Isuzu SUV Forum banner

Mustang

5K views 18 replies 8 participants last post by  JoeIsuzu 
#1 ·
Friend of mine, just obtained a Mustang II.....the revised version of the original mustang, which grew, and grew, before peaking in what?
1974 ? I believe this is a 1975....darn, it sorta reminds me up an upgraded pinto, with new sheet metal...I know the mustang society has
more or less Disowned this version....anyhow, coming weekend, I'll help him break it down, and begin the restoration process...
 
#2 ·
PICTURES!!!!!!! Ironically, those "gap Mustangs", have become super rare. I actually saw a cherry one (copper with the T tops) just a few weeks ago, and was impressed. First car for my Wife and her brother and they used to fight over who would have it and when.
Didn't realize they were only a glorified Pinto, but should have figured as much. For GM, the Monza 2+2 line were only glorified Vegas, but I didn't mind the Vega all that much. I think between the Vega / Monza series, I had about 7 or 8 of them. Dennis
 
#3 ·
I do remember the first mustangs. The 64 and one half, with the small six, I think 200 cu. in. with 13 inch 4 bolt wheels was not much of a better car than the mavericks or pintos. I haven't seen one of those mustang twos in a long time
 
#4 ·
itsmehb said:
I do remember the first mustangs. The 64 and one half, with the small six, I think 200 cu. in. with 13 inch 4 bolt wheels was not much of a better car than the mavericks or pintos. I haven't seen one of those mustang twos in a long time
well, the 64 and one half...up to the early '65 models, had more in common with the sporty ford falcons of the era...especially with the 200 cu inch six banger..and three on the tree....in fact, they share pretty much everything with the falcon...'except the Mustang had nice sheet metal....and someone at ford got smart, and offered the 289 v-8, which really did herald the arrival of the 'pony cars'....by '66, the mustang had it's own id..so to speak...
the success of the mustang, forced GM , to come out with the camaro, and the firebird...over at pontiac.....while mopar was tweaking the barracuda, and thinking of other similar type rides..it was a grand time for designers, engineers, and ultimately, the buyers....

by '74, the mustang was fat and bloated..shadow of it's former self....hence the arrival of the Mustang II....which to many, was D.O.A. and just a hopped up pinto, with nicer (?) sheet metal...to this day, the misc mustang societies, along with many third party vendors, making OEM type parts, have literally dis owned it.
 
#5 ·
Skeletor said:
itsmehb said:
I do remember the first mustangs. The 64 and one half, with the small six, I think 200 cu. in. with 13 inch 4 bolt wheels was not much of a better car than the mavericks or pintos. I haven't seen one of those mustang twos in a long time
well, the 64 and one half...up to the early '65 models, had more in common with the sporty ford falcons of the era...especially with the 200 cu inch six banger..and three on the tree....in fact, they share pretty much everything with the falcon...'except the Mustang had nice sheet metal....and someone at ford got smart, and offered the 289 v-8, which really did herald the arrival of the 'pony cars'....by '66, the mustang had it's own id..so to speak...
the success of the mustang, forced GM , to come out with the camaro, and the firebird...over at pontiac.....while mopar was tweaking the barracuda, and thinking of other similar type rides..it was a grand time for designers, engineers, and ultimately, the buyers....

by '74, the mustang was fat and bloated..shadow of it's former self....hence the arrival of the Mustang II....which to many, was D.O.A. and just a hopped up pinto, with nicer (?) sheet metal...to this day, the misc mustang societies, along with many third party vendors, making OEM type parts, have literally dis owned it.
Oops, my bad, the maverick didn't come out until 1969. The early 6 cylinder mustangs were pretty much sisters to the falcon. And as Confucius would say "man who bought a small ford got a falcon".
 
#6 ·
I have a relative who worked for Ford in the design department (now long retired). He was there in the room when the concept for the Mustang was born. He has tons of interesting stories to tell including how a Ford person kept pushing the minivan concept long before minivans were built. That guy was fired and went over to...Chrysler. Dennis
 
#7 ·
DSUZU said:
including how a Ford person kept pushing the minivan concept long before minivans were built. That guy was fired and went over to...Chrysler. Dennis
Just saw where Lee Iacocca has passed. Have always heard he was instrumental in the design and /or development of both the Mustang and Chrysler's minivan.

Mike
 
#8 ·
Not a lot of people know this, but the Mustang II had a Mercury cousin -- the Capri II. Unlike the original Mustang, the original Capri had a base model 1.6L 4-banger and shared quite a bit of its mechanical stuff with the Pinto. It was designed and built in Europe, and was pretty popular there. They advertised it here as "the sexy European". But sales weren't too hot in the US. I think it ran from '71-'74, and was later resurrected as the Capri II and built in the US on the Mustang II platform.

Jack
 
#9 ·
JoeIsuzu said:
Not a lot of people know this, but the Mustang II had a Mercury cousin -- the Capri II. Unlike the original Mustang, the original Capri had a base model 1.6L 4-banger and shared quite a bit of its mechanical stuff with the Pinto. It was designed and built in Europe, and was pretty popular there. They advertised it here as "the sexy European". But sales weren't too hot in the US. I think it ran from '71-'74, and was later resurrected as the Capri II and built in the US on the Mustang II platform.

Jack
there was the original Mercury Capri...in early 70's..a friend bought one new...when he traded in his '66 mustang conv....(arghhhhhwooo)
If my failing memory can access..I do believe he had a manual.....instead of the usual automatic...

both the mustang and capri II models, were pretty much D.O.A. and were also known to be rust buckets....

then you had the maverick...and it's cousin the Comet....wasn't a great time for Ford....
 
#10 ·
Came very close to buying my buddies Capri. Orange, black interior, whatever size that little V6 was with a 4 speed. Ended up with a Chevy Monza 2+2. Actuall still see an early Capri not far from my house. I didn't realize they were anything like the early Mustang II though. I do recall that the NEXT gen Capris were doctored Mustang / Pinto mutations. Kind of like the Isuzu Pickups vs the Isuzu Hombre. Dennis
 
#11 ·
When I was growing up in florida in the 80s, we had an elderly neighbor across the street. A retired VP from GM. His 2nd car in his garage was a - wait for it - perfectly restored 64 1/2 mustang.

I know the Mustang II is frowned upon, but geez, I'd still rather have a nice one of those than a neutered Gen3 Camaro with the Pontiac Iron Duke I-4 in it. Talk about lame... ;)
 
#12 ·
Skeletor said:
JoeIsuzu said:
Not a lot of people know this, but the Mustang II had a Mercury cousin -- the Capri II. Unlike the original Mustang, the original Capri had a base model 1.6L 4-banger and shared quite a bit of its mechanical stuff with the Pinto. It was designed and built in Europe, and was pretty popular there. They advertised it here as "the sexy European". But sales weren't too hot in the US. I think it ran from '71-'74, and was later resurrected as the Capri II and built in the US on the Mustang II platform.

Jack
there was the original Mercury Capri...in early 70's..a friend bought one new...
Yes, I had a '72 model, I think. It had a 2.0L. The 2.6L V6 came out in '73, and it went up to 2.8 in '74. I went to Europe that in '74, and they were EVERYWHERE (as the "Ford" Capri, not "Mercury"), and were loaded with what we'd call "tuner" stuff. Headers, dual exhaust, tweaked suspensions, spoilers, air dams, lights, you name it. There was even a Cosworth Capri team on the racing circuit that did well as long as the engines didn't come apart.

Jack
 
#13 ·
gruff54 said:
DSUZU said:
including how a Ford person kept pushing the minivan concept long before minivans were built. That guy was fired and went over to...Chrysler. Dennis
Just saw where Lee Iacocca has passed. Have always heard he was instrumental in the design and /or development of both the Mustang and Chrysler's minivan.

Mike
Yep. And "Uncle Rollo" said how he kept coming back with his drawings of the minivan until Until Henry (Ford) said "get rid of him". When the Chrysler Minivans hit the market, they were almost the spitting image of those drawings. Of course Ford hurried to compete and came out with the Aerostar (Aeroscar as I call it). Dennis
 
#14 ·
DSUZU said:
gruff54 said:
DSUZU said:
including how a Ford person kept pushing the minivan concept long before minivans were built. That guy was fired and went over to...Chrysler. Dennis
Just saw where Lee Iacocca has passed. Have always heard he was instrumental in the design and /or development of both the Mustang and Chrysler's minivan.

Mike
Yep. And "Uncle Rollo" said how he kept coming back with his drawings of the minivan until Until Henry (Ford) said "get rid of him". When the Chrysler Minivans hit the market, they were almost the spitting image of those drawings. Of course Ford hurried to compete and came out with the Aerostar (Aeroscar as I call it). Dennis
well it was well known in the Motor City, that old Henry had a love / hate relationship with Lee......and was insanely jealous of how he jumped started the pony car craze with the arrival of the mustang...Lee eventually got fired by Henry Ford....and went over to Chrysler...and had some great successes there....
 
#15 ·
I owned a 77 Mustang II Mach 1 with a 302 auto. I paid $200 for it. It was in decent shape, but when I got done beating on it, it was ready for the junkyard.

There is a little confusion here regarding the Ford Capri. It was built on the Ford Cortina platform at factories in England and Germany. The Capri II as it was known in the states, dropped the Ford name and wasn't a Mercury either but was sold at Lincoln Mercury dealers. It was a redesign and did use the 2.3L and 2.8L like the Mustang II, but it was still built in Europe and besides the engines, didn't share any parts with the Mustang II. In 1979 the Mercury Capri came out and it was based on the Fox body platform like the 79 Mustang. Years later, Ford used the Capri name again on a little 2 seater "sports" car.
 
#16 ·
RickP said:
There is a little confusion here regarding the Ford Capri. It was built on the Ford Cortina platform at factories in England and Germany. The Capri II as it was known in the states, dropped the Ford name and wasn't a Mercury either but was sold at Lincoln Mercury dealers. It was a redesign and did use the 2.3L and 2.8L like the Mustang II, but it was still built in Europe and besides the engines, didn't share any parts with the Mustang II. In 1979 the Mercury Capri came out and it was based on the Fox body platform like the 79 Mustang. Years later, Ford used the Capri name again on a little 2 seater "sports" car.
I think I understand what you meant to say, but it sounds like you're saying it was the "Ford Capri" overseas, but it was the "Capri II" in the US. But the '71-'74 US Capri was not the "Capri II". It was the "Mercury Capri". The later redesigned model was the "Capri II". Maybe that's what you meant. And thanks for the correction--I'd forgotten that it was still built in Europe and not the same as the Mustang II. Good catch.

Jack
 
#17 ·
I was mistaken on the first generation in my above post. They were just a Capri, no Ford. In the US, there was no Ford or Mercury identification on the vehicle. 70-74 was the Capri and 76-78 was the Capri II. Neither were identifed as a Ford or Mercury. They were mistakenly called Mercury Capris, probably because the titles stated Mercury as the brand, but they technically weren't Mercury's even though they were sold by Mercury dealers. I know I'm splitting hairs and it's just a technicality.
 
#18 ·
I had a buddy in high school that had a Mustang 2. I had a 76 Pinto at the time. Same car, different body. His Mom had a late 70s Mercury Cougar... Loved that car. That was after the Cougar moved from being an upscale Mustang to an upscale Thunderbird.

Also loved my Pinto, just because it was my first car. It was really a POS.

Later on had a 73 Grabber Maverick with a 302 and 3 on the tree.

Always wanted one of the Capri's...

Oh, almost forgot the Mustang Mach 1... What an awful car that was. Zero visibility. So bad that 19 year old me noticed it.

The early mustangs were the best. I had a 65, 289 and C4. My second wife had a 66, 289 and 3 speed in the floor.

Miss the old Fords. Wonder if the neighbor is ready to give up on his Pinto yet?
 
#19 ·
RickP said:
I was mistaken on the first generation in my above post. They were just a Capri, no Ford. In the US, there was no Ford or Mercury identification on the vehicle. 70-74 was the Capri and 76-78 was the Capri II. Neither were identifed as a Ford or Mercury. They were mistakenly called Mercury Capris, probably because the titles stated Mercury as the brand, but they technically weren't Mercury's even though they were sold by Mercury dealers. I know I'm splitting hairs and it's just a technicality.
So I guess it would be right if I just admit I owned a Capri and was wrong all along about it being a Mercury. Kinda like 1991-1995 Pickup owners who thought they had P'UPs. :lol:

Jack
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top