There are certain things in the automotive world that are generally accepted and others that are a no-go. A good example would be putting a Chevy LS engine in a Mazda RX-7. The one shown on That Racing Channel, however, has a bit of a Fast & Furious Tokyo Drift vibe to it, because it features one of the most popular engine swaps in one of the most unlikely places – a 1966 Ford Mustang.

Jarred, the owner of this 1966 Ford Mustang notchback, decided to yank out the original engine to swap it out for a Honda inline-four. The build was executed in just four months by the owner and his father who did a lot of custom fabrication to make sure the Japanese four-banger “feels at home” in the Mustang’s engine bay.

The engine in question is a JDM-spec K24A with lots of goodies, among which is a Type-S oil pump and a single, 67mm GTX 45-84 RS ball-bearing turbocharger currently running at nine pounds of boost, and a three-inch exhaust, to name a few. Power-wise, the engine is good for around 600 horsepower at the rear wheels. The transmission is a six-speed manual from a Nissan 350Z.

The overall aesthetics of the car give it an ala-Shelby GT350 survivor vibe, courtesy of the weathered white exterior paint with various stone chips here and there, as well as the fiberglass bumpers. There are no racing stripes, though. Adding to the weirdness is a hole in the hood for the blow-off valve as well as in the right front fender, which is where the exhaust comes out.

The green leather interior of the Honda-powered Mustang is mostly stock aside from the auxiliary gauges and custom shifter with a Z on top, signifying where the six-speed manual transmission comes from. While there is a thing to be said about Honda’s reliability and the affordability of the K-series engine, purists still give Jarred’s build a hard time. The video above explains not just the philosophy behind the build but also takes a Ford 289-powered Mustang owner for a ride. Will it be enough to convince him?