Power-hungry owners of the 2005-2010 Mustang may have a dilemma on their hands if they’re ready to sink some serious cash and labor into their cars. They could install a leading aftermarket supercharger kit on the 4.6-liter 3-valve V8, or step up to a Coyote swap, and install the 5.0-liter Coyote V8 that became available in the 2011 Mustang.

Justin Pawlak decided to do both with his project car, sidewayS197.

A constant threat on the Formula Drift circuit, Pawlak wanted to build a track worthy but street-friendly Mustang to complement his familiar teal-and-blue 2014 Falken Tire racecar. His choice was a ‘06 Mustang that he picked up with relatively little cash following some clever trades that involved a Jeep and Camaro SS.

“I think it would have been fun to do a full build on a Three-Valve,” says Pawlak. “But that Coyote motor is a great engine and in the end was a better choice.”

Coyote engines are starting to show up more frequently in salvage yards and online classifieds. Ford Racing Performance Parts also offers a few different crate versions of the Coyote, including the beefed-up Aluminator series. The 5.0-liter DOHC engine has already found its way into street rods, early F-100s and some Cobra replicas, although the latter is quite a tight fit with the wide valve covers. First-generation Mustang owners are also discovering that the shock towers need significant surgery before the Coyote can squeeze in, but Fox-body swappers are having less frustrating issues to solve.

As always, it’s somewhat of a balancing act between money and resources, especially involving a late-model platform. However, fear of the Coyote swap shouldn’t be a consideration when starting with the S197 chassis. The engine has the same mounting points as the 4.6L, it’s just a matter of addressing a few details.

“This swap could be done in a weekend,” promises Pawlak.

A 2006 Mustang is the foundation for the project. Pawlak stripped off suspension and front sheetmetal in preparation to remove the stock 4.6-liter 3V engine and transmission.

The engine bay was stripped of most of the factory components except for the master cylinder and brake booster. Although not shown here, the inner fenderwells were trimmed back considerably to give Pawlak easier access to suspension adjustments as well as provide more room for wider tires and more steering angle. Pawlak also cut out the factory headlight brackets and fabricated new ones from aluminum later on in the project. Once the rollcage was installed, the body was shipped off to the paint shop.

Potential for 675 horsepower

This build had to provide both street manners and track prowess, so Pawlak started with the base Coyote engine, which is rated at 420 horsepower, and added a ROUSH Performance Stage 1 supercharger kit for an estimated 575 hp with 505 lb-ft peak torque. ROUSH also offers upgrades that can boost the power to upwards of 675 horsepower using a different blower overdrive pulley and more aggressive calibrations in the PCM. The engine will be backed with a Spec clutch, Tremec 6-speed, and beefed-up 8.8-inch rear axle. Fuel will be sent from an Aeromotive A1000 sending unit mounted in the stock tank. The project car also involved a complete suspension makeover with a full roll cage built by Pawlak’s shop Hot Line Performance, BMR K-member, custom control arms, Race Tech Services knuckles, Feal coil-overs, ROUSH brakes and, of course, Falken tires.

“I had a vision of a drift-style Mustang,” says Pawlak, adding that the build was an opportunity to showcase his shop’s capabilities. “I felt it was time to put together a street car that help me represent my sponsors off the track.”

The Coyote crate motor needed a few modifications before it was ready to mount the supercharger and install in the car. The ’06 Mustang has a belt-driven power steering pump but the 2011-’15 Coyote Mustangs have an electric power steering system. A Ford Racing adaptor bracket was installed on the right side. Pawlak also carried over the ’06 steering rack.

“That was one of my concerns before starting this project. But then I found out Ford Racing already has the bracket,” says Pawlak. “Just mount the 05-09 pump to that bracket and all the lines meet up.”

A Ford Racing alternator kit was also used to locate the alternator on the left side. Finally, some minor grinding is required to relieve a few high points on the front cover to clear the supercharger drive assembly.

Left photo shows the Ford Racing power-steering pump in place. Right photo shows the crate engine after the intake manifold and fuel system were removed.

The front cover must be modified slightly to accept the supercharger belt drive. Two mounting pads and ribs need to be reduced slightly, then a bung needs to be cut in half and trimmed. The ROUSH instructions provide clear directions and illustrations for the installer.

Clear-cut instructions

“Everything is explained in the ROUSH instructions – where to mark it, where to grind it,” says Pawlak. “To be honest, it was a little intimidating at first because I had a brand new crate engine and then I’m told to grind on the front cover.”

That chore is about the only need for power tools. Of course, air ratchets and cordless drills will make the job much easier, but for the most part a good set of metric wrenches, electrical wiring tools, engine hoist, floor jack and jack stands are all that’s needed. As noted in the shop photos, Pawlak installed the engine from below using a vehicle lift. There are reports on the Internet that some installations have been very difficult trying to drop the engine down from the top. Headers have to be removed and in at least once situation, the stock K-member had to be loosened and dropped to provide enough room for the engine to be positioned properly. So, while it’s possible to complete this swap in a driveway with jacks and a cherry picker, access to a vehicle lift will definitely save time and possibly a lot of frustration.

The Coyote’s intake manifold and fuel system are completely replaced by the supercharger kit. The ROUSH system includes an intercooler with a standalone coolant system that features a pump, reservoir and heat exchanger. The Roots-style, positive-displacement supercharger is a R2300 TVS series with twin 4-lobe, 160-degree-twist rotors. It comes with a twin 60mm throttle body, ROUSH-designed upper and lower intake manifolds and high-flow fuel rail with 47-pound injectors.

“It’s a very inclusive kit and very easy to install. I just bolted it back on the engine,” says Pawlak, admitting that the job was considerably easier with the engine out of the car. (A full story on installing the supercharger kit in a late-model Mustang can be found by following this link.) “There was a lot of stuff I didn’t have to do because I was starting with a crate motor. But everything is labeled and easy to understand. The quality of the kit is second to none.”

A BOSS 302 bracket locates the alternator on the left side of the engine. One belt drives the alternator and water pump (shown) while another belt will drive the supercharger and power-steering pump, which is mounted where the AC compressor is normally positioned.

Going in from below

Making the Coyote crate engine swap a real plug-and-play project is the Ford Controls Pack. Even if you pulled a 5.0L engine from the salvage yard and took the late-model PCM, it may not mate with the other computers in the car. The control pack includes a new PCM with a performance calibration along with a power distribution module that takes care of relays for fans and other accessories. Again, the instruction manual is easy to follow with clear illustrations.

The PCM is set up to work with a return fuel line. Pawlak installed a new Aeromotive sending unit in the stock tank and routed -8 AN lines to satisfy the engine’s thirst.

Here’s the ROUSH supercharger installed on the Coyote crate engine. From the rear, note the SPEC clutch and the factory 5.0-liter Mustang GT tubular exhaust manifolds. Also note in the right photo that the engine has been lowered onto the BMR tubular K-member and secured using new Coyote motor mounts.

The body was then lowered slowly as K-member is lined up and bolted to the chassis. In the worm’s-eye view, note how the new motor mounts and how there is plenty of clearance for the oil pan and other components, although the power-steering pump has yet to be installed.

As mentioned earlier, Pawlak removed the HVAC, so he had room under the dash to mount the PCM, power distribution module and relocate the fuse box.

“Had I left it all alone, the new PCM would bolt right up to the factory location,” says Pawlak. “There are some small wiring adjustments needed, some re-pinning a couple wires to tap into the CAN bus. Also to hook up the oil-pressure and speed sensors.”

The bigger, more powerful engine also required a cooling upgrade, so Pawlak installed a Ford Racing radiator, shroud and fan. Because the heater core was removed, Pawlak did have to modify one of the coolant lines to maintain the correct circulation through the engine.

Views from the top clearly show the painted engine bay and where the inner fenders were cut out as well as the engine’s comfortable fit.

The Ford Racing radiator is shown installed along with a new shroud, overflow tank and supercharger intercooler reservoir. Center photo is the water pump for the intercooler system mounted in front of the intercooler heat exchanger. Far right photo shows how all the hoses and coolant lines are dedicated to this application and most have arrows or markings to help the installer.

Finishing up

The Ford control pack is designed for a manual transmission, which Pawlak wanted from the start for drifting exhibitions. For those desiring an automatic, the best bet is a stand-alone conversion using an older model transmission – and that would be recommended for street-rod or musclecar applications. A late-model automatic requires the matching PCM and harness, which again can complicate matters when hooking up to the wiring in a modern Mustang. Pawlak is going with a Tremec T-56 Magnum 6-speed behind a SPEC clutch. The ’06 project car came with a manual transmission but Pawlak replaced the entire hydraulic clutch system for peace of mind and even upgraded to GT500 slave cylinder and Ford Racing hard line. The current 3.55:1 gearset will also be replaced with a 3.73:1 ring and pinion mounted to a FR500S differential with the axle housing being located with a Whiteline watts link.

Top Row: Pawlak relocated the fuse box to the cabin under the dash. He also pulled the passenger airbag and modified the cover to allow quick access to the fuses. Shown resting against the transmission tunnel is the new power distribution module that eventually was tucked in under the dash. Right photo shows the new Ford Racing PCM in place. Bottom Row: Here's a finished look at the interior. Note the easy access to OBD II port and controls through the glove box.

A finishing touch is a ROUSH Extreme Performance Catback exhaust.

“It’s such a crisp-sounding car, a real impressive sound,” says Pawlak, who would know the sound of a wicked engine as his drift car sports a Roush-Yates 410 Ford V8 built off the famed engine builder’s sprint-car platform and makes around 870 horsepower with 700 lb-ft peak torque. “Right now with the basic tune it can blow the tires off whenever I want. It’s definintely spirited driving and a ton of fun to drive.”

Because the PCM was relocated inside the cabin, Pawlak had to extend the wiring harness about 18 inches. Right photo shows the new wires neatly bundled and ready for a factory style loom. Also note the switch to Roush valve covers.

Future considerations after initial break-in include a Roush Stage 2 or 3 upgrade that drives the supercharger harder and modifies the tune. It’s also slated for a few dyno runs to confirm power numbers.

“I’m looking at 625 to 650 at the rear wheels,” vows Pawlak.