In 2010, Ford dropped a bomb on us that goes by one name. Coyote. They brought back the famous 5.0, in an entirely new form: a four-valve DOHC 5.0L that has since taken the performance world over completely.
Obviously we had to get our hands on one.
Ford Dropped a Bomb Called Coyote
On June 7, 2010 we picked up our Grabber Blue 2011 Mustang GT from Weikert Ford in Lake Wales, Florida. Saying we were excited undersells it.
Fun fact: Jared got his first speeding ticket in over five years driving it home to Wellington. Oops.
Bone Stock: 12.79
First thing we did, after a suitable amount of staring at it, was take it to the track. Manual six-speed MT-82 car, 3.73 gears, Brembo brake package, 19" wheels still on the factory Pirellis.
June in Florida is not racing weather, but after a few runs our then-tech rep Derek Perez clicked off a 12.79 at 109.05mph with a 1.92 sixty-foot. Bone stock.
We got straight to work building our off-road X-pipe for the car and got Jon Lund at Lund Racing to apply some of his special sauce. With Mickey Thompson ET Drags on it, Derek ran a 12.35 at 111 with a 1.76 sixty-foot on 93 octane.
He knew he could improve the short time, and on the next pass he did, cutting a 1.69. And then we met the problem.
The MT-82 Clutch Problem
Between the 2-3 shift, the clutch pedal stuck to the floor. Derek could not re-engage in the next gear and the car bounced off the rev limiter. We tried twice more and got it both times.
So we packed up and went home. Which also meant it was time for a McLeod RXT twin disc.
Bolt-Ons: 363 to 401
Next came a JLT cold air intake while we waited on our Whipple kit. We worked with 5.0 Mustang & Super Fords to cover the dyno and install.
| Setup | Power | Torque | Gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | 363rwhp | 293rwtq | baseline |
| Tune plus off-road X-pipe | 377rwhp | 304rwtq | +14 / +11 |
| Tune, X-pipe plus JLT cold air intake | 401rwhp | 324rwtq | +37 / +30 |
We never got that setup to the track, because the Whipple showed up and patience has never been one of our virtues.
Whipple 2.3L: 525rwhp
In went the Whipple 2.3L 624hp kit, tuned on the Whipple/Ford Performance calibration included with it. Remember, bone stock this car made 363rwhp.
On the included tune with the supplied 3.375" pulley making 10psi, it put down 525rwhp and 494rwtq. A 162rwhp gain over stock.
Then, at Palm Beach International Raceway, Derek ran an 11.3x at 121 with a 1.61 short time. We then realised the 26" tall tires were forcing him into fifth gear, which we knew was costing us. After a cool-down he took another shot and got a 1.58 sixty-foot and an 11.26 at 122+. By then it was getting late and the tire was too much to overcome, so we packed it in.
To find out what else the 2.3L had, we added a larger 123mm Whipple cold air intake and a dual 66mm L&M throttle body. Those two added 37rwhp, taking it to 562rwhp and 421rwtq. The blower clearly wanted more air.
Into the 10s
Back to PBIR, this time with Jeremy Martorella driving. Still on stock suspension, still on 93 octane, he cut a 1.53 sixty-foot and ran 10.72 at 123.51mph.
First trip into the 10s. The mph was down because Jeremy hit the limiter in fourth before the end of the track and, rather than shift into fifth after bouncing off it, pushed the clutch in and coasted through the traps. We do not think it hurt the ET much, but it cost the mph.
Whipple 2.9L and 695rwhp
Happy with the Whipple and Coyote combination, we fitted Whipple's new 2.9L blower. To get a clean comparison we deliberately pullied it up with a large 4" pulley so it made the same 10psi as the 2.3L. Because there is no replacement for displacement, right?
Same boost, same supporting mods: 603rwhp and 484rwtq. A peak gain of 32rwhp over the 2.3L.
Before the next track trip we pullied back to a 3.50", added some C16 into the mix, all still tuned by Lund Racing. First two runs of the night blew the tires off at the line. On the third, Jeremy adjusted the launch and cut a 1.43 sixty-foot for a 10.45 at 133. Granny shifting.
He wanted to powershift the next one, but the stock chrome shifter knob made it hard to grip and he missed third. So he swapped in a stock Shelby leather knob he could actually hold onto.
Last run of the night: 1.45 sixty-foot, powershifted, 10.39 at 133.25.
At that point we were bumping into the limits of the stock fuel system, and probably the long block, and the car clearly wanted suspension. So the next phase addressed all three.
- A complete dual pump return style fuel system. There was no Coyote fuel hat manifold available yet, so we fitted a 2010 Mustang GT fuel tank and used the 3V hat.
- A complete UPR Products rear suspension setup with QA1 shocks.
- American Racing Headers long tubes, replacing the restrictive factory manifolds while the car was apart.
Still on the 3.50" pulley, on the stock long block, the dyno read 695rwhp, with the graph still climbing at 7,600rpm.
The 10.20
First run out with the suspension: 10.23. That made us, at the time, the fastest 2011 GT in the country running the MT-82 six-speed manual.
The suspension was clearly working, because the next passes came in at 10.24, 10.25 and 10.26. Then the last one of the night, and a new best: 10.20 at 134.85.
We fully intended to get it into the 9s on the stock long block. Then a certain special car came out and grabbed our attention. Boss 302. The 2011 GT went to our friend Raul.
| Stage | Power | Best ET |
|---|---|---|
| Bone stock | 363rwhp | 12.79 @ 109 (1.92 60ft) |
| Tune plus off-road X-pipe | 377rwhp | 12.35 @ 111 (1.76 60ft) |
| Plus JLT intake | 401rwhp | never raced |
| Whipple 2.3L, 10psi | 525rwhp | 11.26 @ 122 |
| Plus 123mm intake and 66mm throttle body | 562rwhp | 10.72 @ 123 (first 10s) |
| Whipple 2.9L, 10psi | 603rwhp | 10.39 @ 133 |
| 2.9L on 3.50" pulley, long tubes, fuel system, suspension | 695rwhp | 10.20 @ 134.85 |
The Full Mod List
- Lund Racing custom tune via SCT X3
- Whipple 2.9L Crusher with 3.50" pulley
- Whipple 123mm cold air intake
- L&M dual 66mm throttle body
- American Racing 1-7/8" long tube headers with off-road X-pipe
- Magnaflow Competition cat-back
- Lethal Performance dual pump return style fuel system
- Driveshaft Shop aluminum driveshaft
- UPR Products upper and lower control arms and panhard bar
- QA1 shocks
- Bogart race wheels with Mickey Thompson ET Drag tires
Parts You Can Still Buy
The 2.3L and 2.9L are both superseded
Stage 1 also available
Catted and H-pipe versions available
Twin disc with street manners
Package III also available
The suspension found us three tenths
Tune required
Frequently Asked Questions
What did a bone stock 2011 Mustang GT run?
12.79 at 109.05mph with a 1.92 sixty-foot, on factory Pirellis in June Florida heat. For comparison, our 2010 GT500's first run was a 12.77 at 112mph.
What is the MT-82 clutch issue?
On early 2011-2014 cars the clutch pedal can stick to the floor during a hard shift, so you cannot re-engage and the engine bounces off the limiter. We hit it three times in one session. Fitting a McLeod RXT twin disc solved it.
How much did bolt-ons make on the Coyote?
37rwhp and 30rwtq, from 363rwhp stock to 401rwhp with a tune, an off-road X-pipe and a JLT cold air intake.
What did the Whipple 2.3L make?
525rwhp and 494rwtq on the included Whipple/Ford Performance calibration with the supplied 3.375" pulley at 10psi. A 162rwhp gain over stock.
Was the 2.9L worth it over the 2.3L?
At the same 10psi it made 603rwhp versus 562rwhp, a 32rwhp peak gain. But 10psi puts the 2.9L at the bottom of its efficiency range. The point of a bigger blower is headroom, and once we pullied it to 3.50" the car made 695rwhp.
What was the final power and best time?
695rwhp on a stock long block, and a best of 10.20 at 134.85mph. At the time that made it the fastest 2011 GT in the country with the MT-82 manual.
How much did suspension improve it?
Roughly two tenths. The car went 10.39 before the UPR rear suspension and QA1 shocks and 10.20 after, with consistent 10.2x passes in between.
Why did the 9-second attempt never happen?
The Boss 302 came out and took our attention. The 2011 GT was sold to our friend Raul with the stock long block still in it.
More From Our Builds
Building an S197 Coyote? Call 877-2-LETHAL or email us. We took ours from 12.79 to 10.20.
Keep Reading
695rwhp on a Stock Long Block
Whipple, long tubes, fuel system, suspension. Every stage of this car is still buyable.
