Turbo 2v or N/A coyote swap

SheldonRay

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Hey guys, looking for so input on which route I should go on my Deep Violet 96 Gt. It's currently got a stock 96 motor with PI cams, BBK shorties off-road H and flow 40's. Car has been a daily since new in 96 so it's been through a lot and I'm wanting to restore. I don't know if I want to just built the 2v or do a coyote swap. I'm leaning towards a coyote but a built 2v would be cheaper to build and probably faster for the same amount of money. What do you guys think, is the Coyote swap really worth it?

Thanks in advance!

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Scud2

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All depends on funds and power goals. A 2V with a turbo should put you about 420hp to the wheels...give or take. And that is obviously where you would want to stay unless you dump more into it. That being said you can get a used vortech or turbo setup and be there at like $2500 or $3000. That is the route I went for my weekend car. I won't take it to the track but I know it has enough power...but a coyote would be beast! That is just awesome!

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SheldonRay

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I think I'm wanting to make at least 500hp. I want to be able to have ps, a/c, radio, etc. I want to be able to just jump in my car and go on a long cruise to the track and run 10's.


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KEVINS

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I'd do turbo 2V. Build a solid bottom end then have fun with the turbo.

ks
 

KEVINS

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Oh yea, no problem as long as the bottom end is built solid.
Mine makes 700 at "low boost" and I'm gunning for 900 with high boost.

ks
 

KEVINS

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I've built it to be a daily driver and to cruise across country if I wanted to. I have no desire to have a race car that is driven on the street.

Most of the buildup is here but it's very custom b/c I like going to car shows but the basics are the same for all turbo cars and since you only want 500hp there no need to get the high $$ parts that are on my car:

http://baselinesuspensions.com/Projects/balrog.htm

ks
 

Sluggie24

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The swap would cost more and be more labor intensive if you are talking new parts and not questionable used parts. There are quite a few pricey parts required on top of just the engine as well as custom modifications.

For a bit less money than the swap you could buy a new built forged 2V long block with ported PI heads and cams of your choice and a centri supercharger or single turbo. The turbo would make more power but cost more. With either option you would end up with over 400 rwhp easily. Hitting a goal of 500 rwhp would just require higher boost and proper tuning.

Either way you go you would be spending north of $10k in my estimation. Both ways would be street able.
 

Kline12

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I would also vote just building the bottom end of the 2v and going turbo if your goal is only 500whp. I did a complete 03/04 cobra swap on my 99 gt, and it was very labor intensive and much more expensive than it would have been for me to just build a 2v. The only reason I went with the terminator drive train is for my long term power goals. Eventually I want this car to see 1000+whp, and that is easier to achieve with the 4v from a cobra. Plus, I didn't have a budget at the time.

Swaps nickle and dime you to death. Just when you think you've got everything you need, you're spending another $2k on something unexpected. It can be tough. A coyote swap will be even more difficult than a cobra swap. You are having to adapt the drive-train to your older vehicle. And what I mean by that is, all of the wiring, computers, drive line, etc. will have to be changed. Not to mention, a used 5.0 with a transmission is fetching around $8k+ depending where you buy from. Not including all of the wiring, computers, fuel system components, drive-line things and stuff needed to make it work. And if you don't do the work yourself, the labor bill will be pretty hefty.

Now if money isn't an issue, and you have high power goals in the future, than a coyote swap would absolutely be the way to go. You will have a much easier time making big power with the 5.0.

I am currently sitting at just over $12k for the drive train, and everything that was needed to make to make it work. I didn't have a parts car to pull everything form, so buying everything needed individually gets expensive FAST. There isn't a single thing left in the car that was from the factory as a gt. The car is at a performance shop being built to handle said power mentioned above, and the parts and labor bill for all of that has come out to just about $11k. That being said, all in all I am sitting at $23K in the drive train of this car. Not a single corner was cut in this process though. If you are going to do it, do it right!
 
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Kline12

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If I had a penny for every time someone told me that, I would have my money back LOL.

I did it for a lot of different reasons, but the biggest reason was the sense of accomplishment that comes a long with building something like that on your own. I am very proud of this car and where it's at now. I'm a sentimental person, and there was no way I could get rid of the car anyway. But had I bought a terminator, I would have gotten a lot of hell for "ruining" a true cobra. A lot more than just performance work went in to the car. While I had it stripped down of everything, I had it painted a baby/tiffany blue, bagged it, and redid some of the interior. I've got more money invested in this car than I will ever get back, but the plan was to build my dream car; so that is what I did! I'll probably be buried in this car some day.

Here are a couple pictures of how it sat before it went in for the engine build.
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Sorry about the thread jack OP. I'm done now.



Wow! It would have been easier to just sell the GT and buy a Terminator at that point.
 
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SheldonRay

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I'll never sell the car so money is not really a problem. I'd Ike to do a coyote swap just because how easy it is and the fact it's newer motor so say something breaks, I could easily find one at a dealership. A built 4.6 is more time consuming and doesn't have as much potential as the 5.0. I've even considered doing a 4.6L 4V swap. I have one in my Ford Taurus and I like it a lot.


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Sluggie24

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I've never heard of a coyote swap being called easy. lol From what I understand they can be quite involved. Not to mention their bottom end would still be stock and only able to handle so much if forced induction is the plan.

Have you considered a 5.0 big bore build with a forged stroker crank? Would give you 5.3L. Then put 4v heads on that with a turbo or two? That would have huge power potential and still be an easier overall job than a swap IMHO. Be expensive but you said not worried about cost. I could see 1000 hp with that.
 

Kline12

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The coyote swap would be worth while, but nothing about it is very easy. But, if you've got the patience and money, it would be a good in depth learning experience for sure. A 5.0 will make more power with less money than an N/A 4v 4.6, so if you are going to do a swap and leave it N/A, go with the coyote.

It sounds like your heart is pretty set on the 5.0. That being said, I would start doing some research on the swap and what is involved/needed. That way you are prepared when the time comes. Good luck OP! Building these cars is fun. That's the beauty of it. You can do almost anything you want with them.
 

SheldonRay

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Used coyote through my job- 2750$
FRPP control pack-1500
6r80 trans- 700
Trans controller-1200
Headers-600
K member-750
CJ setup- 1000$ used
Vs
Built 4.6 short block- 4500
Ported MHS 2v heads with cams-2800
On3 turbo kit- 3000

Am I missing something? I don't want to buy a termi or a 11-17mustang, I want to build and restore what I have


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Kline12

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No one is telling you to buy an 11-17 gt or an 03-04 cobra. But what we are saying, is that the coyote swap will be more expensive and difficult to do in the long run.

Sounds like this is something you need to experience and learn on your own. A simple google search will tell you just what a pain in the a** this swap really is.
 

Sluggie24

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A forged 2V block can be built for less than $4500 if you shop around and/or build it yourself. I personally just picked up a really nice used teksid block for $450. Machine shop work to prep block will probably be around $500. Complete forged and balanced stroker rotating assy $2200. Studs and small parts maybe $500. So $3650 ish for a lightweight forged block that should handle 900hp which is well above what I plan to make and more than a stock coyote can reliably handle. I could probably even drop that cost to $3250 or so if I just built it to take what I plan to make but I don't know how I might change my mind down the road so I might as well overbuild a bit.

Not saying this to sway you, just want you to have as much info as possible so you can decide what's best for you.
 

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