Car Model History

Second generation · Mustang II · 1974–1978

1978Ford Mustang

The Mustang II — a smaller, more economical Pinto-based car for the oil-crisis era, built 1974–1978.

Second generation · Mustang II

1978 Ford Mustang Cobra II — front three-quarter view

Photo: “1978 Ford Mustang Cobra II (28337688226)” by Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.

Quick facts

Engines
3offered140 cu in (2.3 L) I4 (base) → 302 cu in (4.9 L) V8 (2-bbl; required for the King Cobra)
Production
192,410unitsmodel year
Base price
$3,824base coupe
Today
≈$18,400inflation-adjusted MSRP, not market value

Body styles2-door coupe (hardtop) · 3-door hatchback (2+2)

The 1978 model year

Overview

The Mustang II's send-off year, and its most theatrical. Ford launched the limited-edition King Cobra — a deep front air dam, bold stripes, and a Trans-Am-style snake decal sprawled across the hood — available only with the 302 V8. It was more show than go, but it gave the generation a memorable finale before the all-new Fox-body Mustang arrived for 1979. (Horsepower figures are SAE net; the 302 V8's 1978 net rating is reported inconsistently across period sources and is omitted here.)

Specifications

Engines
  • 140 cu in (2.3 L) I4 (base)
  • 171 cu in (2.8 L) V6
  • 302 cu in (4.9 L) V8 (2-bbl; required for the King Cobra)
Transmissions
4-speed manual, C3 3-speed automatic
Body styles
2-door coupe (hardtop), 3-door hatchback (2+2)
Dimensions
Wheelbase 96.2 in · Length 175.0 in · Width 70.2 in
Base price
$3,824 (base coupe)See what that's worth today →
Production
192,410 (model year)

Year over year

What changed

  • The limited-edition King Cobra debuted — a deep front air dam, bold side and hood stripes, and a large Trans-Am-style snake decal on the hood; offered only with the 302 V8 and a four-speed manual.
  • The Cobra II carried the revised single-stripe, "COBRA"-lettered graphics introduced late in 1977.
  • A Fashion Accessory Package added striped "Fresno cloth" seating aimed at a different buyer.
  • Final model year for the Mustang II; the Fox-body Mustang replaced it for 1979.

Worth knowing

Notable

  • The King Cobra is the headline Mustang II collectible — only 4,313 were built, marketed as Ford's answer to the Pontiac Trans Am.
  • Production rose to 192,410 for the final model year.
  • Last year before the Fox-body redesign, giving 1978 "end of an era" appeal for the generation.

Living with it

Reliability & ownership notes

  • The King Cobra's value rests heavily on originality — verify the decals, air dam, and that it is a genuine V8 car, since the package was decals-and-trim over standard Mustang II mechanicals.
  • Standard generation checks: rust in floors, lower body, and subframe; condition of the V8 and four-speed.
  • Parts support remains good through shared Mustang II/Pinto components.

What it costs now

Price today

Original MSRP$3,824 (base coupe)1978
Inflation-adjusted≈$18,400what that MSRP is worth in today's dollars

Current market value

We don't publish a market estimate for the 1978 model year yet. A valuation ships here only when it can be sourced and dated — we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Original MSRP adjusted for inflation (CPI, 2024); not the car's current market/collector value. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U (U.S. city average, all items), annual average.

Maintenance & service parts

Keep your 1978 Mustang on the road

Start with the service interval, then match the engine or exact version you own. Order links appear only when a catalog-backed part number is available, and every listing still needs a fitment check.

Service desk

What this car needs & when

Use this as a service-planning checklist for 1978 Ford Mustang. Start with the interval, confirm which engine or configuration you have, then use an exact ordering reference when one is verified.

Service topics
7
Scheduled topics
6
Applicability stated
7
Exact references
1

Before ordering Identify your engine, options and build date. Part numbers and sizes can change within one model year. Shopping links appear only for catalog-backed references; still verify the listing against your vehicle before ordering.

  • Engine oil and filterView intervals, applicability and sources

    Engine oil and filter

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1978 · US · Year-level published schedule; no engine-specific interval exceptions are stated in this recovered table

    Published interval: 7,500 mi / 6 months · whichever comes first

    Source: MustangSpecs — 1978 Mustang maintenance-table transcription · Maintenance Schedule table, 7,500–60,000-mile columns; replacement-task list independently corroborated by U.S. DOT/NHTSA report DOT-HS-805-565, Appendix D, page D-25 · checked

  • Engine oil filterView intervals, applicability and sources

    Engine oil filter

    Exact reference available

    Manufacturer application-catalog fitment only; this does not establish an oil-change interval.

    Applies to: 1978 · US

    2.3-liter inline-four

    Baldwin B2

    Applies to: 1978 · 2.3-liter inline-four · US

    Source: Baldwin Filters — Automotive Applications catalog (2017) · Pre-1980 Applications section — Ford 1978, Mustang 2.3-liter inline-four row · checked

    Verified ordering references

    • Service replacementBaldwin B2

      Qty. 1 · Engine oil filter · catalog-listed

      Baldwin's manufacturer application table lists this filter for the stated model year and engine. Confirm the VIN and installed engine before ordering.

      Catalog: Baldwin Filters — Automotive Applications catalog (2017) · Pre-1980 Applications section — Ford 1978, Mustang 2.3-liter inline-four row · checked

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  • Spark plugsView intervals, applicability and sources

    Spark plugs

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1978 · US · Year-level published schedule; no engine-specific interval exceptions are stated in this recovered table

    Published interval: 30,000 mi

    Source: MustangSpecs — 1978 Mustang maintenance-table transcription · Maintenance Schedule table, 7,500–60,000-mile columns; replacement-task list independently corroborated by U.S. DOT/NHTSA report DOT-HS-805-565, Appendix D, page D-25 · checked

  • PCV valveView intervals, applicability and sources

    PCV valve

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1978 · US · Year-level published schedule; no engine-specific interval exceptions are stated in this recovered table

    Published interval: 15,000 mi

    Source: MustangSpecs — 1978 Mustang maintenance-table transcription · Maintenance Schedule table, 7,500–60,000-mile columns; replacement-task list independently corroborated by U.S. DOT/NHTSA report DOT-HS-805-565, Appendix D, page D-25 · checked

    Crankcase emission filter

    Applies to: 1978 · US · Year-level published schedule; no engine-specific interval exceptions are stated in this recovered table

    Published interval: 30,000 mi

    Source: MustangSpecs — 1978 Mustang maintenance-table transcription · Maintenance Schedule table, 7,500–60,000-mile columns; replacement-task list independently corroborated by U.S. DOT/NHTSA report DOT-HS-805-565, Appendix D, page D-25 · checked

  • Engine coolantView intervals, applicability and sources

    Engine coolant

    Sourced interval available

    The recovered transcription's time wording is ambiguous, so only its unambiguous 30,000-mile table mark is encoded.

    Applies to: 1978 · US · Year-level published schedule; no engine-specific interval exceptions are stated in this recovered table

    Published interval: 30,000 mi

    Source: MustangSpecs — 1978 Mustang maintenance-table transcription · Maintenance Schedule table, 7,500–60,000-mile columns; replacement-task list independently corroborated by U.S. DOT/NHTSA report DOT-HS-805-565, Appendix D, page D-25 · checked

  • Engine air-cleaner filterView intervals, applicability and sources

    Engine air-cleaner filter

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1978 · US · Year-level published schedule; no engine-specific interval exceptions are stated in this recovered table

    Published interval: 30,000 mi

    Source: MustangSpecs — 1978 Mustang maintenance-table transcription · Maintenance Schedule table, 7,500–60,000-mile columns; replacement-task list independently corroborated by U.S. DOT/NHTSA report DOT-HS-805-565, Appendix D, page D-25 · checked

  • Accessory drive belts — inspectView intervals, applicability and sources

    Accessory drive belts — inspect

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1978 · US · Year-level published schedule; no engine-specific interval exceptions are stated in this recovered table

    Published interval: 30,000 mi · inspection

    Source: MustangSpecs — 1978 Mustang maintenance-table transcription · Maintenance Schedule table, 7,500–60,000-mile columns; replacement-task list independently corroborated by U.S. DOT/NHTSA report DOT-HS-805-565, Appendix D, page D-25 · checked

Collect

Bring this model year home

Find a scale model using the exact year, make, and model—not a generic generation search.

Famous variants this year

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — "Ford Mustang (second generation)"
  2. MustangSpecs

Other Second generation years

Explore the Mustang II generation →All Second generation · Mustang II years →

Documented lineup

Find your exact 1978 Mustang

Start with a family, body style, or engine. Every card opens the facts and maintenance information for that factory version.

1factory configurations
Exact factory pairings documentedHow this lineup was verified

These source-backed records identify published body, engine, and transmission combinations. Exact pairings do not by themselves assert that every factory option or special edition is represented.

1versions shown
Browse 1 documented records — use the filters above to narrow the list
Two-door notchback coupe

Ford Mustang Base Two-door notchback coupe Manual

Body
Two-door notchback coupe
Engine
2.3-liter inline-four
Gearbox
4-speed manual
Built
Regular production
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