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IT'S A MUSTANG TOO
Bridging the Mustang II's Performance Gaps
By Isaac Martin
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It's easy to forget the Mustang II. Fords all new second generation pony car had a tough act to follow, considering the brilliant factory performance 1965 to 1973 Mustangs were endowed with. Think of the Hi-pos, Shelbys,Bosses and Mach 1's that were offered. By comparison, the 1974-1978 Mustang II had few factory performance options that could match the originals. But people overlook the Mustang II's two basic advantages-- its styling and Ford engine part interchangeability-- that allow it to be transformed into a competent performance car. The Mustang II challenge lies in building it yourself.
Twelve years ago, the auto market was quite different. One reason why the Mustang II has languished in the minds of Mustang enthusiasts is the lack of factory performance models. But the car was a victim of the times. Insurance, pollution and safety demands left the Mustang II a gelding.
Since there are plenty of Mustang IIs on the road being driven by loyal owners, we would like to offer a look back. We'll not only look at what the factory offered, but we'll cover some bolt on suspension and engine parts that are available to make a Mustang II a healthy performer. Wrap it in spoilers and flares that are available and the Mustang II can have a serious look. Finally, consider the added advantage of a used Mustang II's low purchase price and you have the start of an ideal first time street car.
Nothing remains static, least of all car markets. Ford was aware of this and the company had studied the Mustang and its market to see what had changed and where it was headed. Even as early as November 1969, as Ford's press material points out, Lee Iacocca addressed top management and pointed out that a new car was needed beyond the 1971-1973 models. Mustang suffered from middle age spread as it aged, becoming longer, wider and heavier. Ford felt buyer tastes and increased competition in the sporty subcompact segment dictated a new small Mustang for 1974. This Mustang's image would be aimed at the buyer seeking quality workmanship, upscale luxury, and ease of driving.
Unlike the Mustangs before it, the Mustang II's image and mechanical components were influenced by social forces which Ford had little control over. One was the Environmental Protection Act of 1970. Ecology had entered the public's awareness and automobiles were directly affected by pollution control decrees. Furthermore, manufacturers announced that engines would be tuned to run on lead free gas. Low octane fuel brought dropping compression ratios, which meant less power.
Another social force involved the auto's pummeling by government and consumerists for being unsafe and easily damaged in parking lot encounters. As a result, Ford had to redirect their engineering resources to meet Federal pollution, safety and damageability standards. One obvious result is the Mustang II's prominent five MPH bumpers. The message, in retrospect, was don't look for a Boss 302 replacement. It's no surprise Ford enphasized luxury and scrimped on performance.
The Mustang II, originally code named the "Arizona Project," was released in April of 1974, a decade after the original. Comparing the Mustang II to 1964 and 1971 models, it was Detroit's original down sized car. A look at measurements makes that apparent. The original Mustang was 181 inches long, on a 108 inch wheelbase and 68.2 inches wide. Its average curb weight was 2960 pounds. With the 1973 version, the wheelbase increased one inch, the width was 74.1, almost 5.9 inches wider and the length grew to 189.5 inches. Compare those figures to the Mustang II's wheelbase of 96.6 inches, a 12.4 inch decrease from the 73. This reduced the overall length to 175 inches. It was also four inches narrower at 70. Average weight hovered at 3200 pounds.
Styling the Mustang II was very important, particulary since previous Mustangs had evolved recognizable styling cues, like the side sculpture and large grille openings. So the new model had to retain an unmistakeable Mustang identity. The Mustang II lines were born from a styling competition between the Ford, Lincoln Mercury, Advanced Design and Ford's Ghia Studio. Management chose the L-M studio's design.
There were two body styles, a hardtop and fastback. To maintain a semblance of open air motoring, the hardtop had a sliding sunroof available. In 1977, this was changed to a flip open style, where the glass panel could be completely removed. A year later Ford offered a T-Top with removable panels on the fastback only.
Luxury was the hardtop's forte with the Ghia option package. That meant you could order luxury items like a half vinyl roof and opera windows. Inside, upgraded upholstery and carpeting maintained the image. A fold down rear seat was optional on the two door, while it was standard on the fastback. In 1977, Ford introduced a four way adjustable driver's seat.
The fastback, or three door 2+2 in Ford nomenclature, carried the performance image. Up from the base 2+2, there was the Mach 1 option. This provided a 2.8L V6 standard, with a 4-speed or automatic available. A Rallye Package consistion of suspension improvements was included. Despite the low keyed paint and tape accents, the Mach 1 was a strong seller in 74 and 75.
As far as special interest Mustang II's, there are only two that make the grade. The first one was the Cobra II. Introduced in 1976, it was a Mustang II fastback wropped in wide blue Shelby style roof stripes. In addition , red and green stipes were available. On the side, stripes shouted Cobra II, while a coiled snake decal on the rear of the front fender and a snake emblem on the grille reinforced the Shelby image. It sold 23,367 units whan it was released. In 1977, a black with gold stipe Cobra II was added. Its tape scheme was revised for 1978 with tri-color tape stripes incorporationg large block letters announcing Cobra on the doors.
At the time, the motoring writers unfairly compared the Cobra II to the original GT350 and noted how it came up short in terms of performance. But, as we noted, the times were different and performance was not vogue.
The rarest Mustang II is the King Cobra version. Produced only in 1978, just 4318 units were built. The King Cobra included a front spoiler that blended into front wheelwell flares, plus flares in the rear wheelwells. On the hood was a non-functional, reverse-style hood scoop surrounded by a bizarre looking snake. Otherwise, the graphics were subdued, consisting of pinstriping that outlined the windows and body. With contrasting body and pinstripe colors, it produced a striking combination.
Chassis:
Structurally, the Mustang II had a unitized body, which utilized a front subframe, that cradled the engine and transmision. Ford attempted to impart a "big car" ride in the Mustang II by insulating the subframe from the main platform with six rubber insulated mountings. Road disturbances and engine vibrations channeled in to it and dampened before they could pass into the passenger compartment.
The Mustang II suspension is based on Pinto components, just as the original Mustang was based on the Falcon. A check of the Ford parts book indicates the subframe and front suspension parts are identical between the Pinto and Mustang II.
The suspension consisted of independent front, and solid rear axle on a leaf springs in the rear. Unlike the 1965-'73 brethren, the coil springs were located between the upper and lower A-arms, producing a more compact suspension, while eliminating the spring towers that intruded on engine room. The front suspension crossmember was attached to the subframe.
Additional refinements included an axial strut located at the lower A-arm with the other end attached to the subframe. By permitting slight rearward movement of the front wheel when it hits a bump, the strut reduces road shock transmission. Also, the ball joints and upper control arms were tilted slightly to minimize nose dive during hard braking. Bolted to the crossmember is the rack and pinion steering. Since the pinion directly engages the rack- which moves the tie rods- the pitman arm, drag link and steering box is eliminated. Manual steering was standard with 24:1 ratio. Power steering was an option and steering response was improved with its 18:1 ratio.
The rear suspension was a Hotchkiss-type with leaf springs. Using rubber bushings at all mounting points eliminated metal to metal contact. The shocks were staggered, the right in front of the axle, the left behind it, which contributed to better axle control, particulary under acceleration. A front anti-rollbar was standard, and rear one was optional. Heavy duty springs and three way adjustable shocks were part of the Rallye Package offered on the V6 and V8 equipped cars.
Brakes consisted of 9.3 inch discs in front and nine-inch drums in the rear. Wheels were 13 inch diameter with a five inch wide rim and used a four-bolt stud pattern, with a 4.25 in ch bolt circle. Optional aluminum wheels, both cast and forged, had a 5.5 inch rim. Tires were skinny, with a 195/70R being the widest optional tire.
Drivetrain:
The Mustang II's engine outputs went from tepid in 1974 to lukewarm in its last year, 1978. In 1974, only two engines were available, the base 2.3L inline four, and optional 2.8L V6. Putting out 88 horses at 5,000 rpm and 116 ft.-lb. of torque at 2600 rpm, the four-cylinder's performance wasn't overwhelming. Breathing through a two barrel Weber-style Holley, the cast iron engine utilized five main bearings to support the crank. The 2.3 engine , still going strong in the SVO Mustang, was fitted with hydraulic valve lifters. This was also Ford's first engine to use metric dimensions.
Optional was the 2.8L, V6, a 60-degree design, that was also being installed in the Capri. Generating 105 horses at 4600 rpm and 140 ft.-lbs. of torque at 3200 rpm. it was an improvement over the four-cylinder.
Ford finally installed a V8 engine in 1975. It started putting out 129 HP at 4000 rpm and 213 ft.-lbs. of torque at 1800 rpm. By 1978, the horsepower and torque count was 139 at 3600 rpm and 250 ft.lbs. at 1600 rpm. That power climb was assisted , in part, by a compression ratio increase from 8.0:1 to 8.4:1. All V8's breathed through two barrel carbs.
Like the engines, the drivetrains were mild. The 4-speeds behind the four and V6 had aluminum housings, and single-rail, enclosed shifters. Behind the V8 was a Ford European designed 4-speed. C4 automatics were optional on all engines. The rear axle held tall gears. The four cyl. had a 3.18:1 ratio, while the V6 had 3.40:1 gears and the V8's had 3.00:1 gears with the automatic or 2.79:1 with the manual.
Note that V8's with 4-speeds were only installed on "49-state" Mustang IIs. Mustang IIs with V8's sold in California and high altitude areas were fitted only with automatics.
Needless to say, performance wasn't neck snapping like a 289 hi-po or a 428CJ. In 74, Motor Trend extracted a 14.2-sec 0-60 time from a 4-speed, V6 equipped Mustang II. The same car turned an 18.8 sec. quarter mile time, at 72.3 mph. The V8 improved matters. In a '77 road test, a Mustang II V8's time to 60 was 11.3 sec, while the quarter was covered in 17.7 sec at 77.6mph.
Car Craft's test of a stock 78 King Cobra showed the V8 had potential with a little work. Out of the box, it turned 80.6 mph in the quarter at 17.0 sec. After installing a Holley manifold, and four-barrel carb plus Hooker headers, the e.t. dropped to 16.7 Uncorking the headers brought the King Cobra down to 15.9 sec. at 88 mph.
What the Mustang II lacked in power, it made up in economy. MT's same V6 test vehicle turned in a 19.4 mpg, while an automatic V6 got 20 mpg. Even the V8 test cars turned in 20mpg. Compare that to a 1971 test Boss 351's milage of eight to nine mph, or a 429 Mustang's 11 mpg. Don't forget , the Mustang II was introduced during the first Arab oil embargo. Economy, not performance, occupied buyers' minds.
Performance Improvements:
To find out what could be done to wake up the Mustang II, we spoke to John Vermeersch at Total Preformance (Dept. HRM, 44020 N. Groesbeck Hwy. , Mt. Clemens, MI 49043, (313/468-3673) for his suggestion as to what fits and works.
We're confining our remarks to V8's since they can produce the most fun for the money. First, he didn't recommend swapping a V8 into a '74 Mustang. The V8 installation in '75 was primarily accomplished by changing the subframe and cowl area slightly to yield increased room, plus upgrading front suspensing components.
The Mustang II's transmission options are limited, with the nod going to the C4 auto. The 4-speed isn't particularly strong, so it's not a good unit to put behind a warmed over 302. Changing to a stronger manual trans can be done but it presents problems, Vermeersch explains. The Mustang II was fitted witha 10 inch clutch and 11 inch diameter flywheel unique to the car. Changing to a larger cutch requires a larger diameter flywheel and bellhousing. These items take up space between the bellhousing and frame rails, so there isn't enough room for the exhaust headers. Sticking with the C4 will simplify things, since it can be built up to handle power, but more importantly, it utilizes the smaller Mustang II's flywheel. Also another advantage with automatics is that the power flow doesn't shock the rearend pinion like manual would, which will add to it's life.
In the rear axle department, the stock unit is an eight inch unit. The stronger 9 inch rear axle out of 1965-66 Mustangs has the same axle flange to flange measurement of 52 1/4 inches, while the 67-70 mustang axel is two inches wider. Both axles, however have a 43 inch spring perch to perch measurement, so Mustang II swap problmems are minimized.
For the engine, a selection of bolt-on parts, plus a cam change will perk up the 302. For street induction, stay with a 600 cfm carb, mounted on a quality aftermarket dual plane intake manifold. Ford's 302 exhaust ports need as much help as possible, so headers are recommended. Hooker Headers (714/983-5871) still offers headers for the 1975 through '78 V8 equipped Mustang II, part NO.6120. Originally, Mustang IIs had only single exhaust systems. A dual system, plus current high performance catalytic converters will maximize header efficiencey while maintaining clean air.
Adding a cam is not a bolt on procedure, but it can make a real difference. So Vermeersch recommends SVO's cam part No. M-6250-A312. It's a hydraulic unit that offers 290 deg. intake and .496 inch of exhaust valve lift. Be shure to install new valve lifters, part No. M-6500-A303, with the cam. For readers thinking about dropping in a 351 C or W, it can be done, but more work is involved. Total Performance has the mounts necessary and additional technical details for such a conversion.
A decade is equal to an eternity in tire technology, so just adding wide performance tires will transform a Mustang IIs handling. On the Car Craft King Cobra, 14 inch wheels with E-60 series radials were used without interference. In 1977, Hot Rod was involved with the Monroe Handler, a Mustang II project car. This also had 14 inch wheels and 50 series radials. The eight inch wide front and nine inch wide rear Center Line wheels were bolted on. According to Hot Rod's report, the tires rubed slightly on the inner fenderwells, near full lock, but a minor application of a hammer took care of it. Vermeersch suggested sticking with a max seven inch wheel width and 50 series tires as a good street package. Suspension improvements, in the form of stiffer anti rollbars and premium shocks, will futher enhance the tire's handling potential. Addco of Florida (305/844-2531) offers these Mustang II handling components, beginning with a one inch front anti rollbar, part No.875. THere's also a 7/8 inch rear bar available. Part No.345 is for Mustangs that originally had no rear bar, while part No. 346 replaces the optional factory bar. Gas pressure shocks are offered with Pt# 4511 for the front. The rear shock application is divided. Pt.# 5515 is for Mustangs built on or before Nov.5,1973. If it was built after that date, order Pt.# 5523.
Cosmetics can really improve the Mustnang II's appearance and body itmes are readily available. The front and rear spoilers used on the Cobra II and King Cobra wheel flares are two examples of factory pieces. They should be available from Ford, but be prepared to order them.
Hot Rod's custom Monroe handler was created in conjunction with Dave Kent at Creative Car Craft (213/679-1184) He created the front integral spoiler, along with a deck mounted spoiler that swept up from the sides, plus fender flares.
Kent made molds form the original metal parts to make fiberglass replicas for combination bolt on and glue on kit. Speaking to Kent recently, the kit Part No. ccp 200 is still available. The spoilers and flares are available separately.
It's up to you to combine these parts along with your custom ideas to turn the underrated Mustang II into a serious performer. Let there be no doubt that a Mustang II is a real Mustang. Unfortunately, it existed during a down period of automotive enthusiasm. But with today's renewed interest and the right parts, the Mustang II can be as much fun as any 1965 to 1973 Mustang.
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