C10 Shootout: Bigun, the Mad Scientist, Brings the Coyote 10 to Life (Ep 4)

If the Big 10 is understated and fit for purists, then the Coyote 10 is just a total hooligan built from the ground up to cause havoc. You see, guys, when you have an idea like putting a 1,400 horsepower Coyote into a 1972 C10 and going drag racing, you need a friend like Bigun that will smile and say: “I gotchu.” This truck is a completely different flavor – and despite its color, it is not vanilla. Welcome to the fourth episode of the C10 Shootout, presented by Summit Racing.

When we left off with the chassis build, Eric Yost (aka Bigun) was finishing up the back-half by triangulating the 4-link structure and tucking the cage into the cabin. With the cab sitting directly on the frame, it moved the transmission and the driveshaft up – both of which would require more clearance. Fabrication work provided a new tunnel for the driveshaft, but AMD made a slick bolt-in service cover (PN 415-4067) for the transmission that bolted right on and gave us the clearance we needed for the ATI Turbo 400.

Competition Engineering provided all the 1-⅝-inch, .83 wall and 1-¼-inch, .65 wall chromoly tubing needed to complete the roll cage as well as the back-half, which Bigun elected to run through the cab sheet-metal (not the back glass) and run just under the lip of the bed cover to create a jungle gym structure like a trophy truck. It’s nothing short of a work of automotive art that will hang the bed as well as mount the radiator, intercooler tank, and fuel cell hidden under a flip-back sheet of carbon fiber.

Coyote Powah

Like the LT, the Coyote was also sent back for inspection to its builder. FFRE quickly gave it a clean bill of health and sent it on its way. From what we understand, the 5.0L was barely breaking a sweat, so it was sitting pretty going into the C10 Shootout with the promise of the larger 76103 turbo from HPT that would let the high-revving engine sing. The much larger frame turbo was not a challenge for Bigun, as he had already planned to mount it in the center of the grille with the radiator relocated to the bed.

Before we get into the turbo system, let’s talk about actually stuffing this massive engine into the C10’s engine bay. We used Fathouse Coyote Mustang Billet Motor Plates (PN FP-BMP) and a Billet Pro Shop Modular/Coyote Engine Mid Plate. Between the size of the engine, the intake setup, how low the truck sat, wet sump oil pan, and how it would need to mount – it does sit rather high, sticking out of the hood. But with a front-mount turbo, subtle was not exactly what we were going for. Bigun also needed to work his magic on the front frame rails, making a lateral C-notch on each side. This is not a swap for novice builders.

None of the dyno turbo system was reused aside from the throttle body funnel that Bigun made already, having to bend around the frame rails using 1.75-inch 304 stainless steel from Vibrant Performance and locally sourced header flanges. Vibrant 4-into-1 merge collectors converge again with 2.5-inch 304 stainless tubing with double slip joints and exited with 4-inch to a bullhorn. The turbo is connected to 2.5-inch and 4-inch V-bands. The cold side was entirely 4.0-inch aluminum with 4-inch HD Pinless Clamps. Just like the Big 10, the Coyote 10 will use twin VS Racing 50mm Gen 3 wastegates to control boost through the Holley EFI system with CO2. A single 50mm blow-off valve from VS Racing protects against surge.

One thing to note, at the outset of LS vs Coyote 3, some people were skeptical of a Coyote running a single turbo. Eric Yost and tuner Pete Harrell have not been scared one bit…why? Take a good look at the distance from the exhaust manifolds to the turbo, then from the turbo to the throttle body. The entire turbo system is very compact, and the turbo has the benefit of exhaust pulses from all eight cylinders spinning the turbine at very high speed (thanks to the Coyote’s high-revving nature). An exhaust pulse is a pressure wave, the more and the stronger you have, the faster the turbo will spool. Pete and Eric know all too well, having a hand in Mark Rogers’ success, who set the Ultra Street record the first time out in his single-turbo Modular SN95 – a record later surpassed by Haley James in a Coyote-powered SN95. Can the Coyote 10 run a mid-4-second ⅛-mile like those two dedicated race cars? That would be a tall order for a drag-and-drive truck.

Fluid Exchange

Speaking of the turbo system, the Coyote 10 will be moving some hot water from the Tick air-to-water intercooler on top of the engine with a Meziere WP726 inline intercooler pump to a bed-mounted ice tank that was custom fabricated from aluminum. The engine will receive its cooling from a bed-mounted AFCO Double Pass Universal Radiator and SPAL 14-inch, 1,864cfm electric fans. A double-pass trans cooler with a single fan was mounted right next to the radiator, which is also from AFCO. Bigun’s background in NASCAR really comes in handy here, knowing how to angle the radiator and cooler, how to direct the air to it from underneath, and to seal it up with some fancy tin-work. In case you are wondering, an expansion tank from Moroso was kept in the engine bay.

Fitting the trophy truck back-half, Bigun used a  Radium Engineering 22-gallon R22A fuel cell with a weld-in cage and 3-bolt direct mount fuel neck and cap. The large cell would not only make it convenient for street driving, but Bigun planned to use fuel for ballast in tuning the chassis. The fuel cell has a bladder like you’d use in circle track or desert racing to keep the fuel contained, no matter what. A 10 Micron filter and fuel pressure regulator were also included along with the FCST-X 3 Surge Tank Pumps and Lift Pump. Bigun chose the three Walbro F90000274 pumps, which are high-performance 450LPH pumps designed specifically for E85.

Drivetrain Foundation

Harnessing the Coyote’s wide powerband is a 3-speed Turbo 400 from  ATI Racing. The high-zoot trans uses a 2.10/1.40 gearset with the 2nd Gear leave option to manage track conditions, Stage 2 dump valve, SFI case and housing, and clean Neutral. ATI also provided a flexplate and a bolt-together converter with an extra stator. This setup is pretty much identical to the Big 10, aside from the converter specs, which are optimized for the Coyote.

The 9-inch housing ordered from  Strange for the Coyote 10 was a bit more bare bones and needed its 4-link brackets to be welded on. Eric chose 40-spline axles as well, measuring 52.5-inches axle flange to axle flange. The Strange Engineering housing was sealed up with an Aluminum Ultra Case using the HD 40 Spline Lightweight Steel Spool, 35-spline Pro Gear in 3.50 ratio with a Chrome Moly Yoke 1350. 

Rounding out the foundation of the Coyote 10 is a set of RC Components wheels in Eclipse Prism to counterbalance the white paint. The 17-inch Hammer-S front wheels help keep the truck’s Pro Street look, while the 15×14 double beadlock rears are all business. Summit provided Mickey Thompson ET Street Front 27×6 and the spec ET Street S/S 295/55/15 drag radials, along with $7,500 in gift cards for things like brake lines, shifter, and steering components to get the truck to the starting line.

Speaking of brakes, the brake system on the Coyote 10 was provided by Strange Engineering. The All Steel All Glass nature of these trucks makes them quite heavy, so the Strange Evolution 4-piston setup was a great choice. Bigun paired the Early GM Brake Kit with the TRZ first-gen Camaro spindles and the Dynamic Drive Rear Brake Kit for Late Big Ford in the rear. A Strange Master Cylinder and proportioning valve were also used.

On the Next C10 Shootout Episode

Bigun and Big 3 will wrap up the builds on the two C10s and start testing. Wiring up the entire truck, including the Holley EFI, Simpson safety equipment, and lots of little things, can really catch up with you. Bigun seems to have a leg up with timing, while Big 3 is going to be cutting it close to race day. But, Bigun also has to tow the Coyote 10 all the way up to Ohio from Mooresville, NC. Big 3 has a slight home-field advantage, being located literally right on the track (Darana Dragway, formerly Dragway 42). You’ll have to wait to see how it all plays out!

Horsepower Wars C10 Shootout would like to thanks its sponsors for making this possible including Summit Racing, Holley (Holley EFI, Simpson, etc), Manley Performance, Diamond Racing Pistons, COMP Cams, Moroso Performance Products, Total Seal, Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Cometic Gaskets, AMSOIL, Vibrant Performance, HPT Turbochargers, ICT Billet, ATI Performance, Meziere Enterprises, AFCO Racing, Optima Batteries, Old World Industries/Peak, Strange Engineering, SPAL, Auto Metal Direct, and Wiles Driveshaft.