[Little Mule]

1974 Ford Mustang II: Motor Trend Car of the Year



The Mustang II was a direct response to the energy crises brought on by the OPEC oil embargoes of the early ’ 70s. Looking at the bloated 1973 Mustang, Ford was sure the way to go for ’74 was smaller. So they slapped a new body atop the Pinto to create the Mustang II, and skipped V-8 engines altogether.


Even as the Mustang II went on sale, purists were crying that it represented a betrayal. Instead of the powerful car the Mustang had been, here was a poseur with wheezing four- and six-cylinder engines under the hood. And, except for slightly better fuel economy, there were no compensating virtues.


Styling cues from earlier ponies—the “C” indent along the flanks, three-section taillights, and the corral shaped front grille—were cartoonish on the misshapen Mustang II. And no other Mustang is quite as despicable as the 1975 Mustang II Ghia notchback coupe with the half-vinyl roof. Ford shoehorned a V-8 into the Mustang II during 1975—a strangled, two-barrel 302-cubic-inch rated at a pathetic 129 hp—and that only further proved how ludicrously fragile the car’s structure was.


Today the Mustang II is the Mustang only the most socially inept enthusiast loves.

[Little Mule]

1974 Ford Mustang II

I didn't write this. Saw it on yahoo and copied it so I could post it in here. This is the link to the picture of the mustang they included.

http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/autos_co...hXprAD6ovxrh7i

[andrewmp6]

Street rodders love them for there front suspension.They do get a bad wrap tho they are no worse then a fox body mustang is.

[Jay H 237]

The II filled a need at that time in the 70s with the gas crisis and kept the Mustang name alive.

The smaller engines and choked 302 wasn't the fault of the II either, it was the gas crisis and the tightening emissions regulations from the government. Even the Camaro and Firebird were down in HP and torque.

[andrewmp6]

Yeah the hp on the f body and mustang didn't jump back up tell both got new designed engines.Ford with the 4.6 and gm with the ls1.

[Calponycarsmike]

The funny thing about the Mustang II was it was the first "retro" Mustang, they pulled all the design cues from the first generation, and packaged them for the current market, I think that the Mustang II is not given enough credit for being a great move on the part of Ford.

[fastbck65]

I guess I'm an inept enthusiast. Although I have a '73 and a '65 fastback I would love to have the '77 Mustang II targa back that I had in 1987. I loved that car. Even with the little V6 it was fun to drive.

It was green with the white vinyl interior. I was king of the world in that car no matter what anyone said!

[Calponycarsmike]

There is a part of me that wants a King Cobra or Cobra II (even though I was born in 1981) just because it has that 70's cool that was the Bandit and Charles Angel's style.

[73GRAND]

Crap, I was doing fine till Mike mentioned being born in 81 (I've got drill bits and electrical tape older than that). Yes, the Mustang II was perfect timing given the gas embargo and down turn in the economy of the time but I suspect Ford blundered into it (the decisions on the 74 model were made/sealed well before oil prices/shortages became a national issue). Nonetheless I think the Mustang II's styling was just dreadfull - ever looked closly at the side view of a 74 hardtop...that's one ugly and ackward looking design. But I will admit they were fun to drive and they are part of the Mustang family, though perhaps twice removed! 73GRAND

[Veronica]

Hello. Here's 20 years worth of the Motor Trend Car of the Year. Looks like the Mustang II is best one in the bunch to me.

1989 Ford Thunderbird SC
1988 Pontiac Grand Prix
1987 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
1986 Ford Taurus LX
1985 Volkswagen GTI (eligible due to it being built in VW's now-defunct Pennsylvania plant)
1984 Chevrolet Corvette
1983 AMC / Renault Alliance
1982 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
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
1974 Ford Mustang II
1973 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
1972 Citroën SM (An imported vehicle that was selected overall "Car of the Year")
1971 Chevrolet Vega
1970 Ford Torino

From all of the times that could have picked a Corvette, they went with the biggest p.o.s. ever built for car of the year, and today, a 74 Mustang II Ghia is worth about as much as an 84 vette. Yeah, there are some real classics on that list. Who not want an 89 T-bird? Or a 71 Vega? I always feel envious when I see a 78 Dodge Omni. If a person had one each of those things, they couldn't get 10 grand for the entire collection, and, if I had to pick one, it would be the Mustang II. I never really understood why people pay any attention to the Motor Trend Car of the Year in the first place.

[andrewmp6]

There truck of the year is off too.One year it was the honda ridgeline which is not a truck its a unibody you can't pull a boat with that.The toyota tundra which is full of recalls and a tail gate you break sitting on it.Car of the year in 87 should have been a buick gnx it was the fastest gm made even smoked the corvette lol.

[Little Mule]

I just pulled that one from the list because it was a mustang. If anybody has time, go read the whole article on yahoo. The mustang II was no where NEAR the worst choice. It was #9 on a list of 10. I still don't like the body design and I've never driven one.

[gtjoe]

I've never owned one of th "II's" but I have ridden in several and driven one. The one I drove had the 302 in it; lots of potential. I was never really fond of the style, except the King Cobra was passable.

Regarding the horsepower built into the Mustang engines, they started getting respectable in the mid to late 80's at 185-225.

[Veronica]

Originally Posted by andrewmp6

There truck of the year is off too.One year it was the honda ridgeline which is not a truck its a unibody you can't pull a boat with that.The toyota tundra which is full of recalls and a tail gate you break sitting on it.Car of the year in 87 should have been a buick gnx it was the fastest gm made even smoked the corvette lol.

Hi again. The GNX and the grand nationals were definitely the cars to beat then. I always thought that those T-type Regals were kind of cool. Gtanddad's car that was really quick.

[andrewmp6]

The t type regal was a wolf in sheep's clothes.