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I have recently bought a 1989 mercury cougar XR7 with 210 HP and 315 ft lbs of torque stock. I am used to driving light weight FC's (ive owned 3). Any tips on drifting a heavy domestic with lots of low end torque and a LSD. It has an adjustable suspension stock and massive anti-sway bars. On the firm setting it grips like mad. Also any suggestions on setting this heavy beast up.
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First piece of advice is to get on the TCCOA (Thunderbird Cougar Club of America) forums. There are alot of knowledgeable guys there. : http://www.tccoa.com/
Watch your head gaskets. The supercharged 3.8 is known to blow 'em. Also, if your XR7 is a stick DO NOT DRIFT IT. Blown 3.8's with sticks are rare, prized cars. Supercoupes and XR7's with the 3.8 SC's are hard to come by, even with automatics.
I'll warn you, MN12s are very hard to drift due to their weight.
I've got a 95 TBird LX V8, automatic. It's on the same platform (MN12) as your Cougar. On my LX, when you floor it on a slick surface, instead of sliding the rear out, it just understeers sending you straight for the ditch. Our cars carry a ton of momentum, so when the rear does break loose, it goes in a hurry. You also carry alot of lateral momentum, which means the car wants to go to the outside of the turn when it drifts.
Since your car has the LSD, a broader torque range than me, and better tires and suspension than me, your car will probably be easier to drift, but it will take alot of practice. Get some good used tires and rims for the rear tires, that way you can get used to sliding without worrying about burning off those high $$ tires and damaging your nice rims.
Be careful and don't tear it up. If you drift on the street you'll crash sooner or later, and don't do it anywhere there's traffic. Best place to practice is a big, open lot, with no popo or people around to complain. When you do find a spot, don't stay to long or go too frequently. Don't wanna tip of anybody as to what you're doing.
Good luck man, glad to have another MN12 on the boards!! If you've got any ??'s, just gimme a pm. -
thanx for the info. I find my car does get its *Censored**Censored**Censored* around in a hurry. I am pretty proud of my car considering i think they only made the cougar with the supercharged 3.8 for a couple of years, and the 89's came with the thickest antisway bars. i do leak oil from the valve covers i think, but i'm not sure. Do you know of anyone who sells complete engines for this car or would a rebuild do the job. I am looking to make it more reliable and hopefully more powerful. Someday to be restored completely.
My dad is a cop and i have a scanner so i'm usually on top of where the popo are, and have lots of places to practice a little and run. I am just not used to so much power versus my N/A FC's. I love the muscle though, and now want more. It's nice to hear there are other people out there doing the domestic drift. i'll keep you posted on my progress and if you ever have any info i love to learn about my car and similar ones. Thanx again for the reply.
Also any good ways to lighten this beast up, i know the power seats weigh alot. Anything else would help.Comment
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if you have adjustabel crap make the rear stiffer than the front and that will help somewhat with the learning curve.
also do not just floor it on entry and expect the car to go sideways, i cant emphasize how ignorant that idea/teqnique is yet everyone posts it. work on going in to where you can thorw the car sideways on entry with the brakes/wieght transfer and modulate the throttle to hold the drift. i dont know why poeple think htey can learn everythign in a parking lot but i woudl reccommend goign to a local drift event or auto-x and learning some car control before you go tryign to drift in parking lots and making a idiot out of yoruself/hitting curbs /poles.Comment
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Why is a power over ignorant? Works good for me.Comment
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