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Ready to Bite
Boss 302 muscle has this updated Cobra II ready to roll
story by Rod Short
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Thirty-five years of production has resulted in many notable Mustang musclecars, with Shelbys, Cobra Jets, Boss 302s, R-Codes and K-Codes all drawing legions of appreciative fans. Lost in the shuffle, however, are the Mustang IIs, which some regard as the black sheep of this musclecar family. Peter Bulcock of Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada isn't one of those, as his muscle-bound 1978 Cobra II proves.
While the Mustang II was a sales success when introduced in 1974, it wasn't long before this new, downsized Mustang was trying to find a niche. With insurance companies and the Arab oil embargo effectively ending the musclecar era, Mustang IIs were either envisioned as sub-compact luxury cars or economy automobiles. Although a Mach I was available for that year, the only engine options were the 2.3 L4 or a 2.8-liter V6. Ford offered a 302-2V option the following year, and then introduced the Cobra II in 1976 with a standard V6 engine. Although the Mach I, Cobra II, Black Stallion and Rallye 2 + 2 were just appearance options for the Mustang IIs, interest began to build with the introduction of the King Cobra in 1978, which led to the 5.0 with the redesigned Mustang the following year.
Peter bought his Cobra II in January 1978 and drove it for ten years. Equipped with the optional 139-hp 302 engine, quarter-mile times were in the high-17-second range at 77 mph. As the Mustang became less in demand for primary transportation, Peter began a four-year buildup to make his Cobra II into more than what came off the showroom floor.
Carrera adjustable coil-overs and Mustang II Rally springs with an extra leaf added were installed along with 17-inch Cobra R wheels with Goodyear rubber. Eleven-inch-diameter rotors and a brake booster from a Lincoln Versailles provided a considerable improvement in the braking system.
Peter pulled the original engine and had it de-burred, bored and decked before starting the assembly process. Anchoring the bottom end is a steel crank cradled by Clevite bearings, with steel rods, 12.5:1 domed pistons and Sealed Power rings completing the reciprocating assembly. Boss 302-style heads with Milodon 2.19/1.71 valves and a Crane roller valvetrain followed, with a Shelby aluminum intake mounting twin Holley 450s to top off the engine. Hedman Huslers with an H-pipe and dual Flowmasters replaced the original single-exhaust system.
Connecting the engine to the four-speed Toploader is a McLeod steel flywheel and Centerforce Dual-Friction clutch discs. Torque reaches the ground through a nodular-iron nine-inch with either 3.50 or 4.11:1 gearing.
Although the rear wheel openings had to be slightly trimmed to accept the 17-inch wheels, body modifications remain nil on this vintage ponycar. Peter painted the car in a Sikkens basecoat/clearcoat, applied new decals in his home garage and did a neat job of installing aftermarket gauges in the stock dash for a tasteful, customized interior.
As a highway patrol officer for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Peter didn't reveal any performance numbers or speak of any racing activities, but the car's roadworthiness was demonstrated when he recently drove it almost 2,000 miles to attend the Mustang Round-Up in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Thanks to his hard work and efforts, it's nice to see that these forgotten Mustangs can flex some serious muscle.
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