1976 Ford Mustang ll Cobra ll 0001-4667

This official archive image documents the 1976 Ford Mustang II Cobra II, the year the package was introduced. Created for Ford by Jim Wangers' Motortown Corporation, it wrapped the Mustang II fastback in full-length racing stripes, an air dam, a rear spoiler, window louvres and Cobra snake badging — appearance in place of the horsepower the era no longer allowed.

Who Was Jim Wangers?

Jim Wangers made his reputation as the advertising man behind the Pontiac GTO, and is often credited with inventing the muscle car as a marketing category. By the mid-1970s his Motortown Corporation was building appearance packages for Detroit manufacturers.

The Cobra II was one of those projects. Its purpose was to make a small, modestly powered car look like a competition machine, and on that measure it succeeded completely — the package outlived most of its contemporaries in public memory.

What Was the 1976 Mustang II Like to Own?

The Mustang II was well equipped and comfortable for its size, with rack-and-pinion steering, a sub-frame isolated from the body for quietness and a standard of interior fit unusual for a small American car of the period.

Performance was another matter. Engine choices were a 2.3-litre four, a 2.8-litre V6 and the 302 cubic inch V8, the last producing figures far below what the same capacity had delivered a decade earlier.

How Do You Identify a 1976 Cobra II?

Distinguishing details:

• Introduced for the 1976 model year on the fastback body
• Racing stripes running the full length of the car
• Front air dam, rear deck spoiler and non-functional bonnet scoop
• Rear quarter window louvres
• Three launch colour combinations: white/blue, blue/white and black/gold

Who Is This Print For?

This 1976 Cobra II print appeals to Mustang II owners, Cobra II collectors, 1970s design enthusiasts, restoration shops, offices and garages. As vintage Ford wall art the graphics are bold enough to anchor a room on their own. Choose framed, canvas, metal or Giclée formats for a home office, study, museum display or Ford wall decor programme.

Photograph Details

• Subject: Ford Mustang II Cobra II
• Model year: 1976
• Body style: Fastback
• Created by: Motortown Corporation for Ford
• Package: Full-length racing stripes, air dam, rear spoiler, window louvres, Cobra badging
• Archive reference: 0001-4667

This archival photograph is made available through Fordimages.com, the official Ford archive imagery licensee operated by Richard Weedn LLC. Each image is digitally restored before printing and handcrafted to order.

Available as:

• Framed Print — museum-quality paper, archival inks, Acrylite glazing, hanging hardware included
• Stretched Canvas — hand-stretched over 1.25-inch pine bars, heavy cotton poly matte finish
• ChromaLuxe Metal Print — image infused directly onto sheets of alloy metal for maximum vibrancy and durability
• Giclée Art Print — 260gsm satin finish paper, finest archival inks, white border

Made in the USA or Europe depending on your location.

About the Artwork

Artwork in this collection comes from the Ford Motor Company Archives, The Henry Ford Museum, the Carroll Shelby Archives, and the collections of acclaimed photographers and painters from around the world. Reproduction rights are reserved by the respective copyright owners.

Our framed prints feature a black, hand-stained solid wood frame with a white mat, museum-quality paper, archival inks, Acrylite glazing, and hanging hardware. The frame features a slim 0.8-inch face and projects 1.3 inches from the wall, creating a clean, contemporary shadow-box effect. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

Our stretched canvas prints are produced on acid-free, pH-neutral, and fade-resistant canvas. Each canvas is hand-glued to solid wood stretcher bars and stretched over 1.25-inch-thick pine bars. Mounting brackets are included. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

Our Giclée prints are produced using premium 200gsm semi-gloss paper and high-quality archival inks. Each print includes a white border around the perimeter.

For the 40 x 60 size, we use 250gsm museum-quality archival paper with an off-white, uncoated finish.

The listed size refers to the overall paper dimensions. The image is printed proportionally within the selected paper size. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

ChromaLuxe prints use a state-of-the-art coating process that infuses the image directly onto sheets of alloy metal. The result is photography with an exceptional combination of vibrancy, clarity, and durability.

Each print arrives ready to hang. An alloy subframe on the back allows the artwork to float away from the wall for a sleek, modern appearance. This is the finest-quality print we offer. Made in the USA.

All images are digitally restored before printing. Production location varies by product and destination. Shipping is calculated at checkout.