Coyote 5.0 swaps in the early Bronco

Why people do it

Power and drivability, in a Ford. Wild Horses says factory Coyote ratings range from about 360 hp to more than 480 hp, depending on the generation. That's a long way from the original six and the three-speed with no overdrive. CJ Pony Parts says F-150 Coyotes are easier to find in salvage yards, are usually cheaper, and are physically smaller, which helps in an old engine bay. Mustang Coyotes make more power and have more aftermarket support.

The other reason is the market. In our October 2026 early Bronco value check, Coyote-swapped shop builds sat in their own band above even excellent original trucks. Who built the truck now matters more than the year it was made. That's a description of what has sold, not a forecast.

What it takes

CJ Pony Parts' list of what a crate Coyote doesn't come with is the honest starting point: a transmission, motor mounts, a K-member, flywheel and clutch or flexplate, the Ford Performance control pack, an oil-filter adapter or relocator, a starter (or a way to rotate the solenoid), exhaust headers, a transfer-case adapter and a lift kit. The control pack includes the harness, OBD port, power distribution box, MAF sensor and PCM. Switching from a carburettor also means new fuel lines and an EFI-rated electric pump.

The B.C. Broncos build in 4WDrive shows where the engine fights the truck. The stock Coyote headers hit the frame, and the passenger side also hits the floor and inner fender. The oil filter hits the frame and has to be moved. The upper radiator hose angles into the air intake, so they used a radiator with its outlets flipped. The brake booster sits close to a valve cover, and the factory steering column crowds the engine, so they fitted a 2-inch IDIDIT column and smaller Borgeson U-joints. On ClassicBroncos, posters add that the usual Coyote starter solenoid hits the frame, and one recommends Ford's high-torque mini starter.

Transmission choice decides the transfer-case work. CJ Pony names the 6R80 as the popular choice and says the 4R70W also works. B.C. Broncos used a 4R70W. On ClassicBroncos, one poster says the 6R80 has to come from a 4x4 for the adapter to bolt on, and another weighs the 6R80 against a new controller and an Atlas adapter. Advance Adapters explains that the Bronco Dana 20 puts its front output on the driver's side, has a 6-spline input, and switched from a 'T' handle to a 'J' shifter in 1973. It recommends that J-shifter owners convert to a T-handle or a twin-stick. Advance Adapters also manufactures a 32-spline Dana 20 output shaft, designed by Wild Horses and sold through them, that it says beefs up the output shaft by up to 50% over stock.

Plan for a lift and springs. CJ Pony suggests about 2–3 inches of lift for clearance and new springs, because the Coyote is heavier. Throttle Down Kustoms says almost every build with its mounts needs a 2-inch body lift.

Parts and kits

Mounts and frames: Throttle Down Kustoms sells Coyote mounts, a Coyote frame and a skid plate. B.C. Broncos makes adapter mounts with replaceable rubbers, and ClassicBroncos posters name Tumblin as a cheaper second option, though one passed on it because he didn't want to cut his frame. Engine-side parts: B.C. Broncos sells oil pans, headers, serpentine kits, air tubes, exhaust and plumbing. A ClassicBroncos poster used Van's headers, 6R80 adapter and computer, and another advises buying everything from one vendor so it supports the whole package.

Transmission and transfer case: Advance Adapters' Coyote bellhousing and AX15/Dana 20 kit covers manual builds, and its 6R80 crossmember covers automatics. Wild Horses lists 17 parts in its 1966–77 Coyote section. For the engine itself, Ford Performance sells crate Coyotes, control packs and complete Coyote Power Modules.

Other boxy 4x4s: we didn't find a comparable Coyote kit market for the Land Cruiser, Jeep, Scout or Defender. Novak Conversions and Advance Adapters, the big Jeep swap houses we checked in October 2026, list LS kits for the CJ, XJ and TJ, but we didn't find Coyote packages in their catalogs, and Advance Adapters' Coyote parts are aimed at the early Bronco. ECD's Defender engine-swap page offers the LS3, and its Range Rover Classic engine options are the LS3, LC9, Cummins diesel and Rover V8. For those trucks, see our LS swap guide.

Emissions and registration

Federal rules: the EPA's 1991 engine-switching fact sheet says putting a light-duty engine in a different light-duty vehicle counts as tampering unless the result matches a certified configuration of the same or newer model year as the vehicle chassis. It also says a heavy-duty engine may never go into a light-duty vehicle. Any Coyote is newer than any early Bronco, but you still have to keep its emissions equipment.

California: BAR's Engine Change Guidelines require the engine to be the same model year or newer than the vehicle, the donor and recipient to share the same vehicle and engine classification, and every emissions system from the donor, including evaporative monitoring, to be installed. The truck must then pass a BAR Referee inspection and wear a Referee label. The Smog Check Reference Guide also lists 1975-and-older gasoline vehicles as exempt from Smog Check, which covers 1966–75 Broncos but not 1976–77 trucks.

Ford's emissions route is the Coyote Power Module, M-9000-M50AE. Ford Authority reported in 2023 that it is a Gen 3 Coyote paired with a 10R80 automatic, two catalytic converters and O2 sensors, intended for pre-1996 vehicles that need a 'CARB compliant solution'. Ford's instruction sheet limits it to pre-1996 vehicles with emissions equipment up to OBD I, not OBD II. It also requires the purge solenoid, EVAP canister, supplied induction tube and fuel-pressure regulator, keeps the O2 sensors in their stock locations, and calls for an emission label. The sheet doesn't give an executive order number, so ask Ford for it before you rely on it at a referee.

What it costs

CJ Pony Parts puts the total for a Coyote swap at up to about $20,000, not counting the truck, and says the extra parts cost at least as much as the engine. Ford Authority reported a $21,500 retail price for the Coyote Power Module in 2023, which includes the engine, a 10R80 automatic and its emissions parts.

These are October 2026 list prices for the parts that are specific to the early Bronco: Throttle Down Kustoms mounts at $199.99; Advance Adapters' AX15/Dana 20 Coyote kit at $4,521, including a new AX15 and bellhousing; its 6R80 crossmember at $254; and from B.C. Broncos, an oil pan from $699.99, headers from $1,246.44, a serpentine kit at $1,757.45, a Gen 3 air tube at $349.99 and a 2-into-1 exhaust at $699.99. Add a lift, driveshafts, fuel system, cooling and labour.

If you're buying one already built: in our October 2026 value check, Coyote-swapped shop-built early Broncos sold on Bring a Trailer for $122,000–166,500 in the middle of the range, against $41,500–70,000 for a stock or mildly modified driver.