Should I encourage II ownership?

It's not for everyone. One of the best things about owning a II is the uniqueness of it. They must be the rarest Mustang on the street anymore. It's cool to be different, but you also pay a price for it.

Eos said:

Because of parts availability

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It's funny you should mention this today, because I was just taking more pictures today to add to the build diary, of the growing number of boxes of parts I have now. I have got an old single wide trailer out behind my workshop I use to store parts in, the living room is half full, the back bedroom is completely full, theres parts down the hall. I'm running out of room.

I have got to dis-agree on the parts availability problem. I have had my II just over a year, bought it in May of 04. And in that short time I have got almost every part I need to build this car, and I'm building it to show, not a daily driver. I have many boxes of NOS parts, and the other boxes are parts that have been restored to like new, either parts I have took off my car, parts cars, or parts from ebay.

The parts are out there, you just have to look. I've found mine at car show swap meets, parts cars, junk yards, other II owners, ebay, Ford, and some of the dealers who sale II parts like SSC, Fortuna.
Here's a couple of pics from my storage trailer.
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If more people owned IIs maybe the companies making reproduction parts for other year Mustangs would start making parts for us. (trying to be optimistic )

It definitely takes work tracking down II parts but so far I've found mostly everything I need on Ebay or through other II owners, etc.

There's nothing like finally getting your hands on that part you've been searching for. then opening that box with a NOS window crank in it is like opening a box from Tiffany's.

...still trying to find that elusive battery hold down and a radiator cover for a V6...

I don't try to sway them either way. Parts aren't as easy to come by as some cars, but if you really want it, you can usually find it.

I usually get comments like "I used to have a 197x Mustang II (typically a Cobra II), I should've never gotten rid of it."

I just love the scarcity of the IIs out here, much less ones in good shape and/or performance oriented.

If it comes down to a II going to a shredder or being saved by someone who has no clue, I go with saving the car.

I find new owners the funniest people ..... A Story:

I have a neighbor I want nothing to do with. Long Story.

The neighbor kid, who has a MachII, was a auto mechanics student at the local Vocational School where I bought the Lincoln. He saw me bringing it home and started talking to his teacher how the 5.0 will not fit in the II. Why? Because him and his 'Pappy' tried fitting a 302 Boss 2 bbl into his and the heads won't even clear the body, can't even get it in the car, pan don't clear and hangs way nose high .....

I don't know why the kid felt compelled to come down and tell me this. I think he's looking to pass the car off on someone, I want nothing to do with it, or them. I haven't bothered to look closer than when I drive by.

Kid also tried telling me his car is worth $12,000 because he's seen them worth that much on 'the computer'. Yeah, Kid, if they were valued at 12k it wasn't a car with shot paint and the engine hanging half way out.

The local Hooker will get this car, he asks me if I want it, I told him not to bother until the title is in his name.

......

This is an extraordinary case but my no means unique.

Then you have hte people who are new to IIdom and get upset when they find the cars are crapped on. Well, I have to admit it use to bother me too but in the past 25 or so years I don't really care. Unless I'm in a particurarly adversarial mood.

I care less when people cry about the lack of respect for the MustangII than the people calling my IIs a PintoStang.


I think the only thing that bothers me anymore are the people who buy a II and then whine about there not being an aftermarket, they cant do the call Summet, have the parts drop shipped and bolt them on and go ... Oh No , it's so hard to do anything with a II .... Ho My, ....

This is what I find so attractive about the car, that if you do anything your on your own.

Which brings me to this point: Unless someones resourceful, has imagination, is self relyant, damn, theres a word I'm looking for ....

Basically, you can give someone a factory II and unless they know what their doing, or care to learn, they can take that 0 mile II and turn it into a pile of scrap in no time.

So, Yes, Continue promoting the II, You youngsters fight the good Fight, because I guess someone should (seems like I'm contradicting myself?). I'm burnt out on it. Tired of hearing it.

Just be damned careful who you promote the II to.

The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.

Oh yeah, my first II?

Had a rot free battery tray.

Guess what I took before sending her off?

Just be honest... share your experiences both good and bad and let them make the decision. That is what everybody should do no matter what the car. If you know the person well enough then put yourself in their shoes.... would owning a II serve them well?

d

I do not have to encourage II ownership anymore. People look at my car and say DUDE! I want one of those... (not bragging it just seems to be the case.) However I say YES in general to promoting the II

Hey Wart, I call my car the Pintostang.

It just kinda stuck, with people always giving me crap about it.

and mine has the nickname "Super-Pinto"

I like Pintos, so I don't mind referring to my II as one, since they're so closely related.
A guy with a Lamborghini was running his mouth at a local car show about how he could out-accelerate any of "that old junk" in the parking lot. (There were built big blocks looming all over the place)
Sure enough, he pulls out of the car show followed by a certain II, most of the whole crowd saw him get humiliated by the little black "Pinto". Rule of thumb for mr. foreign-car boy; beware of "Pintos" that idle rough at 1300 RPM.

The way I see it, there is no reason to try to make people get into IIs.

People don't find IIs, IIs find people .

We don't need to talk people into buying one. If you do that, and they have a bad experiance, then they'll like the car even less than they did before.

I think it's fine to educate people about IIs, but I wouldn't try to recruit new owners. The cars and owners will find themselves.

I say just be honest tell them the good and the bad. When my car found me I had just lost my 95 stang with a whole lot of mods that I loved very much. I lost that car cause of a divorce. When I first got it I was kinda thinking maybe i shouldn't bother but i will tell ya now that it is painted and almost running right (if i can ever get it tuned in right). I love it and I have had great responses from all ages (except for maybe a few older guys who don't have rods anymore). been worth every pennie to me so I mostly say the good things.

Eos said:

I just get tired of questions like "are they reliable, and whats the economy" Some people think they are more economical then other mustangs. WELL THEY WERE IN THE 70's!!! You think MY II is economical?? 5.0 carbed 4 barrel, cammed and probably running a little rich. Yeah..... And reliable my ass. It's 30 freaking years old! It's had an engine swap and on its 3rd tranny since I've had it! Ofcours I blame that one haveing fox transmissions. So yes, its just as reliable as any other restored car it's age. AND I don't expect it to be reliable! Thats why I only drive it when I get the itch too. And don't care about not listening to the radio while driving.

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HEY!
I drove my II everyday back and forth to work for about 7 months, 22 miles each way, 11 miles per gallon highway, maybe 2 around town if I'm easy on it, but absolutely 100% reliable.
Since I've owned the car, it's only broken down once, about 14 years ago, when a brand new "cheapie" stock-type fuel pump failed the same day I installed it.
Making my car reliable is my primary goal, performance being secondary, followed by economy. I can't STAND cars that break down on me.

Edit: When I say break down, I mean leave you stranded on the road. My car has broken a lot of parts(aka transmissions) from racing it, but it's always brought me home.

You're right about the II finding you. My 78 Coupe was my first car, got it 6 years ago and drove it for for about 2.5 years with no major problems. I sold it for 800 to fund a rebuild the motor in my new (to me) 86 convertable. That 86 found it's way to the scrapper when I bought my 90 GT convertable, then I ran into the person I sold my II to and bought it back for 300 and a tune up on her new (to her) mustang.

Now I'm working on making it as reliable as ever, I plan on driving this car daily when I get her running, almost done with the engine btw.

I've used mine as a daily driver many many times, for extended periods.

As for constant repairs, every old car is going to need some. Then there's the whole issue of being proactive or reactive. I like to replace items like belts, hoses, tires, wipers, brakes, etc BEFORE they take a dump on me. Or worse yet, the wife. There's a phone call I don't need. Personally, I wouldn't own a car I couldn't jump in and go anywhere I wanted without worrying.

Guys like Wart and myself (and I'm sure other older folks, too) may often come across as going to extremes on some of this stuff, but we've learned that it's better to do it once, and do it right. Sadly, in today's world, and especially concerning old cars, that means doing it yourself. Unless, of course, you have DEEP pockets and can hire the likes of Foose or Trepanier to build one for you. (And for the record, I wouldn't be too proud of some of the crap I've seen passed off on Overhaulin). They must be paying him some SERIOUS green to put his name on that crap.

I like to think of the II as a pleasure craft. It is too old to be a car. Like a jet ski, ATV or snowmobile it is a fun week-end vehicle. Not to say I am afraid to drive mine, I hop in mine and cruise to car shows three hours away. I guess it would also depend on how far you had to drive. When I had a 1 1/2 hour comute every morning, I would not dream of driving the II to work everyday, now that I have a 15 minute comute I may drive it to work once in a while in the summer. I personally care for my car too much to drive it daily. People have no respect for other peoples cars. I guess it would depend on your situation. I spent practacally a years sallary and nine years rebuilding/restoring every nut & bolt on mine. If you lived in a warm climate and you only sunk a few G's into a II, it would be a cool daily driven old car I suppose. I would want a back-up ride for sure though. You can find virtually any part for a II if you look hard enough, but would you want to depend on an E-bay delivery to get you to work in the morning?

Scary story: My local well stocked auto parts store no longer stocks Fram PH8A oil filters anymore! "Car manufactures stopped using those filters years ago, it is no longer a popular part number" said the parts dude!

Nail in the coffin for me: Ford was recently bragging about how the largest vehicle in their fleet 2005 (the Ford Expedition) gets better gas milage then their smallest car in the 70's(the 4cyl Pinto!) With gas at $1.27 a litre I will be driving my thirsty Mach on sunny sundays