This 1976 Ford Mustang Cobra II is claimed to be a survivor-grade example, but it does have some rust issues and a torn apart interior to address. The seller says it runs and drives, but they’ve only piloted it around their property. As a 302/automatic car, the Cobra II is a desirable specimen, but sometimes they become parts cars for pillaging the drivetrain if the body isn’t up to the task. Find the Cobra II here on eBay with a few bids over $1K and the reserve unmet.
While I’ve always liked these cars, my taste for the Cobra II is very specific: it has to be black or red, with the emblems on the hood and the gold mesh wheels. This one doesn’t check any of those boxes, with aftermarket wheels and tired white paint with blue stripes. In some ways, this paint combo likely offends Cobra purists even more because of its similarity to the classic Cobra everyone loves and gets misty-eyed about when discussing the Cobra II.
Now, the interior is not what I’d call survivor grade. Obviously, removing the carpets always looks bad, but why remove them? The glue residue is hardly an attractive look and the door panels are torn up, too. The seller, to their credit, is including a bunch of NOS and near-mint (apparently) parts that could help solve some of these issues, including uncut door panels, a crack-free dash, Cobra emblems, and a replacement back seat.
Rust is described as being in the “typical” locations, and the lack of long-range driving doesn’t help assuage any concerns about mechanical health. While these are fairly bulletproof vehicles, they also come up for sale fairly regularly – so which one should you buy? The work that’s needed here is not overwhelming, and depending on where the reserve is set, could be a reasonable example to restore. Putting aside the hate for the Mustang II, is this a Cobra worth restoring?
I’ve got to ask because I can’t remember: is this the same model from Charlie’s Angels? My memory ain’t what it used to be! This wouldn’t be on my list of cars to save and return to the road. But that’s just me. I would certainly hope that someone would save it. Although they made a ton of these, and they sold really well for the era, you just don’t see them around anymore. I do like it in red better too, but this does have the classic look to it. I have to disagree about the carpets. Taking them out is the right thing to do. Once carpets are all nasty and stained, and there’s a question of rust and what could be lurking under those carpets, I think it’s the right thing for a seller to do to take them out. Let a potential buyer know what they’re getting. It’s kind of like pulling a car out of a barn or garage after 30 years, covered in decades of dust and whatever else. Sure I love the pictures of what it looks like right after it sees the sunshine for the first time in decades. But then wash and clean it! Let the buyers know what they’re getting themselves into. Just my two cents.
yessir, Farrah’s sporty ride was a mostly identical Cobra II. Hers had the lace aluminum wheels.
memory is Jaclyn Smith’s transport of choice was a Mustang II Ghia while Kate Jackson had do make do with a dang Pinto
I would rather see a bare floor than ratty old carpet any day. This also lets you see the condition of the metal.
Ok, yea, it has survived. But it is not what we would describe as a survivor. Just not nice enough. However, this little Mustang II would be a great candidate for a restoration! Who can find a blow up doll of Farrah to sit on the hood??
Funny how they had to put venetian blinds (louvers) on all of the widows back then because they had not invented window tint film yet.
& funny that they had proper size windows to see out of, more than 50 separate distinct options(meaning a base car almost any avg family could afford), MUCH greater choices of colors inside and outside, FULL door glass styling, no tacky plastic trim around side windows, non yellowing/non clouding headlights, leg room in the back seat, much kewler rear spoilers, ALL blue, etc. interiors & beautiful racing mirrors back then. Compare the latter to the oversized ugly plastic crap ones on today’s ….
Karguy James , Window tint film was invented in 1966 ….you’ll find this car is 70s lolol
When looking at the interior picture, I immediately thought the car smelled like wet dog.
Most if not all classic cars and trucks deserve restoring and this one is no different. It’s history and to the Mustang II haters without these the Mustang name plate would not have survived 50 years unbroken like the Camaro and Challenger.
personally, I don’t like the graphics it looks to me at the very least could use a repaint , which for me would be a pearl white . Recently I went to a car show ( low profile one, maybe 50 or 60 cars) this one gentleman had one of these, that looked great.. apparently he got it ” totaled” had to replace the front clip ( said it was a show car to begin with) and it looked showroom . I will admit when these were released I thought they were a slap in the face for FOMOCO but they have grown on me and the fact u don’t see them everyday , but with todays technology, can improve the performance, and handling, and it would be eye catching
Let’s see…1976. I was in the market for a new car and needed to get something quickly. I had a Ford product previously with a V8 and top loader 4-speed. Options at the time? Camaro, Firebird, Corvette – all more expensive with high insurance rates. So, I bought a black Cobra II Mustang V8, 4-speed. 0-60 was about 10 seconds! It was tight inside, but it did have a hatchback and that was handy. Insurance wasn’t horrible because it was an economy car to them. It was new and a little different from all the other Camaros and Firebirds on the road. Sometimes you just need some decent, reliable transportation that’s affordable and has a little spirit to it. The mid-seventies were bleak times for performance cars and it was depressing.
To each his/her own, but I’d sooner put restoration money into a same-year Maverick. I’ve never warmed up to the Mustang II.
My 1st car was a ’76 Mustang II Ghia I Loved it. But i always aspired to have a Cobra like this. If i had the time, money and a place to work on them I’d own this one and a Ghia I just found the other day too.
Had a ‘74 maverick was a corvette killer with 4 doors and a stock straight 6. Had a Mustang II for a while with cooling problems in the V6.had to get rid of it had a growing family and no money to spare.
My son had 2 of these both 78s 1 was white and called a Stalion and his girl friend wrecked it! The other was a red King Cobra with a tired engine we swapped engines and found the same date code on the engines! Checking out the titles the cars were 1 number apart!!! the red King Cobra now has a matching motor HUH What, and with work this car was a beast…
To those who never owned or drove one i had 3 of them 1 76 v8 4speed and 2 78s v8 autos one t-top one cobra all had 8″ rears . If the price was right id buy another one hands down ! They were fun and the earlier mustangs were ugly and heavy . And for most the mustang II suspension is most used in hot rods today !
As time goes on this COBRA 2 will surprise everyone as it’s not a car that has been checked under the muscle car category .but less around will pull the price up .cheap to buy now but wait 10 years . nice shape car for 1500 will bring you 8 to 10,000 if sold !! can’t get that in interest from your bank !