SOME might say Ford’s twin-cam four-litre six is the new LS, because Barra swaps are taking over the world! Just in the past couple of weeks we’ve seen Swedes sticking the Aussie six into a BMW 2002, Jason Waye from Tuff Mounts dropping one into a Fox-body Mustang, and now Tim Blyth has stuck the complete XR6 Turbo running gear into a Ford F100 pick-up. With such a big engine bay, the long and tall Barra motor fits in the Yankee pick-up without any dramas.

Tim decided to go with the Barra swap simply because he had one lying around. It’s a completely factory set-up with a stock Garrett GT3582 turbo. It runs a factory Ford computer and the BTR four-speed gearbox from the BA Falcon that the entire driveline was lifted from. The only difference is, Tim’s set-up uses a water-to-air intercooler.

While the body may look a little worse for wear, it’s just the patina look Tim was going for. Underneath, the chassis has copped a fair bit of love to get the rig sitting nice and low.

We spotted Tim out at Heathcote Park Raceway last weekend for the Ford-Powered Nationals, held by Street Machine Drag Challenge veteran Todd Foley. For a stock engine set-up in a big heavy old girl, the F100 got down the track at a reasonable lick. It was never going to set any records, but it’s now quick enough to keep up with modern cars – something the tired old Clevo couldn’t do.