Real-live 4 cyl Cobra II on ebay

[Wart]

After all, it's not like they are the standard by which you need to be accountable or judged, unless you somehow feel a need for their blessings.

You like my II? Thanks. I like it too.

OR

You don't like my II? Ok, I guess since it's not yours you don't have to.

 

[dmoody]

I think I mispoke/didn't think about the posts I wrote. I do not plan on selling this car, so resale value or making money isn't on my mind at all. When completed, it will hopefully be priceless to me. I just meant I don't want to get crapped on for having a 4 banger. I know how it is in the modular world. I'm just hoping the classic world is different. But my mind has defintely been made up for keeping it original

I've been to lots of car shows and I *love* cars. To me, they are like works of art. Unless you go to a really big show, you won't see a II. I went to an MCA regional show last year and seen every generation of Mustang represented by several cars but not a single 74-78 Mustang. So I'll say that when a II does show up, I'm thrilled.. and I usually talk to the owner. I don't do that with my 68 fastback.

As far as originality, I respect those who keep cars original, especially IIs. It is preserving history and the 70's were definitely an interesting time period of American culture. However there are many out there who know little to nothing about our generation of Mustangs. They will see the four cylinder in your car and look no farther. Even in the classic world, non-V8 stangs tend to fall dramatically out of favor. You can take a highly optioned six cylinder 66 convertible Mustang and put it up against the same Mustang with a V8 and it will bring 8-9k less.

d

 

[DarkFireGT]

Again, thanks to everyone for all the opinions. Now if only my work would give me my vacation week so I can go pick the thing up!!!! Been fighting with them since saturday.

 

[Mustangj]

For the most part, most part, your list is accurate.

I worded it kinda funny. The C4 it self is nothing special just a removeable bellhousing style C4. My 74 Mach 1 was a 6cyl, My T-top 2+2 was a 6cyl, My 1978 Ghia was a 6cyl and my Current 78 Mach 1 T-top was a V8 car. I swapped 8's into them all save for the 74. My 4cyl Knowledge is a little fuzzy. I owned a 1978 Merc Bobcat with a 2.3l and a C4, but I never messed with it. (winter beater for the 76 Cougar XR7) I have had my current car for 9 years, what has to be swapped where for how much is getting cloudy. Are V8 and 4cyl frame mounts the same?? (I know at least one, maybe both 6cyl ones are different). I remember thinking when I swapped the 6 for the 8 why won't that freakin' motor mount sit proper All my II's were Auto, so my Manual trans Mustang II knowledge is minimal. I put a clutch in my Friends V8 1978 Cobra once, but that's about it. I forgot about the Hooker Headers! Are they huge bucks? Do they fit better then the Black Jacks/ Dynomax headers? My headers are 13 years old! I use my angle grinder with a wire brush on it to clean off all the old paint and re-paint them inside and out every season.

 

[Mustangj]

Well my car is "valuable" to me due to sentimental value... but sentimental value doesn't mean **** unless you are the owner.

Mustang II's make me smile. When I was young me and all of my friends had one. When I drive the II to my friends houses they always grin ear to ear when they see it too. The II always changes the conversation from stress, work, morgages, RRSP's minivans, kids, wives, x-wives to remember when we did that huge burn-out in front of the Police chiefs house....or that time we raced to the bridge..... My friends all had a good chuckle when my II got appraised for $8000 (Canadian). [for the classic car insurance] I have at least twice that into it by now. I never plan to sell it, so I don't care. Not many things in this world can take away your stress and make you feel 18 like a II does. My friends wife said "You could have bought a new Mustang for what you have into that thing". I said "A new Mustang is just a car".

"Takes you away from the every day" truth in advertising

 

[Eos]

I totally agree with you MustangJ, I'm just saying what other people think. My dad has put probably 10k in my II and it needs another 10k in it. lol

 

[THE COBRAMAN]

My friends wife said "You could have bought a new Mustang for what you have into that thing". I said "A new Mustang is just a car".

Damn! That pretty well says it all right there.

I always wonder how the people with a year old car can be proud of winning best original at a show.

Along the same line as your statement, the owner of any other generation of Mustang will likely never know the blood, sweat, tears , cussing, agony, disappointment and joy that working with a II brings. Somehow, opening a catalog and ordering all the parts needed in one call seems to have become the world's idea of restoring a car. That's why I don't get excited about repro parts...most of it is junk, sold on the basis of being cheap and better than the 40 year old unrestored part. In reality, they're neither. The hobby has, for the most part, become a group of people that know nothing of their cars, other than ordering parts and installing them. I had the most fun(?) building IIs when you could still find donor cars in the yards, or score that hard to find piece through classifieds, boards or even ebay, then recondition the part and install it, knowing that some kind of care went into making it part of YOUR unique car.

 

[THE COBRAMAN]

I totally agree with you MustangJ, I'm just saying what other people think. My dad has put probably 10k in my II and it needs another 10k in it. lol

As Mark has already pointed out, who gives a rat's ass what other people think? If you do, you have no business being a II owner.

BTW, that was not directed specifically at you, Megan, but to the world at large.

 

[Wart]

Mustang II's make me smile. When I was young me and all of my friends had one. When I drive the II to my friends houses they always grin ear to ear when they see it too. The II always changes the conversation from stress, work, morgages, RRSP's minivans, kids, wives, x-wives to remember when we did that huge burn-out in front of the Police chiefs house....

Or the time ...

I backed out of the parking space at Burger Cheff ... Friend says do a burnout ... I look up the street, I look down the street, no cops! and I"m good to go!!

I light off and make a truly impressive amount of smoke ... I check my work in the mirror and .... Damn, I should have looked in the mirror before cutting loose because all I could see of the cruiser was the light bar.

Memories ....

"You could have bought a new Mustang for what you have into that thing". I said "A new Mustang is just a car".

 

[Eos]

As Mark has already pointed out, who gives a rat's ass what other people think? If you do, you have no business being a II owner.

BTW, that was not directed specifically at you, Megan, but to the world at large.

I love my II but I knew nothing about them being so hated when I bought them. Not that that would have affected my decision. But I still don't get it.

 

[Stang2Man]

Daily driving my 04 GT, and swapping off once a week or so to drive my Ranger or 92 GT. It's a much better feeling climbing in the Ghia, and just taking it for a spin. Do I care what anyone thinks of my cars NOPE. Do I know what they're worth, YEP. To me, a car is only worth what someone is willing to give for it. I've yet to find anyone with enoug cash to purchase any of my II's with the exception of the 76 Cobra I stripped down last summer.
There are tons of us into the II's and most of us here have modified what we have in someway, so in that sense we don't have a foot to stand on to tell anyone else not to modify, however, history must be preserved somewhere, and some of the beaters we've all seen running around our towns shouldn't be the representatives of what was original in the 70's on the II's. What should be represented is what we all know in these cars.
But that's just my opinion.

 

[LXXVICOBRA]

There are tons of us into the II's and most of us here have modified what we have in someway, so in that sense we don't have a foot to stand on to tell anyone else not to modify, however, history must be preserved somewhere, and some of the beaters we've all seen running around our towns shouldn't be the representatives of what was original in the 70's on the II's. What should be represented is what we all know in these cars.
But that's just my opinion.

Agreed...and clearly it's always the owners choice whether to modify or not. In this instance, I suggested not doing so, simply because of the uniqueness of this particular powertrain in the Cobra II model. In fact, when you think about it, it's not too common seeing any 4cyl II's running around any more, much less at a car show.
The fact that (DarkFireGT) has no previous ownership or experience with II's (and asked for opinons as well) is what prompted me to point him in a particular direction. I especially felt it was best he knew the car also held some particular/ additional special interest value, aside from being just a Cobra II. (Even though this value wouldn't necessarily add to it's overall monetary worth in most cases, and might even detract from it...depending on future buyers, if ever offered for resale).

The II's are certainly now historically old enough, to be considered for purchase and restoration for reasons other than hotrodding in certain instances...especially when the subject car is somewhat rare by it's powertrain and is still in basically unmodified condition. Part of the beauty of owning this 4cyl (Cobra), is that so many people are unaware that they even existed as such in the first place....and those that were aware have probably never seen one in person. I know that I saw one back in '76, new on the lot, and haven't seen another one since. I don't even recall pictures of one in magazines at the time. The cars with V6's got some press...but the V8 models got most of the reviews.

Since base model II's (except Mach1's) came standard with 4's, I'd suspect that most Cobras and Ghias ordered for both dealer stock and customer factory order came with 6's or 8's. Regular plain jane fastbacks with 6's and 8's would likewise be a little less common overall, followed by regular (non Ghia) notchbacks with 8's being about as common as Cobras with 4's.

 

[DarkFireGT]

Everyone I've shown it to has been impressed the way it is Now I just need to go get the danged thing. Think I've got it worked out for this coming week.