One For The Haters: LS-Swapped S550 Turbo Mustang

As you can imagine, most Ford enthusiasts don’t get too excited when they see a fast Mustang at the track that’s powered by a Chevrolet. And while the Chevy vs. Ford rivalry is still ongoing; it’s impressive to see how many LS-powered blue oval cars are out on the streets and at the racetracks. Our latest find is Shane Whalley’s, 2015 LS-swapped S550 Ford Mustang. 

So why in the world would you LS-swap an S550 Mustang?

Whalley is a fabricator and professional drifter out of Detroit, Michigan, and is familiar very familiar with the LS platform. He has owned several daily drivers that were powered by the popular Chevrolet mill. For Whalley, it came down to one thing when choosing the engine for the swap, and that’s money. Is the Coyote a good engine? Yes. Can it make big power when built? Also yes. The problem with the Ford engines is they are expensive, and when Whalley purchased the car, the owner wanted the engine and transmission out of the S550 for a restomod build.

Since Whalley was starting without a power plant, it only makes sense to go with an LS. The parts are inexpensive, readily available, and his entire drift team runs the LS platform. Let’s face it; if you can make 1,000 horsepower and save thousands of dollars, it would be silly to do anything different. 

With the help of a Garret GTX4508R turbo, the 347 cubic-inch LM7 made some big numbers with only 14-pounds of boost. After several dyno pulls, the S550 put down 976 horsepower and monstrous 928 lb-ft of torque before running out of fuel system. 

Specs:

Vehicle Information:

Year / Make / Model: 2015 Ford Mustang

Chassis Code: S550

Competition Class: Drifting

Engine:

Engine Code: LM7 5.3L

Bore & Stroke (mm) / Displacement (cc): 3.905” Bore, 3.622” Stroke

Peak HP / TQ: 976 Horsepower 928 lb-ft of torque

Boost Pressure (@ RPM): 14psi @3800 rpm.

Dyno Type: Mustang Vector Motorsports

Block Modifications:

Pistons / Compression Ratio: Diamond Pistons 10.5:1 compression

Connecting Rods / Crank: K1 Rods, LS3 crankshaft

Cylinder Head Modifications: Ported, dual-coil valve springs

Intake Manifold / Throttle Body: LS2 intake

Exhaust Manifold: Custom – Shane Vector Motorsports

Exhaust System / Downpipe: Custom

Wastegate: dual Tial 44mm wastegates

Blow-Off Valve: Tial 50mm

Intercooler: Air to Water

Fuel Injectors: AUS 1000cc

Fuel Pump(s): AEM 400LPH

Additional Fuel Delivery:

Engine Management System: Haltech Elite 2500

Engine Management Tuner: Brian Barnhill; Tuner Tools

More Sources

About the author

Brian Havins

A gearhead for life, Brian is obsessed with all things fast. Banging gears, turning wrenches, and praying while spraying are just a few of his favorite things.
Read My Articles

Late Model LS Power in your inbox.

Build your own custom newsletter with the content you love from LSX Magazine, directly to your inbox, absolutely FREE!

Free WordPress Themes
LSX Magazine NEWSLETTER - SIGN UP FREE!

We will safeguard your e-mail and only send content you request.

LSX Magazine - The Late Model GM Magazine for Camaro

lsxmag

We'll send you the most interesting LSX Magazine articles, news, car features, and videos every week.

LSX Magazine - The Late Model GM Magazine for Camaro

LSX Magazine NEWSLETTER - SIGN UP FREE!

We will safeguard your e-mail and only send content you request.

LSX Magazine - The Late Model GM Magazine for Camaro

lsxmag

Thank you for your subscription.

Subscribe to more FREE Online Magazines!

We think you might like...


chevyhardcore
Classic Chevy Magazine
dragzine
Drag Racing
enginelabs
Engine Tech

LSX Magazine - The Late Model GM Magazine for Camaro

Thank you for your subscription.

Subscribe to more FREE Online Magazines!

We think you might like...

  • chevyhardcore Classic Chevy Magazine
  • dragzine Drag Racing
  • enginelabs Engine Tech

LSX Magazine - The Late Model GM Magazine for Camaro

lsxmag

Thank you for your subscription.

Thank you for your subscription.

LSX Magazine - The Late Model GM Magazine for Camaro

Thank you for your subscription.

Thank you for your subscription.

Loading