1966 Mustang 331 Stroker - Let the ponies loose (UNEDITED)

This is the full-length, unedited video.
Edited version here:
• 1966 Mustang 331 Strok...
Build list:
Camshaft hydraulic roller kit, COMP Cams SK31-442-8
Camshaft 31-442-8
284 Advertised Duration
224 Duration @ 0.050” lift
.533” Lift
110 Lobe separation
Roller lifters High Energy CCA-851-16
Roller retrofit kit CCA-31-1000
Timing chain CCA-3120
www.compcams.com/magnum-224-2...
Cam thrust plate, Speedmaster PCE510.1004
www.speedmaster79.com/Ford-SB...
Clutch kit, McLeod Racing Super Street Pro 75213
www.mcleodracing.com/super-st...
Clutch release lever spring C6ZZ-7523-C
Clutch rod spring Scott Drake C5ZZ-7523-A (long)
Clutch Roller Z-Bar and Clutch Rods, Opentracker Racing Products
opentrackerracing.com/product...
Cylinder heads ProMAXX 9175, Maxx 180 SBF - PROMAXX Performance Products
promaxxperformance.com/produc...
Eagle crankshaft ESP-B16021MA060, Eagle Specialty Products
Eagle rods SIR 5400FB, ARP 8740 bolts
Pistons hypereutectic, KB 355.060
Rings Hastings 2M 8542 065
Main bearings King MB 529SI
Rod bearings King CR 804SI
www.eaglerod.com/item/5525594...
www.summitracing.com/parts/es...
Flywheel Billet Steel 28oz., JEGS 555-602355
www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/60235...
Gasket set: Fel-Pro 2816
Exhaust gaskets 1415
Front crankshaft seal 2942
Head gaskets 1134
Intake gaskets 1250 S-3, 1262
Oil pan gasket OS 13260T
Rear crankshaft seal 2901
Water pump/timing chain gaskets
Valve cover gaskets 1684
Harmonic balancer, SpeedMaster PCE291.1015
www.speedmaster79.com/Ford-SB...
Head bolts, ARP 154-3601
arp-bolts.com/kits/arpkit-det...
Head bolt bushings, SpeedMaster PCE277.1001
www.speedmaster79.com/Ford-SB...
Hurst Pit Pack Competition Plus 4 Speed Clips & Hardened Tool Steel Bushings, Super 661 LK-1
www.5speeds.com/cart/index.php...
Intake manifold dual plane air gap, Assault Racing ARC PC4025
www.assaultracing.com/item/12...
Motor mounts, Total Control Products TCP MM-FD-02
Motor mount bolts, ARP 150-3102
arp-bolts.com/kits/arpkit-det...
Oil pan 7qt drag style, Assault Racing ARC A9737P
www.assaultracing.com/item/12...
Oil pump driveshaft ARP 154-7904
arp-bolts.com/kits/arpkit-det...
Oil pump pickup CFR Performance HZ-7421
PCV valve Fram FV184
Pushrods Chromoly 5/16” x 6.600”, Trick Flow TFS-21406600
www.trickflow.com/parts/tfs-2...
Radiator shroud Northern Z40025
Rocker arms die cast aluminum, COMP Cams High Energy 17044~16
www.compcams.com/high-energy-...
Rocker arm studs 7/16”, JEGS 20584
www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/20584...
Toploader 4-speed HD Rebuild Kit, Allstate Gear BK135HDWS
www.allstategear.com/Ford-Top...
Toploader Case Aluminum, SpeedMaster PCE659.1004
www.speedmaster79.com/Ford-Mu...
Toploader Countershaft Pin, Allstate Gear WT296-3
www.allstategear.com/Toploade...
Valve covers, Assault Racing ARC A6728-3
www.assaultracing.com/item/12...
Valve cover breather Spectre Performance 4276
Water neck alum Scott Drake C5OE-8592-A
Water pump clockwise rotation, Milodon 16330
www.jegs.com/i/Milodon/697/16...
Water pump bolts eBay

[@stevefowler2112]

I have a recuring dream where I time travel back to '65 with the parts to build a 331/327 with AFR heads and modern parts to put out 500 HP in a '65 K code Fastback Mustang...i paint the aluminum parts black and have the OEM High Performance 271 H.P. sticker on the air cleaner so when i open the hood it looks like a stock 289 HiPo

[@davidsaldivar6735]

We just need a flux capacitor

[@alertgasper]

Back in the Vietnam days, folks did do stroker low deck Windsors...they pulled a truck crankshaft from a Y block Ford, and had it machined down to fit and make a 327. but you'd have to wait until 1967 for Tunnel Port heads, an over-the-counter precursor to the Boss 302. And there was a Paxton supercharger option if you weren't really worried about a stock looker. Or a Weber carb setup (think Cobra) and shift at 7,000 rpm. at least you'd have the gasoline for all that compression ratio right at any Sunoco 260 pump.

[@lowbornfabrication]

Best summary ever! 🇺🇸🏁🏴‍☠️

[@alertgasper]

man, haven't seen a manual choke (except my Gravely L and 1970's motorcycles) in a while. I have an electric fuel pump on my 4-4-2 to fill the carb without spinning it that long--it also acts like a kill switch and wires into the oil pressure gauge to kill the flow if oil pressure gets too low. Thanks for the ride-along, I still have my Honey Gold 1967 with interior/exterior Decor Group. Took it off the road to install a 1969 fuel tank a while back and then magically it came apart to tackle a few other things :) Originally a 289/3 speed car, a prior owner went with 1970's fuel economy tech--a 351W swap with headers and a Hurst shifted Top Loader. boy those long handled shifters help you feel the leverage between gear changes, just fingertips on the wooden hourglass handle to do the job or grab 'er and go.

[@TheGeonam]

I have a brand new 65 mustang convertible body i have been messing with for the past year. Installed TPI four link rear suspension with a nine inch rear end. Installed a mustang II front suspension I DID IT 8 way tilt steering column , and a 347 stroker motor not yet in car. I need a C4 trans next, but it is one step at a time, and I don't have a money tree. I just hope it runs as nice as your car. Thanks for the ride.

[@Donny.C.wlWilliams]

Thanks for the ride

[@iampapa318]

My god that brings back memories, Thank You !!!

[@Titan-uy1qy]

Thank you for sharing sir 😊

[@chevroletbelair1]

nice video especcially with the extra information how the 331 stroker with this cam drive at different rpm's everyone should do this in a cam video

[@lowbornfabrication]

Gorgeous pony!! 🇺🇸🏴‍☠️🏁

[@Stingrayflame]

Awesome car man, I got a 347 build for my 65 going at the moment AFR 185’s with a Lunati 218/228 536/536 HR with a built C4 with a 2800 PTC and 3.55 gears can’t wait to get her going. Should be a torque monster I hope.

[@jeffunderdahl8605]

John, I just watched a dozen or so of your Toploader and 331 build vids. They are great. I’m building a 68 Fastback myself and appreciate the detail and video work. Keep it up. And please disregard the trolls that post here and on some of your other vids. Some people have their own ‘issues’ and posting stupid comments make them feel better. You’re doing just fine, and please keep up the good work. 👍

[@JohnLatrobe]

Jeff, thanks for the positivity. I could never understand why people enjoy being trolls. They must really be miserable inside. I’ve taken lots of videos on the new suspension install. Just need to edit them.

[@jeffunderdahl8605]

@@JohnLatrobe agree on your assessment 100%. I can’t wait to see those vids. I went the OpenTracker myself. My car should be done in the next couple months. 4.5 year project. It’s been quite a journey.

[@VernLeRoy1962]

I always give my 65 mustang 5 minites of Warn up or 140. my 289 with a 4 sp top loader runs 3000rpm at 80mph with a 3.25 Gear & a 245/45/17- 25.7 dia. I get around 14 mpg @ 2800 down the fwy!! to bad someone cut up your Dash where the newer Radio is. Very Nice Car!

[@pauls7751]

Is your GoPro attached to the back glass? My 65 fastback has a 347, T5 and 355 gear. At 65 mph I'm at 1800 rpm in 5th and right at 2000 rpm at 75 mph. When I do a second gear punch at 2000 rpm I get bad wheel hop

[@JohnLatrobe]

My iPhone was strapped to the passenger seat using the wide angle lens 😆 To get those low rpm’s you must be running close to a 30” tall tire. Mine’s only 25.6”. I have Trac-loc in the rear with CalTracs traction bars; no wheel hop.

[@pauls7751]

@@JohnLatrobe my tires are 235/45 R17. They are 25.3 tall. Mine is a Tremec 5 speed.

[@JohnLatrobe]

@@pauls7751 first of all, your car is absolutely freakin’ beautiful 👍 Second, I’m not trying to call you out, but your numbers don’t add up. Using any online calculator such as spicerparts.com/calculators/transmission-ratio-rpm-calculator your speed should only be 62mph at 2000rpm with a .68 5th gear. To get close to 75mph you would need a rear gear closer to 3:1. Have you verified your speedometer with a GPS? It could be off, or possibly your gear is really a 3.08. Again, I’m not calling you out, just curious. Your wheel hop is caused by axle windup with the leaf springs. Shelby eliminated that with a traction bar mounted on top of the axle that protruded into the rear passenger compartment. The CalTracs bars are a similar concept but mount underneath the axle so they are visible from the side.

[@pauls7751]

@@JohnLatrobe it's probably my speedometer. It's the old long sweep Falcon style and jumps around + or - 5 mph so I'm kinda using the average lol. I did the posi and 5 speed upgrade about 15 years ago so I consulted my paperwork from Currie and it's indeed a .355 Detroit True Trac. I got the T5 conversion kit from Modern Drivelines and the gear ratios for my TREMEC T-5 are- 2.95, 1.94, 1.34, 1.00, .63. I just recently installed a tach for the first time and was pleasantly surprised how low the RPMs were at highway speed. I've been looking at the CalTracs for a while but am having a hard time justifying a $400 purchase for the occasional burnout. I think my pinion angle is also contributing to the wheel hop. It seems like it got worse after the T5 conversion. It's bigger and I had to shim it to the top of the tunnel to get the high speed vibration to go away. Anyway nice chatting and thanks for the Spicer calculator.

[@pauls7751]

@@JohnLatrobe I'm lucky enough to live in the North Georgia Mountains. Minutes away from some of the best driving roads around and 40 minutes from the famous Tail of the Dragon in Robbinsville NC. Far away from the gridlock traffic I left behind when I lived in Florida. I think my car likes living up here more than me. Enjoy this video on Wolf Pen Gap Rd just 15 minutes from my house. The video doesn't do justice to the G-forces and elevation changes. I need to make a new video without the sign on my dash but want to get new tires first lol.

[@2001redz28]

Are you at all concerned that the block may crack where you drilled to install lifter retainer???? I am only asking because I have a 302 non-roller block that I am going to use to do a similiar build as yours with but I keep hearing that the block will crack in the lifter bay if I drill holes for screws.

[@JohnLatrobe]

I’m not at all concerned. COMP Cams wouldn’t sell so many kits if there was a big risk.

[@alertgasper]

there's enough roller block low deck Windsors around to be had, I'd think it's cheaper in the long run to grab one rather than do the swap. you will have to keep track of the flywheel weight since Ford changed the crankshafts in the 1980's. And youtube is full of videos saying flat tappet cams have a problem with wiping out camshaft lobes, with competition cams running into the issues with cheap (speed pro?) lifters having bad machining from the box.

[@marcchaffee7751]

sounds good but runs like a stock 289 ? Is there a pop bottle under your gas peddle ?

[@Stingrayflame]

What’s the specs on the 331? Heads? Can? Just curious it sounds great

[@JohnLatrobe]

The long parts list is in the description.

[@pokerspades2167]

👌

[@billystephens9255]

Um sure would've like too seen the car

[@Mr572u]

Rear end is whining. Doesn’t that bug you?

[@JohnLatrobe]

Absolutely

[@stevo196two9]

I thought it was the top loader?

[@PCMenten]

Lots of low rpm torque. You should be proud of that car. The engine and transmission were a mess when you started.

[@davidgentz1731]

Good way to ruin your bearings and ruin your starter the last thing you want to do is drive turn a car over my goodness you want that thing to fire up now you can run them bearings out of you need the oil

[@kelleyh2708]

My pops would of slapped the shit out of me for riding the clutch as much as you do

[@alertgasper]

it's amazing how many drive videos have folks riding the clutch pedal.

[@robertclymer6948]

Why bother with a 331? All those high dollar parts in there, why the not go up a 347 stroker?

[@JohnLatrobe]

When I started I really wanted to keep the same block. If I had gone with a 351W then I would have had to source a new bare block. I would have had to find new headers and lose more shock tower clearance (and probably fabricate a new exhaust). I can just barely get my hands in there now without losing another inch. I don’t know if 351’s came with a boss for my clutch z-bar or if it’s even in the same place but that’s a few less problems I had to figure out.

[@orangesharpy]

I love it! Teardrop hood is a nice touch. 331 is plenty of displacement to make good power I think. I'm a fan of 289-302 block. Can make enough power with those to have a nasty quick street car and guys are running in the 9's and even 8's with forced induction.

[@robertclymer6948]

@@JohnLatrobe I mis-spoke John. My whole take is yes, the 331 is a little monster and should give you dependability too, without the added expense of 351W parts etc. Thanks for your explaination. I was wrong, totally. Cheers John, from Motown.

[@JohnLatrobe]

Hey, no problem. The SBF was produced for nearly 40 years so there’s a lot to mix up.

[@Thatguy-fl6yr]

Honda s2000 turbo is way faster but dam I want one of these instead.

[@stuartedwards3067]

not at all impressed.

[@JohnLatrobe]

me neither.