American culture is filled with legendary rivalries. There is the eternal Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees conflict and the ever-present Batman versus Superman debate, to name a couple. But the auto industry’s greatest feud—Chevrolet Camaro versus Ford Mustang—gets turned on its head in the latest from YouTube channel itsjusta6 and Gavin Simon. This video shows the unthinkable of stuffing a Mustang’s Coyote engine into a 1967 Camaro.
A Camaro-Mustang Shotgun Marriage
And there are reasons why such a project leaves many dumbfounded. First, of course, is the notion of turning the Camaro-Mustang thing into a shotgun marriage of sorts. But then again, even the Hatfields and McCoys eventually patched up their differences. Next is wondering how realistic this engine swap is. Not only does this involve mixing Bowtie and Blue Oval bits, but the greater challenger is putting a modern powerplant in a 55-year-old car.
The Challenges of Mixing Old School And New Tech
We see a series of attempts to get the Coyote V-8 to run smoothly throughout the video. From a not-right engine tune to a blown fuse, it seems that Simon’s efforts just aren’t having success. But, eventually, the powerplant gets going without much sputtering.
Next up is making sure the brakes are working and then fitting modern wheels and tires. Along the way, Simon bends back his thumb thanks to a tire mounting machine. Yet, despite the injury, he’s anxious to take his creation out for a first spin.
While not perfect, the first ride is successful as viewers see Simon tooling up and down the street. The lack of power steering and brakes undoubtedly made the effort a challenge.
About The ‘67 Camaro And The Coyote Engines
During the video, we learn very little about the car other than that it originally belonged to Simon’s father. Yet, the 1967 Camaro has great significance in automotive history as it was GM’s first attempt to catch the wildly successful Mustang, which had debuted in 1964. And because Chevy changed the body style for the 1970 model year (again to keep up to Ford), there just aren’t that many first-gen Camaros around (compared to Mustangs).
Similarly, we don’t know much about the Coyote engine that found a new home in Simon’s Camaro. Is it a crate engine, or did it get pulled from something? Ford’s 5.0-liter “Modular” V8 first appeared in the 2011 Mustang GT (and the F-150), making 412 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque. In its third generation, the Coyote produces 460 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque in newer Mustangs.
Sources: YouTube, mustangspecs.com