Just wondering if a properly done air to water intercooler setup (with a tank and heat exchanger) would work better for drift and street duty than a front mount. I figure if you're sideways on boost, a front mount will possibly be less effective.
Not really looking to go v-mount, unless it really would be the absolute best thing. Kinda want to keep my hood stealthy and unmuddled by vents.

 

Either way, if you don't have air going through the heat exchanger, it will get warm and IATs will go up. The only benefit I can think of is that a water-air heat exchanger is much thinner than a FMIC so you could keep the crash beam and it would impede air less to the radiator and oil cooler.
My A2W setup has been good for a street car, but you still see temps go up if you do much sitting still.

 

I would have thought sitting still while not boosting is a non issue.
Are you talking about air intake temps, or coolant?

 

Air temps. The coolant in the heat exchanger and intercooler will heat soak if the car doesn't have air flow. Just stopping for 5 minutes to get gas, my IATs would go from 85F to 120-130F aith 65F ambient temps. Everything's in such close proximity to the radiator that it inevitably gets warm.