The LS swapped Rx-7: Symbiosis or Sacrilege?
We often see this argument happen time and time again on the internet, where both opposing factions clash in a display of power figure quoting, fanboy ranting, and other forms of comment section brawling.
This behavior is nothing new, since the dawn of the internet, people forget to fact check their claims, and go on about what they believe to be true, without stopping to consider their fellow enthusiast’s view.
The Mazda Rx-7 is possibly the most iconic rotary engine sports car in the whole history of automobiles. Yet, most people only know of the FD. They forget the FB and FC generations.
The Rx-7 has always been defined by its well sorted chassis, high revving rotary engine, and unparalleled driving experience.
The FB is the first generation, with straight lines in its styling and a somewhat curvy look.
The FC is the second generation, with curvier looks, a slightly wider tail, and a sleeker look.
The FD is the third generation, and its bodacious swooping curves make it an object of desire for most JDM enthusiasts.
So why are people swapping a large displacement, low revving, American V8 into these masterpieces from the land of the rising sun? LS swapped Rx-7
The Mazda rotary engine is notoriously unreliable, or so does the internet lore state. In truth, while the rotary may be a hassle in terms of maintenance, it can be reliable if proper procedures are followed. Human error and lack of knowledge cause oblivious owners to ignore the different needs of a rotary.
Then the LS swapped Rx-7 comes and fixes everything, at the cost of losing part of the car’s purity and spirit.
But, does it really disrupt the soul of the Rx-7?
Ultimately, the Rx-7 was conceived as a performance vehicle, and as such, it’s within the confines of the car’s spirit to chase higher performance, even at the cost of so called purity.
By ridding ourselves of bias and looking at the Mazda Rx-7 and the LS engine objectively, we can see that each possible application requires a different answer.
A track day build might benefit from the ultra high revving 13B Turbo, while a Drag racer needs the punchy midrange and low end torque from the V8.
Ultimately, the choice belongs to the builder.
Watch the video below.
LS swapped Rx-7