Ford Mustang King Cobra
The second generation of the Mustang debuted in 1974 and was on the market for four years, until 1978. Although it was the subject of so many jokes and bad press, the Mustang II was a very important model. The downsizing of the Mustang range, introduction of economical four-cylinder engines, and part sharing with other Ford models helped the model survive the recession of the ’70s and the death of the muscle car movement (via CJ Pony Parts).
There was one particularly interesting model, and this was the special edition King Cobra. Ford knew that their 5.0 V8 engine made only 140 horsepower in Mustang II. Performance was very slow, but they also knew that dressing up the car could attract some buyers. With a flaming snake on the hood, front and rear spoilers, and a complete body kit, the King Cobra was a typical ’70s factory custom car. The 5.0 V8 was mated to a four-speed manual transmission in an attempt to make a performance car. Needless to say, the performance wasn’t excellent. It was terrible. But the outrageous body kit stole the show. Today, the King Cobra is a collector’s item.