Should TRUCKS be allowed to drift?

[Peter]

yeah i totally opppose the el camino drifting. especially since i may be driving it next year...

i think you misread my posts
also the el camino situation isnt anythign close to the sil-truck, the elco came from the factory, the siltruck has the rear 1/4 windows , hatch, removed and the roof slightly modified to make a "cab" i guess youd call it. i took a good look at it when i saw it at sema b/c i have a s13 hatch parts car i was considering doing this to, as it seems pretty straight forward. however as far as safety on the siltruck my thoughts add nothing to this thread, so i will keep them to myself. the siltruck also doesnt have tube frame modifications i saw in any way/form. neither will it be competing in Formula Drift this year. but i honestly think your misereading my posts. i am not in opposition of drifting trucks in any way/form, im all for it. but from what you said and i quote

"That, by your logic, is a more fair and acceptable situation than if Sam had been wheeling the same semi-tube chassis, V10 powered machine fitted with composite SRT-10 bodywork in place of the composite Viper Competition Coupe bodywork? "

is where i said no tube frame in FD, as for an example you threw out hte idea of a NASCAR craftsman truck type drift vehicle, composite truck body thrown over a viper chassis (would look nothign like a srt-10 truck in teh end). what z28evans is discussing here is a compact size modern truck vehicle, built for drifting (gutted street vehicle with heavy steering/suspension/engine/safety modifications) NOT a corvette c5R with a s-10 body grafted onto it like you described. so could you be clear on the point you were tryign to make? because obviously i missed it


michael peters
mike@bubbadrift.com

oops, I thought I was responding to the 88u dude who's been illogically bashing trucks being allowed to drift - something I'm all for and have repeatedly lobbied in favor of to the FD boys...sorry that I misread who was saying what and I am in no way supportive of tube frames or anything of the sort, just think trucks NEED to be allowed to drift - be it an elco, SRT-10, mini-truck or whatever; the Kumakubo Siltruck example was an attempt to shoot down the naysayers that I mistakenly aimed your way.

My bad, keep on truckin'!

[Ris4drift]

i read your post and was wondering why it wasnt exactly consistent with the rest of your posts lol

[ALI]

I myself was confused for a second there too . . .

I voted yes, but I'm starting to reconsider based on the fact of a distinct advantage they have over regular cars. I think it's been brought up already but I can only fit two wheels/tires in my car, where as a truck could fit . . . well. . . you all saw the picture. CRAP I tell you!!!! CRAP!!!

I'd really like to see it being pulled off, it just sounds neat, challenging, weird, new, and interesting.

[malcolm]

should they be allowed? yes.

will they be competitive? There is a possibility a truck could do quite well, but I don't think a truck will ever drift as well as a car, provided they are equally modified. A lot would have to be done to shift the weight further to the rear, suspension work (as previously mentioned), and weight removal altogether.

I think the truck would be slightly uncompetitive, but I don't think that should prohibit it from being allowed to enter.

[craiglieberman]

This is turning into NASCAR fast....now you guys want trucks?

Seems sacriligeous, IMHO. Its bad enough that we're letting American cars run. I mean, I totally see the coolness in these cars and I understand that many top competitors in Japan want to compete against American cars.

To me, nothing is cooler than watching an all Japanese group of cars on a track. If I want to watch American cars on a track, I'd go to a NASCAR event.

Just the humble opinion of someone stubborn....flamesuiton.

[malcolm]

Seems sacriligeous, IMHO. Its bad enough that we're letting American cars run.

you do realize, of course, that the japanese were not the first to drift. that honour goes to Tazio Nuvolari in his pre-war Alfa Romeo. People all over everywhere have drifted for fun going way back. The japanese just started to organize it, and turn it into a competition. That is by no means a justification for calling it "their" sport, where only their cars are allowed.

According to your theory, perhaps drifting should go back to it's REAL roots, and be limited to pre-war Grand Prix cars.

[z28evans]

craiglieberman - how about this, sell one of your cars in your sig, and sponsor us to go drifting in whichever japanese car you choose

We have driver talent (not me), and the know-how to build up cars. We don't have much money, which means that we build vehicles that we can afford. That's one thing that i like about drifting - you don't have to drive an expensive exotic to competitive.

This is turning into NASCAR fast....now you guys want trucks? Seems sacriligeous, IMHO

You come across as a car snob

[ALI]

This is turning into NASCAR fast....now you guys want trucks?

Seems sacriligeous, IMHO. Its bad enough that we're letting American cars run. I mean, I totally see the coolness in these cars and I understand that many top competitors in Japan want to compete against American cars.

To me, nothing is cooler than watching an all Japanese group of cars on a track. If I want to watch American cars on a track, I'd go to a NASCAR event.

Just the humble opinion of someone stubborn....flamesuiton.

Haha...it's a good thing you put the flame suit on! You do realize that the only cars to win a professional level event in the US (in Formula Drift at least, not counting US D1) were American don't you? The GTO and Viper . . .

I think it's a little ironic for a "japaneese" sport . . . I think you will see a big increase in the American car presence in drifting as the years go on. Just take a look at the line up for next year!

It's a manufacturer pride thing, US car makers don't like seeing import cars dominating anything if they can help it. I can however appreciate your bravery for stating an opinion like that on this board!

[Ris4drift]

honestly i LOVE japanese cars, and ill actually admit today i like the s13 a TON even though its getting thoughroly played out and the land of originality is getting smaller by the second due to the incredible trendwagon these cars have, which someteims makes me want to sell it and get something original that doesnt have a factory drift prep guide. but i am all about seeing someone / doing somethign different. i mean its not a full size were just thinking of maybe a compact truck. and i think this will also be a little more of a challenge as well as a good bit of fun for everyone. as much as i love nissan s-chassis its pretty much a self driving car, and theres really no brains involved in making a competitive drift car out of it, this is american drifting, and whats american about it without some texans and their trucks?

and waht is drifting without a crapload of s13?

[CrazyHawaiian]

This is turning into NASCAR fast....now you guys want trucks?

Seems sacriligeous, IMHO. Its bad enough that we're letting American cars run. I mean, I totally see the coolness in these cars and I understand that many top competitors in Japan want to compete against American cars.

To me, nothing is cooler than watching an all Japanese group of cars on a track. If I want to watch American cars on a track, I'd go to a NASCAR event.

Just the humble opinion of someone stubborn....flamesuiton.

I dont see what trucks have to do with NASCAR. Does that make any sense to anyone else? That NASCAR complaint is usually what people say when they have a personal problem with American cars or America. Oh this drifting is turning into NASCAR fast, yeah sure. Drifting has absolutely nothing to do with NASCAR, the sports are complete opposites. Drifting will never become NASCAR, period. If you hate American cars and trucks, good for you. I dont see what that has to do with drifting, trucks, or NASCAR.

Bad enough we're letting American cars run? Why are you complaining anyway? Seriously? You dont compete in drifting events but here I am tainting your sport? Please. I've put blood sweat and tears into my American drift car, damn right I get to drift too. The only people that I can see talking crap and having a valid reason are people that drift regularly and compete. Out of the 100+ local drifters we have out here (people that regularly participate in track drifting events), nobody has ever said anything like that to me. Even the guys from Japan are saying they want to see American cars drifting.

[hirolla78]

This is turning into NASCAR fast....now you guys want trucks?

NASCAR is allowing toyota to run the tundra. i've heard rumors of the camry going in also. how come it's a big deal to let american cars into drifting? nascar started out as only cars but added trucks. look what that did for trucks. where is the problem with letting trucks run. i like the run what you brung thing. it makes life more fun.

[jaydm180sx]

Drifting has absolutely nothing to do with NASCAR, the sports are complete opposites. Drifting will never become NASCAR, period. If you hate American cars and trucks, good for you. I dont see what that has to do with drifting, trucks, or NASCAR.

I agree, I also hate when this analogy is used.

[SidewaysGts]

IMO drifting is about high angle throttle steer- i dont car what type of vehicle it is, if it can do that- it can "drift". no reason to discriminate what it ias thats doing the throttle steering, this is as bad as saying black people cant *insert racist comment here with white superiority*

[HondaHater]

I voted yes. They should be allowed. I dont see it being a problem. But there is a problem with how competitive the truck would be. As soon as you start doing weight reductions. There is not nearly enough in the rear. You will not get that pendulum weight transfer you need for drift. Will it drift, yes. But you have to maintain the stock mounting points for the suspension just like any car. So there will be a problem with setting the car up properly.

add weights to the rear, problem solved

[Goodwrench Z]

You do realize that the only cars to win a professional level event in the US (in Formula Drift at least, not counting US D1) were American don't you? The GTO and Viper . . .

The GTO actually is an Australian car, im sure everyone knows this. But the point here is that it doesnt matter where its made, as long as it makes the sport more competitive, thats the bottom line. I can see why people would want to keep this all Japanese, because it was the other way around with drag racing and nascar, when Imports started showing up there and racing. A car is a car, and if the better car happens to be from the US, or Japan, make it better or go home.