The (surprisingly) sound logic of building a dual-engine minivan

The Mazda5 may be among the miniest of the minivans, but there’s nothing mini about the powertrain in this one.

Yes, the factory inline-four is still out front and still powering the front wheels, but open the sliding passenger door, and you’ll be greeted not by a set of seats, but an LS V8 engine.

Why? Well, there’s a perfectly logical reason. (No, seriously.)

Its builder, Daniel Cummings–better known as nocones here on the GRM forum–has another, equally wild build that previously competed in our Grassroots Motorsports $2000 Challenge Presented by Tire Rack, Powered by AutoBidMaster and Built by Carlyle Tools: the LMP360, a Subaru 360 reconfigured to resemble a much more modern Le Mans prototype race car.

The eventual goal is to swap an LS V8 into the LMP360, though Cummings sought a way to test and troubleshoot the engine before undertaking the swap and getting the car on track–that way, if the engine decides to detonate itself a few minutes after starting up, there is much less time, effort and resources wasted.

That’s where this Mazda5 comes in. In essence, it’ll serve as a mobile test bed for the LMP360’s future drivetrain. And, since the “test” engine lives out back, Cummings didn’t see a reason to remove the Mazda’s factory engine–more engines equal more fun, right?

The dual-engine Mazda5, despite its complexity, placed second in its class and a spot in the top 10 overall, plus first place in the concours portion.

And if nothing else, it certainly turned several heads, both in person and online.

Want to make your own low-buck memories? Keep an eye on the $2000 Challenge website for future updates.

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