The 1978 Mustang II might not make as many top-ten lists as some of the other offerings for fans of Ford’s pony car, but taking into consideration how buying preferences were changing by the time the next generation was introduced as a 1974 model, it scored highly in providing good fuel-efficiency, a subject that was on everyone’s mind as the scare from the oil crisis loomed. The car was smaller but retained a sporty appearance, with nearly 386,000 finding homes during the first year of production, an almost two-thirds sales increase over the 1973 model. This 1978 example has only been driven 32k miles and features the best drivetrain available at the time, so if you’ve been looking for a final-year-model Mustang II, this one’s probably worth checking out.
We’d like to offer a big Barn Finds thank you to reader Tony Primo, who spotted this fine pony and sent us the tip! Buyers had to wait until 1975 to equip their Mustang II with a V8, as only the 2.3-liter inline-four and 2.8-liter V6 were available during the inaugural year. However, the 302 Windsor returned in ‘75, and that’s what can be found under the hood here. By this time it was only rated at around 140 horsepower, but for the period this was considered a fairly respectable number, especially for a car this size. The seller mentions that the 5.0 has a new carb, spark plugs, and high-performance plug wires, along with a new radiator and fresh hoses.
There’s no word on whether or not the white paint is the original factory finish, or if this one’s gotten a respray at some point, but it’s said to have been kept inside a garage and both the paint and vinyl top seem to be in decently-preserved condition. I kept thinking that was a chip on the hood, but it’s only a shadow from the antenna topper, and more good news is there are no obvious signs of rust showing on any of the panels.
To be nearing half a century old, the interior appears to be in exceptionally well-preserved condition, which is a favorable indication that the low-mileage claim is perhaps accurate. This one seems very nice overall and it’s located in Chicago, Illinois, so if you’re ready to move forward this 1978 Ford Mustang II can be viewed here on Craigslist. The seller has posted an asking price of $13,000, which sounds reasonable based on the condition, engine type, and low miles. What are your thoughts?
Looks like a clean, straightforward II. Has had recent mechanical updates completed. V8 power. I’m fine with the coupe body style.
My first mod would take about 30 seconds: ditching the fuzzy dice. Detailing the engine compartment would be time well spent.
Prices for nice Mustang II’s have been creeping up for quite a while now.
First thing I’d do is find a correct set of wheels and wheel covers. I can live with the dice.
This is a really nice sample though. Unfortunately, I seldom see IIs around, even at shows.
Glorified pinto?
Especially since Ford learned how to shoe-horn a V8 into one.
Beyond the 4 and 6 cylinder drivetrains and corporate parts (which all Ford products used), there is very little commonality between the Mustang II and the Pinto.
Nice Deuce Bob
No. Only a few things interchange. Old myth about glorified Pinto.
nope
Let’s give Ford a thumbs up as they keep the lil pony car going even during the years of less ponies like 1974 etc.. . Ford didn’t stop production like Chevrolet with the Camaro did twice and now stopped again. (Poor judgement with my thoughts)
This at least has a 302 engine and a smaller body weight to move the car along. I liked the lil small King Cobras back in the day .
Good luck with the sale of my “lil Pony” Fords….
Ask a guy if his Fox body had a 302 once upon a time,he said no it has a 5.0…
🤣
Asking$13k?A little on the high side for whats been done.only modest performance gains at best….To make some real hp numbers you need different heads(2.02/1.60)valves,a more aggressive cam,full roller valvetrain,headers and a MSD ignition system,600cfm carb and a few other things…It has potential though
I’d like to hear the rest of that list!
Beautiful looking car. Although I was way too young during the time this was offered to drive a car, I remember finding this car the best looking Mustang offered. Was it perfect? Define perfect!
That asking price is only justifiable if that mileage can be proven.
By the looks of the car and the type of recent work done to it, it definitely suggests that it sat for a very long time, so mileage could be accurate.
Given the condition, I’d be willing to pay between $10k and $15k for the car.
The original two-barrel carb is gone, so the original intake manifold was swapped out (factory cars were two-barrel only in 1978). Good condition overall, but it will be hard to tell what kind of shape the roof is in under the vinyl top (Yuck!). A fair price for a nice clean driver, IMHO.
Three color cars are a real curiosity. Many here will have an opinion, good or bad. Tri-tone was attempted in the fifties without mass acceptance. The brain can process two colors, be it shades or contrast. However, introducing the third color causes chaos and confusion. As for me, I think it is pretty cool but I’m glad you don’t see it often.
No AC? What a bummer, that’s pretty much all it lacks. Maybe a better intake was added when changing to a 4V for a little more power.
I like the Mustang II especially in coupe form. The automatic is a show stopper, unfortunately, and the vinyl roof is a little disappointing.