In my home state of Michigan, I’ve been seeing some very nice ’78 Mustang II King Cobras at car shows and cruises – not all the time, mind you, but enough that I’ve noticed. While the Mustang II in any of its variants is unlikely to ever become the force in the hobby that the first-generation has long been, it’s an offbeat way to be a part of the Mustang legend, a Mustang for people who want to be a little different. The King Cobra will therefore stand out not only for its over-the-top graphics and scoops but also for its relative rarity. This King Cobra on eBay was purchased by the current owner in 1982 and has been fastidiously maintained since then.
One of the oldest complaints about the Mustang II is its lack of power, but in reality, the King Cobra was no weakling by the standards of 1978. No, the two-barrel 302 was no match for the small blocks that came before or would come after, but it could still power the Mustang to 60 in about 10 seconds. Embarrassing today, but 46 years ago? Most Camaros and Firebirds weren’t doing any better. This one has 97,000 miles on the clock and factory air conditioning (which needs a hose replacement, a charge, and ???). The engine compartment looks very clean.
So does the interior. While I love the available plaid cloth upholstery, this saddle-colored (chamois?) vinyl is tasteful, even if the exterior graphics are not. This King Cobra has the automatic, but the 302/C4 combination is about as reliable a powertrain as one could ever buy in a Ford product.
The seller includes a number of detailed photographs showing a spectacularly solid original car. The absence of even a speck of surface rust on the undercarriage is unreal, especially for a car that’s being sold in Lakewood, New Jersey. Kudos to the current owner for recognizing this special car early on and taking care of it for all these years. You can see that the catalytic converter is still in place, in addition to the factory single exhaust. It would be tempting to install a set of duals with a pair of mild turbo mufflers, but it’s too nice a car to mess with.
Yes, the King Cobra is disco on wheels, but in a beautiful, muted “Dark Midnight Blue,” it’s not a bad looking car at all. There are three days to go on the auction, and the top bid so far is $8,300 (it has not met the reserve). If you’re looking for a Mustang that you won’t see at every show you attend, the King Cobra may be for you.
Good write-up Aaron. Looks like a well-maintained Mustang II which has benefitted from long-term ownership. I agree, the dark blue paint tones down the look a bit. Thorough ebay ad. For the II enthusiast, lots to like here.
Not only does this Mustang II look good up top, but wow, look how clean under the hook and the entire underside of the car as well. Its hard to tell in the interior photos if the seats faded different or if its just a trick of the light, but the dash pad looks good along with the door panels. These rims were my absolute favorite on these as well, I always thought they dressed up the car nicely. Hope it goes to a good new home and gets thebsame care its gotten over the years.
Very clean little Mustang II. The only obvious sign of its mileage is that armrest that looks out of place given the rest of the car.
Can someone clarify for me?…did the King Cobras all forego the stallion logo on the grille?
If the AC needs a hose and a charge – why not do it and price it accordingly? I never believe that it’s just a charge – it had to leak out someway and that is only determined by a leak test etc.
I’d saw that catalytic converter off, first thing. A nice set of duals, and a 4bbl set up. Leave the rest alone. Beautiful II!
The seller seems to have carefully avoided direct photos of the pop-up sunroof and doesn’t mention it in the eBay ad, probably because it’s aftermarket. The sunroof was not available on hatchbacks.
A 4bbl and headers would be a good place to start with the hp dept.would be better off coverting to a 134a A/C system.Trying to fix the R12 system is too much of a hassle.I do have a stockpile of R12 replacement for the older vehicles like this.
with that air dam, hood bulge, wheels this bears a striking resemblance to a 70-80s Aston Martin Vantage…
Was just thinking the same thing.
If they’d have made this car 1/4 bigger it would have been a widely sought after classic.
As is I like them but I don’t love them.
Could one special order the “King” without the hood decal?