There have been many variations of the Fox body Ford Mustang over the years, ranging from mild to wild. The special editions, Cobras, Saleens, ACS/McLaren and numerous others give collectors and fans endless variety when it comes to finding a car that fits their personal budget and tastes. This is a new one for me, however, as apparently Ford offered a Cobra trim line in the early 80s equipped with a 3-speed automatic and a 4.2L V8 engine. This 1981 Mustang Cobra listed here on craigslist is a bit of a project with an asking price of $9,500.
My favorite detail about this car is not the decal kit or the hood decor but the wheels. I’m not sure what they are, but I’d be willing to wager they’re worth a decent amount. Regardless, the rest of the Mustang needs some love, with rough cosmetics and weathered decals. The Cobra was more or less just an appearance package car, with some blacked-out cosmetic treatments, the option to choose the V8 or a 2.3L turbocharged 4-cylinder, and not a whole lot else, besides the decals.
It’s still a looker, however, and I can imagine when it was new, it had good street presence. That’s what Ford was often selling with the Mustang: a vibe or an appearance. It wasn’t exactly an era when performance cars were in season, so you had to make do with the purely emotional connection between the owner and a so-called muscle car. You could still claim to own a Mustang Cobra, even if it was a shell of its former self. The black-out treatment is evident here on the nose panel, as well as on the side-view mirrors.
What’s so strange to me is Ford didn’t choose to do much with the interior, with the cockpit of this Cobra looking more like a Ghia edition than a fire-breathing muscle car. It almost makes me wonder if this particular car is a hodge-podge of parts, but there’s no way to confirm that. The seller claims it is “…Cobra-style seating and trim,” so it’s supposedly correct. More importantly, the Mustang still runs and drives, even if the 115 b.h.p. engine is entirely ordinary. It looks good, sounds good, and it’s a Cobra – what more do you need? Thanks to Barn Finds Curvette for the find.
Jeff’s analysis is correct, and fitting. On the “looks” side, the Cobra package in 1981 consisted of the decal package and also the air dam and hood scoop. It also included suspension upgrades and the TRX tire/wheel package. This one has the T-tops but doesn’t have the cool Recaro seats. A Marti Report would tell us how many were built, but they are rarely seen today.
This one needs work but doesn’t look bad. As with all Fox Mustangs, there are many directions one can go with it.
It’s probably more of a project than the seller suggests. If it runs well, why not back it out of the garage for pictures? Speaking of pictures, why not show the rusty areas mentioned in the description? People on this site tend to love 4 eye Mustangs, but the asking price of $9,500 is a lot of money. You can find decent, late-90’s 5spd, 5.0 LX’s for a few thousand more, those would make for a better driving experience.
Steve R