Why you chose a II?

Ok, so my First II was my Third Mustang.

I had a '67 Coupe with I6 and 3 sp top loader, and later a '71 Grande with 302.

There was a Wagon in there but Goose is another story.

That the II was the best foundation to date was redily evident.

AH HA! So the truth comes out! lol

I was driving a 72 Pinto. Wife and I had just gotten married, and wanted a car "we" bought. Ford dealer tried to sell us a used 75 Cobra II, V6. Next to it was a new 76 V8 Cobra, Black/Gold. We drove it out of the showroom that night for a road test, we were sold. We shook up the small hot rod croud we hung around with... we had the only Ford! It was not the fastest, and maybe not the best looking, but it earned everyone's respect. It kept up with all of the Chevy's and never broke down. They rebuilt every winter, not the stang.
We still have it and it is being rebuilt for the first time, I hope it lasts another 185,000 miles.

Wow, I wish mine would run that good. =(

I had never even heard of the car. Then when looking for a car after I got my license, I saw it on a dealer lot. It was beat to hell, but I wouldn't want anything else. I was so excited that I got it that when I finally signed the papers and was able to drive away, I didn't see the guard rail slope down, and I hit it pretty good. It didn't even seem to bother me though. It was my first car and hopefully will be my last

My wife's father is a hot-rodder; '32 Chevy and '56 Ford Ranch Wagon, been doing it since he was a kid. Two years ago I knew exactly Jack about cars. No exaggeration; I couldn't change a wiper blade.

Shortly after the honeymoon, my father-in-law and I went to a hot rod show ( I think it was two years ago exactly), and we saw a T-top V8 II body -- no tranny, no engine -- for $1000. He threw down the gauntlet: we'd go in together on the car and a couple of 302's, and he'd oversee, but I was to turn every bolt and plug in every wire myself, and dammit, I'd learn about cars. I think we paid $700 for the body, which was straight, recently upholstered, and still had the dual exhausts! We bought a 302 donor car for $300 and a fresh 302 for $500 and hauled it all home that weekend and I started a six-month project in which I learned more about cars than I ever wanted to know....

Yeah, it's ugly and weird, but I'm proud as hell of this car.

She's now under plastic in the garage, and I'm porting out the heads and almost done collecting parts for Round II -- see my profile for the specs.

What's interesting is that the skills that I picked up from working on the car led to my current job; I'm now a maintenance mechanic for a medical equipment manufacturer. I have my own machine shop adjacent to my office -- replete with a corner for Mustang II projects.

God bless my family. May we all be as lucky.

MII love

Ok, well I believe most of you here know my story, if not, i will make it very brief since my orginal post here some time ago was very long with my full story.

Every week my family (me being a kiddie) would gather in front of the TV, I believe it was friday nights. My father enjoyed Farrah on Charlie's Angels, I on the other hand, only had eyes for the car. her car. Jill's car. "the" car. I loved the car from the moment I seen it. I was given the MPC model from my dad because he knew i loved the car. we built the car together along with a 1970 impala model, his original 1970 impala. It was times like these you treasure. We also went to the local dealer to check their MII out when it was there. Anyway, he passed away shortly thereafter and I wasn't even a teen yet.

later, got married, my wife wanted to start a family. I said I had to buy my true love first. i waited for 3 long years (so did she). found EXACTLY the car i wanted. Air, 8, auto, Charlie Angel stripes, and original. period. No more, no less. Interior color did not matter to me.

Anyway, A year 1/2 or so later after getting the car flatbedded to my home, my daughter arrived. I still have the original dealer brochure from my dad AND the original models of the 2 cars.

By the way, I own 6 cars, all GM's except for the Cobra. THAT has to tell you something. Its true love.

MustangII Why?

O.K. guys read the whole post before cursing me.... My oldest son had been racing quarter midgets from age seven to thirteen and had mentally and physically outgrown them. Time to try a differrent type of oval racing. Found an ad for a MustangII ministock for a $1000 and we were racing a MustangII As you might suspect stock car racing can take its toll on body panels... anyhow a friend tells me of a COBRAII in a junkyard near his home $50 later and I'm restoring one. The car was wrecked in the front end and was missing the drivetrain but has a solid floor pan, quarters and doors. I think I like this car more than my 70 Mach1. Heres a pic of the race car. Jon

I was looking for a daily driver, since I was afraid to
take my '72 to a parking lot. I was also looking for a
platform to do the engine work myself this time.

(I know just enough to be dangerous)

Turns out the II is way more fun to drive, and I
always get a kick out of people telling me how
much they hate my car... Although younger people
seem to think it's a classic !

I grew up in a Ford Family and in the shadows of a Streetrodder and career mechanic and fabricator. I couldn't resist the temptation I guess, getting into cars, be it the hunt or the reward when scaveging though the boneyards, it was fun. The old man was hot in heavy into 66-67 Fairlanes, so I followed suit with a couple. In Highschool, my friend gets this P.O.S. '76 4 banger coupe II for $150 coin and at the time I really hated those "wannabe" mustangs... me and my 67 Ranchero and 69 "REAL" Mustang were offended to even park with 50 feet of his car. You walk down the side and rubbed your hand on it the paint would rub off like powder...his car was an easy target for jokes, it was a real prize, shag carpet and all. Well since he was car stupid and big at heart tward this car, and I wasn't, the mods to his car began. A new 4 banger, header, Holley carb and intake, cam, gears, PAINT...etc... It just happened to be the car I learned how to drive a stick with too. After that work and being behind the wheel quite a bit... I got the itch. Further research reveiled this pitaful Ford model came in a flashy and sleek fastback and even better, V8 power and some prominent spoilers on some models... and so the hunt began. I gave up my entry into 70-73 Mavericks for Mustang IIs. (was looking for a new toy, dare to be different type, thought the Mav would be the ticket) I ended up in II's only for a couple reasons... 1- they were terribly plentiful (at that time) in just about any wrecking yard, 2- they were dirt dirt cheap, 3- It was a perfect lightweight body to go fast on a tight budget and 4- for some reason... a Cobra II just looks so damn sweet. My 1st II I owned was a '78 Cobra II V6 4 speed T-Top car i purchased for $450 and drove it across the I-5 bridge from Portland with 2 dead cylinders, no kidding. I was impressed that's for sure. And since that 1st II, I 've had so many I can't even count them in my head. And I have 3 now. I had the 1st II for about 5-6 years and to this day i still miss it. But I know where it's at....

Dano78 said:

4- for some reason... a Cobra II just looks so damn sweet.

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Nice story! its funny how the design of these MII's just get into our blood as it does. We here are definitely touched by the design and uniqueness of the car. I knew from the moment i seen a cobra ii on the screen, i was instantly touched and destined to own one. absolutely no doubt.

My mach1 kinda fell in my lap I had a 95 gt and loved and raced the hell out of it. that car got sent back to ford cause i went through a divorce and couldn't keep it. My new Wife had a uncle with a 77 mach 1 Piece of **** sitting around and i had to have another stang. Mach1 have always been my favorite car and this was the only one i could afford so i paid him $1200 and started to clean it up it is almost done just got to figure out how to put in a t5 or a c4 in it and get some bugs worked out of the motor should be pretty quick when i get done. Anyways i fell in love my II cause she came to me when i was in need so we are stuck with eachother and i would not have it any other way.

Also i sure do get alot of positive remarks on the car and i think thats funny since before anyone looks at it they always put it down. can't wait till i can stomp the **** out of the rest

insanemach1 said:

Anyways i fell in love my II cause she came to me when i was in need so we are stuck with eachother and i would not have it any other way.

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Why the II? after discovering the 427 Cobra in the movie the gumball rally I pretty much fell in love with Ford performance cars and the...unique raw qualities of looks and sounds that has an almost intoxicating effect on ones mechanical part of the brain.

The II for me, or the Cobra II has to be one of the best of the really unique, kind of out there eyebrow raising american machines to hit the streets and is just not understood for what it is which is ok with me because I wouldn't want to drive a car that everyone else has.

Shortly after discovering cars I read and editorial in Road & Track and the article was about enjoying different cars for there different pleasures and that an MG was not a Ferrari and a Ferrari was not mustang and that each auto should be enjoyed for what it is. I adopted this open minded thinking in respect to autos and thus have been able to allow myself to enjoy the cars I really like and can also admire and respect the choices of others. I've always been comfortable with who I am and have great tastes in just about everything and to me the II is one of the coolest rides out there.


Dale

I wanted a change from the land-yachts I had been driving at the time (3 T-birds in a row...76, 75, & 74), and my buddy found a 76 Cobra II. I test drove it and handed the cash over on the spot. That was about 17 years ago, and I'm now on the 4th one (and possibly looking for yet another one)

My 1976 Cougar XR7 was struck and killed is a bizare driveway accident. I wanted a 1985 Mustang GT, but in 1991 they were huge money. A guy at work said he had a 1978 Mustang II 2+2 t-top for cheap. It was love at first sight! I bought it for $500.00. The 2+2 was a rusty p.o.s that never saw road duty. I bought a 1978 Ghia for $50 as a "parts car" and I determined it to be in much beter shape. (it was in reallity a rusty p.o.s with shiney paint) I purchased a 302 from a Granada at the wreckers and bought some Dynomax headers. The 2+2 and the Ghia were both V6 cars but the previous owner of the 2+2 had gathered 90% of the necasary V8 II parts needed for the swap. I rebuilt the Granada 302 in high school auto class and put it into the Ghia. A freind of mine had a 1985 Mustang GT and he asked if the Ghia was quick. I said" I don't really know, all my thoughts and efforts have been on just getting the car on the road" . After that he insisted we line the two cars up. I figured the GT would eat the II for lunch because the 302 was nearly stock and the Mustang II was never known to be a very fast car. It was (surprisingly) a very close race and the little Ghia won! My friend with the GT was very upset, because the Ghia was disco fresh with the baby blue paint, a pealing vinyl roof and the 2+2's 13" ralley wheels shod with 205/60/13 tires. I figure the little mildly modified Granada 302 must of had about 175 hp combined with the V6 car's 3.40 rear gears and the Ghia's 3000lb weight must of been enough to overcome the mighty GT. After the Ghia smoked my dream car I was hooked on II's. I raced the Ghia to the point where the doors would no longer close. At about the same time Rebel got a $800.00 speading ticket in his 1978 Mach 1 t-top V8. He asked if he could borrow the money. I said "no, but I will give you $800.00 for your II". His II had a mint rust free body, but the drivetrain was nearly raced to death, so at the time it was the right thing to do. Rebel still regrets selling me the car and he is currenty building a 2.3l turbo which he hopes to put into a II someday. Rebels II really just needed a splash of paint and a new engine. I instead desided to restore/rebuild the car. It took 8 years and countless amounts of money to bring it up to it's current 90% done status. I have not done too much to it in the last two years accept drive it two summers (without an interior). After I pay-off the huge personal loan I used to build the car, I plan to give it some serious woe to match the go, some bigger wheels and tires, and purhaps someday an interior

Got my first II in 88'. They were dirt cheap back in the 80s becuase of the
FOX body craze.

Got my first II when I was 14 somewhere in the mid 80's. A '77 yellow coupe, 4cyl 4 speed non- a/c with black std interior. It had been sitting for a long time. had 40 something thousand miles showing. inside was perfect, no rust, really good looking paint. got it for 700 bucks. Made a deal with my parents. they would help me get the car cause i only had $400, and i would do extra work around the house for no further allowance money. dad would help me do the work and financially, then I would pay him back with my summer job money. Gawd I miss those days. in high school i swapped the 4cyl out for a 302 i got from a friend 's 78 ghia that was wrecked. complete car for $92, the towing charges it cost them. the body was trashed but the running gear/suspension/ interior was great. had 60k miles. bone stock and all original.
well I had a buddy with a '80 grand prix with a 400 out of a bigger pontiac who wanted to race me. I kept telling him no.(was secretly racing another buddy with a torino and cleveland, to get my car right. he couldn't outrun my 4 cyl at 120 mph). well anyway I finally race the pontiac. needless to say he lost anyway he wanted to run with me spinning tires past him until i lifted off the gas. he finally tried again with a '77 trans am and 455 motor, no win for him again. I had slipped in a cam and 4 barrel carb.
well now i have not any idea how many II's i've had but there were many.
now its a '78 t-top with a hopped up 351 w, quick, very quick. just ask some of my local corvette boys. gotta love those II's.

Like most everyone else, I needed a car. A friend told me about a car at a car lot about an hour away from my house. And when I got the news of the II, I was planning to buy a 50 Ford pickup. Since there were already 3 II's in the family at that time, and the car being in very road worthy condition........it happened after the first drive.

Just think if you had asked me for the money you could've had the 50 pickup as well as the Cobra. Instead me and Dad twisted your arm and made you want a white/red cobra. HEHEHE


BTW, My Grandma says I've got Mustang cuz they are cheaper by the dozen, hehe. I just enjoy the hell out of em. Mustang II's are just addictive. You'll notice most Mustang II owners have either more than one, or have had more than one at any given time.