Totally Awesome 1980 Chevy Silverado Packs Ford Coyote Power
Looks like a classic square body Chevy pickup with original paint, performs like a new Ford Mustang.
Square body Chevy trucks have become a popular platform for hot rod trucks, as they are readily available and relatively inexpensive. The factory V8 engines from old Chevy trucks are subject to an endless aftermarket with upgrades that will easily lift the output beyond any production engine, but it is a whole lot easier to swap in a modern engine.
Many people fit square body GM trucks with LS engines, but for the owner of this 1980 Silverado, going with the 5.0-liter V8 from a new Ford Mustang was the better, cooler choice. In the video above from the Foxcast Media YouTube channel, we get a close-up look at this slick classic pickup.
The Machine
If you saw this 1980 Chevy Silverado sitting in a parking lot somewhere, it would likely catch your eye with its slammed stance and the contrast of the bright polished wheels to the weathered paint. You would likely expect that this truck is powered by an old 350 small block Chevy or an LS1, but you would be wrong.
When Jeffery Harris, owner of Mo’s Speed Shop in Dallas, was picking an engine for his 1980 Chevy pickup, he wanted something that would amount to a cool, comfortable daily driver. Many people would point out that an LS1 or LS3 would offer similar power and drivability to the 5.0-liter Ford engine, but Harris also didn’t want to do something that so manty people had done before. So, he acquired the Coyote engine, mated it to a General Motors 6L80 automatic transmission and installed the unique pairing in his classic Silverado, sending about 400 horsepower to the rear wheels.
Harris explains to host Caleb Richards that making the Ford engine fit in the classic Chevy truck was “not a bad swap”, pointing out that the motor mounts and the wiring were the biggest headaches of the project. However, he was able to use the factory exhaust manifolds along with a three-inch exhaust system.
This Silverado has a modern air conditioning system that works with the Ford compressor, an electronic-assisted power steering system, the factory air box and the a custom radiator. The result is a truck that drives like it is new, complete with air conditioning, power steering and power brakes while maintaining the classic look.
Out for a Drive
After the walk-around of Harris’ 1980 Chevy pickup, he took Richards for a ride around the block. While on the road, we get to hear how quiet the truck is when being driven gently, but when he hammers down, this Silverado sounds just like a new Mustang GT. Along the way, he stops in front of a friend’s house for a big, nasty burnout.
Harris goes on to state that he likes the on-road function better than an LS swap and while it is fast for a 1980 Chevy truck, it rides like a dream. The interior looks like it is new as well, with leather-wrapped bucket seats and a new console making this the perfect daily driver.
Not surprisingly, Harris points out that hardcore Chevy loyalists don’t like the use of a Ford engine, but with so many hot rods utilizing an engine from a competing automaker, it is hard to fault this cool classic Chevy for packing Ford power.
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