What defines a sleeper? This 1975 Ford Mustang II looks pretty lame. It originally came from the Ford factory with a 302 cid V8 engine and C4 automatic transmission. However, now the car sports a more potent electronically fuel injected 5.0 liter engine from a later Fox body Mustang. Mitchell G. found this ad here on Craigslist. The seller is only asking $4,500. It is located in Litchfield, Massachusetts west of Boston.
After a year without a V8 in the Mustang (1974), Ford decided that a 302 cubic inch V8 with two barrel carburetor would be enough for the 1975 Mustang II. It only produced 140 horsepower. While the 302 cubic inch V8 was a shadow of its former self, it at least was a better performer than the 2.3 liter 4 cylinder base engine. Road and Track tested the V8 Mustang II and recorded a top speed of 106 mph and 0-60 time of 10.5 seconds. However, the owner of this car installed what looks like a mid 1980’s 5.0 liter engine. This should be a real improvement in performance.
The rest of the car looks stock with white seats and a maroon interior. Two tone interiors were popular in the 1970’s. I used to own a 1974 Pontiac Super Duty Trans Am with red seats and black dash. This car looks fairly stock with the exception of maybe the speakers cut into the doors. There is not console but one nice feature is that the parking brake is mounted between the seats instead of under the dash like many GM and Chrysler cars.
Ford sold a lot of Mustangs and for good reason. Sales were declining leading up to the middle of the 1970’s and sales for the Mustang increased from 135k in 1973 to 386k in 1974 when the Mustang II was introduced. Sales dropped to 199k in 1975 but were still above the levels seen in the prior generation. When Ford introduced the Mustang II in 1974, it shortened the car by 19 inches and the Mustang lost almost 500 lbs. With it rack and pinion steering, it is said to handle better than the prior generation Mustang.
Some things need clarifying in your article: The speakers in the doors are factory. The original 302 in 1975 is the same one that you could only get in 2 barrel form from 1969-1979 and had the same HP in 1973 and 1979. So Ford didn’t “detune” or “demasculate” anything for the Mustang II. That happened in 1980 and 1981 when they put. 255 under the hood with 117 HP. #FactsNotFiction
I always thought that would be a good engine swap if a person could find a clean Mustang II King Cobra V-8 4-sp car to start with.
You mean like this one? https://barnfinds.com/521-cid-racer-1977-ford-mustang-ii-cobra/
Given the condition of the body, the asking price doesn’t seem far out of line. Given how common Fox Body Mustangs are, an engine swap from a 1987-93 5.0 is an inexpensive and easy way to add needed spice to a much-maligned car you can still buy dirt-cheap without worrying about its value.
That is an EFI engine. There had to be a fair amount of re-wiring done. Hope it was done right!
Ford in the 70s had those door speakers, even in the Lincoln lineup, the 302 wasn’t that horrible in that car, just a little nose heavy, should be an interesting ride with the 5.0, which is still a 302
It might even be just a hair lighter, since I think that the original 302 used a cast iron intake manifold, but the EFI versions used an aluminum intake instead, for a minor weight savings, IIRC.
The toughest part about that conversion was the wiring to make the EFI work! The rest was hard work, but straightforward. The Mustang II front suspension is the gold standard in upgrades for a lot of cars, so maybe just a stiffer front subframe with some new shocks, springs bushings and sway bars would go a long way to tightening up the handling. The options in the rear are more limited, with just a solid axle and leaf springs to work with, but there’s room for improvement there as well. The good news is the body appears to be solid, with no rust, so that makes a big difference!
But its still a Mustang II LOL
True, but there are some things about Mustang II’s that were actually, dare I say it, good! Like the IFS setup that has become a “Gold Standard” among restomod builders. Hop up parts for the 302/5.0L are plentiful and relatively cheap, especially when sourced from your local junkyard, er, excuse me, auto recycling facility, LOL! Adding subframe connectors and torque boxes will stiffen up the body somewhat, if these didn’t already come from the factory so equipped. Small, lightweight and cheap once upon a time, although the few survivors that remain are rising in price. Yes, there’s a lot to like in these Malaise Era models, despite their annoying tendency to disintegrate when exposed to road salt, LOL!
Litchfield is NH. not MASS north of BOSTON
Or possibly Litchfield, CT, South of Boston, LOL!