Story
Ford introduced the Cobra II for 1976 as a factory-ordered appearance package on the Mustang II 2+2 hatchback. Its front and rear spoilers, simulated hood scoop, over-the-top stripes, rocker graphics, fender snakes, black grille, quarter-window louvers, and full instrumentation recalled earlier Shelby Mustangs, but the package did not define the engine. The standard 2.3-liter four-cylinder, optional 2.8-liter V6, and optional 302 V8 were all available. Motortown Corporation installed the appearance hardware for Ford; that production step does not make the car a dealer conversion or a Shelby.
The 2.3-liter car started with a floor-shifted four-speed and front disc brakes. The V6 and 302 required power brakes, and the 302 also required power rack-and-pinion steering. Early Ford buyer literature says the V8 required Cruise-O-Matic, while the revised December 1975 Mustang brochure lists a wide-ratio four-speed as available with the 302. A car's build date, transmission code, Marti report, and installed components therefore matter more than a blanket model-year rule. Four-cylinder and some V6 cars used the smaller 6.75-inch axle; some V6 cars and all V8 cars used the removable-carrier 8-inch axle. Competition Suspension, Traction-Lok, and the broader Rallye Package were optional rather than automatic Cobra II equipment.
Ford built 25,259 Cobra IIs for 1976. The VIN identifies a 1976 Mustang II hatchback and its Y-code 2.3, Z-code 2.8, or F-code 302, but it does not encode the Cobra II package. Authentication begins with a Marti report or original order record and then reconciles the door certification label, buck tag, paint and trim, drivetrain codes, dates, spoilers, scoop, louvers, stripes, emblems, wheels, suspension, brakes, and hidden finishes. A hatchback with later Cobra graphics is not proven factory equipment by appearance alone.