I've been thinking of the LSx FD more and more as a modern day Shelby Cobra (maybe the Monster Miata or a convertible V8 RX is a better equivalent, but you get the picture.)

And I have always wanted a Cobra because I thought they were the sexiest cars on the road. But lately, I think the FD and the F355s are equally as hot. Now when you think of it, V8 FDs have all the good of the old 427:

1. crazy acceleration
2. light weight (Cobras weighed in the low 2000s)
3. about 425 Gross HP
4. 0 - 60 in 4.2 seconds
5. 1/4 in 12.7

. While the Cobra was a performance champ of it's time, from what I read, the above (unadjusted) performance numbers are easily eclipsed by the LSx FD.

So, given that you now have a super car, you also have in the FD

• Great Radio/Video
• Real Windows
• A real roof
• Comfort
• Bugless Teeth
• A better suspension (at least for everyday driving)
• Great mileage
• lockable storage space
• almost fade into the background sleeper status
• air conditioning
• security system

etc... all of these modern conveniences built into the car.

The big question I have about the LSx FD is this... The Shelby foot wells were said to be super heated. Some say "hot enough to melt your sneakers."

Does the FD - when a large V8 is added - also suffer from high heat problems?

 

No. There's less heat than the stock 13B mainly due to the fact that most of the V8 heat is going out the exhaust, and not being radiated into the engine bay via a ridiculous turbo system, precats, and all the associated stuff. Plus the cooling system Mazda put on the 13B in the FD was undersized from the factory.

You will be installing a larger rad, but since you're also losing the intercooler and oil cooler(s), there's no real issue.

On a side note, I find it funny that Mazda seemed to give the FD a lower cooling system capacity than the FC while at the same time, upping the power of the engine by 60HP.

 

Hmm. Great points. Make this project more attractive by the day.

 

Then again, it's trivial to pull 400+ HP out of a single turbo 13B while eliminating most of the stock heat issues...without the hassle of swapping in another engine...

 

Read a rumor somewhere that says engines are scarce and hard to get? Is that true? If it is, that is another reason for me to jump to a newer and better supported engine platform.

 

i dont think there scarce. there still being made by mazda, they may be scarce cause they might be in demand lately, but just need to find the right sites n people.

 

13B-REWs are easy to find. Either right from Mazda (for some money) or a j-spec importer (much cheaper, but used).