1978 Ford Mustang

This 1978 Ford Mustang King Cobra is one of fewer than 20 ordered with a four-speed manual transmission, a T-top convertible roof, black paint and Tangerine cloth bucket seats. This vehicle features a lower body kit and exterior graphics with a 302ci V8. The 1978 Mustang King Cobra was the first Mustang to feature the iconic 5.0L badging.

This car was sold new in British Columbia Canada. It was acquired in 2014 by the seller, who reports it had been in private Mustang collections for ~20 years before being purchased. This King Cobra is offered with a build sheet, a reproduction window sticker, an Elite Marti Report, a King Cobra Registry certificate, and a clean Illinois title.

The vehicle was stolen and recovered in the early 80's after which it received a branded title in Canada. Upon recovery it was missing the front air damn and wheels. Factory correct OEM wheels were replaced and a custom front air dam was installed.

Replacement decals were installed when the body was repainted in the early 1990s.

The rear hatch struts and weatherstripping for the t-roof were replaced in 2015. Areas of cracked, scratched, and bubbling paint are pictured in close-up photos shown in the gallery below.

The eight-track player needs service but did work when the car was purchased

The vehicle has 180-km/h speedometer and shows 97k original kilometers (~60k miles), approximately 600 miles of which were added under current ownership.

The 302ci V8 was overhauled in 2014 at 90k kilometers and equipped with an aftermarket camshaft and a four-barrel carburetor, during the work, and the clutch assembly was replaced for the four-speed manual transmission, which drives the rear wheels through a differential with 3.00:1 gearing.

Long-tube headers and a dual exhaust system were installed in the past year, and the distributor cap, ignition wires, and spark plugs were replaced.

There are some fluid seeps underneath the vehicle and a slight rattle can be heard in first gear although it shifts fine.

I have loved this Mustang for the last 10 years, at local shows, Mustang II reunions, and ice cream runs on beautiful summer days. Now it's time for this steed to be enjoyed in another stable.