1976 Mustang Buyers Inspection Guide

Inspection Checklist

Body, Rust, And Structure

Inspect under the doors, rear quarters, hood scoop/hood lip, hatch area, rear rails, floors, front structure, and bumper backing; wavy urethane bumpers can hide rust underneath.
Fastbacks need hatch weatherstrip, rear glass, taillight pockets, spare well, quarter lips, and spoiler mounting areas checked for water and rust.
T-roof cars need both removable panels, the storage case, latch/seal photos, drain evidence, and carpet checks before valuing the option.

Options And Special Models

A 1974 factory V8 claim is wrong unless the seller is describing a swap; Ford's 1974 brochure listed 2.3L four-cylinder and 2.8L V6 engines.
Cobra II and King Cobra appearance parts are easy to copy; verify radiator-support buck tag evidence, body style, drivetrain, Rallye Package hardware, wheels, spoilers, trim, and documentation.
For 1978 King Cobra, look for KC on Dearborn buck tags or KNG on San Jose buck tags; no VIN marker alone proves the package.

Mechanical And Safety

302 cars from 1976-1978 and certain 2.8L/A-C cars need fan-recall awareness; verify by VIN/equipment and inspect the fan before running with the hood open.
Check emissions hardware, cooling, carburetor quality, steering rack, front suspension, and brake parts because neglected Mustang IIs can be harder to source than common Fox/SN95 parts.

Photo Clues

King Cobra photos should show hatchback body, 302 2V V8, hood scoop with 5.0L emblem, large hood snake decal, black trim, front air dam, rear spoiler, side decals, Lacy spoke wheels, and Rallye hardware.

Cobra II/King Cobra stripes, louvers, spoilers, and emblems are cloneable; ask for buck-tag and underside photos before treating it as a package car.

A 1974 listing with V8 badges or a 302 engine should be evaluated as a swap, with attention to mounts, cooling, wiring, rear axle, brakes, and legality.

VIN, Tag & Option Mismatch Checks

No 1978 King Cobra VIN marker exists; buck tag and documentation are the key checks.

A 1974 V8 story conflicts with factory engine availability and should be priced as modified unless fully documented as a later conversion.

Known Buyer Risks

Hidden bumper backing rust, hatch leaks, and trim scarcity can make cheap Mustang IIs expensive.
Fan recalls and older emissions/cooling work are practical safety and drivability checks.

Color & Interior Database

Use paint/interior codes as a screening tool, then verify individual cars from door labels, window stickers, Marti reports where available, SVT/Shelby/registry records, or Ford build data.

Code	Color / Trim	Model	Body	Units	Notes
1C	Black	All	-	Not published	Paint code reference; exact production count not publicly verified.
1G	Silver Metallic	All	-	Not published	Paint code reference; exact production count not publicly verified.
2R	Bright Red	All	-	Not published	Paint code reference; exact production count not publicly verified.
2M	Medium Red	All	-	Not published	Paint code reference; exact production count not publicly verified.
3A	Dark Midnight Blue	All	-	Not published	Paint code reference; exact production count not publicly verified.
3B	Light Blue	All	-	Not published	Paint code reference; exact production count not publicly verified.
3E	Bright Metallic Blue	All	-	Not published	Paint code reference; exact production count not publicly verified.
3M	Silver Blue Glow	All	-	Not published	Paint code reference; exact production count not publicly verified.
6E	Bright Yellow	All	-	Not published	Paint code reference; exact production count not publicly verified.
6P	Cream	All	-	Not published	Paint code reference; exact production count not publicly verified.
9D	White	All	-	Not published	Paint code reference; exact production count not publicly verified.
AA	Black Corinthian Vinyl	All	Interior	Not published	Interior trim option; exact production count not publicly verified.
AB	Medium Blue Corinthian Vinyl	All	Interior	Not published	Interior trim option; exact production count not publicly verified.
AG	Light Avocado Corinthian Vinyl	All	Interior	Not published	Interior trim option; exact production count not publicly verified.
AU	Light Tan Corinthian Vinyl	All	Interior	Not published	Interior trim option; exact production count not publicly verified.
AN	White/Red Corinthian Vinyl	All	Interior	Not published	Interior trim option; exact production count not publicly verified.
AQ	White/Blue Corinthian Vinyl	All	Interior	Not published	Interior trim option; exact production count not publicly verified.
AK	White/Copper Corinthian Vinyl	All	Interior	Not published	Interior trim option; exact production count not publicly verified.
AM	White/Tan Corinthian Vinyl	All	Interior	Not published	Interior trim option; exact production count not publicly verified.
Cloth	Westminster Cloth	Ghia	Interior	Not published	Interior trim option; exact production count not publicly verified.
Velour	Picardy Velour Cloth	Ghia	Interior	Not published	Interior trim option; exact production count not publicly verified.

Confidence: Availability-focused; exact counts not publicly verified. Breakout: No verified production-by-color breakout available.

1976 Mustang Buyers Guide