- First Name
- Eric
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- 2022 Bronco Raptor
- Your Bronco Model
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For those of you interested in V8 conversions for Bronco Raptor, I wanted to share that I'm taking the plunge to have this done on my Braptor and the project officially started yesterday.
The conversion is being done by Juicy Motorsports out of Georgia, they have done Godzilla conversions in F150 Raptors already, and are now tackling the Braptor.
The project will take several months and I'll be posting updates along the way for all to see as I know many are interested in V8 conversions in the Bronco 6G platform and are eager to see one come to fruition that can retain factory creature comforts without turning the dashboard into a Christmas tree of error code lights.
Pictures below are of the Ford Performance Godzilla crate engine and Suncoast 10R80 transmission that will be going into my Braptor.
(Here was their original Godzilla-swapped F150 Raptor that was at SEMA in 2022: https://www.juicymotorsports.com/godzilla for reference.)
Typical questions I've been getting so far:
How much will this cost?
Juicy Motorsports' F150 Godzilla conversions start at $45K, so that is the minimum. With unknowns still to be discovered, there will be other expenses that can't be predicted quite yet which is why I describe this project as taking the plunge.
Will it fit?
Yes, though the Godzilla is slightly taller, but with relocating the oil sump and using a Holley High-Mount Accessory Drive kit, this will allow the Godzilla to fit comfortably. Here are the dimensions for comparison without modifications:
3.0L Ecoboost dimensions L x W x H
29.617" x 29.538" x 24.924"
Godzilla dimensions L x W x H
30.5″x 24.88″ x 30″
How much does the Godzilla weigh vs. the 3.0L?
3.0L weighs 445 lbs
Godzilla 7.3L weighs 580 lbs (135 lbs more than the 3.0)
Are you going to supercharge it?
The engine will be built to confidently handle a supercharger and the 10R80 is spec'd for 1000hp, but the initial plan is to have it be naturally aspirated.
What about springs, suspension, and axles?
Yes, these are all on the list of "things to figure out" but will cross that bridge after the engine work is complete to see how it sits and performs (I have 2" Hyperco coils in front and 2" HD Hyperco coils in rear currently running 40" tires).
Additional Q&A Added 9/30/2024 (based on responses to this post):
Why are you doing this?
I'm aiming for two improvements, primarily, which is why I'm taking the plunge to do the Godzilla:
#1 Lower rpm with higher torque out of the 7.3L vs. the 3.0 (for wheeling and rock crawling). I run 40" Nitto Trail Grapplers and even my whipple-tuned 3.0 in 4-Low in 1st gear has had its challenges to climb out/over spots where traction has not been a problem. These tires are obviously taller than factory 37's, but they are also very heavy...it's a lot more rotational mass to get moving at low rpm. I also run the Braptor with a lot of extra weight in the rear as well (40" spare, rear winch, drawer system, tools, etc). Yes, lack of gearing is a contributing factor with 40" tires, but the 3.0 does not have the same low-end torque of the 7.3L. A tuned 3.0 and 7.3L have different torque curves with a stock 7.3L able to produce 400 ft-lbs at as little as 1500 rpm.
#2 Baja/Desert style runs, where ambient temperatures are a major factor along with being able to do 100+ miles at a higher sustained speed & rpm. A stock 3.0L would handle this without an issue. An aggressively tuned 3.0L with the heat generated + ambient temperature pushing the weight in my Braptor while turning 40" tires is what the dyno charts don't really illustrate.
The 3.0L can be tuned for a lot less money, why not do that?
Agree, you can put considerably less money into the 3.0 and get really great numbers. I went back and forth on this, comparing dyno charts of different tunes and engine builds, costs, etc. This is not to knock 3.0L tunes at all, I am just aiming for naturally aspirated power for the two use cases above.
Separately, the 10R60 transmission will ultimately need to be addressed if it sits behind an aggressively tuned 3.0L. In the Godzilla build, the transmission is also being swapped out to a Suncoast 10R80.
Why the Godzilla and not a Coyote or Predator V8?
I would do an overhead cam motor but it introduces fitment challenges that The Godzilla doesn't have. The 7.3L simply has the dimensions which requires far less physical modification to fit. Juicy Motorsports, the shop performing the install, also has proven Godzilla conversions already in market with the F150 Raptor platform. I'd like to reduce the number of variables as best as possible in this project.
It's so easy to swap an engine and transmission, why is the cost so high?
Physical fitment won't be the issue. It's not exactly 99% bolt-on, though this aspect of swapping physical engine and transmission is the easy part which most mechanically-inclined folks comment on as "no big deal." Agreed.
It's the electronics + software specific to the Bronco Raptor where most of the time will be spent, which is predominantly software engineering expertise. This is true whether it's a 7.3L, 5.0L, or 5.2L V8. It is not plug-n-play, to use a software reference, and where most conversions like this fail because of software expertise required. Things like Braptor steering controls, live valve suspension, ABS, exhaust controls, even adaptive cruise control and proximity detection are components that throw error lights which makes this more of a software diagnostic challenge than a physical challenge of swapping parts. This is where the cost comes into play...it's time consuming and not straightforward.
How often will you post updates?
I'll aim to reply to this thread every 4-6 weeks with new updates and pictures, consolidating all future updates and additional Q&A into this single post to save time reading through pages and pages of replies.
The conversion is being done by Juicy Motorsports out of Georgia, they have done Godzilla conversions in F150 Raptors already, and are now tackling the Braptor.
The project will take several months and I'll be posting updates along the way for all to see as I know many are interested in V8 conversions in the Bronco 6G platform and are eager to see one come to fruition that can retain factory creature comforts without turning the dashboard into a Christmas tree of error code lights.
Pictures below are of the Ford Performance Godzilla crate engine and Suncoast 10R80 transmission that will be going into my Braptor.
(Here was their original Godzilla-swapped F150 Raptor that was at SEMA in 2022: https://www.juicymotorsports.com/godzilla for reference.)
Typical questions I've been getting so far:
How much will this cost?
Juicy Motorsports' F150 Godzilla conversions start at $45K, so that is the minimum. With unknowns still to be discovered, there will be other expenses that can't be predicted quite yet which is why I describe this project as taking the plunge.
Will it fit?
Yes, though the Godzilla is slightly taller, but with relocating the oil sump and using a Holley High-Mount Accessory Drive kit, this will allow the Godzilla to fit comfortably. Here are the dimensions for comparison without modifications:
3.0L Ecoboost dimensions L x W x H
29.617" x 29.538" x 24.924"
Godzilla dimensions L x W x H
30.5″x 24.88″ x 30″
How much does the Godzilla weigh vs. the 3.0L?
3.0L weighs 445 lbs
Godzilla 7.3L weighs 580 lbs (135 lbs more than the 3.0)
Are you going to supercharge it?
The engine will be built to confidently handle a supercharger and the 10R80 is spec'd for 1000hp, but the initial plan is to have it be naturally aspirated.
What about springs, suspension, and axles?
Yes, these are all on the list of "things to figure out" but will cross that bridge after the engine work is complete to see how it sits and performs (I have 2" Hyperco coils in front and 2" HD Hyperco coils in rear currently running 40" tires).
Additional Q&A Added 9/30/2024 (based on responses to this post):
Why are you doing this?
I'm aiming for two improvements, primarily, which is why I'm taking the plunge to do the Godzilla:
#1 Lower rpm with higher torque out of the 7.3L vs. the 3.0 (for wheeling and rock crawling). I run 40" Nitto Trail Grapplers and even my whipple-tuned 3.0 in 4-Low in 1st gear has had its challenges to climb out/over spots where traction has not been a problem. These tires are obviously taller than factory 37's, but they are also very heavy...it's a lot more rotational mass to get moving at low rpm. I also run the Braptor with a lot of extra weight in the rear as well (40" spare, rear winch, drawer system, tools, etc). Yes, lack of gearing is a contributing factor with 40" tires, but the 3.0 does not have the same low-end torque of the 7.3L. A tuned 3.0 and 7.3L have different torque curves with a stock 7.3L able to produce 400 ft-lbs at as little as 1500 rpm.
#2 Baja/Desert style runs, where ambient temperatures are a major factor along with being able to do 100+ miles at a higher sustained speed & rpm. A stock 3.0L would handle this without an issue. An aggressively tuned 3.0L with the heat generated + ambient temperature pushing the weight in my Braptor while turning 40" tires is what the dyno charts don't really illustrate.
The 3.0L can be tuned for a lot less money, why not do that?
Agree, you can put considerably less money into the 3.0 and get really great numbers. I went back and forth on this, comparing dyno charts of different tunes and engine builds, costs, etc. This is not to knock 3.0L tunes at all, I am just aiming for naturally aspirated power for the two use cases above.
Separately, the 10R60 transmission will ultimately need to be addressed if it sits behind an aggressively tuned 3.0L. In the Godzilla build, the transmission is also being swapped out to a Suncoast 10R80.
Why the Godzilla and not a Coyote or Predator V8?
I would do an overhead cam motor but it introduces fitment challenges that The Godzilla doesn't have. The 7.3L simply has the dimensions which requires far less physical modification to fit. Juicy Motorsports, the shop performing the install, also has proven Godzilla conversions already in market with the F150 Raptor platform. I'd like to reduce the number of variables as best as possible in this project.
It's so easy to swap an engine and transmission, why is the cost so high?
Physical fitment won't be the issue. It's not exactly 99% bolt-on, though this aspect of swapping physical engine and transmission is the easy part which most mechanically-inclined folks comment on as "no big deal." Agreed.
It's the electronics + software specific to the Bronco Raptor where most of the time will be spent, which is predominantly software engineering expertise. This is true whether it's a 7.3L, 5.0L, or 5.2L V8. It is not plug-n-play, to use a software reference, and where most conversions like this fail because of software expertise required. Things like Braptor steering controls, live valve suspension, ABS, exhaust controls, even adaptive cruise control and proximity detection are components that throw error lights which makes this more of a software diagnostic challenge than a physical challenge of swapping parts. This is where the cost comes into play...it's time consuming and not straightforward.
How often will you post updates?
I'll aim to reply to this thread every 4-6 weeks with new updates and pictures, consolidating all future updates and additional Q&A into this single post to save time reading through pages and pages of replies.
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