LS1 power makes the Mazda RX-8 a far more respectable sports car than it’s original limp-wristed Rotary engine.
While flipping through the used car listings on the San Francisco we came across one of the few fast examples of the Mazda RX-8 in the US. How do you make an RX-8 fast? You install an LS V8, of course.
The Disappointing RX-8
When compared to American performance cars, many Japanese performance cars are fairly lackluster, but the RX-8 was a particularly big flop in the US market. Following in the footsteps of the last Mazda RX-7 with a powerful twin-turbocharged rotary engine, the naturally-aspirated RX-8 was considerably less powerful than its predecessors, but it was also quite a bit heavier.
As a result, the RX-8 was far slower than the FD RX-7 and the marketing angle of the extra functionality of the small rear door hardly made up for the lack of performance.
Fortunately, like so many other Japanese sports cars, real performance is only an LS-swap away and the current owner of this 2004 RX-8 took the measures to convert his Mazda into a far-more-interesting machine.
LS Power in an RX-8
From the outside, this bright yellow Mazda looks like your average 2004 RX-7. It has tinted headlights, aftermarket wheels and all of the brand badges have been removed. It lools like the kind of car that would get gapped by most stock half-ton trucks. However, this Mazda 4-door coupe would be a tough race for many vehicles on the road – trucks, or otherwise.
Under the hood is a rebuilt LS1 bottom end fitted with ported and polished 243 cylinder heads. The engine has all new valvetrain components with an LS6 camshaft, Hooker headers, a custom intake and a tune to bring everything together.
Power from that built LS1 is sent through a TR6060 manual transmission from a 2015 Camaro with an LS7 clutch and flywheel, a custom steel driveshaft and new axles.
Finally, this RX-8 is fitted with a set of Tein coilovers, Enkei wheels wrapped in Hankook tires and a bright yellow wrap. Though, obviously, the real story here is the engine.
Best of all, this 2004 Mazda RX-8 is available for sale now in California. As the Craigslist post states, this is a ready-to-drive sports car, not a project-in-progress, so anyone looking for a turnkey Mazda with LS power might want to plan a trip to the San Fran area.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
