roach clip in the ash tray. Cool car.
Having lived through the Mustang II era I have all kinds of respect for this car. While not fast at least most people could afford to drive this beauty. Yes it is a proper commuter car which helped a lot of us earn the money to buy the later hot Mustangs. As for looks, for the era, it looks great! Nice interiors with real colour quite unlike todays emphasis on grey, black, and possibly tan. I'd love to have a mint one today.
Facts are facts... this was the right car at the right time. Just have to remember it was a very different time. Awesome video!
I had a friend that had a 76 or 78 KING COBRA MUSTANG 2 with 2 4 barrels. . Nice ride
I bought a '75 Ghia coupe in '91. Already had a 302 in it. i blew that up and built up another one out of a van. I put all the goodies on the drive train and it ripped. Blew fox body 5.0s away all the time.
Just bought a 76 ford mustang cobra 2 garage find. It needs a lot of love but it has a 302 boss and 4 barrel carb. The engine only has 75k miles on it so I hope it works.
The 1974 Mustang II had a couple of style quirks exclusive to that year. The grill opening was smaller so the strip between it and the hood was wider. Also the gas cap sat lower on the rear fender. Just throwing that out there.
Former 74 Mustang II owner and you are correct. Also the 74 model had a horizontal bar across the front clearance lights in the grill. That bar disappeared in later years. I think that Ford moved the gas filler up in later years as the 74 configuration was always causing spillage and other issues when refueling as I recall. I did love that car though. It was my first car ( I bought it in 1983) which probably helps but I remember it as very comfortable and I always loved the looks of my hatchback. Thanks for the video.
Ford had to move the Rad ahead to fit the V8, so the Front header board and Hood had to be modified! People say that there was no V8 in 1974, but that is not true, there was a V8 Mustang made in Mexico in 1974!
Well said! Looking for a V6 T-Top now!
I was working a Ford dealer in NJ in 1975 and got to drive one of the first 302 powered Mach 1's It wasn't that fast compared to the 68 302 I was driving but none of the new cars at that time were.
My first car. A 1974 Mustang V6 hatchback, bought used in 1981. Not the most reliable car but I loved it.
Good video. I have a 78 mach1, yellow on black
In 78 I bought a red 76 stallion package hatchback with a 302 auto. It would do a one wheel burnout for miles. It was a great car.
Father had one in the 80's. More fun to drive than you would think
My first new car was a 1974 Mustang II Ghia V6 with 4 on the floor and a sunroof. It was my daily driver for 12 years. I wish that I still had it.
I've had 5 of them loved them fun to drive . I now have a 2010 gt500 and a 70 mach1 with a mustang 2 suspension kit way better now
I always said: "This car was important back then." In Brazil, Ford built a car with the same size and the same weight, but with a 4 cyl (1.6 liter), it was a Ford Del Rey. It was luxury back in the early 80s. Everybody hates it, because the 1.6 was too slow...well...I got one of this (1984 model), and it wasn't that bad. I guess, the Mustang II, will make the same impression on me. I drove 60s Mustangs...all of them was small-blocks.
Got me a King Cobra.....it's a project two (Get it)
I like the Mustang II, looks close to the original with a new flare.
I own a 1978 V8 Mustang with the t-tops as well and it is a very nice vehicle it's up at the shop right now and I can't wait to get it back on the road brakes blew out on me
😳I had one. That was my first Mustang a78 all 140 hp V8 🤥
I always thought the fastbacks were pretty cool looking. And the graphics they offered were pretty cool. And its a 5.0, you couldn’t ask for an easier and cheaper Ford motor to modify.
And c’mon, it has T-Tops!
Mustang 2 .. it’s incredible and it’s mine .. 🎵
Mustang ll Bordom 0. I've always liked the Mustang ll. I preferred the 1974 Ghia roofline to the 75 to 78. You could still get the old roofline, just not on a Ghia after 74. My sister had a 1976 Mustang ll Ghia MPG. It was a fun car to drive. A little underpowered and the gas mileage was not as advertised. Having driven both Pinto and Mustang ll, all I can say is I love both cars and would take both again if I could find nice one out there. Unfortunately they were not well loved and I remember seeing 100's of them In wrecking yards while picking through the different yards looking for stuff to fix up my Pinto in the eighties.
Great cars with plenty of hop up potential (and better looking than later models IMO). Much more in the spirit of the original than any other since 1966.
I suspect that the 6cyl has the best potential for all around road car due to weight advantage.
I can dig it man 😎
When this car has been sorted out another review-drive would be appreciated. With a modern engine and all the bits sorted out these are good cars. The heavy 5 mph bumpers were required by law, so if you want to remove those and put some lightweight chrome bumpers on you will get much better power to weight ratio. A 3.7 L Ford V6 would be a good engine to swap into a Mustang II.
I live near Austin, Texas and have a 1978 Mustang II bought brand new. It has the V8. I have kept it in good shape and it is kept in the garage. Even though the population of the Austin area is over 2 million, I only know of four other Mustang IIs around here. I also have a 1963 Ford Falcon. There are quite a few Falcons around, many more than the Mustang II.
Nice informative video thanks. Car sounds great
That’s a nice Mustang II. Had a 1977 Ghia which was a POJ and had the V6. The only redeeming thing about that car is Jaclyn Smith had one similar to mine in Charlie’s Angels. She looked good and still does.
Man, I drove a 75 Ghia. It had a sunroof that you manually opened with a window lever and pizza-cutter wheels. Don't forget the massive V8 stuffed inside.
Hello CJ,
Nice video of the rare Mustang ii.
I live in Germany and build a new Mustang II 1978 Coupe.
I'm looking for new and stronger springs (leaf springs) for the rear, which bring the car a little higher.
I've already seen some in the US, unfortunately they do not deliver to Germany.
Unfortunately, I did not find them on your site, could you include them in your program?
Nice greetings from Germany ;-)
i love the II with 1.2 million produced its funny how no body make parts for it. i realize they arent popular like the fox bodys but someone should make sheet metal for it.
MEMORIES!!!!!!
My father had this high performance Mustang 2 《same color》 and mom had a Pinto 《green》. I made $4 washing both cars in the 1970s. I think my parents took advantage of my child labor rates.
Great overview.
I had a '77 Mach 1 Mustang in metallic green. The dash in mine was pretty identical to what this one looks like. I was 20 years old and it was the first car that was mine, not a hand me down.
I kick myself in the you know what every time I think about when and what I traded it in for. Definitely a should have never got rid of it situation.
My First car was a New 1975 Mustang II at was the Only bad Car I ever had. The Pistons And Cam were shot at 18,000 miles as I learned that on the 2.3 a couple lubricating areas were eliminated. The Gas Mileage was a Measly 16 on the Highway. Every Ford that I have had ever since have been Fantastic and I have 11 Fords 3 Mercurys and 1 Lincoln. Very Happy FO MO CO Customer!!
I had a Mustang II "MPG". It had the 4 cyl. with the 4 speed, hatchback. At 44,000 miles the engine needed to be rebuilt, due to poor upper cylinder lubrication. At 86,000 the rebuilt motor was junk again. The 1st to 2nd syncronizers in the trans went out and when you shifted and took your foot off the clutch it would pop out of gear. As I was in construction, the majority of my miles were highway. You couldn't pass another car (on a two lane road) unless you had "plenty of" open road. Best time I had with it was when I got rid of it.
Ford also called the Mustang 2 the right car at the right time. My parents had a 1976 silver Ford mustang with red interior and of course it was an mpg trim which meant that it had the 2.3 L four-cylinder. The car was fantastic on gas, but for a family of three going on for it was too small. It also had a lot of problems due to lack of maintenance. I honestly hated that car growing up. Its replacement was a 1978 Ford Fairmont station wagon which wasn’t much bigger.
Love these the best!!😊
A few notes here, the 140hp 302 was rated "net" and has about the same HP as a 1965 Mustang with a 289 which war rated 200hp "gross". Although the 302 was rated at 140hp this is because it was breathing through a 275cfm carb, seems Ford thought strangling engines was a good way to increase HP (scratches his head). A 302 equipped MII with the Ralley Pack was tested and found to hit 0-60 in 9 seconds flat, this with 240ft/lbs of torque (net) running through 13" tires. The torque rating as well is around 300ft/lbs when corrected from net to gross. The MII's with a performer intake and a holley 600cfm would flat get it (based upon 1970's standards). And secondly, although it isn't a huge deal it is a peeve of mine, the MII was not "based" on a Pinto. The original design study used a highly modified Pinto chassis which which had it size increased for the MII. That was te design study chosen by Iaccoca for production. The MII shares no body panel or glass with a Pinto and has more Granada parts than Pinto. They were as cool as one could get back in the day...a day when automatic Trans Am's needed 10 seconds to hit 60, when a Z28 needed 9 seconds and these were running 4 barrels carbs.
Thank you!! I hate when I see people put this car down, If you lived during the time you would have known as you said "It was the right car at the right time"! And yes, I had a 1974 Mustang II Ghia, 4 speed 6 cyl. silver, moonroof ( with half vinyl roof).
Had a 78 notch in high-school. My pops and I built a nice sleeper out of it. Had over 300hp with a 4speed stick. Took some weekend money with it. Wish I still had it today. The price of these have gone way up last few years.
The V6 M-II version was somewhat easy to service, other than having to tilt the motor to swap out a starter.