A Better Idea?

In case you haven't heard, nearly 40% of all new cars sold in the United States since early last year were subcompacts. Americans every- where are flocking to the minicars like bees to honey, and the end is nowhere in sight. You might credit inflation, environmentalists or the "energy crisis" for convincing an impressionable populace that they need to make this transition, but nevertheless, subcompact sales have soared to new heights, and the factories are scrambling to take advantage.

Consistent with Detroit's motto of "The only thing that doesn't change is change itself," Ford Motor Co. has seen fit to throw its mutated Mustang to the wolves and introduce in its stead a brand new image-maker-the Mustang II. First impressions lead one to think it should be more aptly titled Pinto 11, but the similarity ends there. Everything about the Mustang II is new, from its freshly designed chassis and powerplant to the rationalization behind its existence. Ford feels the future of the American automobile will center around the small, economical cars, and they want to be firmly entrenched in that area with no fewer than three offerings: Maverick, Pinto, and now, Mustang II.

Ten model years ago, Ford dealt its opposition a stunning blow with the arrival of the Mustang. It created quite a stir among high-performance types and was perhaps most responsible for the legendary "ponycar" era.

The early Mustang began life as a simple, small, V-8 powered 2-door hardtop with an eye towards total performance. Over the years it was redesigned to keep pace with the ever-changing demands of fickle consumers and consequently grew into an intermediate-sized sporty-type luxury car. Factory reasoning was- why not alter a popular model to better suit the latest priorities of the market? If the public wants a big car, give it to 'em. That's what they did then, and this is what they're doing now.

The Mustang II is officially a sporty subcompact available in two groups of five models. The first group, constructed off the notchback body style, includes a basic hardtop and the luxurious Grande. The second, comprised of hatchbacks (or 3-doors as Ford calls them), features 2-passenger, 2 + 2 and Mach 1 versions. The 2-passenger model is derived from your ordinary hatchback configuration but without a back seat. It's the first 2-seater made by Ford since the Thunderbird roadster back in '57, and we hope the concept lasts a little longer this time around. The 2 + 2 is reminiscent of the old '65 Fastback Mustang, except for its "third door." The Mach 1 is the car featured on this month's cover-and is the one you'll most likely be interested in. It has many advantages over the other Mustangs, especially in the performance field, but we'll get to that later.

An advertising approach Ford will use to herald the new Mustang II claims it as "no spartan minicar." This is true. The list of standard equipment is endless: rack and pin- ion steering, front disc brakes, 4- speed transmission, isolated front suspension and staggered rear shocks. On the inside are thick pile carpeting, extremely comfortable bucket seats, ample instrumentation and generous applications of simulated wood. Options include AM/FM Stereo/Tape, air conditioning, manual sunroof and an anti-theft alarm that greets prospective ne'er-do-wells with five minutes of horn honking. But those are just some of the creature comforts. For the hard core buff, Ford offers a 2.8 liter V-6, power disc brakes, limited-slip differential, com- petition suspension, or a Rallye Package that incorporates all of the above.

The isolated suspension is actually a mini-subframe similar to that found previously on larger Fords. A front sway bar ties in the lower control arms, which in turn have compression struts to absorb road shock. A lot of engineering went towards a quiet ride, and much of the road vibration is dissipated through the sub- frame instead of being transmitted through the body structure to the occupants. The rear suspension is a leaf spring arrangement totally devoid of any metal-to-metal contact through the liberal use of rubber bushings. The staggered shock treatment (left behind, right forward of the axle housing) counteracts wheel hop, as attested to by several hard burnouts. All rearends are Hotchkiss types with 3.55:1 gearing.

Another '74 feature of the Mustang II is a unitized body with a one-piece, fiberglass-reinforced sheet molding that is interrupted only by the grill and hood opening. New energy- absorbing bumpers are covered with color-keyed urethane wrapped around steel frames to protect the car from 5 mph bumps fore and aft. And a new occupant restraint system ( uses an integrated shoulder harness and lap belt that must be properly fastened before electrical contact in the ignition is made, allowing the engine to start. It sounds dramatic but I will surely save lives.

The 2.8 liter V-6 fits nicely but is hampered by car's hefty weight

Standard Mustang Interiors are a pelasant surprise. Comfortable seats and ample instrumentation make for aplush subcompact car.

Along with the car itself, Ford was busy working out a solution to its engine needs. They wanted to build the motors on this side of the ocean, needed something capable of being mass-produced, and it had to be a lightweight piece with a relatively high power output. In addition, Ford wanted to construct the engine using the internationally approved method of metric dimensioning. And you might as well get used to it, because that's the way things are going to be. It will also mean anew set of tools. But don't fret; it'll be a few years in coming.

The base engine is a totally new OHC in-line 4-cylinder displacing 2.3 liters (2300 cc's). It retains some of the concepts from the older 1600 and 2000cc engines, but none of its parts are interchangeable. The I-4 (inline 4) uses a cross-flow cylinder head for efficient breathing and an overhead camshaft driven off a rubber-cogged timing belt for quieter operation. It also has hydraulic valve lash adjusters to insure constant contact between the rocker arm and valve stem. Induction is supplied by a two-stage Holley/Weber 2-bbl mounted sideways on an aluminum intake manifold. The carburetor has a 1.26- inch primary throttle bore (make that 32mm), a 1.41-inch (36mm) secondary, and works on the same principle as a 4-bbl but with half the capacity.

Ford is happy to note that all conditions were met with the I-4. Its 3.78 x 3.12 bore and stroke is good for 102 hp at 5200 rpm, and 122 ft/lbs of torque at a high 3200 rpm. The engine's 8.4:1 compression ratio fits right in with today's unleaded gasolines, and one could expect about 20 miles per gallon under normal driving conditions.

That's all well and good. But if you want your Mustang's heart to beat a little faster, try the European-bred V-6. Pirated from the Capri and upped in displacement, the V-6 is standard on the Mach 1 and optional on all other Mustang II's. Its current bore and stroke of 3.66 x 2.70 works out to 171 cubic inches, but the factory has no horsepower or torque figures available at this time. One nice thing about the V-6 other than a slight power advantage is its rather compact size. The cylinder banks sit at 60-degree angles to the crank- shaft, or closer to an upright position than most standard V-8's. This allows more room for maintenance (and the feasibility of a V-8 swap) because the engine is narrower than the I-4, and a revamped front suspension eliminates the bulky shock towers that would normally grace the engine compartment. The engine itself works just fine in the lighter Capri, but is overloaded miserably when stuffed in the heavier Mach 1. It contains basically the same type induction system as the 4-cylinder (two-stage Holley/ Weber) but gets the added benefit of large intake and exhaust valves, solid lifter cam, nodular iron crankshaft, forged steel rods and lightweight aluminum pistons (8.2:1 compression). Both the block and heads are cast iron, and the V-6 option automatically puts a dual exhaust system under the car for better scavenging. As mentioned earlier, the V-6 can be ordered in any model Mustang II, and should be seriously considered for any kind of performance. Fuel economy with 91 octane gas should be around 18 mpg.

Mach 1 features adjustable shocks that should be set on hard side for better stability.
Three-door Hatchback can be ordered with or without back seat.	Brand new chassis grces Mustang II, with isolated subframe, dual exhausts(w/V-6) and stout drivetrain.
Notchback model is available, as are sunroof and FM Sterio Tape.

You'd think that with all the good stuff available for the 'Stang II it would be a formidable machine. It could be, except for one major drawback. The basic Mach 1 tips the scales at a hefty 2900 pounds. By the time the V-6 and accompanying suspension components are added, your brand new sporty subcompact is up to a not-so-sporty 3200 pounds. Regardless of how heavy-duty the suspension is, the car in stock form is regrettably underpowered.

But let's look on the brighter side. Standard equipment on the Mach 1 includes a rear sway bar, heavy-duty springs and adjustable front and rear shocks. Three settings allow you to dial in a ride anywhere from soft to harsh and should make the rally freaks in our audience very happy. Adding to the list are BR70 x 13 radial ply tires on 5 1/2-inch steel wheels (CR70's and aluminum wheels optional); power-assist for the rack and pinion steering that reduces overall ratio from 24:1 to 18:1; an aluminum cased 4-speed with a 3.50:1 first gear, and a 3 1/2-inch o.d. driveshaft that leaves only the universal joints at the mercy of any hard driving.

Overall performance from the Mach 1 is compromising at best. The shocks should definitely be set on the rough side, or the car will dive and roll like a used up Edsel on a road course. An unofficial time shot in a V-6 4-speeder by one of CAR & DRIVER's staff members during the press preview at Detroit produced an 18.2 at 72 mph, leaving hard but shifting slow. We've tested 2-liter Pintos that were quicker.

One of the few things we really didn't like about the car was its power-to-weight ratio. Looking at the Mach 1 from a performance stand- point, Ford will either have to lighten up the car or offer a V-8. We predict they'll do the latter (rumor has it there's a 351-powered Mustang II running around somewhere right now); but until then, the swap kit people will be busy. Now that's a better idea.

Car Craft September 1973

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