Why are siblings so competitive? Younger brothers often feel the need to outdo their elders, while older brothers feel the need to put the younger ones in their place. Having competed in nearly every facet of life from grades to sports, Justin and Jarrod Del Prado took their sibling rivalry to a new level by building a pair of '66 Mustangs. Older brother Justin built a black convertible, while younger brother Jarrod hopped up a black fastback.
Justin purchased his '66 ragtop back in 1999. It was a clean, stock, and freshly painted example requiring only a wet-sanding to address the orange-peel. The 289 auto combination was tossed aside and replaced with a Duffee Motorsports-built 347-inch stroker that clocked 376 horses at the rear wheels through a T5 trans. A Currie 9-inch rearend packing a 3.50 gear set with 31-spline axles found its way under the car. Next, Justin turned his attention to the suspension, replacing the stock front springs with ADDCO units, ADDCO sway bars fore and aft, and Koni adjustable shocks on all four corners. Baer Racing disc brakes were added to counter the forward thrust offered by the new 347. Probably the biggest contributor to the Mustang's slotcar-like handling were the 17-inch wheels and tires that now adorn the convertible.
Little brother Jarrod bought his fastback in 2000 from a gentleman in Los Angeles just after it had undergone an interior and exterior redo. Jarrod's only exterior modification was to replace the stock louvers with Shelby GT 350 rear quarter-windows enhancing rear visibility and the already muscular stock look. Jarrod's Mustang was also sporting black paint and had already received a T5 five-speed conversion by a previous owner. Jarrod decided to retain the original 289 and was able to coax a string of low-15-second quarter-mile times out of the stock mill before replacing the asphyxiated top-end with go-fast goodies from Trick Flow Specialties, Edelbrock, Holley, and Cam Motion. He then outfitted his Mustang with many of the same suspension components Justin used on his, along with the same brake, wheel, and tire package.
The Del Prado brothers' stable retains relatively stock exteriors while focusing on handling, braking, acceleration, and uncompromising reliability. Even though competition has been at the forefront of their relationship, the end result is a pair of bad-ass Mustangs that are driven daily and are capable of running circles around many new performance cars. But, life goes on as does the sibling rivalry. Makes you wish there was a third brother involved. A '66 coupe would complete the set.
Car Craft Q&ACar Craft: Have the two of you always been competitive?Justin Del Prado: Big time! As we speak, Jarrod is trying to squeeze every last horse out of that 289 to beat me. As soon as he blows it up, he's building a stroker small-block to beat me with. We both had nearly identical VWs and Honda Civics that we used to go head to head with.
CC: Who usually comes out on top?Justin: Me. The older brother usually wins. I've had to smack him down on many occasions. He's trying to break into the 12s while I'm creeping up on the 11s.
Car Craft: Have the two of you always been competitive?Jarrod Del Prado: Yes. With everything from weightlifting, to girls, to school; throughout our lives we've competed on every front.
CC: Who usually comes out on top?Jarrod: It's definitely been him. He's more hands-on than I am, and he hasn't had to rely on help as much as me. But, it's a good thing, as he inspires me to catch up and do better. But I can usually out-drive him.
CC: Your brother tells us you're plotting his demise with a stroker small-block of your own.Jarrod: I've entered into secret negotiations with Duffee Motorsports about the next motor for my Mustang. Let's just say that it'll make more power than my current 289-a lot more power. I plan to put the smack-down on Justin.