It may be a 1980 Chevy C-10 on the outside, but it gets its impressive power from a modern Ford Coyote V8.
You’re probably wondering why we put a Chevy truck on the homepage. It must seem like utter blasphemy. Trust us. We have a good reason.
Caleb Richards, the man behind the pro-Mustang YouTube channel Foxcast Media, found this 1980 Chevrolet C-10 at Mo’s Speed Shop in Dallas, Georgia. He had his own reason for shooting it: shop owner Jeff Harris and his crew put a Ford engine in it. They’ve done so many LS swaps before (just like so many people and other shops have) that they wanted to switch things up and put a Coyote 5.0 in one of their builds. Harris said, “We did this to be cool. You know, we’re car guys.”
This rig has an attractive blend of patina and a fresh interior. Harris and his team really threw a curveball by installing the 5.0 in a truck with a bowtie badge. They connected it to a 6R80 six-speed auto. Surprisingly, putting the Coyote in between the front fenders wasn’t as hard as it may seem at first glance (and the Chevy didn’t reject the transplant). The motor mounts can be a little tricky, but Harris and co. were able to use the factory manifolds. Harris said, “It’s really not a whole lot of fabrication. The biggest thing was the wiring.”
We’re not shocked that the Coyote was a great choice for a new engine. It’s available in two of Ford’s most popular vehicles, the Mustang and the F-150, and it generates just as much great sound as it does horsepower and torque. Harris told Richards, “We like the drivability and the power of the modular 5.0-liter engine.” Judging by the burnout he does, Harris enjoys its ability to roast tires, too.
Our rationale for showcasing this truck goes beyond just the fact that, for once, someone decided to swap an engine that wasn’t an LS into a vehicle. LSs are in everything from old Jaguars to Japanese sports coupes. It’s that we know every smile this truck puts on its owners face when he puts his right foot down, every hot ounce of anger a Camaro owner feels when they lose to this rig will be because of a Ford engine. Sorry Not Sorry.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
