The Unappreciated Ford Mustang

[slusher]

The Unappreciated Ford Mustang

http://autos.aol.com/gallery/the-unappreciated-ford-mustang/?ncid=webmail2

[Doug Bowen]

The most popular part of the II was the front suspension. I bet very few of them in bone yards still have the front clip!

[Eshaver]

Hey, if I saw a Mustang like what I saw in that Prototype shot , I wouldn't appreciate it neither .

[Rob Hall]

Never cared for the Mustang II with it's Pinto origins....one chapter in the Mustang history best forgotten, IMO. The ugly, humpy faux-retro styling didn't help either. The crisp, modern styling of the Fox era cars was much better, IMO..they didn't try to be retro.

Edited September 29, 2013 by Rob Hall

[o-man]

I drove a 4cyl auto in high school. Amazed I still love Mustangs after that turd.

[Tom Geiger]

My wife had a 1974 V6 Mustang II coupe when I met her. I drove it on several trips and it was just fine for what it was. She bought it from a friend when it was a year old. She never did have any issues with the car. In 1979 we traded it in on a new V8 Capri. I was sad that we couldn't afford to keep both. The Capri was a mistake. Nothing but problems from Day 1. Got rid of it with 32,000 miles on it when it was three years old and was happy to get rid of it.

[cobraman]

I actually had 2 of these Mustang ll's. I bought a new 1974 red with black bottom MACH 1. V6 auto. Was an OK car for what it was and had no problems with it. I also bought a new 1978 King Cobra when they came out. I actually bought the first one sold in California right off the delivery truck. Again it was pretty nice for what it was . It was a 302 ( low hp ) with an auto and no t tops. Love em' or hate em' as you wish but they were pretty good cars as far as I am concerned.

[Tom Geiger]

I also bought a new 1978 King Cobra when they came out. I actually bought the first one sold in California right off the delivery truck.

Back in the fall of 1978 when the Fox Mustang / Capri debuted, this Capri was sitting on the showroom floor of the local Lincoln Mercury dealer. I was working for a rather prosperous construction company that bought nearly all their executives company cars. I was the guy who bought and leased them. So I was at this dealership buying a Lincoln Versailes and a Town Car when my then girlfriend took a liking to the Capri. It had a window sticker that said, "Not For Sale - For Demonstration Purposes Only", but we managed to talk them out of it since I was a real good customer. We drove it on their dealer plate until they could get a title for it. Taking it home was a funny story. This was during the gas crisis and gas was being rationed. We picked it up on a Friday evening and the gas tank was empty. The dealer put a can of gas in it, that's all they had to give us. So we drove it home and parked it until the gas stations reopened on Monday morning. With a dealer plate we could get gas any day. Imagine the angst of having a brand new car and not being able to drive it around!

Once we got it on the road, it looked new and different to everyone! People were stopping us asking what it was and saying it was cool. It was a lot of fun to have the first one. That lasted until things started going wrong. The second week we had it, we took it to a friend's wedding. I was looking for the rear defroster switch and couldn't find it. Checked the manual and there was just a blank spot on the dash where it should have been. Back to the dealer! They also forgot all the sensors for the console warning system. And it spent a lot of time at the dealer under warranty! We were very glad to get rid of it after 3 years and 30,000 miles.

[lordairgtar]

Never cared for the Mustang II with it's Pinto origins....one chapter in the Mustang history best forgotten, IMO. The ugly, humpy faux-retro styling didn't help either. The crisp, modern styling of the Fox era cars was much better, IMO..they didn't try to be retro.

Yet the Mustang II was closer to it's original roots than you think. A small car with common underpinnings. Now everyone acts like the Mustang was something special, but it had it's source in the common lowly Falcon. After it's beginning as a small light weight car, it grew in length and pounds. By the time the early 70s brought the long strwetched out Mustang, it was far from it's beginnings. Also do not forget that the Ford Probe (which wasn't such a bad car in it's own right) was initially going to be the Mustang after the II was put to rest. Luckily, a fan outcry saved the marque and we got the Fox platform car...again a car based on the common underpinnings of lesser cars like the Zephyr and the Fairmont, plus Marquis, LTD II and Thunderbird versions.

[Dave Van]

Saw a Mustang II coupe running around Charleston WV last WE......looked good....I'd buy one if I found a decent one.

[Ben]

I thought this was going to be about the Revell 1990 LX.

[Tom Geiger]

we got the Fox platform car...again a car based on the common underpinnings of lesser cars like the Zephyr and the Fairmont, plus Marquis, LTD II and Thunderbird versions.

I was watching a repeat of Fast and Loud, where Richard and Aaron were under a Fairmont on a lift and exclaimed that it was a Mustang underneath with a body that was drawn by a 7 year old! I thought that was funny.

Why can't we say that a Pinto was built on a Mustang II chassis instead of the other way around??

[Draggon]

I had a friend that bought one. I lost all respect when he lifted the hood, and it looked exactly like my Pinto. And the Pinto was faster.

[Casey]

I always liked the Mustang II far better than what followed in the 80's.

Me too, and when compared to the '71-'73s, the Mustang II is a huge improvement.

[ToyLvr]

I actually thought that the body style wasn't too bad, and I liked the smaller body better than the bloated '71-'73 units.

Mechanically, it was a much different story...

During my college years in the mid to late 70s, I had a job as a parking valet at a fancy restaurant in town (great job for a kid who loved cars), so I had the experience of driving lots of different cars. My main memory of Mustang IIs was things falling off of them, and cheap materials used in their construction.

BTW, I've a nice '75 Mustang II "Mach 1" promo available for trade. Send me a PM if interested....

[Daddyfink]

I have a soft spot for the Mustang II, and yes, they where a vast improvement over the Station Wagons they called Mustangs in 1973!

So, will a Mustang II front clip fit a Pinto? Talking sheetmetal, not suspension

[Tom Geiger]

So, will a Mustang II front clip fit a Pinto?

Yes. I've seen a Mustang II station wagon. It's also on that long list of projects I want to build someday

[lordairgtar]

In the beginning, you could not get a V8 Mustang II. The cars were V6s or 4s. But across the border, Mexican buyers could buy 74s with a V8. These were not allowed in the US. Also those Mexican V8 302s had a higher nickel content in the steel and were much prized by racers and performance builders. Once car guys found out about this, they clamored for the V8. The Mexican version had ducting that cooled the battery, the latter US V8 did not have this.

[rel14]

mustang II was like the edsel,, good car,, real bad timing,,,

[Tom Geiger]

In the beginning, you could not get a V8 Mustang II. The cars were V6s or 4s. But across the border, Mexican buyers could buy 74s with a V8.

Hmmm. Any photos of the '74 V8 car? The US '74 has a unique nose which they modified for '75 so the V8 would fit. I'd be interested in seeing what they did in Mexico to get the V8 in there.

It's very interesting to see how the US manufacturers produced different varieties for other markets. For instance, in the USA there was no '67 Valiant hardtop, just the 2 door sedan to deflect buyers to the new Barracuda notchback. In Mexico they sold a Valiant hardtop!

Edited October 11, 2013 by Tom Geiger

[cobraman]

Ya, if I remember right they needed to move the radiator forward and had to have a grill that was flush with the front end.

[Draggon]

Just ran across this. Now that's gorgeous.

[lordairgtar]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysCTI59mmEw

https://plus.google.com/photos/109177857241739394189/albums/5644168774349052913?banner=pwa&authkey=COWKlPnEgcn-QA

Please note this car has a recessed grille.

http://www.mustangii.net/articles/mustangii_75_302_74.asp

[wagonmaster]

I would lovew to find a Cobra II.They could be a pocket rocket built right. I am working on a model of one now. There is more aftermerket for the Mustang II suspension than most all other put together.

Tim

[Abell82]

Having personally owned 7 Mustang II's I can say they were only ever under appreciated by the uneducated. Most people ie: owners that I talked to LOVED there Mustang II.

The ones that didn't like them owned 4cyl auto cars (LOL! ) Just about ANYTHING was better then one of those.( in stock trim, anyway)

Edited October 14, 2013 by Abell82