Team Coyote and Team GT500 battled for rear-wheel-horsepower supremacy on the AmericanMuscle.com Dynojet
By Steve Turner
Photos and video courtesy of AmericanMuscle.com
For a couple years now our friends at AmericanMuscle.com have hosted their own shootout under the Mustang Mayhem banner. The concept is to host an annual dyno competition with a twist. Making this year’s event unique was a battle between two three-car teams—one composed of top-dog GT500s and the other filled with upstart Coyote-powered Mustangs.
With the modern 5.0 engines making impressive power strides thanks to all manner of modifications, Mustangs powered by these engines are the logical challengers to the bolt-on kings—Shelby GT500s. That’s just what kept this competition fair. The GT500s were limited to bolt-ons and pump gas; while the Coyotes could employ the mods and fuel of their choice as long as the retained a stock short-block.
Smaller engines with aftermarket power adders took on the larger engines with factory power adders. The team with the highest combined horsepower would win. It’s definitely a cool concept.
Everyone goes home with a trophy from AmericanMuscle.com Mustang Mayhem, but only one team emerges victorious. That team is the one that puts down the most combined rear-wheel horsepower on the company’s in-house Dynojet 224xLC. This year the Team Coyote put up a good fight, but Team GT500 took home the bragging rights.
Making it even more compelling is a dyno shootout facet pioneered by AmericanMuscle. Each member of the team is allowed two dyno pulls. However, if someone opts to make a second pull, he or she cannot retain the numbers generated by your first pull. That adds a huge risk to the competition. Sometimes it pays off with a higher number, but if you run into trouble during your second pull you could really pay for getting greedy.
We love that aspect of the competition, though Team Coyote certainly didn’t love it this year. As the upstart, the 5.0 crew would have to really be on its game to challenge the top-dog GT500 gang. When two of the team members had issues with their nitrous systems, it made things a little too easy on Team GT500. However, the end results were quite close.
Even though Mustang Mayhem is a team sport there are still stars one every team. This year, it was Kristian K’s black 2013 GT500 that shone the brightest. His Trinity-powered Shelby put down 735 horsepower and 706 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels. It did so thanks to a carefully chosen list of bolt-ons, including an Innovators West 10-percent lower pulley, a Stainless Works exhaust system, a Ford Racing throttle body, and a JLT Performance 127mm carbon-fiber cold air intake.
AmericanMuscle hasn’t announced the theme of its next Mustang Mayhem competition just yet, so stay tuned for its next casting call. However, if the Coyotes return to take on the GT500s we suspect the outcome might just be different. For now—in case you missed it over on AmericanMuscle.com—enjoy seeing how this year’s competition played out.
Coming in at the number-two slot—and really making it tough on Team Coyote—Mike K’s 2011 GT500 convertible put down 588 horsepower and 591 lb-ft of torque at the wheels. Team GT500 was limited to bolt-on mods, and Mike’s droptop makes the most of its additions, including a 2.5-inch upper blower pulley, an Innovators West 10-percent lower pulley, an MBRP exhaust, a Ford Racing twin 65mm throttle body, and a JLT Performance 123mm cold air intake.Coming in third overall but starring for Team Coyote was Robert R’s Mystichrome-dipped 2011 GT. The Coyotes could howl with power adders in the clash with GT500s, and Robert’s GT rolled up 562 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque thanks to the addition of a Paxton Novi supercharger fed by Injector Dynamics ID1000 fuel injectors and a Kenne Bell Boost-a-Pump. It breathes out through a high-flow midpipe.Robbie P’s 2013 Boss 302 held off the GT500s but it only put down 472 horsepower and 437 lb-ft of torque to the wheels because the bottle ran low during his second run. He could have really helped the team thanks to his ride’s 300hp direct-port nitrous, Injector Dynamics ID750 fuel injectors, JPC long-tube headers and E85 fuel in the tank.AM employee Mike H continued the Team Coyote run in the middle of the pack, but when his nitrous wouldn’t spray, his Red Candy Metallic 2011 GT only cranked out 433 horsepower and 360 lb-ft at the wheels. In addition to the nitrous system, Mike’s ride is upgraded with a Stainless Works exhaust, a Boss 302 intake manifold, and a C&L cold air intake.Rounding out the competition with 402 horsepower and 531 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels was Matt M’s 2008 GT500. It is bolstered by a 2.6-inch upper pulley, an Innovators West 10-percent overdriven lower pulley, a JBA midpipe, a Magnaflow axle-back, and a Ford Racing twin 65mm throttle body.The individual numbers are interesting, but where the rubber meets the roller in the Mustang Mayhem competition is the total team horsepower. As you can see, the technical difficulties really cost the upstart Team Coyote. In the end, Team GT500 dominated yet again, with the 5.4/5.8 crew besting the 5.0 bunch by 248 rear-wheel horsepower.
