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An Ex-Sept-ional Duece
Don't choose-off this Mustang II, You may lose!
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Steve Sept makes his living welding up exhaust systems at a local muffler shop in his hometown of Calgary, but as soon as five o'clock rolls around you can find Steve in his garage working on this 1978 Mustang II Cobra. Sept purchased his "Duece" three years ago for $2,500 Canadian and has since expended and additional $12,000 to transform it from a mundane Mustang II, into a twelve-second street machine.
For power, Steve chose a 1966 289 small-block. It was taken to Reliable Machine in Calgary where it was over-bored .030 and balanced. Inside went a set of 10.8:1 compression Silvolite pistons, ARP studs, Hi-Po 289 rods, a Melling oil pump, an Engle 555 cam, and Clevite bearings. Reliable Machine also prepared the set of 289 Hi-Po heads which feature a competition port and polish job complete with Manley stainless steel valves, Competition Cams valve guides, 1.6 ratio Crane roller rockers, and Engle valve springs. Externally, the small-block was treated to an Offenhauser Port-O-Sonic intake, a 625 cfm Carter (complete with Cobra oval air cleaner) a set of Hooker Super Comp headers and mufflers, and a Ford Motorsport electronic ignition system.
Steve replaced the stock four-speed with a 1986 Borg Warner T-5 complete with heavy-duty Ford Motorsport clutch. Sept shored up the Mutsang II's chassis by adding his own set of subframe connectors. Other suspension upgrades include a set of Monroe-Matic shocks, and heavy-duty semi-metallic brake linings. Gearing in the factory eight-inch limited-slip differential is 4.62:1. To give the Mustang II the right "attitude", Sept installed a pair of V-6 springs up front. And finally, Sept installed a set of Weld Racing Wheels outfitted with Dunlop D-60 M2 rubber.
Sept elected to "pass" on the Mustang II's garish stock factory paint scheme, and replaced it with IROC Candy Blue capably applied by Straight Light Auto Body in Calgary. In the process, Steve also installed a 1965 G.T. 350 "R" model front spoiler in place of the stock Mustang II urethane front bumper, and the look is truly unique!
When it came to the interior, Steve retained the II's factory black vinyl upholstery, preferring to upgrade the stereo (Alpine) and instrumentation (Auto Meter) instead. In all, Sept's Mustang II has the look of a tried 'n true street maching, or as Steve puts it, "It's clean 'n mean!"
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