The Mazda RX-7 has always gripped the imagination of gearheads of all ages. Not only is it a good-looking car in any of its three generations, but it's a really fun sports car and offers great handling balance. The biggest reason why these compact Japanese sports cars are so loved is the fact that they are powered by rotary engines. These piston-less wonders rev to the moon, make good power, and even better noise. We love them, but it turns out that they're not that reliable, and many who buy these classic machines end up swapping in other, more dependable powerplants. YouTuber Junkyard Digs recently purchased a first-generation FB with a new heart, and it's not your average LS or K-Swap.

Instead of a classic four or eight-cylinder swap, this RX7 is now home to an 800-cc two-cylinder snowmobile engine with 116 horsepower. The seller jokes that the snowmobile engine has proven to be more reliable than the original rotary engine the car came with, and we can totally believe him. The engine setup is unlike anything we've ever seen before: the snowmobile clutch is hooked up to the original five-speed manual box, and works together to create a driving experience sort of like a CVT automatic. According to Austin, third gear is the gear of choice, and offers a good balance of low-end grunt and top-end performance. Austin says that the engine swap has made this ratty little RX7 almost twice as fast as the original car, and claims that it can do the 0-60 mph sprint in only six seconds. That's impressive.

The car itself is a GSL model which features luxuries (for its time) like rear disk brakes and a limited-slip differential. The car still rolls on its original wheels, and the only thing that gives it away is the massive bulging hood. Oh, and the crazy sound it makes when running. The engine gets going via a pull starter under the hood, and once running, it sounds like a true two-stroke off-road bike. A stab of the throttle in third gear gets the car drifting, and spending more than 15 minutes in this thing will require a cochlear implant. It's way too easy to find a turbocharged Mazda MX-5 or LS-swapped FD, but look hard enough and you'll find pretty much anything on the internet.