Michael Accardi 
While most of the major automakers are publicly making grandiose emissions promises and committing to an expensive EV future, behind the scenes many of the movers and shakers know that enthusiasts of internal combustion will be around for a long time. This is probably why we’ve seen such emphasis on the crate engine side of the business. Take the Chevrolet Performance ZZ632 crate engine, for example. A 10.4L, 1,004 horsepower Big Block V8 seems more than a bit contrary to the company’s “All Electric Future” mantra. The same can be seen at Ford Motor Company, where the 760-horsepower supercharged, 5.2L Predator V8 found exclusively in the S550 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 (M-6007-M52SC) has just officially been added to the Ford Performance catalog as a crate motor.
S550 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 5.2L Predator V8 Crate Engine Details
“The Predator engine is online right now, as a crate engine through Ford Performance,” said Ford Mustang marketing manager Jim Owens to MC&T.
Interested?
Ford will sell you one of these Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Predator V8 crate engines, codenamed M-6007-M52SC, for just $25,995 – or roughly the starting price of a base model EcoBoost Mustang –and offer you a 2-year, 24,000-mile warranty if you don’t modify the long block. The price may seem steep, and it is, but then again, pay-to-play has always been the business model for Big Speed.
What does $25,995 get you in terms of rotating metal? Well, let’s start at the top. The Eaton TVS R2650 is responsible for jamming the barely oversquare cylinders full of the compressed intake charge. If you were building an engine like this in your buddy’s garage, the supercharger alone would run you north of eight grand.
Spinning inside a high-strength aluminum block, the rotating assembly is entirely forged. Meaning the steel crank, steel rods, and aluminum piston heads are likely capable of withstanding much more than the stock rated 760-hp and 625 lb-ft of torque. Even without modifications, the forged components and serial construction mean it should be one of the most reliable 700+ horsepower engines to ever exist.
Because M-6007-M52SC 5.2L supercharged V8 is a fully dressed crate engine means Ford will include all the ancillary components as well. Luckily, Ford says both exhaust manifolds are included, while the alternator, starter, and A/C compressor are also installed before shipping. The package includes both the supercharger and water pump/alternator belt. It’s about as close to ready-to-run as possible.
This brings us to an important point…
Like the Eluminator electric crate motor, Ford will sell absolutely sell you the Shelby’s 5.2L supercharged Predator V8 for whatever purpose you please, but there’s no control pack available. And without the CAN-BUS controller, electronic throttle pedal, and other plug-and-play software that you need, the barriers of entry for getting GT500’s V8 to play nice with your project car or truck will scale drastically.
That’s not to say it’s not doable, or that Ford won’t eventually package and price a control kit for M-6007-M52SC, just that it’s not available at this time.
In terms of other key metrics, dry weight without the accessory drive components is listed at 536 lbs, while the shipped weight is listed at whopping 665 lbs. So what are you waiting for? There’s got to be some forgotten Aerostar or Crown Vic out there just begging for a second lease on life.
