Start with this...?

[Demianu27]

First things first, I suck at drifting. I have had hours of instruction and read a lot about drifting enough to say I know how to drift, but I couldn't exactly drift well in a 94 accord or a 97 lumina that I have tried to learn in.

I've been saving for a drift car for 2 years from part-time jobs between my first years at college and the summer. As in "drift car" I really just mean something RWD so I can learn in, and I think I found that car but I need some feedback.

I found an 87 supra twin turbo within my very limited price range atm. I was hoping to find some immediate feedback as to how well of a starter car this supra is before I throw down my money.... thanks.

Also, for those that care, the car is in excellent running shape and it was regularly serviced. There's only 90K miles on it. The only thing that's wrong with it is some rust on a door, one of the sideskirts need to be adjusted, and a long piece of plastic trim is missing from one of the sides.

[Drift For Food]

The Accord and Lumina are both driftable(some will argue of course). Being fwd, they will be quite limited in techniques. I started with my old 89 Lesabre. It was a fwd boat of a car with auto and a rusted foot e-brake, but I made it work. Feint and braking, and e-brake techniques are about all that's useful in a fwd car, and you'll come to hate the slow exit speed. Find some gravel, and your cars are duable.

A rwd is naturally better and a whole lot more fun. Anything rwd will work. I played with an old 88 Ranger 2wd for my first rwd drifter. It was nothing remotely close to a "good" drift car, but it was rwd and you could get it sideways. It had no power, so gravel and snow/ice was its only playground. Even with junk you can work through the techniques and get used to how they work and when to use them. Feint and braking crossed over and I added shift lock and powerover to my range of techniques(clutch kick was another one, but I never used it; no e-brake either-foot, rusted).

I can't say muich for the Supra. I've never really looked at them. An 87 is getting quite old, and I think there are a lot more choices out there that may be better. What's your price range? Ever look at www.autotrader.com and see what cars are near by within your price limit? Something maybe about 10 years newer? Other cars to look at would be a more common drift car like a 240SX or Miata or some classic American muscle like a Mustang or Camero. Even old BMWs, Mercedes, and Volvos are options(more $$$ repairs though), even trucks(there are a few truck drifters on this forum).

[Wickdmarz]

Hmm Coming from a supra owner...that supra definitely sounds capable but not stock. Are you looking to daily drive this beast too?? Are you sure its twin turbo?? I've seen tons mistaken it for that and thats its a V6 lol. So make sure you know what you're looking at.

As for making this a drift car. You definitely would have enough power but the weights the issue. I usually suggest learning on something light like an corolla or 240. With having all the power, you'll have the general idea of drifting but I've seen many beginners believe powering over is drifting...so I would consider it a handicap for a beginner to learn with. LOL Depending if its a targa or not you're looking at 3500-3800 lbs for a supra, while a 240 can be around 2800, not quite sure on the 86 but I'm assuming around the 2500ish(??).

Also do you have the money to work on it?? The parts for that car are NOT CHEAP! You need to make sure that head gasket was torque down correctly and hopefully the head bolts were (perferably) replaced with stronger studs (APR are great).

Its up to you, but if you have a very limited price range I would go with a corolla or 240 (if you want an import, plenty of domestic in that range as well) and mod as you go.

[marshun]

well i think you'd want a car that could evolve further as you get better. i cant say that i like driving supra's though. i suggest you drive it and see what you think.

also dont get a fwd car to drift with. to get a fwd car to drift good, you couldnt daily drive that car. so get something rwd. cheap. easy to mod.

i currently drive an s13 as my drift car and i like it, tons of aftermarket support and the balance it has now is nice. but it has lots of suspension done to it now.

[Demianu27]

This car will not be my daily driver, nor am I going to spend a lot of money to make the car perform exceptionally. It's simply going to be my first RWD drifting car so I don't screw up a really nice drift car that I plan on getting in the future.

I really like modded s14.5's and 350z's, but those will have to wait until I'm out of college with a full time job.

[Demianu27]

Also.... what's up with the starter and head gasket problems everyone is talking about?