DOTS: Jackpot, Torchinsky! -Edition

"banjo cat ghost of oppo past" (brgdsm)
06/18/2015 at 14:41 • Filed to: MUSTANG II

Following yesterday’s excellent Mustang II article, I took a detour by the waterway industrial park and hit a small jackpot...Doesn’t a CobraII and two Toyota based motor homes sound like a jackpot?

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

I understand these are sought after for Toyota reliability, drivability & mileage. They do seem compelling for a budget motor home. Yes, I think I have found my ideal summer concert chariot.

Sitting next to what apears to be a donor Mustang II I wonder how many parts one or the other needs. If I were to buy it, my mind goes somewhere towards a Trans-Am style restomod, something fun for SCCA’s Solo Unlimited class. Chin Spoiler, fender flares and the like...

I’m kinda afraid that’s my umbrella from stopping by years ago and forgetting about it. I might come back for it if no one claims it.

Very curious as to whats behind that grille! And would it make it worth approaching the owner?

A Kemp Cobra II for your time. Not exactly palate clensing.

DISCUSSION (13)

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > banjo cat ghost of oppo past
06/18/2015 at 14:43

I like the Toyotas better.

banjo cat ghost of oppo past > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
06/18/2015 at 14:45

In a way, so do I

T5Killer > banjo cat ghost of oppo past
06/18/2015 at 14:45

I would love to build up a II. My 1st Mustang and V8 car ride was in a II (Cobra II to be exact, the early ‘80s were a weird time) They are neat cars that get too much shit because people compare them to modern or muscle car era stuff. The Fuel crisis era auto market was way different.

Birddog > banjo cat ghost of oppo past
06/18/2015 at 14:54

A true Jackpot would be finding them all in a Trailer Park.

Kanaric > banjo cat ghost of oppo past
06/18/2015 at 15:05

The mustang 2 hate is unreasonable imo. Its a throwback to 60s enthusiasts being mad about the 70s. The same people who think 60s cars that get 15s in the quarter are fast. The mustang ii is featherweight like a period import and a good 302 bolts in. If it wasnt for unreasonable hate they would be liked more than fox bodies

Cherry_man1 > banjo cat ghost of oppo past
06/18/2015 at 15:08

Cobra II = What Fox body is now. Light weight and with a 302 that can be hopped up so high it will blow the doors off a lot of things.

banjo cat ghost of oppo past > Kanaric
06/18/2015 at 15:15

A truth well stated. The styling and overall design fit in perfectly with the times / where everyone else was goin when you think about it. Like I hinted to, these can look and perform just as good as any other restomod but with that late 70’s panache, a vintage unlike any other.

banjo cat ghost of oppo past > Cherry_man1
06/18/2015 at 15:27

A screaming 302 and fat rubber for road racing is exactly where I would go with it.

There was a rather plain looking white/blue striped 67 fastback at last year’s SVRA vintage GP...could-not-believe what I was hearing was a 302 revving sky high and rupturing everyone’s ear drums at the slightest throttle blip, more akin to a Cosworth DFV, or actually a spare Nascar engine . It sounded expensive and apparently was.

banjo cat ghost of oppo past > T5Killer
06/18/2015 at 15:28

Awesome. Hardly anyone’s first Mustang experience is that interesting.

Cherry_man1 > banjo cat ghost of oppo past
06/18/2015 at 15:32

Wide body kit, massive engine upgrades and a good set of staggered tires will work. Also look up the guy who V10 Triton swapped a Cobra II. That thing is madness.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > banjo cat ghost of oppo past
06/18/2015 at 15:38

I have been positing for a while that Mustang IIs have some resto-mod potential, in a similar way to ‘70s Japanese iron.

Everybody loves the ‘76 Celica RA28 fastback, that LOOKS like a mashup of various Mustangs...

Yet nobody seems to like the Mustang II fastback. Granted, I am not huge on the notch-back M-IIs, but I kinda like the fastback hatch version, and I almost like the slick-top more than the T-top, if the T-top requires the thick B-pillar trim.

Plus, I am not sure the M-II unibody is really rigid enough to retain T-tops... seems like I remember my uncle having one, and the T-top ejected itself at speed, flew up and back, and smashed on the road behind the car. With as flexible as even the later Fox and SN95 cars were, and the 70’s era build quality on down-sized cars for fuel economy, it doesn’t surprise me that a Mustang II in stock form might be quite a flexible flyer, especially with holes in the roof.

Those two Mustang IIs look like the start of a great resto-mod project.

I would be looking for rust-free donors in just that sort of condition to start from.

Classic JDM unadorned and clean monochrome paint with a few dashes of chrome trim, and lowered over a nice set of wheels, perhaps under composite over-fender flares... which also could be considered a bit of an american-style Pro-Touring look... YES PLEASE.

If I could extend the front subframe to push the front suspension forward a bit, and graft a 71-73 full-width grille and a flat hood with Mach 1 naca ducts... I would SO go for that, and also a wide-tail-light Shelby-esque treatment to the back tail panel, with an early Mustang chrome rear bumper conversion...

With the front suspension move... it might make sense to upgrade to an aftermarket interpretation of the famous Mustang II front suspension SLA design, as mentioned, re-located further forward on the car, and in front of the engine’s center of mass. But, also perhaps a retro-fit of 99-04 Cobra IRS rear sub frame, and custom fabricated subframe connector braces between the engine cradle and the rear IRS cradle, as well as an integrated driveshaft loop (considering another Mustang owner’s recent issue with a failing driveshaft...)

There are crate engines, and other swap options, and T5 or T56 options for manual transmissions with overdrive, to make such a car drive as well as any modern mustang... and probably be lighter weight as well. Maybe even a Volvo-DOHC-headed, SVO/TurboCoupe pressurized Lima I4, just to be a bit different... a pre-SVO.

Then, I think of all that work... and realize that a Nissan 280ZX Turbo is already closer to that goal.

Just as when I think of highly modifying a Fox Mustang... An A60 or A70 Toyota Supra is already most of the way to where I would want to go with it...

banjo cat ghost of oppo past > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
06/18/2015 at 16:01

That’s crazy talk, but one does think about what this would’ve looked like with a more mustang-y face.

My thoughts are if I didn’t buy this I WILL buy a Ford Maverick because its a ton lighter than the 68/69 ‘stang fastback I really want, and not impossible to find or hard on the wallet to make cool, unlike a 68/9 fastback. But would I change the Maverick’s quirky face? I say no. The way it and this Mustang II looks is period-charming. Both had that JDM challenging quality to them, small but bursting with curves and character like many overlooked USDM challengers. I do indeed wonder about the popularity of JDM vehicles when such USDM counterparts could be just as charming in the same ways.

A turbo 4 would be super cool in one of these...reeeally want to know what engine is hiding in that Cobra II! If it’s 302 based I’d be half sold. Just fender flares, a Chin spoiler and straight pipes, man. Its a start I wouldn’t mind stopping at until it blows up.

Whatever Ford based restomod I end up having in the future, hacking in a Cobra IRS is always in the plans. I don’t care what it takes or that a Ford 9 inch axle or Explorer 8.8” is cheaper and almost as good. It’s been done so its doable and that’s what I’m doing. In my Maverick.

As for my ideal “look” it would go beyond restomod. I want my muscle to look like it just rolled off of pit lane from a Trans Am series. Fat rubber, door number, chinspoiler...Minilite wheels.

It HAS to have minilite wheels.

T5Killer > banjo cat ghost of oppo past
06/18/2015 at 20:30

Right everyone talks about an Aunts or Uncles ‘65 Snore LOL. I am glad my kids will one day tell tales of my ‘95 5.0. The SN95 is almost as hated as the II especally with Muscle car era folks.