Ford Mustang with Nissan Skyline Engine.

[Savoy1984]

(Contains spoilers for the movie Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift)

I was watching Tokyo Drift last night and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was and there was a car featured in the final third of the movie a 1967 Ford Mustang with a Nissan Skyline engine now that is a cool idea especially in the context of the movie as it was really nice how the American's and Japanese characters where working together and created this cool car and it also had an echo's of one of my favourite films Gung Ho. (I think I've used all my movie phrases)

Anyway here's a couple of questions about it;

1. In the film they take the engine from the Nissan and make it fit into the Mustang in one night would this be possible in real life, I've read a few disparaging comments on the net that say it isn't but the I'd love to think that it would be possible.

2. What does everybody else think of this idea of a Mustang with a Nissan engine.

3. What do you think of the movie Tokyo Drift.

4. I wonder what the fastest Mustang is and how fast did it go.

Thanks in advance for any answers/comments.

 

[Dougboy]

1. Why wouldn't it be possible?

2. There has been debates all over the internet and different people have different views on it. Some argue is a lighter more powerful engine while others say its just not "right" to have a japanese straight six in a muscle car

3. I thought it was fake, over exagerated and very ricy. Worse than the 2f2f but sort "better"(if thats the word) than the first one

4. Fastest as in 0-60? quarter mile? top speed? around a track? be more specific

 

[Jim Prower]

OLD. NEWS.

This was discussed when the movie came out. TO. DEATH.

 

[YSSMAN]

No offense to you, but the RB26DETT in the Mustang was the nail in the coffin for the movie. No one in their right mind would ever strip a V8 out of a Mustang without having a few screws loose in their head, especially when the Nissan engine is larger, heavier, and overall does nothing to improve the performance of the car.

(Hot Rod did an article about the car in question)

So, to answer your questions:

1) Yes, it is possible as they did do it. Would anyone seriously do it? Not in North America...

2) Personally speaking, they destroyed the awesomeness of the classic Mustang by putting the Nissan engine in it. The car needs a small-block Ford, preferably a 302ci or 351ci V8, a four-speed manual, 14" knock-off rims, and otherwise anything completely old-school.

3) Personally speaking, I hated the movie. I wasn't into drifting to begin with, but I found the entire movie so laughable, that I actually had to turn it off part way. Yes, I did finish it, and I found the ending to be hilariously stupid. The movie was clearly pandering to the teen drift scene, one in which many of the kids know nothing about high performance automobiles, many of whom likely couldn't drive to begin with.

4) To quote the Hot Rod article:

McCarthy's team ditched the stock twin turbos for a single-turbo system they fabricated themselves but left most of the engine otherwise stock. In a Japanese-market Skyline GT-R, the RB26DETT is underrated at 280 hp at the crank. But on a Dynojet chassis dynamometer, this lightly modified but overboosted example showed 340 hp at the rear wheels. On the test track, it plowed up to 60 mph in 5.38 seconds and cleared the quarter-mile in 13.36 seconds at 109.83 mph. And it did that with virtually no drama while sounding like a '52 GMC pickup that just had its rotted muffler fall off.

There was also a V8 powered car used for the drift sequences, and while it was just a shade slower (it was set up for drifting, obviously), it felt a lot more powerful, and acted like a Mustang should.

===

I hate to sound so negative, but there were many car guys like me who rolled their eyes at the idea in this movie...

 

[Savoy1984]

1. Why wouldn't it be possible?

2. There has been debates all over the internet and different people have different views on it. Some argue is a lighter more powerful engine while others say its just not "right" to have a japanese straight six in a muscle car

3. I thought it was fake, over exagerated and very ricy. Worse than the 2f2f but sort "better"(if thats the word) than the first one

4. Fastest as in 0-60? quarter mile? top speed? around a track? be more specific

OLD. NEWS.

This was discussed when the movie came out. TO. DEATH.

No offense to you, but the RB26DETT in the Mustang was the nail in the coffin for the movie. No one in their right mind would ever strip a V8 out of a Mustang without having a few screws loose in their head, especially when the Nissan engine is larger, heavier, and overall does nothing to improve the performance of the car.

(Hot Rod did an article about the car in question)

So, to answer your questions:

1) Yes, it is possible as they did do it. Would anyone seriously do it? Not in North America...

2) Personally speaking, they destroyed the awesomeness of the classic Mustang by putting the Nissan engine in it. The car needs a small-block Ford, preferably a 302ci or 351ci V8, a four-speed manual, 14" knock-off rims, and otherwise anything completely old-school.

3) Personally speaking, I hated the movie. I wasn't into drifting to begin with, but I found the entire movie so laughable, that I actually had to turn it off part way. Yes, I did finish it, and I found the ending to be hilariously stupid. The movie was clearly pandering to the teen drift scene, one in which many of the kids know nothing about high performance automobiles, many of whom likely couldn't drive to begin with.

4) To quote the Hot Rod article:



There was also a V8 powered car used for the drift sequences, and while it was just a shade slower (it was set up for drifting, obviously), it felt a lot more powerful, and acted like a Mustang should.

===

I hate to sound so negative, but there were many car guys like me who rolled their eyes at the idea in this movie...

To Bubble Bunny;

1. I don't know much about about mechanics and even though I would love it to be possible I imagine converting a Nissan Engine to work in a Ford Mustang in one day to be something of a nightmare.

4. I was on about flat out top speed, I wonder out of all the Mustangs there as ever been right from the original to the Shelby, Roush and the one from Fast and the Furious 3 plus any I might have missed which had the greatest top speed, sorry I wasn't clearer before.

To Jim Prower;

Old News? I haven't even seen 2Fast 2Furious yet and I'm a massive movie fan, so you'll have to cut me some slack on this one.

To YSSMAN;

1. Yes like I said in the movie they did it but I'm 99.9.9.9% certain the actual car they used in the film probably took a couple of weeks at least to make probably a month or so and probably even longer if they had to get permission from Ford and Nissan respectively.

2. Don't get me wrong I love the whole concept of the Mustang being totally American and I love American music and films in fact most of my favourite music artists are from the US but in context of the movie it was about the two cultures coming together so it made total sense.

3. When I started watching it I thought man what am I doing this movie is going to suck but I started to respect it because the main character was quite rubbish at driving for two thirds of the film, most of the driving was actual done for real I found out after I watched it, and as these things go it actually had a little bit of soul.

Yes it had it faults like the rubbish computer controlled camera moves, the most American looking Japanese woman in the history of cinema totally negating the whole concept of the movie, and it at times made very little sense but as films of this type go it wasn't so bad.

 

[MistaX]

Blah blah blah.


As a Mustang owner, I'm going to say:


Who gives a flying... It's a car. With a motor. It goes fast. (Well, 13.xxx isn't *fast* per say, but it's faster than my car, which is marginally quick.)

Who cares how it does it.



I was going to post pictures of the Rotary Mustang because it's cool but everyone's seen it already.


And, in all honesty, I'd LS1 swap my car just to piss everyone off.

 

[Jim Prower]

And, in all honesty, I'd LS1 swap my car just to piss everyone off.

Know what, I like that attitude for some reason......

 

[Tornado]

Who gives a flying... It's a car. With a motor. It goes fast. (Well, 13.xxx isn't *fast* per say, but it's faster than my car, which is marginally quick.)

Who cares how it does it.

I support this message.

And, in all honesty, I'd LS1 swap my car just to piss everyone off.

I support this message.

 

[Prosthetic]

Blah blah blah.


As a Mustang owner, I'm going to say:


Who gives a flying... It's a car. With a motor. It goes fast. (Well, 13.xxx isn't *fast* per say, but it's faster than my car, which is marginally quick.)

Who cares how it does it.



I was going to post pictures of the Rotary Mustang because it's cool but everyone's seen it already.


And, in all honesty, I'd LS1 swap my car just to piss everyone off.

Agreed, and 13 seconds really isn't slow at all. Yes a Ford small block would be better, but thats because it was made for the car. Works the same the other way around, the the GTR engine would be sooo much better in a Skyline then a LS1, because it was made for the car.

 

[Eric.]

Blah blah blah.


As a Mustang owner, I'm going to say:


Who gives a flying... It's a car. With a motor. It goes fast. (Well, 13.xxx isn't *fast* per say, but it's faster than my car, which is marginally quick.)

Who cares how it does it.



I was going to post pictures of the Rotary Mustang because it's cool but everyone's seen it already.


And, in all honesty, I'd LS1 swap my car just to piss everyone off.

Not to mention that the Mustang was sitting there rotting in Japan. Without a motor. I don't think they can just go to their junkyard and find a wrecked 'Stang with a small V8 to throw back in it. They also had a wrecked Silvia (right..? it has been a while) with an RB. Why not?!

 

[Wolfe]

I think getting all upset and agitated over an interesting, cross-manufacturer and/or "international" engine swap is really silly.

I don't even want to know what kind of fire, brimstone, and liquid rage that movie created on Ford message boards. As a rather level-headed automotive enthusiast, it's all too embarrassing.

 

[Savoy1984]

Not to mention that the Mustang was sitting there rotting in Japan. Without a motor. I don't think they can just go to their junkyard and find a wrecked 'Stang with a small V8 to throw back in it. They also had a wrecked Silvia (right..? it has been a while) with an RB. Why not?!

I meant to mention that scene earlier on thanks for reminding me but I just thought it was a brilliant way of getting a great car into this film, just to put into perspective I bet no Mustang fans complained when the Aston Martin's in Die Another Day had Mustang engines but that still had some awesome car chases/stunts and all that.

 

[Dougboy]

I bet no Mustang fans complained when the Aston Martin's in Die Another Day had Mustang engines

Im sure that was done purely for budget and money reasons. Wouldn't want to blow up perfectly good handcrafted V12's

 

[Tornado]

just to put into perspective I bet no Mustang fans complained when the Aston Martin's in Die Another Day had Mustang engines but that still had some awesome car chases/stunts and all that.

That was niether referenced in the film (so very few people in comparison know about it), nor was avoidable. They needed small block fords so they could hook them up to the 4WD system they needed them to have.

 

[land sea air]

Its funny you should mention it but I think they used a ford engine so they would have space for the gadgets.

EDIT: I thought instead of 4wd they used studded tires, and even then, the cars were quite a handful to drive

 

[TwinTurbos94]

THis made me laugh because the other day I saw a Skyline with a Twin Turbo LS1 in it,and I wondered to myself, "I wonder what Japanesse guys are saying to this..."

I have no problem with this, it's an awsome motor,and if I had a Mustang with no motor,I would put that or a 302 in it.Who knows, maybe one day someone will do that.......*looks up in the sky ponderously*


And this is coming from a Mustang...

 

[MistaX]

I'm waiting for the day someone puts a Lamborghini engine in a Ferrari, or the other way around.


Diablo powered Testarossa much?

575M Powered Espada?

 

[JCE]

And, in all honesty, I'd LS1 swap my car just to piss everyone off.

And this is exactly why I wanted to drop an LS1 or LT1 into an FC RX-7. 👍

*edit*
And onto this topic, can we please ban all talk of the Fast and Furiously stupid movies please? I could make a better automotive themed movie with Legos.

 

[YSSMAN]

I think getting all upset and agitated over an interesting, cross-manufacturer and/or "international" engine swap is really silly.

Probably not, but I had to throw my standard "YSSMAN Supports the USA" spin on it, just one more time...

I don't even want to know what kind of fire, brimstone, and liquid rage that movie created on Ford message boards. As a rather level-headed automotive enthusiast, it's all too embarrassing.

I imagine it was pretty bad, and when you get a bunch of Ford guys all together, it gets even worse. I know it gets pretty bad on GMI for a wide assortment of silly reasons on occasion (you should see some of the arguments over the Pontiac G8 recently...), but thats just the community its in.

===

The whole notion of engine swaps is an interesting one, and I often wonder if anyone ever sat down to write an "Engine Swap Bible," giving you the "Ten Commandments of Engine Swapping."

And the Automotive Gods said unto those who had created the tools of Craftsman, let not wrenches be turned unto automobiles with mixed backgrounds. Let not the bolt of an American be crossed with that of a Japanese, for thou hast sinned the greatest sin. The fiery rages of Automotive Heaven and Hell be upon thee who hast done the worst of deeds. But these Automotive Gods do not break all relationships. Those automobiles who had shared a similar background, may indeed share a similar life. It is not a sin to share common blood, to marry within similar national identities.

...And then there are ten rules...

 

[JCE]

If an RB26DETT makes my Mustang fast then who cares? Better than putting a bunch of stupid body kits and stickers everywhere right? *cough*ricers*cough* Personally I would of swapped in the VQ35 and drop a couple of turbos on that engine.

If I could cheaply put an RB, VG, or VQ engine in my Camaro I would. Problem is the one little word in that sentence...cheap...sort of ruins the whole equasion.

 

[MistaX]

Lotus Elise has an engine sourced from where?

Taurus SHO has an engine sourced from where?

Corvette ZR1 has an engine sourced from where?





What the hell difference does it make where the parts come from?!

 

[Tornado]

Lotus Elise has an engine sourced from where?
Corvette ZR1 has an engine sourced from where?

Rover and Mercury Marine, respectively.

 

[V1P3R]

It's not the actual mixing of the stuff I have a problem with it's what this and all the other F&F movies do to in a sense "throw more fuel" on an already growning flame of tasteless people that continue to pump out crap after crap and draw more idiots in that think it's "cool".

 

[Wolfe]

It's not the actual mixing of the stuff I have a problem with it's what this and all the other F&F movies do to in a sense "throw more fuel" on an already growning flame...

When I read up to this point, I thought you were going to talk about the "Import vs Domestic 'War'" that rages every day on the internet, with StreetFire.net serving as the frontlines.

 

[Tulok]

I support this message.

I support this message.

I doubly support it, I heard about this Mopar powered "Super Chevy" today, and I also thought about fitting a small block Dodge into my car, it doesn't matter where the speed comes from, just has to work.

 

[Bram Turismo]

Why changing the Mustang engine for an RB26?


It's like taking the hart out of a true American muscle car...

 

[JCE]

Take that Mustang engine and transplant it into a Japanese car and all is well.

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

-> Someone did that already, but not with a mustang engine but with an LS1 in a Miata!

Pics from MonsterMiata.com

 

[YSSMAN]

I think it was Motor Trend who did a comparison test between three different Miatas in '90 that all had a different kind of motor. One used the standard engine with a turbo, the other had an engine out of the RX-7 of the time, and the other had the 5.0L V8 out of a Mustang GT.

If I recall correctly, the Ford-powered model was the quickest, but the Rotary-powered model was the fastest overall.

Mercury Marine

Its a bit more complicated than that. The basic design overall was shared with the LT1 (slightly different bore and stroke, still 5.7L), had heads designed by Lotus Engineering, and final assembly was done by Mercury Marine.

 

[JCE]

I knew a guy who put the Ford 302ci in a Miata. That was the ONLY Miata worth a crap that I've ever seen.