5.0L Coyote Drag Boat
In the quest to top our other crazy builds at Shrader HQ, we decided to venture to the lake waters of Charlotte NC to find the perfect place to do something even more crazy. In Southern California in the 70’s there was a huge movement for stylish low-profile drag boats that featured huge cubic-inch car engines hanging out of a small lightweight hull. And what better way to showcase our Shrader tuning abilities than to build a coyote swapped drag boat monster. The goal was simple. Make it wild, and go big or go home.
We located a nicely painted 1975 Laveycraft V-drive 17′ boat in FL that had a BBC engine. Obviously we had no interest in the heavy carbureted engine, so we yanked that out along with all the wiring and started fresh.
We started with a Gen2 Coyote engine that already features forged rods and crank, then topped it off with a GT350 intake manifold for high rpm airflow coupled to a Vortech JT supercharger pushing 16 psi at 7800 rpm. We upgraded the oil pump gears and crank gear because those are typical weak links in the coyote, added a front sump oil pan because the engine is backwards in the boat, and then coupled it to the Casale V-drive gearbox that was already in the boat, using some custom engineering.
The Ford Racing controls pack takes care of wiring and computer controls, with a custom Steve Shrader calibration made for the water environment it lives in. Kooks Headers took the time to build a one-off custom header design for this boat, that also includes their collector mufflers to reduce noise on the local lakes yet still scream at WOT when the pedal goes to the floor.
With an engine that makes peak torque all the way to 7500+ thanks to the Vortech supercharger, it is the perfect setup for a drag boat engine! The only word we’ve been able to describe it with after lake runs, is “Sketchy”. Because as you approach 100 mph on water at ridiculous acceleration, the only feeling you feel… is Sketchy.
The Specs
The Numbers
- 1000 hp / 750 lb/ft tq
- 0-100 in “Oh My God, Let me Off!”
Engine
- 2017 Gen2 5.0L Coyote
- GT350 intake manifold
- billet oil pump gears and crank gear
- Canton front sump oil pan
- Vortech JT supercharger at 16 psi max
- 8-rib pulleys and belt swap
- Vortech air-to-air intercooler and custom piping
- Custom electric fans
Exhaust
- Kooks Headers, complete custom one-off build
- Kooks Collector Mufflers for quieter lake cruising
Fuel System
- return-style fuel system
- Fore Innovations regulator
- VP 110 racing fuel
- 8 gallon fuel tank
Tuning
- Ford Racing Controls Pack
- Custom Steve Shrader tuning
- custom integration to work with boat drivetrain
Drivetrain
- Aluminum flywheel
- T45 Mustang Bellhousing
- Casale V-drive with Whirlaway
- D21 Prop Shaft bearing seal
- custom 3 blade LH Prop by Ron Hill, Hill Marine
Brakes
- Brakes? There are no brakes on the water.