Zac Quinn 
YouTuber Westen Champlin has spent the last couple of years building what is known as the “SmokeStang.” A Ford Mustang that steps away from the four, six, and eight-cylinder engines and replaces them with a 5.9-liter Cummins six-cylinder diesel out of an old, 300,000-mile truck. As the engine wore down and started to leak everywhere, it became time to fit a new engine into the legendary soot-spewing Ford Mustang.
Champlin Ford Mustang “SmokeStang” Upgrade: Details
The new powerplant comes from Power Drive Diesel in Utah, and according to The Drive, the company is known for pushing the limits of diesel performance, sometimes explosively. So what engine was assembled to go into Champlin’s Ford Mustang build? A 6.1-liter 12-valve Cummins capable of delivering an outstanding 1,500 horsepower. Much of that power comes from the two mighty turbos that, along with the engine, are far too large to fit underneath the Mustang’s original hood. The larger of the two turbos was so heavy that an engine crane was needed to assist with the installation.
Overall, the new engine looks spectacular compared to the old oily truck motor. It even features a shiny valve cover engraved with SmokeStang on it, as if the massive exhaust sticking out of the front of the Ford Mustang wasn’t plenty of indication as to what this thing is. So what are the performance numbers once the car is placed on the dyno with the new engine? After tuning and boosting at 110 psi, the car pulled 1,264 horsepower and an absurd 2200 lb-ft of torque. The thing is an engineering marvel not to have blown up with making those kinds of numbers.
As indicated in the YouTube video, the Ford Mustang’s new engine made short work of the Mustang’s rear tires. With a burnout, they turned to smoke as quickly as the diesel burnt in the engine. Whether or not the SmokeStang can make it down a drag strip now without burning through a set of tires remains to be seen. Hopefully, that’ll be the next video.
