Oh, how the mighty have fallen. The name “Cobra” is usually one of the most feared in the muscle car dictionary, and while we currently live in a golden era of horsepower and chassis tuning, it wasn’t always this way. The 1970s and 1980s need no introduction in terms of the cut-backs the high performance divisions of every automaker endured, and that’s perhaps why this early Fox body 1979 Ford Mustang Cobra didn’t spend its life in a car bubble parked in a south Florida garage, nestled deep in a retirement community. No, this one resides in Gilchrist County, Florida, a lifetime away from Palm Beach. Find the battered and bruised Mustang here on Facebook Marketplace for $500.
The 1979 Ford Mustang Cobra may have seemed like an opportunity to escape the memory of the much-maligned Mustang Cobra II, but that car at least could be spec’d with a 302! The 1979 Cobras were a breath of fresh air that customers didn’t necessarily want, with the 2.3L turbocharged four cylinder appearing under the hood, which featured a non-functional hood scoop. The performance wasn’t staggering, but the turbo mill still made more power than the optional 255 V8, which has the notoriety of having the lowest power rating ever for a Mustang V8. This year’s Cobra didn’t get some of the cosmetic add-ons like the later cars, such as the lower front air dam with integrated Marchal fog lamps.
This poor Cobra has been stripped of its engine, transmission, and sadly, its title as well. The interior is a blend of different parts and eras, with mismatched front and rear seats. The red carpeting paints a picture for me as to how striking the red and black Cobra must have been when new, but the original owner must not have wanted to pay extra for the Cobra hood decal. The interior was otherwise just a standard Fox body, though some truly rare birds exist like a Cobra with the Ghia-spec trim inside the cabin. The seller doesn’t mention whether the Cobra’s floors are solid, but hopefully that’s the one upside going for this car given its Florida location.
I’m not sure if this upholstery pattern was available on a 1979 model, as this backseat looks identical to the pattern seen in later GT cars. Regardless, that’s less important than deciding whether this Cobra should be returned to original form with a turbocharged engine, four-speed manual gearbox, and a Cobra hood decal, or upgraded to a later 5.0L V8. The car retains its original TRX wheels, so hopefully, the upgraded suspension components are still bolted on underneath. The hood scoop is a desirable upgrade, and is likely worth almost as much as the seller’s asking price – which again, is just $500.
Top pic- that bush has a human head on it!
That price may be too much for this starter project
Not sure if the engine and transmission is worth 500 to pull for another project.
I would drive it the way it is.
I would burn it the way it is…..
What’s with all the POS Mustangs on Barn Finds lately?
Would be fun to drop a revamped 289 in. If I lived closer thus would be in my garage getting a new life
Ps I happen to have a 68 289 and new C4 tranny just wish it was closer.
Emory Long…….
put the 289 in a chev……lol
Some purist would live that if i put the 289 and C4 in an old Camaro but not a bad idea.
lol…………
Looks like me the day after St Pats…
Sad Cobra. There probably is $500 in parts which are needed/ desirable/ useable. Probably, but not sure. Jeff, that is indeed a newer-model back seat. And one correction: the 302 was available in 1979, the 255 appeared later.
In 79 you couls get the 302. 80 and 81 was when the 255 was available
Another parts car,the seats look saleable,and maybe a few other select items strip it and scrap the shell.
This is a to make boat anchors!! Or give to Clyde? Right turn/scrap the car!!!
Its always a shame to see cars that have gotten to this condition. Buy it up, part it out and scrap the rest.
I’m probably in the minority here, but I’ve always thought the Fox body Mustangs as cheap looking and ugly , especially the the first few years with that header panel .
I actually bought this car a few months ago for my 15 year old son. Most people only see a piece of junk but it was my son’s dream car. Yes we have a lot of work that needs to be done but he’s willing to put both time and money into this car. I just wish I knew where to get all the parts we need
Belinda Dominguez…..
I am able to get parts for my 65 mustang no problem…You guys should have no problem…Will take some patience