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You're In The Army Now
by Teresa T. Vickery
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Although the sight of Mustang IIs at shows is still pretty rare, those that are on hand ususally have pretty interesting histories that accompany them. After all, most of these economy-minded ponies were used primarily as workhorses - in other words they were "rode hard and put up wet" eventually relegating most to junkyards. So many of those that did survive did so under unusual circumstances.
This blue 1977 Ghia Mustang II, owned by Dave and Hilde Gruber of Virginia, has seen plenty of time on U.S. roads as well as the autobahns of Germany. You see, Dave was a member of America's armed forces and spent a three year tour of duty in Germany. During this time he and Hilde used a VW as their means of transportation. Upon their return to the states in 1977, they were both anxious to drive something that "when you stepped on the gas it had a little kick."
This little pony with its 302 powerplant and automatic transmission fit the bill nicely. In fact, Hilde obtained her first U.S. drivers license with the Mustang. Originally purchased in Salem, Oregon, the Ghia went on to Fort Hood, Texas, and Fort Sill, Oklahoma, before accompanying the Grubers to Germany in 1984 "where it kept pace quite well on the autobahns."
Dave indicated that he likes the way the car handles and enjoys the fact that the 302 has plenty of power for the size of the vehicle. Gas mileage, however, is another subject. It seems that the 302 is not the most economical in the Mustang II engine lineup. This seems a bit contradictory since downsizing and detuning were a result of gas, government, and insurance.
However handling did seem to be the main focus as a brochure states, "Everyone's got a favorite stretch of road. One that winds through the countryside with sweeping bends and corners that require just that little extra concentration. Mustang II is going to make that special bit of road even more interesting in 1977. That's because this year Mustang II is more responsive...so responsive, in fact, that our new carburetor linkage seems to be directly connected to an overhead cam, four-cylinder engine that's tough to hold back. If you want even more excitement, there's a compact, light-weight optional 2.8 liter V6, perfected in Europe, or a very strong optional 302-cubic-inch V-8......If you're a driver you'll love Mustang II. If you're not, there's no better way to learn what driving's all about."
The Grubers, including the Ghia, once again returned to the U.S. in 1988 and have resided in Virginia ever since.
Sons Mike and Robert both learned to drive on the hardtop and have both expressed an interest in keeping the car in the family. "The car hasn't been a regular in the garage since 19888, and although each of us in the family has another primary car, the Mustang still gets driven three to four times a week all year long," Dave told us. "We've tried to maintain it over the years and have tried to keep it stock (it still has the original radio). It's a fun car."
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