If you were in an engine build off with a budget of $15,000, how would you spend the money? The object is to make as much power and torque as possible and not leave anything on the table. While $15,000 is a pretty hefty budget, you would still need to cut corners in this competition to have any hope of winning. You would need to choose your parts wisely, because if you tried to save money on the wrong parts failure would lead to your defeat.

Our LS vs Coyote 2 competitors were up against all odds as they tried to find the perfect balance between expensive bulletproof aftermarket parts and factory components. After the engines were assembled, Late Model Engines (LME) and MPR Racing went head-to-head in a no-holds-barred battle royale on the dyno.

Ultimately Bryan Neelen and his crew from LME were the winners of LS vs Coyote 2. They were able to put together a 427 cubic-inch LSX engine that produced a staggering 1,784 horsepower and 1,422 lb-ft of torque with the help of a ProCharger F-1X supercharger with a 10-rib serpentine belt. This powerhouse of a mill utilized both factory and aftermarket parts while withstanding over a dozen dyno pulls with big boost from the F-1X.

The LME 427 used several factory components that we were surprised to see at this power level. Some of the items used in this build included a GM LS7 crankshaft, GM LS7 hydraulic roller lifters, GM head bolts, and GM LS7 rocker arms.

We don’t think anyone was expecting this engine to crank out almost 1,800 horses. Even Bryan Neelen said, “We know from experience that we can make 1,600 horsepower at the flywheel with E85 fuel on one of our 427 combinations.” 1,600 horsepower, not 1,784 but either way LME proved that they made the correct choices as these selected factory parts somehow lived.

On the other hand, LME selected mostly strong engine components. The Chevrolet Performance LSX block was a critical upgrade in place any of the factory LS engine castings. The LSX block offers a higher nickel content and features Siamese cylinder bores, 1054 billet steel 6-bolt main bearing caps, 6-bolt cylinder head bolt pattern, with an external oil pump feed at the rear. The bottom end of the block also received an upgrade with a set of Automotive Racing Products (ARP) main studs that replaced the use of factory bolts.

The connecting rods can be another weak link in a factory engine. For LS vs Coyote 2, LME decided to use a set of robust Saenz Performance Billet I-Beam rods. These rods are made of 300M with ARP 7/16 L19 fasteners and can endure a tremendous amount of power. Ultimately, LME chose the 300M material to keep the weight relatively low, which is one of the advantages of 300M.

Factory pistons would also be another weak point and would not be able to handle the massive load. Bryan worked with the crew over at MAHLE and selected an LS forged piston that included tool steel wrist pins. These pistons offer a compression ratio of 11:1 and are set up for lots of boost.

Now that the short-block had the reliability that it needed to possibly with the competition, it was time to select the parts required to make the power. A custom COMP Cams camshaft was used with .714-inch lift and 245/263 duration at .050, cut with a 115 LSA. A set of LME-ported Brodix BR-7 LS7 CNC heads with a competition valve job were also used to get the air in and out of the engine. The 12-degree heads come from Brodix in bare cast form, and then LME CNC-ports them, flow tests, and mills them. The heads come from LME with titanium 2.200-inch intake valves, stainless 1.600 exhaust valves, dual valvesprings, and titanium retainers.

As impressive as this build is, the real MVP of LS vs Coyote 2 just might be the F-1X ProCharger unit. This self-contained supercharger cranked out an impressive 34-pound of boost and pushed the LS 427 well north of the 1,700 horsepower mark. What is equally remarkable is the fact that a 10-rib serpentine belt system drove the supercharger! This is the same type of drive that could be found on just about any ProCharged street car. The 10-rib drive not only spun the F-1X to monstrous boost levels, but, with a few adjustments to the tensioner and belt routing, it was also able to do it reliably pull after pull.

Backed by some of the biggest names in the automotive aftermarket — including ARP, BMR Suspension, COMP, Covercraft, DiabloSport, Dyna-Batt, E3 Spark Plugs, Holley Performance Parts, MAHLE, Mickey Thompson, ProCharger, QA1, Royal Purple, Summit Racing, TCI, Weld Racing, and others, the final installment of Horsepower Wars: LS vs Coyote, Part 2 has made for an exciting battle. Stay tuned for additional editorial as we dyno test the engines one last time, both with identical F-1A-94 superchargers. In the meantime, we have the next season of Pony Wars, which continues the classic Ford vs. Chevy battle – and even throws a Mopar into the mix.