Ford Street Rod Build

[JusticePerformance]

Not exactly Pro-touring but same obstacles incurred with a modern engine/drivetrain upgrade into an earlier vehicle. This is a typical '80's street rod using a Camaro donor car for front subframe and drivetrain. Our customer requested a Ford EFI engine, about 400HP, Ford automatic transmission, disc brakes and posi-traction rear. Important were creature comforts, ride quality, vibration isolation.

We chose Ford's Coyote 5.0L 420HP crate engine with Vintage Air FrontRunner Engine Drive, Performance Automatic Ford 4R70W Street Smart transmission package, and a 2000 Ford Explorer rear end.


Ford Coyote Engine Control Pack




4R70 Ford Automatic Trans.




Vintage Air Front Runner Drive and Boss 302 Alternator




Next step involved cutting out the Camaro subframe for installation of the new Fatman Fabrications front stub with extra long rails. This allowed us to completely remove all traces of the Camaro installation.


Fatman frame vs. Camaro

[JusticePerformance]

Fatman front stub was ordered with no engine/transmission mounts as they have not done this combination. Our customer requested we use OE Ford engine block mounts, no headers, and retain the current Flaming River steering column originally aimed to the Camaro steering box. The challenge was to connect the steering without using three u-joints and the exhaust manifolds which fit in the same space as the frame rails.

Fatman frame and engine mounts


Ford sells "hot rod" exhaust manifolds for the Coyote which are rear exit truck manifolds. Very nice but a worse fit than the originals. Our solution was a small pie-cut across the underside of the primary pipes near the head flange. This allowed us to tuck the manifolds close as possible to fit the engine just inside the frame rails and clear the transmission shift linkage.

The engine mount and steering constraints forced us into plate and tube frame adapters. This left an opening for the steering shaft to thread through. You can see where the steering rack joint, alternator, and oil filter adapter have to occupy the same general space. Transmission mount was fabricated from straight tube with mounting pad which bolts to frame rails.

The ECM was mounted through the RH inner fender panel. The OE Ford air filter box was replaced with a fabricated MAF tube/K&N-syle air filter. We duplicated the MAF sensor mount and placement in the aluminum tube which is mounted to the LH inner fender panel.

LH engine mount



Ford Coyote ECM


MAF and fan shroud


The air filter is installed and shielded inside the fender. The Ford relay control and PCS Transmission Control boxes were mounted on a panel attached to inner firewall under the dash. This provided easy access to relays/fuses and the transmission control adjustments.


Ford PCM


Engine mounted