The Mustang II cops a lot of flak, but when new, it was extremely successful, with more than 385,000 produced in 1974 alone. That said, the Mustang II did have an image problem, which Ford addressed in 1975 by offering a 4.9lt (302ci) V8 option, then introducing the ‘Cobra II’ in 1976.
Inspired by the Shelby GT 350, the Cobra II was a cosmetic package that included front and rear spoilers, a non-functional bonnet scoop, rear window louvres, dual sports mirrors, body-length GT stripes, lower sill stripes and snake decals on the front guards. Inside, a faux metallic finish was added to the instrument panel, centre console and door trims.
Although it was limited to the fastback body style, the Cobra II package wasn’t tied to a drivetrain, so Mustang IIs…