Drifting A Porsche Boxster?

[carrera]

hey all,
Im new to drifting, but have been club racing and autocrossing for years. I have read all the threads about MR cars, but has anyone heard of drifting a Porsche Boxster. I know I need to get an S13 or the like , but for now all I have is the Boxster. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks, and see you all at D1 next week.

[Chas]

Someone tired to at Drift Showoff. Probably like the MR2.

[DriftDisciple]

If you get a copy of the Drift Bible, Keiichi Tsuchiya explains how to drift MR vehicles that tend to have pendulem-like oversteer. Basically he says that you need to contersteer, and do everything much sooner to catch the car before it over-rotates. The video features an MR2 to demonstrate MR techniques which like Chas said is probably pretty similar in terms of technique required.
So, as long as you can afford to gamble with your teutonic sheetmetal and wheels go for it!

[Ghost of Duluth]

Seems like you got a fat enough bankroll. Buy yourself a 240. Then you can send me that TVR in your avatar.

[nissanguy_24]

Drift what you got man. Besides its rear wheel drive thats enough. Might be abit tougher, but you dont seem to be a new driver so dont worry. No need to buy a s13, unless you just want one.

[carrera]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I do have the drift bible, so I saw the MR section. I was mainly worried about trashing my car as it is my daily transportation. If anyone knows of an S13 in Nj for sale, please let me know. By the way, Ghost, I think Ill keep the TVR, its my baby. Not very good for drifting, too fragile. Maybe when we put the 340hp Ford 302 in her......

[ToplessFC3Sman]

Drifting a Boxster... Thats gotta be insanely fun... do you have the S? Yea, as was said, your gonna have to react sooner cause once the tail starts swinging, its got a lot more torque than a 240, ae86 or any FR car for that matter. Physics coming in handy... the driver, engine, gas tank(i think), and all sorts of heavy stuff are farther back, and since in a drift the car is rotating around the front wheels, once these components start swinging around, they have a lot more torque than in a FR car, because the lever arm is much longer for the same mass. Thus, to control it you will need to react much sooner, or much more severely, than with a FR. I think it also takes a bit more effort to get the rear to start sliding, so you would have to switch pretty abruptly between trying to get the rear to step out, and then to reign it in, with much more force than necessary for a FR.
Just note, all Ive ever done are FR's, never an MR, this is just what would make sense based on examining the physics of it. Experiment with it if you want, but if you use a porsche boxster as your daily driver, IMHO it would be better to buy a 240sx (Im also from NJ, they are out there, in pretty decent condition) and not risk the boxster, altho this is totally your call. my $.02 anywho.

[carrera]

With an MR car, especially the Boxster, almost all of the weight is concentrated in the center which causes the car to have an extremely low polar moment of inertia. this causes the car to rotate extremely quickly around its pivot point( usually the center of the carfor an MR, and about 1/3 of the way between the wheels in an FR). this is great for grip driving as it gives the car quick turn in and fast response, but for drifting it is nowhere near as good( or as fun) as an FR car which has a high PMI. The FR is more stable in a straight line, and is more controllable when the rear end breaks loose. I probably will get an S13 or even an FC3S for drifting so I dont crunch the overpriced Porsche. Besides, I am sure it would be more fun to drift them. After all they are more prevalent for a reason. It will definitely be an interesting comparison if I can manage to learn to drift both types. if only I could borrow my friend's 911 turbo, I would have a complete set. Although, from experience, I dont thonk I would want to get a RR car into too heavy a drift. they are all but uncontrollable in that situation after a certain point. Having gone off a track backwards several times in a 911, I can honestly say, it isn't fun.

[DriftDisciple]

Wow, this thread has a coherent discourse on physics. This is way better than "My tyte ride will skool yours once I get my drivers license."
Carrera, why not try drifting one of those Miatas from the web site you’re linked to? That’s a balanced FR and it would be somewhat original- especially since you’re already a roadster diver.

[lv2drft]

yeah, i was the porsche boxter at the show awhile ago... he didnt do to great, but at least he tried. im sure it could be done, just practice in a safe area and you can get it. at the moment i dont have a car, so i drive my dads car quite a bit. its a 92 carrera 4, beautiful car. i have whipped the tail out a couple of times, and i spun it a few times last season at buttonwillow. i dont drift it, but im sure that the porsches could handle that type of driving. cant wait till D1, gunna be great. i know im gunna be there at 8

[Nismosis]

The porche will drift but your right an fr will be easier. I never owned an fr but if i had one i think i would try to drift it. It would be fun to compare the two.

[gundamzeta]

look on KAZAA

theres a great clip of KT drifting a white porshe GT3.