JCC07

Well, I was foolish and rushed into buying a V6 Mustang in 2007 because my old Probe was about to blow (220K+ miles by the way). It was the wrong color, wrong options, wrong price, everything. Mainly because I listened to too many people who thought they knew what I should drive. Fixed it a few months ago by buying a '08 GT. I took a major hit when I traded the car in, but I got an amazing deal (about $8,000 off sticker) on the new one, so that made up for it. That being said, I'm keeping this one for awhile.

Hollywood_North GT

I don't get the whole keeping a car forever thing...unless it's something really special like a GT500 with some built in rarity factor.

On the other hand, trading in EVERY four years like clockwork is the same as burning fistfulls of cash.

zzcoop

Somewhere in the middle is probably the smartest way to go.

I suppose it depends too on whether you're talking about a daily driver or a fair weather weekend cruiser.

Hollywood_North GT

True. Many variables there.

KatarHol

I'd keep a Shelby,but that's a easy car to keep. I like it when people keep cars that aren't really special for a car,but mean alot to that person personally. I wish i still had my '99 V6.
You know what got alot of attention at the 40th Mustang birthday in Nashville? A '74 4-banger,white with hubcaps and basically no options. It was a original owner car and it was mint,it had a Boss or Shelby parked next to it and that car could have been invisible next to this Mustang II. You just don't see them,same with any other base anything,that's what i like at car shows,the plain stuff. I search out the 6-banger Mustangs.
I read where Chris Issak has kept his '64 Chevy II for like 20+ years and it's his only car. A rock star that could buy anything and he drives around in a 6-banger Chevy. AWESOME.
Back to the Shelby,if i had one to keep forever,i'd be **** sure it wasn't locked away for 30 years,i'd drive the crap out of it. It would look like Crash Davis's car in Bull Durham,his Shelby looked like it had been through the wringer and that's what they're for. To lock it away is no better than to have a model car,it's worthless. I love this story i read in Mustang Monthly about a '66 GT350 owner. He refused to put a car cover on it,even now,because he always liked looking out the window to see it.

zzcoop

That's awesome. Say what you want about it, but I think the IIs rock. And I don't just mean when they corner.

Nice.

KatarHol

A Mustang II Mach 1 is a great looking little car. I've never known any former or current owners that haven't had good things to say about the II. The articles i've read in Mustang Monthly,the owners are nuts about their cars. These are actually the most fanantical Mustang people,because they love and own an unloved,often hated car,and you don't get more loyal than that. A King Cobra is a bit much though...........

zzcoop

My very first Mustang experience was exactly that. My parents bought a brand new orange and black '77 the year I was born. Guess that's why I've always had a soft spot for the II.

TampaBear67

You don't see Mustang II's very often, and when you do they still stand out. I just saw a White Hatchback with Blue Stripes for sale on the side of the road Monday on the way home from spending the Weekend at my Parents for my birthday.

TampaBear67

Sounds like the one they drove in StarMan. I loved that little Mach 1.

zzcoop

Man, I forgot all about that movie. Wasn't that a Cobra II, though?

ETA: Yep.

TampaBear67

You are obviously right. My Memory isn't that good. I remembered the Colors though.







That color is very close to the Emberglow on my 73 Mach 1 I had. One reason I liked it so much.

watchdevil

The Cobra II in Starman was definitely a custom color never offered on a Cobra II. It looks sort of like Medium Copper Metallic which was offered in 1976 but it looks more orange than copper so it could be a custom color. It's hard to tell how this particular vehicle came about. The bumpers, front spoiler, mirrors and side window louvers are all black which would normally be body color on a production Cobra II. The hood scoop is turned around the wrong way when being used with this Shelby stripe scheme which was used from 1976 to early 1977. Early 1978's which were titled as late 1977's had the scoop turned around with corresponding bold new tape graphics.

watchdevil

I certainly miss my Cobra II. I was having reoccuring dreams about getting it back or still having it until I bought my new 2008 model. With my 2008, I had every intention of putting blue stripes on it just like the Cobra II I had. My car is like a blank canvas so I can never decided from one moment to the next whether to go with blue stripes or just stay with a black stripe theme.

I would however love to find a white Cobra II with a V8 and blue stripes/interior. Mustang II's were far better cars than people are willing to admit. They were not just rebodied Pintos even though they shared drivetrain and some interchangeable off the shelf componants. The entire body structure is unique save for the rear wheelhousings and a piece of the rear floorpan. The front end has a unique isolated subframe the Pinto absolutely does not have. The interior quality was far better and more comfortable than any Pinto. It was designed like a mini-Thunderbird or Torino with it's dash design and better upholstry styles.

My mom had two Mustang II's... Both were 1974 notchbacks... the first was a red 4-cyl. I can't remember why she got rid of it. A couple years later she bought a blue 1974 V6 with manual transmission for $1700, the price of a used Pinto after the salesperson made a mistake and quoted her the wrong price. She got it after having to sell the 1976 Torino Wagon as a result of a short term seperation from her 2nd husband.

As a result of remembing the 1966 and 1968 models my Dad had plus the two Mustang II's my Mom had, I grew very fond of the Mustang II as I approached driving age. I do remember when I was quite young I had fondness for Pinto Wagons... I think it came from the fact that I liked riding in the third rear seats in big Ford wagons and I thought it was interesting when I was about 5 or 6 years old and saw the Pinto Wagon which was so small at the time.

I figured I could possibly end up with my Mom's Mustang II. However, when I was 13 or 14 years old I started to buy Auto Traders and looking for all the Cobra II's in them. I was of course very inspired by the lovelies Farrah Fawcett and Cheryl Ladd driving the Cobra II on Charlie's Angels. My Mom kept her Mustang II for quite a while... Long enough for us to both have one at the same time.

Eventually I came across one at a local Buick dealer used car lot. It was $1700. It had the 302 V8 and automatic. It was missing the quarter window louvers and the front spoiler. The vinyl stripes were quite degraded considering it was 1980 and the car was only a few years old. Even the dash pad was cracked and the seats ripped in places. This car was rode hard. I discovered later on my own that the car had been flipped on it's roof and repaired. Even the right front wheel was cocked to one side wearing out tires on the inside. The car had high mileage for a 1976. The engine ran good when it was warm. It was always hard to start and the electric choke would never work correctly. The AC didn't work.

I did what I could to fix it up a little. I went to a junkyard and found seats in good condition. I put in new carpet. I had the over the roof stripes repainted. I also blacked out a lot of chrome trim.

I enjoyed the car while I had it but as I was approching high school graduation I was getting concerned about having a car in better shape. Out comes the 1982 Camaro with it's very Ferrari-like styling and new age fighter jet inspired interior. It left the Fox Mustang cold and uninteresting for me. So I special ordered a 1983 Camaro with a T-top... Nothing too fancy...

The **** engine in the Cobra II had an oil pump failure. I had it towed home and drove my Dad's Diesel Chevette until my special ordered Camaro arrived at the dealership. When the Camaro did arrive, I had the Cobra II towed to the dealer for a trade in. They fixed the oil pump and sold it fairly quick.

Although my Cobra II was ragged out and I had aquired a desire for something exciting and new, I was fond of it and many years later nostalgic for it...

I learned to drive a manual transmission in my Aunt's yellow 1976 Mercury Bobcat which she bought new and still owns. The Cobra II was certainly a world better than the Pinto/Bobcat in terms of design quality and comfort.

I remember an employee of my Dad's who had a 1977 Mustang II notchback in yellow with a V8 and black interior. I had my Cobra II the same time as his and I was always envious that his was in like new shape and ran well.




Reflecting back on all this right now I am feeling quite sentimental.

A couple of weeks ago I seen a Cobra II in the parking lot at work. It was primer gray but it had all the body parts like it should. It was interesting to see one because I could not tell you the last time I was up close to a Mustang II, much less seen one.

I need to start taking off work for local Mustang shows at Lowe's Motor Speedway or something...

Hollywood_North GT

Do you know how they do that? They barely drive them. Know how most of them get away with that? They have more than one car and can afford the "luxury" of keeping it preserved. I doubt Chris Issak's car is too minty.

KatarHol

Oh i doubt it's very minty either,but that has it's charm also. Driveable Dreams is my favorite feature in the Hemmings magazines. Real cars that are really used with the scars and scratches to show for it. I do believe you can have an only car for 20 or so years and keep it as nice as possible with hard work and careful maintence. That Mustang II i mentioned was barely driven for the last 34 years,but i've seen other features in magazines or know of people that have owned and primarily drive the same cars and keep them as nice as possible,not perfect,but perfect is no fun-you'd worry too much if you had a perfect '68 GT or '78 Cobra II,you couldn't drive it.
Classic and Sports car magazine had a feature on a 500,000 mile Lotus Elan that was a primary driver. The guy just fixed or replaced as he went along. It wasn't perfect,but it was like an old friend to him,having that kind of experience or memories of driving,really driving a car is priceless compared to storing a car and having nothing to attach yourself to it other than some perceived monetary value.

m05fastbackGT

Now I resent that, KatorHol. For my first Mustang, was a black 78 King Cobra. In which I truly enjoyed during the 2 years I had with owning that little car.

KatarHol

Whoops,okay,Black and maybe Silver King Cobras are okay,but brown on those cars was just wrongI like my Mustangs understated that's all,you know,like a '78 Cobra II................because nothing says subtle like giant C-O-B-R-A lettering down the side of a car

Thomas S

I kinda did that. I had a 92 5.0 and completely skipped the 94-04 Stangs. They never really did it for me.

m05fastbackGT

I didn't know that King Cobra's came in Brown, as I totally agree. Brown is definitely the wrong color choice. For my only color choices, would've been either Black with orange striping, Silver with red striping, or Red with black striping