As the owner of a family heirloom 1965 Mustang, I have long been immersed in the Mustang lifestyle, ever since I was a kid with a Mustang Monthly subscription back in the ’90s. Back then, the Mustang II was always the next big thing, as magazines did their best to give those polarizing cars a fair shake. Of course, the Mustang II never quite got there as the “next big thing,” but they’ve carved out their niche in the collector car world, and I always stop to look at one at a show. This 1978 Cobra II has a few tricks up its sleeve, and it’s for sale here on Hemmings Marketplace in Millersburg, Pennsylvania, with a current high bid of $13,500 (which hasn’t met the reserve). Thanks to PRA4SNW for the tip!
The first trick the Cobra II is hiding lies under the hood: Instead of the stock 139-horsepower 302 that was factory-stock, someone has installed a 351 Windsor with a neat “Cobra” dress-up kit. It has a Ford Motorsport aluminum intake manifold, Hedman “Hedders,” an electric fuel pump, and a Holley 600 cfm four-barrel. It’s backed by a rebuilt C4 automatic with a shift kit, so the only bad news is that the air conditioning doesn’t work. The Mustang II “runs and drives great.”
The other trick can be seen through the windshield, but sharp-eyed Mustang II fans have undoubtedly already noticed it. This car was repainted in its original “Polar White” back in 2008, but the painted over-the-top stripes (and vinyl side stripes) do not follow the pattern of the 1978 car, but rather the 1976-77 models. I personally like that stripe package better because it resembles the Cobra II’s forebear, the 1965 GT-350, so that’s a modification I can live with.
The interior is “very nice,” according to the seller, and the Mustang II hatchback was actually quite a practical platform, with plenty of luggage space. As always, I appreciate an interior that is more colorful than today’s mostly drab offerings.
The undercarriage appears to be in excellent condition, and you can only imagine what the exhaust system sounds like.
While the paint has some “minor blemishes” and the bumpers have some minor cracks, this looks like a fun driver for those who feel that the Mustang II has been unfairly maligned over the years. Some subtle modifications have put some of the muscle back into the Mustang II, and the Cragar S/S mags give it that muscle-car-era touch that it deserves. No, the Cobra II will never demand Shelby money, but it’s a fun and relatively inexpensive way to enjoy Mustanging. Maybe Mustang Monthly was right all those years ago.
The one Ford should have built.
Nice Mustang II for Bob in TN to cruise around in. 😎 A/C working 🧊 of course.