Will it Fit? Stuffing a 7.3L Godzilla V8 into a Fox Body Mustang

With engine bay and trans tunnel mods, this 7.3-liter V8 and 10-speed automatic fit inside Fox Body Mustang.

Once upon a time, Ford introduced a massive motor for its F-Series trucks: the 7.3-liter Power Stroke turbo-diesel V8. This monster was, for many, the greatest diesel V8 ever placed between the fenders of a Ford truck. Its durability is beyond measure, and the aftermarket offers plenty of support for the big diesel.

Over 15 years since the last 7.3-liter turbo-diesel V8 left the factory, another 7.3-liter arrived on the scene. This time, it’s a naturally aspirated gasoline engine for the Super Duty. According to The Drive, Team Z Motorsports in Detroit recently found a home for this big V8: the nose of the Fox Body Mustang.

Through the lens of YouTuber “Revan” Evan Smith, former Ford Performance chief Brian Wolfe and Team Z boss Dave Zimmerman present the “Godzilla” 7.3-liter V8 in its new Mustang home. Per Wolfe, the V8 “was designed and engineered to be as durable any of the Ford truck engines going into Super Dutys.”

Much like the big Power Stroke of yore, the Godzilla V8 is a prime foundation for high performance. It also fits easily inside the confines of the Fox Body Mustang with mods to the oil pan and steering; it’s 4.5-inches skinnier than the 5.0-liter Coyote V8. Zimmerman adds that the 10-speed automatic from the S550-era Mustang fits within the transmission tunnel with no mods at all.

According to The Drive, another video shows how much power the Godzilla 7.3-liter V8 delivers to the rear. In the Super Duty, the big motor makes 430 horses and 475 lb-ft of torque. After a newly raised intake and heads, though, the horsepower jumps to almost 600 ponies. Imagine what a supercharger could do with the V8.

Right now, the Godzilla V8 is only available at your local Ford dealer inside a Super Duty. Of course, it’s only a matter of time until a few end up at your nearest Copart. Thus, if you’re lucky, you can snag one for your build. Or, you can wait until Ford Performance makes it a crate motor. Either way, the aftermarket is ready for the transplants to come.

Photo: The Drive

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Cameron Aubernon

Cameron Aubernon's path to automotive journalism began in the early New '10s. Back then, a friend of hers thought she was an independent fashion blogger.

Aubernon wasn't, so she became one, covering fashion in her own way for the next few years.

From there, she's written for: Louisville.com/Louisville Magazine, Insider Louisville, The Voice-Tribune/The Voice, TOPS Louisville, Jeffersontown Magazine, Dispatches Europe, The Truth About Cars, Automotive News, Yahoo Autos, RideApart, Hagerty, and Street Trucks.

Aubernon also served as the editor-in-chief of a short-lived online society publication in Louisville, Kentucky, interned at the city's NPR affiliate, WFPL-FM, and was the de facto publicist-in-residence for a communal art space near the University of Louisville.

Aubernon is a member of the International Motor Press Association, and the Washington Automotive Press Association.

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