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The Forgotten Mustang
It's time for a little respect as the Mustang II turns 25
text by Rod Short and the Mustang Monthly archives
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Black sheep of the family. Redheaded stepchild. The horse that wouldn't run. These are some of the names that have been slapped on the Mustang II over the past 25 years. Even so, the perspective of a quarter century shows that these second-generation Mustangs were actually just a reflection of their times, just as with every other Mustang.
The story of the Mustang II begins not with their introduction back in 1974, but some years earlier. With the Volkswagen Beetle facing the end of a long, successful run due to stricter safety laws, the American public had a taste for lightweight, inexpensive-to-own-and-operate vehicles. Although Ford enthusiasts had a choice between the four-cylinder Pinto and larger Maverick, there was still room for a downsized sporty vehicle just like the first Mustang. Unfortunately, many of the foreign manufacturers filled that void with offering such as the Japanese Toyota Celica, Datsun 240-Z, or the German-made Mercury Capri.
While the automotive media raved about these new imports, more than one loyal Mustanger openly questioned Ford about what direction they were going in with the original ponycar. In the early '70s, the Mustang was substantially longer, wider, heavier, and more powerful than the original '64 1/2 models - yet, sales were in a stead downward spiral. Ironically, sales of all the Mustang's competitors, such as Camaro, Firebird, 'Cuda, and Challenger, were stagnant as well, which indicated that the American buying public was looking at vehicles other than the wide variety of ponycars that Detroit had available. With the end of the musclecar era, rising gas prices, and a tired economy, all indicators pointed to the small-car market as the driving force behind future sales.
Consumer surveys reflected a strengthening interest in a downsized domestic sports car, and Ford listened by developing several concept vehicles as a replacement for the Mustang. It was the recently purchased Carrozzeria Ghia design studio in Turin, Italy, however, that came up with the basis of what became the Mustang II. With initial plans for powerplants no larger than a small V-6, dimensions of the car were substantially smaller than any other previous Mustang. Yet, the curb weight for the basic four-cylinder hardtop was actually heavier than the '65 six-cylinder, due in part to the new 5-mph bumper requirements and emissions equipment. Although initial plans were to produce the car only as a hatchback, consumer response prompted Dearborn to also make available a hardtop model.
Just as the early Mustang and Falcon were related (and the third-generation cars were with the Fairmonts), the Mustang II shared a lot underneath with the subcompact Pinto. The suspensions were basically the same, although the Mustang II had a revised arrangement connected to a rubber-mounted subframe, which resulted in reduced engine and drivetrain vibrations. The lightweight rack-and-pinion unit, which has since become standard equipment of many modern-day drag race cars, was also similar to the Pinto, although it was mounted differently and offered with power assist. The rear suspension was improved with staggered shocks and longer leaf springs. A larger 0.95-inch front sway helped secure the body during cornering with the help of an additional 0.69-inch rear bar that the Pinto did not have.
During the first year of production in 1974, V-8s were not available, although Mexican models did offer 302 2V. American buyers had the choice of the new 2.3L I-4 or a German-made 2.8L V-6. Devised from the 2.0L that came with the Pinto, the 2.3 overhead-cam shared little in common with the smaller engine and was rated at 85 hp SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) net with an 8.4:1 compression ratio. The short-lived 169-cid (2.8L) V-6 was only slightly larger and rated at 105 hp with an 8.0:1 compression ratio.
Although it was a shock to some Mustangers that the American cars didn't have a V-8 option, the writing had been on the wall for quite some time. The introduction of unleaded gas, emissions standards, and the need for better fuel economy forced the '72 mode H.O. 351 to an 8.8:1 compression ratio and 266 hp, as compared to an 11.0:1 mill with 330 hp just the year before the Boss 351. By 1973, the hottest engine you could get in a Mustang was the EGR-equipped 351 Cleveland with a 7.9:1 compression ratio that produced 259 hp. The popular four-cylinder 240-Zs and Celicas brought with them performance of another kind, so Dearborn pulled the V-8 out of the lineup in order to keep pace (as they thought) with the times.
When introduced, the Mustang II won Car of the Year honors and sold a whopping 338,136 cars for the model year as compared to 193,129 Mustangs sold in 1973. Even so, it didn't take long for Ford to bring the 302 back in 1975. All the classic musclecar nameplates from this era, such as the Corvette, Camaro, and Firebird, suffered in terms of performance. The Mustang II wasn't the only one. With just 122 SAE net horsepower, it was still more powerful than the comparable Chevrolet Monza's V-8, which produced 110 hp at 3,600 rpm.
Even so, Ford made the effort to build a performance image, even if it was just a tape package and advertising hype. The Mach 1 was available throughout the model run wit the choice of four-,six-, and eight-cylinder engines mentioned above, along with a becy of other comfort and appearance options. By 1976, Ford bumped the 302's horsepower up to 134 SAE net and introduced the Cobra II with a variety of outlandish graphics. Mustang IIs had become the body style of choice among Ford drag racers, and racing legend "dyno Don" Nicholson won the NHRA Pro Stock championship in 1977 with a highly modified Mustang II.
Ford followed up on that trend the next year with the $1,277 King Cobra package that came with a 2-bbl 8.4 compression 302 V-8 that was rated at 139 hp at 3,600 rpm and 250 lb-ft of torque at 1,600 rpms. Once again, this matched up quite well with the 305-cid-equipped Chevrolet Monza, which was the best comparable American car in the Mustang II's class. Also included was a Rallye Equipment package that included a competition suspension, heavy-duty cooling package, and chrome-tipped exhausts. Power steering, brakes, and 195/70R radials mounted on lacy spoke aluminum rims rounded out the King Cobra package.
While the Mustang II will never run with modern Mustangs, this really isn't a fair comparison. The Mustang II represents the technology and market demands of the mid-'70s, and served well as a transitional car through some tough time for the American public and car industry. Ford advertised this car as "the right car for the right time," and after 25 years, that still rings true today!
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