When John Lofton’s wife first learned that her husband planned to swap the engine and other components from a brand-new but rear-ended ’11 Mustang GT into his low-mileage ’06 Mustang, she said, “You must have lost your mind.”
That would be the first thought from most, especially when they learn that the ’11 Mustang GT had only 54 miles on the odometer when John started tearing it apart. For John, it all makes perfectly good sense. He prefers the ’05-’09 Mustang body style; he also likes the ’11 GT’s 412hp Coyote 5.0L engine, updated interior, and added features. The wrecked ’11 provided him with the perfect opportunity to build his ideal late-model Mustang.
John bought the ’06 GT as a new car, then proceeded to put 8,300 miles on it—most of them a quarter-mile at the time as a drag car. When he acquired the damaged ’11 GT, the light bulb went off in his head. He parked the wrecked ’11 GT alongside his ’06 GT in his Lofton Motorsports shop in Tulsa, Oklahoma, then began stripping both cars for the swap.
“I know every nut and bolt in these cars,” John told us. “We completed the entire swap in just three days.”
John says the engine and other components were bolt-ins for the similar S197 cars. “Everything bolted in except for the newer heater box on the older firewall,” he says. “I had to modify the sheetmetal. I also had to modify the doors to install the newer window regulators.”
A Paxton supercharger takes the 412hp 5.0L up to a dyno-verified 640 hp. And since Kicker is located just west of Tulsa in Stillwater, John paid a visit to have a Kicker sound system installed, completed with amps, speakers, and a trunk-mounted subwoofer. John also kept previous modifications like the Cervini’s cowl-induction hood, Race Star five-spoke wheels, A-pillar gauges, and deleted rear spoiler. A local graphics shop created the Boss-like C-stripes.
Although John currently uses his Coyote-powered ’06 GT as daily transportation, he upgraded the suspension with Steeda A-arms and Eibach drag springs because he still plans on occasional forays onto the quarter-mile. In fact, when we recently talked with him, he had just returned from the dragstrip where his GT ran a 10.82 at 138 mph. “I don’t have a rollcage in the car so they only let me make that one pass,” he explained.
John disposed of the damaged ’11 GT body by giving it to another drag racer. As for the original 4.6L drivetrain and other components from his ’06? He swapped it into his daughter’s ’06 Mustang, effectively turning her V-6 model into a GT.
Why are we not surprised?
The Coyote 5.0L from the ’11...
The Coyote 5.0L from the ’11 GT nestles perfectly in the ’06 Mustang’s engine compartment. Lofton swapped in the new car’s complete wiring harness to make sure everything worked.
With the Paxton Novi supercharger,...
With the Paxton Novi supercharger, the 5.0L generates 640 horsepower.
For a stealthier look, Lofton...
For a stealthier look, Lofton removed the GT’s rear spoiler and filled in the holes on the trunk lid.
Here’s the Coyote 5.0L positioned...
Here’s the Coyote 5.0L positioned to go into the ’06. Unlike vintage Mustangs, the S197 engines are installed from underneath.
Once the swap was completed,...
Once the swap was completed, there was nothing left of the ’11 Mustang except its damaged body. Lofton donated it to a drag racing friend.
The entire wiring harness...
The entire wiring harness from the ’11 GT was transplanted into Lofton’s ’06.
Initially used only for drag...
Initially used only for drag races, Lofton now uses his Coyote-powered ’06 GT as his daily transportation.
Looks like an ’11 Mustang...
Looks like an ’11 Mustang interior, right? That’s because Lofton installed the complete interior from his donor car. RK Machine’s Rick Kirk, who machined some special parts, notes that the installation is OEM perfect.