Scott Miller Converting Father’s 1968 Mustang From Boosted to Naturally Aspirated for Hot Rod Drag Week Return
Although power-adders have continued to gain momentum, some enthusiasts prefer their cars to be operational on naturally-flowing fuel and air alone with no additives.
Scott Miller may have grown up around his dad Jack Miller using a cool twin Paxton supercharger set-up on the FE-engine family big block to clock 8-second times in a ’68 Mustang fastback, but times are changing for the classic Ford.
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Scott has made his mark in the drag-and-drive community with a wheelstanding ’68 Mercury Cougar, and the 2023 edition of Hot Rod Drag Week could be the last one for the Cougar, where Scott bagged a third-place finish in the Street Race Big Block Naturally-Aspirated class.
“What a fun Drag Week 2023,” said Scott. “Had my son and my dad. Got to talk to other competitors more than usual, win 3rd place in class, and the NA guys / gals are a small group of incredible people who want to beat each other terribly but share info and help each other get faster. I love that part.”
Not long after the completion of Drag Week, Scott, along with his father and son, got started on the task of bringing father Jack’s Mustang over to the all-natural ways to compete in the 2024 edition of Hot Rod Drag Week.
To bring the car up to date on safety and room, JSC Race Cars cut the existing front end out, and installed a pair of Strange Engineering struts and brakes to go with it. A little more room was also made with the install of a manual rack-and-pinion.
To give the Mustang a little more galloping stride, the FE engine was removed from its mounts, and a 762 cubic inch HEMI-headed monster from Sonny’s will take up a lot of that newfound engine bay space.
The massive mill will be backed with a Turbo 400 transmission. “It’s funny to think about this car starting at Pump Gas Drags with twin superchargers and an FE big block,” said Scott. “Now it’s all-motor time.”
The Millers tried to have the car done in time for this year’s Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive, but couldn’t get things done in time. Now, they’ll focus on Drag Week in September.
“Being a business owner with 45 employees only allows me to attend two events a year,” Scott admitted. “Drag-and-drive is all I have ever done. It’s an event where you must love the sport, the cars, and the people that become your friends, because there is no money to chase and win!”
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Starting Line Media, Scott Miller, JSC Race Cars.
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