Production Stats
1974 Ford Mustang IIStandard Coupe: 177,671 units
Ghia Coupe: 89,477 units
Standard Hatchback: 74,799
Mach I Hatchback: 44,046
Total Production: 385,993 units
Retail Price: $3,134 Standard Coupe
Retail Price: $3,480 Ghia Coupe
Retail Price: $3,328 Standard Hatchback
Retail Price: $3,674 Mach I Hatchback
The year 1974 marked the dawn of a new era for the Ford Mustang. The OPEC oil embargo, coupled with an uncertain economy, changed the way consumers viewed driving. As such, Ford was forced to return to the drawing board. Its goal: create a new Mustang that would be both fuel efficient and capable of passing newly introduced emissions standards.
Lee Iacocca, President of Ford Motor Company, latched on to the project, coined the “Mustang II”. When asked about the challenges he faced in creating a new Mustang, he said, “All the 1974 will have to be is one thing; it will have to be a little jewel.”Of course, Iacocca was no stranger to the Ford Mustang. He, along with a team of designers and engineers, had created the first Ford Mustang back in the early 1960s. His first goal was to create a car that would boost sales. Mustang sales had been on the decline for some time. He also wanted to create a vehicle that could conform to new federal standards, such as the one that mandated bumpers be able to withstand a 5 mph collision without damage to the vehicle.
The Mustang II Design
From a design perspective, the 1974 Mustang II was based on the Ford Pinto platform. In fact, it was often referred to as the “Pintostang” during its development. In all, the car featured characteristics of European auto design. It was compact, refined, and cutting edge for the time. For example, in comparison to the 1973 model, the Mustang II was 19 inches shorter and 490 pounds lighter. As for cutting edge technology, it featured larger taillights for safety, steel-belted radial tires, and rack-and-pinion steering.
Highlights
- First Ford Mustang to feature a 4-cylinder engine
- First Ford Mustang to feature a V-6 engine
- The Gas Cap was moved from the rear of the car to the side-quarter panel
- New pull-up Door handles were standard
In all, the Mustang II came with two transmission offerings; four-speed manual or three-speed automatic. The car was available as either a coupe or a hatchback. Of those styles, four models were available, consisting of the standard coupe, Ghia coupe, standard hatchback, and Mach I hatchback. The Ghia coupe, named after the Italian design studio, was a luxury version of the Mustang II. The Mach 1 was the performance model. It featured a standard 2.8L V-6 engine as well as Mach I side markings, dual tail pipes, and a Tu-Tone paint job with black paint on the lower body and rear taillight panel.
Other features of the Mustang II included a one-piece front featuring a front fascia and bumper that were molded together. It also featured side scallops similar to those seen on the Mustangs of the 1960s. New pull-up door handles were also standard on the Mustang II. Another characteristic of the car was turn signals mounted on the grille. To the untrained eye, they appeared to be fog lamps. Also of note, Ford moved the gas cap from the rear of the vehicle to the driver’s side quarter panel in 1974.
For those buyers seeking flair, a vinyl-covered roof was available as an added option. Tinted glass near the top of the windshield was also available for an additional cost, as were special forged aluminum wheels on the Mach I.
