[biomechanoid]

Before the flames at the general vagueness of my post, a little background information.

I'm building up a LS1 engine as a project, and want a nice looking and great handling vehicle to put it in when it's finished. I also don't want my engine in a typical LS1 platform (Camaro, Firebird, Corvette, Impala, etc.) From what others have told me, a "RX-7 FD" would be an ideal candidate for a swap, as engine weights would be about the same (220lbs aluminum block), the overall weight of the car would be less than any LS1 platform, there would be plenty of room for a t56 tranny without having to cut the frame, and also the wiring wouldn't be too much different from any Fbody LS1 swap. all those points have pretty much convinced me that I should set my sights on a RX-7 FD for my platform, but I have some questions:

1) what is a "FD" RX-7, and how common/uncommon are they (years made?)
2) about how much would I expect to pay for a rolling frame? (pretty much the body, wheels, and drivetrain- interior, transmission, engine, etc are optional)
3) are there any years that I should avoid in my search, or are all the frames pretty much the same.
4) about how much HP is the stock rearend good for? Desktop dyno's predicting my engine to be around 420HP/400TQ peak when it's completed.
5) is the steering mechanism vastly different from typical RWD setups? (this was the main problem with my CRX candidate aside from frame integrity)
6) what's the size drive shaft?
My project is intended to be a dedicated 1/4 mile car and weekend driver, so things like noise and street legality aren't too much of a concern.


-Justin.