Classic F-150 Gets the Coyote V8 from a 2017 Mustang GT
Arizona shop gives this brown-on-brown 1977 Ford F-150 Ranger XLT longbed Coyote V8 power and modern conveniences to match.
There are some combinations that are just polarizing. Some people enjoy pineapple on their pizza, but many think it is culinary blasphemy. Then there are those who like to dip their fries in their Wendy’s Frosty and the people who don’t understand their peculiar habit. But all of us can probably agree that a Ford Coyote V8 mixed with any vehicle is a great combo.
There’s definitely one owner of a 1977 Ford F-150 Ranger XLT who thinks that. He had Jason Noel and his crew at Fat Fender Garage in Gilbert, Arizona put one under the hood of his truck, which Noel calls “Charlie Brown” for obvious reasons. Fat Fender Garage did way more than an engine transplant, though. They gave Charlie Brown a total overhaul. According to Noel, he and his team refreshed “the rear end, all the brake system, all the electrical, everything has been completely gone through.” From the outside, the F-150 looks as if it just rolled out of a Ford dealership during the Carter administration.
It looks similarly period-correct on the inside (check out the CB radio), but Fat Fender Garage installed some important modern touches such as digital gauges, air conditioning, Bluetooth connectivity, and even power locks that respond to a key fob remote.
As cool as all of that is, we have to agree with Noel when he says, “The most important thing is what we did underneath the hood, which makes this truck extra special.” Fat Fender Garage got their wrench-turning hands on a 2017 Mustang GT crate motor and made all of the necessary adjustments in the engine bay to make sure it could fit properly. They installed special brackets that allow the 5.0 to sit right where it needs to be, then hooked it up to a “bolt-in, plug-and-play” radiator designed and built in-house. Charlie Brown also runs Fat Fender Garage’s custom air intake and computer box that controls the digitized beast that spins the rear wheels.
Once Noel takes the F-150 out for a test drive, that’s exactly what he does – in third gear. He gets on the throttle so hard leaving a stop that the back end starts to slide around looking for traction. Noel knows the truck inside and out, but even he has to eventually put both of his hands on the wheel as it picks up speed. He puts on the brakes after hitting a big bump in the road – and a certain speed. Noel says, “Didn’t take long to get to about 90 miles an hour.”
Back at the Fat Fender Garage, Noel’s crew uses Charlie Brown’s Mustang GT power in a different way. They make a classic combination – a Mustang V8 and a heavy right foot – to create a couple of smoky, streaky burnouts.
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