SeanDean

The intake and exhaust ports/valves remain the same, but the exhaust is now in the valley, and the exhaust being on top is the whole point. It makes matching the exhaust runners in the correct order much easier. Look:

For some engines like the Northstar, you can swap heads side to side and make 180* headers much easier: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2415/1810190590_1281060feb.jpg?v=0

Honestly i think the Rover V8 is a better suited motor to the Miata. The VH engines are heavy (I have a 240sx with a VH41DE), and they are large (112mm bore spacing, same as a SBC). The new Titan 5.6 V8 uses the same basic block design and spacing even. So for the capacity you are looking for, the VH block is a lot of wasted space. The Rover V8's on the other hand came in many displacements (including 3.5L), they are all aluminum still, so very light, they have a lower center of gravity since there are no cams on top, and they allow a low hood line as well as plenty of room in a tight engine bay (Miata). Oh and you can contact Al Melling in the UK about getting a flat plane crank that will fit in a Rover V8 block.

2-stroke V8's

Damniit I was gonna mention Ive heard rumors that you can twist a 360 crank into a 180..... As far as LG goes though, I guess it's possible they are running 180degree headers rather than 180 crank.... But anyone who's ever yanked a motor/"drivetrain assembly" from a C5 or C6 knows there really isn't room for that stuff in those cars....

What's that old phrase about racing.... If you're not cheating you're not trying??

Palm Beach as a matter of fact. The car isnt really anything special, needs paint and quite a few things to be finished in my mind. It a fully stripped track car though.

Here's video of Lou in-car Compare to the factory C5R:

I'm excited to find this thread. Seems every few months I remember how bad I want a flat plane crank and I search around for stuff. Here are two interesting things you should know: 1- I am about 90% sure that Lou Giglioti runs a flat crank in his C6 Corvette world challenge GT racecar. Some people have told me it is the LG Performance long tube headers.... bullshit, if you get to hear this car in person it is so obvious. All the other Corvettes go by: -VROOOOMM, VROOOOM, BOOMING THUNDER- LG Motorsports Corvette 1000ft away still coming at you -vvvrrrreeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEE- First time I heard the car I couldn't find it cause when it passed I knew it was an F430..... Now way in hell that yellow C6 was making that noise.... You could hear the damn thing over the other cars for a whole lap. 2- The Nissan/Infiniti V8 architecture shares the 4.4inch/112mm bore spacing of the SBC/LS1. That's all Nissan V8's too, from the 3.5L racing LeMans engines to the 5.6 Titan V8 and everything in between. I have a 4.1L Nissan V8 in a S13 240SX and have been looking round for years for an affordable option. There are a load of guys with these engines in performance cars, so I think the market is definitely there. I would see about getting hold of Lou Giglioti and seeing if you can pry it out of him who makes his crankshafts. Another thing, since the banks are at 90degrees to each other, each bank cancels some of the others second order vibrations, so instead of having 2x the vibation of a 4cylinder, you get 1.4x the vibration