What’s This 1977 Mustang Cobra II Worth?
We get a lot of emails everyday, some days it is so overwhelming that I don’t get through them all. We’ve recently had several of you submit your own cars with questions about what they might be worth or even just to see what everyone thinks of them. Sadly, they keep getting pushed behind other projects and I haven’t had time to get them posted, so I decided to take a little time to post a few of our recent submissions. So be sure to get on, show your fellow car nuts a little love, and share your thoughts, opinions, and advice in the comments below. Today’s “What’s This Worth” feature comes from Hans D and he has a great question about his 1977 Mustang, which you can find after the break in his own words!
Hello Guys,
So it may not be a barn find, but I am curious if people still hate these cars as they once did? I bought this in 1989 from the original owner with 11,300 miles on it. I drove it into storage in 1989 and haven’t started it since. The combustion chambers were oiled and I rotate the engine twice a year. Original paint, decals, and 302 with C4 auto. I still have the 13″ wheels with the 721 Firestone Steel Gard radials.
Regards,
Hans D from Naples, NY.
So guys, do people still hate the 1977 Mustang and what do you think Hans’ survivor is worth?
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Comments
According to Hagerty, $15,100
http://www.hagerty.com/valuationtools/hvt/vehiclesearch/Report?vbe=31388
Looks nice though! Got to be one of the cleanest left.
That era of Mustang was grossly under-powered in an era of underpowered cars. What they proved was that fabulous looking cars will sell no matter how gutless they are. Powerful cars that are ugly don’t sell. The Superbird we’ve all been talking about lately is a perfect example but so is almost the entire output from Studebaker and nearly everything AMC produced that wasn’t produced in the muscle car era. Ugliness doesn’t sell. Beauty is always welcome.
This Mustang is, like the Rebel Machine and the Buick GSX, a graphics artform. And rare so it’s collectible and with any luck it will end up in a museum collection.
I’d say as it sits it’s worth north of 12 grand to the right buyer. Maybe a lot more.
AMC made a Spirit at around the same time with a similar graphics package. The difference was that it could easily be armed with a 401. Today these little rockets are giant killers.
Greetings,
The Ghia bodied Mustangs are unloved mainly because the car was marketed to emulate a car it no longer resembled and was not offered initially with a V8. The 302 was brought in to rescue horrible sales.
The bodies suffered from corrosion issues and being underpowered didn’t help. Couple that with the V8’s introduction during a time when the Big 3 still hadn’t worked out the optimal horsepower combo versus emission regs.
Corvette had the same problem 140 or 150 horsepower cars for a couple of years due to GM playing it very safe with the new federal regs. Most of those cars have had their engines replaced/rebuilt.
The interesting thing was seeing the difference of how GM and Ford dealt with the regs. GM went to primitive single-point fuel injection, Ford went to electronically enhanced carbs.
GM had teething problems but being a simple system they were able to handle issues quickly. Ford continued to work on an EFI system but saddled the public with an electronic carb that couldn’t easily be user rebuilt.
For a car to achieve status with collectors it at least has to have some aspects that make it fun, underpowered/restricted V8’s aren’t going to help.
There are a ton of orphan cars going back decades, eventually someone will love them but…………..I guaranty you the engine won’t be stock.
The best advice I can offer Hans? Drive it! Every car show has 10 ’65-’70 Mustangs at it and, yes, they’re more ‘collectible’, but how many of these do you see? Again, I say, drive it…and let the haters, hate!
I agree with that point the cobra 2 is like hens teeth I was just telling my son about them they need to be kept alive… Thats part of the progress that got us here today. And thank you for the time you take to put these gems on display.
Sincerly, Gina Seagle
I’ve seen a few of these for sale lately. Most people want the 4 speed, I think $7000 would be top dollar.
Joe is dead on with the price. A 4-speed would make it more attractive.
Check the collector car valuation tools on the web. The only way to put a number on a vehicle is through a careful inspection and evaluation of condition. A perfect #1 condition 77 Cobra like yours would have a current value of around $14,000. Looks to me from the pictures and knowledge of collector vehicles your true survivor car would likely bring in the $8000 to $10,000 range after a thorough cleaning. If the detailing activity really makes it shine it could reach slightly above these numbers.
Lost me at “Fabulous looking car”
My best friend got a “King Cobra” in college. Surebitbwas a Pinto with an almost Mustang body on it. But it had that big V8 and a four speed. It was a fun car. It will never be as valuable as the first and second gen Mustangs, or for the series of 5.0s that came after it. But it still worth around what others are saying.
Also have to agree, drive it and enjoy it. Cars are meant to be driven.
Respectfully, the II is the 2nd gen Mustang , and since you wrote this, it’s been established that you knew very little about what you wrote.
Dick Nesbit , the designer of the Mustang II has repeatedly stated that the platform is a stand alone platform and shares nothing with the Pinto.
The only Mustang to have outsold the II ( 2ND gen) was the 65. No other Mustang between the 65 and the II nor after has even come close.
Also, examples are currently selling for 45k so it’s well surpassed some models before it and definitely those after it as well.
It will never be complete junk, cause you can always sell the front suspension to a hot rodder.
Seriously, I would suggest you get the car started, then do that at least 3 times a year, taking it for a short drive. Fix any systems that are not functional and keep them fixed. Then sell it at the top of the market, which should come when the generation that drove the car new and slightly used gets nostalgic for them. Can’t be too far off.
i worked on alot on these cars back in the day and the first thing everybody done was a 4 barrel and headers to get the hp to almost 200, sick. these cars are bad for rotting to the ground in the struture part of the car. they were made from the recycled steel era were everything rotted.
I recently purchased a one of a kind 61 ford fairlane 500, It was a 4 dr cut down to a mini 2dr, has a 68 caddy eldorado big block front wheel drive transplanted into the middle of the car, the car does wheel stands and has all the workings of a 60’s style cop car… Tried to upload a photo for some feedback… any true gearhead will love this car…. NO it’s not for sale…
Good try using your pic to make the mustang look better! Good try!
So the ’61 Fairlane custom/chop/Eldo mid engine cop tribute swampmobile isn’t for sale. Did anyone ask?
How does a front wheel drive car do wheel stands ?
Barney Fife! What HAVE you done!
I’d consider ditching the rear window louvers ( take pics with and without and make your decision) and investing in a nice set of high quality period correct (or contemporary) alloy wheels and modern rubber,……the right wheel and tire just might give the car a more aggressive look. Do a google search for Mustang II Cobra “images”, and see if that gives you any ideas.
Cool car Hans! Nice job preserving it. I say $10,000 minimum.
@John Newell
Is the Lancia Scorpion an example of a fabulous looking car that will sell no matter how gutless it is?
I wouldn’t describe this Mustang as ‘fabulous looking’ anyway. A Mangusta is ‘fabulous looking’. This is vulgar, grotesque, and will never be collectible except by the most knuckle-headed of Mustang wingnuts.
Knuckle headed wingnuts… lol.
Who would have thought that in just a short 8 years, the Mustang II is the fastest growing in value Mustang on the market.
Not the most valuable but fastest growing in value.
2 years ago a 9 or 10 would have sold for 8k tops and today … 45k.
Guess knuckle headed wingnuts were the ones saying it wouldn’t happen…lol.
My wife bought one of these new in 1978 ( Yes were that old ) and it had the 302 V8 with and Automatic, I at the time had a Shortbed 1978 Ford F-150 stepside with the Midas Touch which consisted of 33″ tires on aluminum wheels, roll bar with KC lights and a custom interior with a console that was a beer cooler, at least that’s what we used it for. Anyway the wife loved her Mustang Cobra except when the Chicago winters hit then she would take off in my truck and I would be stuck with the Cobra, let me tell you that thing did doughnuts real well with the rack & pinion steering and it had enough horsepower for as small as it was to beat the bigger cars that had bigger motors but were grossly more under powered than the cobra. I think your cars worth about $7K to $10K to the right person. I also agree take it to car shows as we don’t see these often and they need their exposer to be appreciated.
Hans, my advice would be not yet. But do get in and drive it so that the car will function at sale time, fix whatever goes sour as it occurs, and watch Auction results carefully. When you start to see escalation in selling prices, clean the car up if it needs it and get it into the biggest Auction available, put a reserve on the car to test the market. If the car doesn’t meet reserve, keep it. Wait for another opportunity. And don’t be silly about reserves. There is plenty of information regarding values on the Internet for more or less accurate numbers. Your reserve number should be not the highest, but within 25% of that number. Let me share with you that prices are rising and rising waters lift all boats. Since the general circulation press, which knows nothing, discovered that the market is overpriced, fine art prices aren’t realistic, cars are the latest place for people with more money than brains are going. So the prices for everything will rise accordingly. Good luck.
One thing I would want to know (can’t tell from the pics) is whether it has T-tops. And yet that would be both a plus and a minus. It would be a minus for me as I would not want to put up with the leaks, and they will never take the place of a convertible. But some who are likely to buy and make this a fair weather car might want it more with T-tops.
I gotta say these have been growing on me. Sure they look like a pinto but really, the pinto was a good car with a bad rep. Some of you may have read my diatribe about dad trading the big block Torino for an 80 Pinto wagon, what I left out was that it lasted 20 years and nearly 200k. I had a chance to buy the twin to this car in when I was a junior in high school. (1992) 30k original on it and the guy wanted $1200. I shoulda done it but I was after the 66 in the garage. I tried for a year to buy it and it was never for sale. Meanwhile someone else snapped up the Mustang ‘too’ and I still occasionally see it on nicer days. Oh well. At least it went to a good home. As to value on this one, surely more than $1200!
Guide to car value: 1. Desirable: was it the most wanted car and the most wanted model back when? This includes color, factory option equipment etc. Convertible, hardtop and muscle options preferred. Wagons, two door sedans less so, unless factory optioned to the max. 2. Rare: for example, Corvette made hundreds of “Pace Car” replicas: valuable? There are few six door Checker airporters. They are more rare, but are they more Desirable. 3. Condition: perfectly kept cars are those in museum style collections. Is the car of such pedigree that it would be wanted in a museum. Now for the Insurance angle: there are three “Values”: Insurance Replacement Value, Stated/ Agreed Amount Value, and Actual Cash Value. When a person asks, What Is the Value of my car? What are you asking for: if you have an appraiser put a value on it, you must get your insurance company to agree to insure it for that amount. Then, you have a Stated Amount value. If you want or need to sell it and you have X amount of time– that is Actual Cash Value– and the Buyer will tell you what that amount is!!
J.W.’s comments are real interesting to me. Now, while I could not abide the graphics splashed all over the sides of this car, I could never understand the hat….I mean the dislike by some Mustang fans for these Mustang IIs.
Yes, the bodies looked a bit small-car-contrived compared to the early fastbacks, which were the best-ever looking 4-seat US cars up to that time, but they didn’t look awful like some cars did back then. Plus they had decent V8s for the time, given the Gov’t emissions rules. And as J.W.’s experience with them says, performance was good and the smallish bodies were a plus.
And something that I think a lot of people didn’t appreciate, they were very affordable, especially the V8s for the available performance.
I don’t know what these are worth now but I’m not surprised if that worth has started to climb.
i think if you want to know what it is worth put it on ebay with a high reserve. but if you can live with the automatic i think you should use it as a daily driver. i think you will get a lot of smiles and thumbs up. thanks for sharing.
A PInto by any other name is still a Pinto
I agree w/ Jim S– if you think its a car, get in and drive it and enjoy it!
If you think its an investment, get it into proper running order (tuned, coolant serviced, wheel bearings all that manner of stuff) and take it to an auction or two or three. I saw a most excellent 1997 Mercedes V12 coupe that booked at $25,000 in condition 3, $40,000 in condition 2. Very rare and expensive car. Did not go off reserve and bidding stopped at less than $10,000. Wrong auction or ? Auctions, dealers and transport cost considerable money.
You might get more possible buyers and not cost you money if you take it to local cruise ins, shows etc where an enthusiast might see it and like it.
It was a bad time for many auto makers……………….much like the Porsche 924 Jesse ran on this site……..there is a reason you don’t see these Mustangs (Cobra or not) around much. How on earth does one go from a 1966 Mustang GT350………to this.
Gawd, I pine for sixties…………..
Cars like these are collectible and valuable to those who collect and value them. Seems kind of obvious, but the general market value to something like this is not particularly high EXCEPT to those that want them They are not sexy unto themselves and are not monster machines by any means, so the person that will give top dollar is the one that is already a fan – you won’t get a casual collector.
I liken the Mustang II to similar cars. The Dodge Omni GLH / Shelby Charger / Daytona’s from the 1980’s fit in the same category. They were somewhat interesting when new, but really POS’s when you got right down to it. But, I happen to like the Omni GLH and would buy a nice one in a heartbeat, especially the normally aspirated one. And that puts me in a very small crowd.
Same thing for the Mustang II fan.
The car is flashy and not the best optioned 70’s Cobra I have encountered; therefore, depending on the ability to drive it away for a 500 to 1000 mile trip home, 5 to 7k max…
I like these stangs even though they will never be true muscle cars as the 60’s thru early ’70s cars. The graphics? As far as I’m concerned the more the better……note what the 1971 ‘cuda’s with the “bill board” decal option goes for. Anyway, I would buy this in a second if the price was right…….no more than 5k.
Better rims and tires,Good intake and exhaust and drive the friggin wheels off of it!! Its a cool car and uncommon. Show it some love and enjoy it!
For the most part, these are rebodied Pintos. Its nice to see a well kept old car, and it does appear to be that, but it is a car a I would have passed on when it was new and my feelings haven’t changed.
Now if you had Farrah Fawcett to go with it like the old Charlie’s Angel car, well……..
I would hope that you have gained some wisdom in the last 8 years.
These cars are not and never were ” rebodied Pintos’. The have a stand alone platform .
my family had a few of these cars as well as pintos back in the day , and brother still has a 78 v8 cobra in the garage. these were great cars for the price. would be a perfect project for a fox 90’s 5.0 t-5 speed swap bolt right in with 16inch pony wheels and low profile tires bolt right on.
power to weight would be fun to drive. If you don’t like it modify it with better newer ford parts
My two cents worth. As an owner of a “classic Mustang”, I have never understood why people look down their nose at the Mustang II. It is created using exactly the same logic as the original Mustang. Take a basic economy car and apply more attractive sheet metal and allow people to option them to their own tastes. As many will remember, the original Mustang, even with the V-8, was a long way from the top performer of its day. Even the 271 horsepower “hipo” was no match for a GTO, any big block Mopar performance car, or any other large displacement performance oriented vehicle. What it was was a well balanced street performer that could be driven comfortably daily. Your Mustang II is the same type of vehicle. Unfortunately, the values of these vehicles are still very low. Plan B. Put some license plates on it, and drive it on nice days until the market wakes up and recognizes this vehicle for what it is. A truly viable performance vehicle from its era.
Chuck, I agree with you! It seems like I have been exposed to these cars all my life (I’m a ’71 model) and I’ve ridden in countless numbers of them in my life and even driven a few. I’ve always felt that the bodies were very well put together, the interiors, at least in the front seats, were very comfortable and much roomier than most of the cars of this size are today! Headroom was good and the interior surfaces were durable and long lasting. Even today it isn’t that uncommon to find one that completely ragged out but still has a dashboard that has little or no cracking (at least in my part of the world). In my opinion, in many ways they were put together much better than the Fox bodied cars that replaced them. Sure, they had love it or hate it styling and they were slow, but everything then was slow, but they are just as slow as the 4 cylinder and V6 fox bodies that so many people love and you can always make them go fast!
Examples like this are now selling for 25-45k.
The lower the miles , the better.
Pretty rough comments from a few… That kind of surprises me here.
No secret that among the various iterations of the cars bearing the Mustang name, this series receives very little love. We’d all like to think that every era’s cars would have at least a cult following which value them, and that may be the case here. As for a broad level desirability, they may never get there. Sometimes that is the way it is. I like the car for its’ rarity, and the “in your face” graphics. Not a fan of the auto trans.
But I have to applaud Hans for thinking ahead, and putting this car “in the vault” for such a long time. It is easy to see that he did some proper preparation prior to storing the Mustang, including a sheet of plastic underneath to ward off moisture. Is that a tin of odor/moisture absorbent in front of the driver’s seat? Although not stated, I’d have to expect that the fuel system was also properly prepped. My only quibble is that for such a lengthy spell, raising the car by the frame would ward off flat-spotted bearings and tires.
What is it worth? Others have opined, and you can add me to the camp which says: Get it out, fire it up, and offer it on the biggest stage available. For certain, the way to whet appetites is to let the car be seen for a while. Many of us need to sleep on the vision of a different machine to develop an appetite for it.
Finally…. Hans, what else do you have put away in this manner? This can’t be the only one. Anyone who does this once, has got to be feeding an obsessive desire of some sort. (Don’t get me wrong, I am certainly not trying to indicate that it is a bad thing, quite the contrary!)
Never was a hater! Always ALWAYS loved the Mustang II. You just NEVER see these cars around anymore. I tell myself that if anything happens to my current daily driver (’03 Cobra convertible) I’m going to replace it with a Cobra II.
Don’t sell it, and don’t change a thing. Just take it out and drive it, even if it is only once or twice a day…err… year to a cruise-in or small local car show.
As a diehard Mopar guy, I could understand the gripes about lack of power, but to me this car hit a home run on the Mustang “look”, especially the fastback versions. I would absolutely LOVE to havea regular version of this car! A friend of mine had a coupe blue, w/blue interior and it was a nice car. :-)
An old saying in the car business is ” there”s an a** , for every seat ” and that holds true here as well. somebody will love the little Stang to death. you just have to find them. one of the best ways is to join a mustang II club, where like minded people congregate and talk shop.
I am a member of the Chrysler K-CAR club ( yes, we do have a club for Reliants and Aires)Believe it or not, some us love them!! SEE, THERE IS A AS* FOR EVERY SEAT,
This mustang is worth whatever someones willing to pay. I don’t like its paint job and I see it as too much work to get it roadworthy in my country as its going to need all sorts of taxes and new tyres (the walls are probably shot) though it would be a nice little curio I’d rather by a 65 era Fastback and shoehorn a huge british engine in it.
What huge British engine did you have in mind?
Greetings Cameron,
Was in a quandry as to what “huge british engine” you would use since they weren’t in use when I was working in your country. Jaguar V12 started as a 5 litre and eventually increased to 7 plus it’s a cast iron block.
Then, when re-reading your letter noticed the name and the fact you neglected to properly capitalize the word British.
You UK guys have a desert-dry sense of humor.
Big british engine…..love it.
The 1977 Mustang Cobra II was the proof that Detroit auto makers hit the bottom of the barrel in paint schemes, performance, and car design. Plymouth and Dodge had a few cars doing the same. Somehow they managed to install the “leisure suit” fashion into car design and paint combinations ….Detroit made people who dressed like Herb Tarlek of WKRP feel right at home driving these late 70’s cars….white belts and shoes….No amount of Chrysler’s “Rich Corithian leather” could save Detroit. The photo of Elvis in 77 was like Detroit in many ways…
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=1977+photos&qpvt=1977+photos&qpvt=1977+photos&FORM=IGRE&id=AB9E28C0E0EF8FEF9D8590C41E02CD561C7AB07E&selectedIndex=0#view=detail&id=AB9E28C0E0EF8FEF9D8590C41E02CD561C7AB07E&selectedIndex=0
Take it out and drive it! Take it to the Saturday night show and shine, and enjoy it. Since it’s been sitting there so long, you will need to get it in running condition, and don’t neglect flushing the cooling system (anti freeze breaks down over time and leaves sludge – it happened to me.) You just don’t see these out in public anymore, so take it out and enjoy it.
Someone else suggested dumping the window louvers. DON’T, I know plenty of people that need a set to finish their project, and generally they cannot be found.
Just a rebodied Pinto? By that line of thinking the beloved Fox-body Mustang is nothing more than a Fairmont, and the “original” and classic ‘64.5 Mustang must be a rebodied Falcon, eh?
Wild graphics have always been gaudy by nature, with no regards to maker or engine capability. Bright colors, billboards, spoilers and stripes? You either like ’em or you don’t.
I’m not saying the Mustang II was a great car ~ heck, I’ve never even sat in one (although we did have a pinto wagon while growing up). But every family has it’s “black sheep”.
This black sheep gave us T-tops, ground effects, the 5.0 badges, the 302 that would go on to become “legendary” in the Fox platform. It also kept the Cobra name alive – in name at least. Essentially, the Mustang II gave us the foundation for almost everything that we know and love about the Fox-bodies.
The ’74 Mustang II was Motor Trend Car of the Year. It is also the 6th best year for Mustang sales (not bad over a 50 year run, eh?) – without a V8 on the option list! Can you say “right car for the right time”? Sure, I knew you could :-)
Actually, I believe you will find that the Mustang II was, in fact, a Pinto chassis, not a Fox chassis. The later longer, wheel-based Mustangs which were based on the “Fox” chassis were quite different. They shared the front end of the chassis with the Ford Fairmont and its Mercury twin. I haven’t seen a Fairmont for quite some time. There can’t be many of those left running. I had a little four-speed Pinto, the one with a real trunk instead of a hatchback. Mine was quite durable and it saw many many miles before it was retired. Before it died, it got a set of alloy wheels from a Mustang II very much like the one in the picture.
Hi John, I think you misread or misinterpreted what I wrote.
John, your hopefully better educated now than you were back then.
Not a pinto by any means .
Motor Trends car of the Year….Not too impressive a list during the day. People were dumping their gas guzzlers(Muscle cars) as doom and gloom gas prices soared….Hopefully the Mustang would deliver on higher mileage….That was the reason for high sales.
The Joke on the Mustang was no matter how large the words “COBRA” was on the car…it was only the applied decal, and the rest of the car was a dis service to the name.
1981 Chrysler K-cars, Dodge {{{Aries}}}/{{{Plymouth Reliant}}}
1980 Chevrolet {{{Citation}}}
1979 {{{Buick Riviera}}} S
1978 Chrysler, Dodge {{{Omni}}}/Plymouth {{{Horizon}}}
1977 Chevrolet Caprice
1976 Chrysler, Dodge Aspen/Plymouth Volare
1975 Chevrolet Monza 2+2 V-8
1974 Ford Mustang II
1973 Chevrolet {{{Monte Carlo}}}
1972 Citroen SM
1971 Chevrolet Vega
True, but looking over the entire list… wow, there are only a few on there that I would actually want to own *cough*GTR*cough*cough* LOL!
Interesting seeing the 1994 Mustang on the list. Looking at it now, also not a great car. But I remember at the time it was very exciting!
I had a 78 V8 car, non-Cobra. It puked so much oil from the rear main that the undercarriage was spotless. Once i put the Torker 289 intake on a fresh engine and had everything gasket matched and all the other fun stuff, it occurred to me that the stock air filter only had about a 1/2″ of clearance to suck air and therefore put a massive convex ding in my hood. what i can say is that once that anemic 302 was replaced with a more healthy 302 and a hole in the hood for a blower scoop, that car ripped. sadly, it never got over being an ugly duckling and all but gave away the shell after pulling that motor. it was a fun car and they are slowly gaining praise but sadly, we’ll all be long gone when the time comes that they are worth some coin. They just got some road racing recognition on one of the car shows a few weeks ago. oh well, thats my 2 cents! i see the cobra II’s for sale in NC for 1500.00 and they are all pretty solid.
I hope that your still around. Today examples are selling for up to 45k.
I dunno, I’ve driven a couple of these things back in the day. Ford somehow managed to take the numb wandering steering feel and loose front end handling of its larger cars like an LTD and stuff them into what should have been a nimble light direct feeling car. They didnt have much going for them even then.
I don’t have a lot to add concerning value, but I can say that these are a rare sight nowadays. I never gave these a second glance back in the day – I am a MOPAR guy after all – but I miss seeing the beautiful King Cobra that used to live down the street from me a couple of years ago.
Definitely get it running and take it to some local shows. You will be surprised at the interest this will attract. Park it next to the huge group of Fox bodies and you will really stand out. Put a For Sale sign on it and see what happens. You don’t need to sell it.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
Dont understand the hate either. When in context what was availble back then, it wasnt bad
I had a orange 77( Mach III?) fastback. It had the 2.8 litre V6 with a fourspeed. From what I can see in the photos it had the same interior as the Cobra. Was a good peppy solid car.
Generally speaking I would think this “Mustang” will forever be a niche vehicle….add in the slushbox and it has limited appeal to anyone who grew up with cars of the 60’s and earlier.
This owner and probably many others find it desireable…………why I don’t know.
Chaque A Son Gout
You have to remember, even Ford downplayed the Mustang 2. The horse was at a canter, not a full gallop as in the earlier ‘Stangs.
I had a girlfriend that had one.. everything was done cheaply. Pinto with a Mustang body.
The 4-banger couldn’t get out of it own way. A Chevy Vega would run circles around it.
Most of these ended up in the junk yard – Front ends pulled for other cars/trucks. This is the car that probably started the nickname: “Rust Stang”.
Hans – Yours looks great!! Get it on the road and enjoy it. There aren’t many around, so you have a “rare” vehicle. Show it off. Sitting in a garage isn’t doing it any good. So put in your Bee-Gees 8-track, and give that little pony some exercise.
BTW.. At couple of car shows I have seen Pinto’s show up.. You wouldn’t believe how many people gathered around it to look it over.
Are you kidding! A 302 and Cobra = at least 15k. Put a 351 in it and build the c4 with a posi, and have a killer ride. There aren’t many of these left.
That Cobra looks really well preserved. I would think the it would run in the $8000 -$12000 range at this point in time. There is one like that on the west coast of Canada with a Boss 302 in it. It is a beautiful car with later model wheels. The II had a bad rap because of the stance in my opinion, with the body overhang created from using 5.5″ x 13″ wheels and 195/70 x 13 tires. I chose later model wheels for my II that made all the difference in the world with respect to the stance of the car. I have attached a pic of my 77 Mach 1 to illustrate my point
I had 3 Cobra 2s at 1 time,.1 was rusty v6 ,just for parts. other was 76 4cyl.4spd. drove it forever. also a 76 v8 4spd. put a 351w in it. not a hotrod but had fun for a long time,sold it to a guy that collects them. Friend had a 76 also 302 4spd with tunnel ram,Maverick rearend. Smoke the Tires all the time 14inch/60`s .He sold it .Guy still owns it! other friend had a Ghia 302,he ran the stuffing out of it. Yep fun cars for the price. still do miss those days.Guy tried to race me in the 4cyl. with a Firebird,dumbass spun out ,hit a tree. ya we had that.
I know they aren’t popular but I still like the styling. One of my favorites was from the movie Starman. My cousin had a black one back in the early eighties, I remember helping him fix a leaking rear main seal, not a fun job. I wouldn’t mind owning one as you don’t see them anymore, not even at car shows.
Love these cars. 351 heads will bolt directly to the 302. Add Crane cam, Edelbrock intake and a Holly 4-barrel and you end up with a surprisingly fast car for stoplight racing.
I do believe you have a ’78 there buddy. I purchased my first brand new car in 1977, a black and gold cobra. All Cobras from ’75 til ’77 had the Shelby stripes and the forward facing hood scoop which I turned backwards myself because I thought it looked cooler…sorta shaker style and Ford followed my lead for ’78. Correct me if I’m wrong though.
Incorrect, the ” Billboard ” Cobra came out in mid 77.
I bought a 78 King in 2011 survivor with 62K for $7,500.00. Hagertey may have it valued at $11K but I think it would sell for $8-9K Just my opinion. May find someone who would pay more but I wouldn’t. They did make a few 77’s like that but most were 78’s. That was a 78 design change. It could be a late 77. That would make it worth more. I would trade me King for it!!!!!
My 77 I costomized cobra ll 289 hipo
77 cobra
77 cobra custom
Love mine
302 4bbl, edelbrock performer intake, crane cam, hooker headers. Rebuilt c4 tranny. She is one fast little II
77 Cobra II
I have an original 1976 Cobra II (white with blue stripes). It’s a 5-speed manual transmission. If anyone has an automatic they are looking to sell (76-78), I am interested in purchasing one. Thank you.
I know someone that is very interested in buying it if it is on the market to be sold, please let me know, Thanks!
Hi, I’m 17, a senior, and looking for a cool car to drive my girlfriend around in. I’ve always been a fan of Mustangs, grew up with a 55 t-bird, and 2 64 Mustangs. I found a 77 302 5.0 cobra on craigslist in near perfect condition but needs paint, its currently in the primer stage. Not planning on dailying it but could definitely my weekend car, i also love to race. Is there any way i can put a few decent upgrades on it (such as 351 headers and eddlebrock carb) that won’t take down it’s resale value? Is it worth my time or should i settle for something else?
Car hater are just haters! Pay them No mind! If it wasn’t for Mustang iis there wouldn’t be any Ford’s called Mustangs anymore as they saved them. They were a great car for it’s day and still can be as the 139 horse power motor can now easily be beafed up without government messing with u. I think the cobra on the sides were a little too much but doesn’t ruin the car and just makes it more rare and collectible. These cars are way under valued and surely will go up in value atleast on the cobra’s and especially the King cobra eventually as I see but no one sees them anymore, get it out there! I got two Kings for safe keeping and got a parts car, a t top ac Rallye and found out it’s the rarest, now feel bad for starting to part it out. You can make them run with the best if u want but who cares to spend a ton of money to make it go 5 seconds faster is Stupid! 4 barrel and headers is all u need if that? These cars had the better steering and all and last one to still look like a Mustang. There were Plenty of dogs in the 60s, that make them all dogs. Don’t listen to car haters because that’s all they do & theirs the best Bull! All cars wear out, need to be fixed and all only last for so long Especially depends on how u cared for it but anything can be fixed.
I bought a 76 cobra 2 in 1985 when I was 16. had it restored in 1987. orginal 302 4 speed black and gold. rebuilt the motor with all the available hotrod stuff at the time. car was very fast. would smoke tires in first and second and chirp fourth going 80. handled real good. I won a lot of light to light races and nobody could keep up with me on back country roads. got pulled over doing 117mph on highway when I was 20 years old. cop let me go.
I still have car in my garage. never saw rain. since 1990.
don’t know what to do with it. drive around block once a year. for the last 20 years.
can get some pics if anyone is interested.
it needs a new owner to love and drive it.
@Dave – Please consider listing your Cobra here on the site: https://barnfinds.com/sell/
Dave, Jesse has the right idea. Get some good pictures of the exterior and interior, and if you have a friend with a lift get it up in the air so we can see it’s bones. And by all means a realistic price. I think i’ve said before I have a 77 Ghia Notchback with a 302, automatic and power steering that I bought in Maine sight unseen and its worked out perfectly. I’m in the car about $1500.00 after purchase. Nothing serious, tires, water pump, and so on. I took five grown men to lunch in it once. It was pretty funny. And not too much space. Now I use one of my fat four door hardtops when we go. Everybody is happier.
Good luck with the transaction.
well, talked to my son who is 15. he wants to play with it. so we are keeping it.
kinda strange, I bought it when I was 16, now my son is gonna drive it when he is 16. I will make sure he is not the type of driver I was!! I will post pics when we clean it up.
I believe that the stripe kit was from 1978. Perhaps they added them in later 77? My 1977 Cobra II has the Shelby-style stripe (Black with gold stripe). I’m not a fan of the 78’s stripe kit…