Tucci Hot Rods Gives A Maverick More Muscle With A Turbo Coyote Swap

Ford’s sporty but affordable Maverick pickup is a hit, but if there’s one thing we wish were on the option sheet, it’s a Coyote V8. After building this Maverick for SEMA several years ago, the crew at Tucci Hot Rods joked about Coyote-swapping the truck. A few years later, that jest became reality when they revamped their pickup with a twin-turbo Coyote 5.0-liter V8 swap.

What started as a shop joke became a serious fabrication project, transforming the compact Ford pickup with a boosted V8, a revised front suspension, and one of the coolest exhaust arrangements we’ve seen on a Maverick.

“When we originally built the truck in 2021 for Ford, it was a pre-production vehicle. The build went over really well, and afterward, we joked that we should Coyote-swap it. Eventually, that joke turned into a real plan,” Dave Tucci, Owner and Operator of Tucci Hot Rods, said with a smile.

The centerpiece is a Gen 2 5.0-liter Coyote V8 boosted by Hellion twin turbochargers, with the combination targeting 800 horsepower. A VMP Performance Leviathan Turbo Hat and Holley aluminum swap oil pan help make the engine package work, while a Haltech Elite 2500 ECU manages engine operation.

Some Cutting Required

Of course, dropping a Coyote into a Maverick isn’t exactly a bolt-in proposition. The original front suspension used a rear-steer arrangement, positioning the steering rack behind the engine. That layout wasn’t going to coexist with the new engine and transmission, so Tucci’s crew had to rethink the front end.

The shop experimented with S550, Fox, and SN-95 Mustang K-members, but none offered the right fit. Instead, the team modified the Maverick’s original crossmember to clear the Coyote.

“We stripped it down and only had to remove about three-quarters of an inch from the rear crossmember to make room for the engine,” Tucci said.

With the revised structure in place, the shop used its 3D scanner to capture the geometry and fabricate custom lower control arms. New 2006-2007 Mustang steering knuckles and a steering rack complete the front suspension conversion, while the truck retained its existing coilovers from its first run as a SEMA vehicle. Out back, the factory suspension remains, though the rearend now features a 2017 Mustang center section.

Finishing Touches

The drivetrain is equally interesting. A ZF 8HP automatic transmission connects to the Coyote through a conversion kit, with a Turbolamik controller handling transmission operation. Haltech manages the engine, and its recently introduced transmission-control capability has Tucci looking forward to simplifying the electronics package.

Then there’s the exhaust, which might be the Maverick’s best party trick. Rather than routing the turbo exhaust beneath the truck, Tucci’s team developed 3D-printed fender outlets inspired by the pickup’s original fender vents. Each side features dual outlets, separating the exhaust discharge from the turbocharger wastegate. Pointed toward the mirrors, the unusual arrangement gives the truck a signature look.

“We knew we wanted the exhaust to exit through the fenders, using the Maverick’s original fender vent as inspiration. We had already 3D-printed a modified version of that vent, so we had a pretty good idea of how we wanted the finished setup to look,” Tucci told us.

While it might not be realistic to hope for twin turbos with fender-exit exhaust, it sure would be great if this project inspired Ford to create a V8-powered Maverick for production. It’s unlikely, but the Tucci Hot Rods project lets us dare to dream.