I'm kind of on the fence here between two options. I'm looking to build a road track capable Mustang, and I'm debating between taking an '08 Bullitt and dropping a Brenspeed B326 into it, or building the Coyote on an '11-'12 GT. I've been doing research, and my main concern so far with the B326 is the added weight to the car, but it does seem to have a lot of potential for high amounts of horsepower. On the other hand, the Coyote is newer, comes stock with more power than the Bullitt, and is a lighter engine. I'm just trying to see what the general consensus would be on this, and if there is something that I'm missing here that would make one option better than the other.

 

The B326 only adds about 60 lbs to the front end, but that is something you really don't want to do on a road course car. The iron block will support gobs more hp than the aluminum block though, which is why it is used more in drag cars. Plus you would be limited to using the 3v heads. A stock coyote is already 100 hp more than the 3v, and a B326 only adds about 60-75 hp to an otherwise stock 3v. For road course stuff I would build the coyote, for lower-budget drag car, I would do the B326 (but I do like the JPC Turbo coyote stuff as well). High-dollar drag - and I'm not so sure I would hack up a Bullit though for either kind of car - I would go with a built coyote w/ a 76mm Turbo.

 

the Coyote's heads flow so much better than any mod 3 valve head, so you'd be a fool not to start there.

 

You could go with the B302 instead. At least that uses the stock aluminum block and with the right parts, it's possible to match or even exceed the outputs of a stock N/A Coyote.

 

Whats your budget? A coyote swap is easily $15k in parts alone.

 

For the price of the engine swap you could almost buy a 2011 GT. That makes a lot more sense to me.

 

I want to keep my 08, love the body. Looking at B302 or B326 blocks honestly

 

This crossed my mind too. Pick up a 08-09 GT and drop a 5.0 Aluminator in it.

 

say what? a 5.0 Aluminator is a Coyote.

 

It's not apparent how much road course experience you have, but if you don't have much I will urge you to forget about how much power your engine makes and concentrate on (1) getting seat time, (2) brakes, mainly track capable pads (which does not include HPS or other street pads) and good DOT4 fluid, (3) tires and wheels, with specifically a max performance street tire, and (4) suspension and alignment.

Trust me, a stock Bullitt level of power is enough to get an '08 S197 at least down to the very low 1:2x at NJMP/Lightning and below 1:40 on Thunderbolt if your brakes, tires, wheels, suspension and alignment (and your driving) are up to it. First-timers to the HPDE activity will be 10 to 20 seconds slower.

Stated another way, when you're almost at the apex of a 70 mph turn and your focus is on its exit, in that instant it doesn't much matter whether you hit 120 or 130 down the preceding straight if the only reason for the higher speed was from having more power. If you were that much faster because you were able to exit the turn before the straight that much faster, well, that's a whole 'nother story entirely.

FWIW, an '08 GT with the FRPP tune can hit upper 120's on either of NJMP's tracks. With seat time and only a few mods, it's enough car to crowd a surprising variety of other cars in the corners and under braking.


I'm serious about leaving power improvements beyond maybe a cold air kit & tune for last.


Norm