LateModelRestoration.com is no stranger to project cars. Car’s like their Project High Impact Mustang GT are famous for their top speed efforts have had us all following along with anxiously awaiting what modifications are next. The company has also developed a helpful series of how-to videos and blog entries, mostly dealing with simple bolt on and restoration projects. That is about to change, as they dive into their most in depth and possibly most technically oriented project yet.

After years of track use, the #75 1997 Cobra is in need of it’s third engine.

Some of you may be familiar with the fact that during the late 1990’s the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving used Mustang Cobras as classrooms. Instructors educated students in the skills of high performance driving behind the wheel of a modified late model Mustang. Years later, with these cars having faithfully provided service and ready to be retired, were sold off to various collectors and racers.

That brings us to this particular 1997 Cobra. Originally born in December of 1996, with a white exterior and saddle tan interior, the car was purchased by the Bondurant school. After completing it’s work there, the tenured Cobra changed hands twice more, falling into the ownership of Warren Hall and regularly raced and maintained by Scott Hubbard, a long time friend of LateModelRestoration.com president Shannon Guderian. The car has been through one engine transplant already, having received a donor powerplant from a 03-04 Mach 1, to replace it’s tired, original, b-headed stock engine. Recently the Mach 1 engine, obviously tired of years spent on the road course, self-destructed, resulting in a new window in the side of the block. This left Hubbard and Hall with the need for a new engine.

Left to Right: You can see from this picture the damage to the worn out ’03-’04 Mach 1 engine that had been installed to replace the original Cobra engine years ago.

The two considered another 4.6 liter based engine, or possibly a conversion to pushrod power. Ultimately a decision was made to take a high-tech approach and go with a new Ford Racing Performance Parts Coyote 5.0 engine. The allure of new parts, stock reliability, and drivabilty, not to mention 400 plus hp, all made the prospect of a Coyote swap very attractive. The fact that the car can retain it’s current k-member, transmission, and clutch only served to sweeten things further.

A  list was compiled of what initially is needed to perform this transplant using, LateModelRestoration.com’s Coyote swap parts page. This list included:

• M-6007-M50 – Ford Racing Mustang 5.0L Coyote Crate Engine
• M-6017-A504V – Ford Racing Mustang 5.0L Coyote Crate Engine Control Pack
• M-9680-M50 – Ford Racing 5.0L Coyote Crate Engine Cover Kit
• M-8600-M50B – Ford Racing 5.0L Coyote Crate Engine Alternator Kit
• M-8511-M50BR – Ford Racing 5.0L Coyote Crate Engine Power Steering Pump Bracket
• SVE 1979-2004 Mustang Coyote Swap Control Pack Pedal Mounting Bracket
• 20571 – Moroso 1979-2010 Mustang Coyote Swap Engine Oil Pan
• 16430 – BBK 1979-2004 Mustang Coyote Swap Ceramic Coated Long Tube Headers
• 1787 – BBK 1979-2004 Mustang Coyote Swap Off-Road X-pipe

With a little time and effort #75 will be back on track soon, and LateModelRestoration.com will have a great video series about the swap.

The orange #75 is still sponsored LateModelRestoration.com, and they will be conducting the engine transplant, documenting it along the way as it happens. They’ll be using all the parts listed, and showing you the details along the way of what is involved as this project comes together. You can follow along by going to the Project Coyote Swap page, and we’ll be keeping our readers up to date as well. So buckle up and get ready for a very cool tech experience as LateModelRestoration.com shows you in detail what it takes to do a Coyote engine swap.