Most Powerful Inline 6 Ford Mustangs
Ford's inline-six engines were the economy workhorses of the 1960s and 1970s. But they can be tuned for serious performance.
The Ford Thriftpower Inline-Six
Six-cylinder Mustangs are the Rodney Dangerfield of cars - they get no respect. They are meant for secretaries and hairdressers - no real gearhead would own one, right? Wrong! Within the Mustang community, there is a group of oddballs and misfits that love the inline-six engine. Known as the Thriftpower Six, it was Ford's economy engine from 1960 until 1982. Producing 90 - 125 horsepower and 190 lb. feet of torque, it lacks something in the performance department. But with a few modifications, you can turn it into a real sleeper.
Photo: OnAllCylinders
1965 Mustang Turbo 200 6-Cylinder
There are a lot of ways to boost horsepower. The most common method is to bolt on a new intake manifold, add a hotter cam, and dual exhaust. Some people also add a turbocharger. Their 1965 Mustang puts out 187 horsepower at the rear wheels. That may not sound like much, but coupled with a T-5 Tremec on a 2,600 lb car, it's enough to embarrass a lot of V8 muscle.
Photo: The Other Guys/Richard Holdener
1965 Mustang with a Built 250
The saying "there's no substitute for displacement" applies to inline-six engines too. Ford started with a 144 cubic inch inline-six in 1960. Over time the six grew to 170, 200, and eventually 250 cubic inches. The 250 cubic inch inline-six in this 1965 Mustang is from a Ford Maverick. The owner took it to an engine shop in Florida, where it received a new cylinder head and Holley Sniper Electronic Fuel Injection. Depending on compression and fuel flow rates, this engine is probably making around 200 horsepower. Up significantly from the 125 horses the engine made in the Maverick.
Photo: Hot Rod Magazine
1963 Ford Falcon Futura
It's not a Ford Mustang, but anyone who knows the history of the Mustang knows that it was based on the Ford Falcon. And this 1963 Ford Falcon Futura is no slouch. The 250 cubic inch inline-six is turbocharged, putting out an estimated 350 horsepower. It also puts down 11 second-quarter miles at the drag strip. The owner admits he could go faster with a V8, but the challenge of building up the inline-six was part of the fun.
Photo: Hot Rod Magazine
Mean Maverick with 300 Inline-Six Power
Speaking of Mavericks, this one was built for less than $5,000. I know, it's not a Mustang, but like the Mustang, it shared its platform with the Ford Falcon. That makes it easy to swap parts among the three cars. But instead of building the 250 cubic inch motor that came with the Maverick, the owner sourced a 300 cubic inch inline-six from a Ford F-150. He rebuilt the motor, leaving it stock with one exception - he added a turbocharger from an International dump truck. So what has four wheels and flies? This Maverick, down the drag strip in 10 seconds.
Photo: Car Craft
1,300 Horsepower Turbo Mustang
The first four cars are all driveable on the street and put out approximately 180 to 300 horsepower. But this Mustang puts out more than those cars combined. Built by John Colaidis, this car had a turbocharged 4.0-liter inline-six that ran on liquified petroleum gas. The setup put out 1,300 horsepower and put down nine-second runs at the drag strip, topping 154 miles per hour. Apparently, this wasn't enough for Colaidis, who swapped out the inline-six for a twin-turbo 427 cubic inch V8 putting out 1,546 horsepower. Yet again, another example where someone swapped out their six-cylinder for a V8.
Photo: Fullboost
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