The dropping of an American V8 into the lightest import that can be found is hot rodding the Shelby way. Even though all of my previous hot rods were traditional such as this '55.....


....my passion is the same as Shelby's, big engine, light car. Maybe my '55 can be called a hot rod but in my book the OP with the V8 shoehorned into the Mazda has a Shelby flavored hot rod. I have a 427 in a 1790 lb Track-T, both a hot rod and a Shelby flavored one at that.

Now a muscle car is generally thought of as a Detroit produced, high hp car from 1963 to 1970 (and a couple of 71's that didn't drop compression). In the year 2040, will my V be called a muscle car? I don't think so, as muscle car denotes a bare knuckle, low optioned, top hp motor offering.