As we move further into the electrified era, diesel engines are constantly losing market share, even in Europe where these powerplants are infinitely more popular than in North America in terms of passenger cars. And, as you can imagine, the sky-high fuel prices we get right now aren’t helping. Then again, such trends only motivate extreme builders to come up with wackier builds. Case in point with this S550 Mustang, which is animated by a Ford Powerstroke diesel.
Sure, we’re used to seeing all-out diesel truck projects that go past 1,000 and even 2,000 hp on the dyno and stun the crowds at drag strips.
But a contemporary ‘Stang with an oil burner is something else. And this is what vlogger Bruce D Willson (showcasing the car for owner Tyler Hewett of Hewett Industries, who is on YouTube) bet on when he decided to come up and introduce what he calls the world’s first 6.0 Powerstroke Mustang—he started the build in 2020 and has been through quite a lot with it ever since.
Now, those of you who are familiar with this 32-valve pushrod V8, which Ford offered in 2003-2007 Super Duty trucks and 2003-2010 E-Series vans, probably frowned when we mentioned it.
That’s because the 6.0 Powestroke has a terrible reputation and for good reason. Many of the drivers who were left stranded or were financially affected by these failing diesels eventually got compensated in lawsuits against the carmaker. In addition, all the issues arguably marked the beginning of the end for the relationship between Ford and Navistar International (the latter built the engine for the Blue Oval).
However, this Strokestang features a highly modified 6.0L Powerstroke, so at least some of the engine’s common problems should’ve been addressed.
Some of the top mods fitted to the Strokestang
For one, there’s a heavily revised cooling system with a rear-mounted radiator. This shares the posterior of the ‘Stang with the battery and a fuel cell for better weight distribution.
The V8 also sports a big turbo, while keeping the intake air temperature in check via the air-to-water intercooler. So you can bet that the factory output of 325 hp and 560-570 lb-ft of torque has been left far behind.
Tyler Hewett told us the output estimate for the Strokestang, a project that kicked off with a wrecked S550, sits at 650 hp and over 1,200 lb-ft of sweet twist. And the newfound muscle is sent to the rear wheels via a built ZF six-speed automatic, the kind we often see on Ford and GM heavy-duty trucks built in the 2000s. Oh, and are those RTR Mustang grille bits we see adorning the nose of the machine? Mixing that with the Powerstroke badges on the doors is just hilarious.
The Strokestang has a rough start in 2022, as it got into a nasty front end crash while burning rubber during a January November 2021 event held at YouTuber Cleetus McFarland‘s Freedom Factory over in Florida—this is the former DeSoto Speedway.
Nevertheless, Bruce fixed the Ford, which has resumed its shenanigans on YouTube and Instagram meanwhile. And, as you’ll notice in the YT clip below, this makes for a proper burnout machine, even though it might’ve gotten the enthusiast in trouble with the police.
Remember Westen Champlin’s Smokestang and Matt Carriker’s Ranchtang?
Putting an S550 Mustang into the same sentence with the word diesel may sound familiar. And that’s because mechanic/YouTuber Westen Champlin showcased this sort of build back in the summer. And his contraption is dubbed Smokestang for obvious reasons.
The vlogger took his pony down the more reliable Cummins route and towed a boat in a bid to allow the machine to prove its mettle. Why? For the giggles, of course.
And while we’re on this topic, we’ll also remind you of the 6.0L Powerstroke-animated Ranchtang. An older build that got upgraded by Matt Carriker of the Demolition Ranch YT channel, this will make you believe you’ve seen a 1965 Ford Mustang pickup truck.
