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I haven't been on these forums all that long, but it seems like 90% of the threads in this section center around "Will my Civic/Talon/Fiero/Miata/Tiburon/Jeep/S-10/El Camino/Volkswagen be a good drift car?"
So, I'm just going to throw this up as a "Rule of Thumb" thread . . .
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Rule of thumb #1 - Do not drift your daily driver! I know that there are a lot of people who do, and that's really their deal. Here's why I say this. Let's say you're out practicing, or at a competition (I'm assuming that you're not drifting on the streets, it's illegal, dangerous to you and those around you, and the sport does not need the stigma) and you miss a turn, blow a tire or someone else does one of these things and you end up backing your car into a wall. How will you get home that night? How will you get to school or work on Monday? Do yourself a favor, save up for a few weeks and spend a few thousand dollars on a second car just for the purpose of drifting.
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Rule of Thumb #2 - There are four things you need to look for when finding a good starter car.
- 1) It should be Front Engine/Rear Wheel Drive - This set-up is the most drift friendly at both the beginner and professional level. Sure, you can drift a FF, MR or AWD car, but it's not really the best way to do it. Here is an extensive list of RWD cars (offsite): RWD Cars
- 2) It should be CHEAP - Yeah, drifting a 350Z/4th Gen Supra/Viper is cool, but even at a professional level, there's usually at least one person at every event who balls up their car. Save the expensive and stylish rides for when you're less likely to destroy it. If the idea of destroying it scares you, it will keep you from learning as quickly as you would in a beater because you'll be less willing to push limits and try new things.
- 3) It should have a manual transmission - True, it can be done with an automatic, but you're limiting yourself to certain techniques for adjusting, controlling and initiating your slides.
- 4) It should have strong aftermarket support and readily available replacement parts - It's kind of hard to get parts for an R33 Skyline on this side of the Pacific, especially if you're a budget racer like most of us. You should be able to go down to any Autozone/Pep Boys and get any part you need to keep your car functioning properly.
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Rule of Thumb #3 - Stick with what you know. If you're a born and raised Chevy guy and know Chevy small blocks inside and out, then why not start with a third-gen Camaro or C4 Corvette? If you know Ford's, try a Mustang. If you know BMW's, try an older 3 Series.
240SX's and AE-86 Corolla's are the most popular cars for this sport, but there's no reason to relearn all kinds of new information regarding those specific cars when you already have a knowledge base for your preferred brand. As long as it's cheap, manual, RWD and has good aftermarket support, brand really doesn't matter much.
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There is no perfect drift car, and technically, it's possible to drift anything with wheels and a steering wheel. But if you follow these rules, you'll save yourself a lot of headache.
Good/Popular Starter Cars
Nissan Silvia/180SX/240SX
Toyota AE-86 Corolla ('86 and earlier)
Mazda Miata (Becoming the new "86")
Mazda FC RX-7
Ford Mustang (80's Fox Body)
Third Gen (82-92) Camaro/Firebird (Heavy and flex a lot, but easy to correct)
*Lexus IS300
*Nissan 300ZX
Pre-'89 200sx (Or S12 if you prefer).
Early 80's 300 series BMW's
'80-'83 Corolla (TE-83)
'80-'85 Celica
*All Supra's from '80 and on (Pricey, but good power)
* Still a little pricey, but if you can find a good deal, go for it.
More than anything, though, a good drift car is one with a smart and safe driver behind the wheel. Don't do stupid things that will get you arrested or endanger the lives/personal property of those around you. All parts should be installed according to the specifications laid out by the manufacturer and the sanctioning organization.
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What you don't need/don't need - "Keyboard drivers" will often give you a long list of thing you need to have in order to drift. While some of these are correct, most often these people are simply repeating what they've heard from other "keyboard drivers".
What you need - (Thanks to mranlet)
1 - Fix what's broken (TC Rods, Leaky PS rack, Overheating, Drivetrain layout, auto to 5-speed etc)
2 - Coilovers
3 - Racing Seat
4 - LSD
5 - Tires, Gas, Maintenence, Practice, repeat
Anything else is just icing on the cake.
You DON'T need -
Lots of power
Lots of steering angle
Hydraulic Ebrake
"Wheel fitment"
Short shifter
Drift button
Harness
Cage
Carbon fiber anything
So, I'm just going to throw this up as a "Rule of Thumb" thread . . .
----------------
Rule of thumb #1 - Do not drift your daily driver! I know that there are a lot of people who do, and that's really their deal. Here's why I say this. Let's say you're out practicing, or at a competition (I'm assuming that you're not drifting on the streets, it's illegal, dangerous to you and those around you, and the sport does not need the stigma) and you miss a turn, blow a tire or someone else does one of these things and you end up backing your car into a wall. How will you get home that night? How will you get to school or work on Monday? Do yourself a favor, save up for a few weeks and spend a few thousand dollars on a second car just for the purpose of drifting.
-----------------
Rule of Thumb #2 - There are four things you need to look for when finding a good starter car.
- 1) It should be Front Engine/Rear Wheel Drive - This set-up is the most drift friendly at both the beginner and professional level. Sure, you can drift a FF, MR or AWD car, but it's not really the best way to do it. Here is an extensive list of RWD cars (offsite): RWD Cars
- 2) It should be CHEAP - Yeah, drifting a 350Z/4th Gen Supra/Viper is cool, but even at a professional level, there's usually at least one person at every event who balls up their car. Save the expensive and stylish rides for when you're less likely to destroy it. If the idea of destroying it scares you, it will keep you from learning as quickly as you would in a beater because you'll be less willing to push limits and try new things.
- 3) It should have a manual transmission - True, it can be done with an automatic, but you're limiting yourself to certain techniques for adjusting, controlling and initiating your slides.
- 4) It should have strong aftermarket support and readily available replacement parts - It's kind of hard to get parts for an R33 Skyline on this side of the Pacific, especially if you're a budget racer like most of us. You should be able to go down to any Autozone/Pep Boys and get any part you need to keep your car functioning properly.
-----------------
Rule of Thumb #3 - Stick with what you know. If you're a born and raised Chevy guy and know Chevy small blocks inside and out, then why not start with a third-gen Camaro or C4 Corvette? If you know Ford's, try a Mustang. If you know BMW's, try an older 3 Series.
240SX's and AE-86 Corolla's are the most popular cars for this sport, but there's no reason to relearn all kinds of new information regarding those specific cars when you already have a knowledge base for your preferred brand. As long as it's cheap, manual, RWD and has good aftermarket support, brand really doesn't matter much.
-----------------
There is no perfect drift car, and technically, it's possible to drift anything with wheels and a steering wheel. But if you follow these rules, you'll save yourself a lot of headache.
Good/Popular Starter Cars
Nissan Silvia/180SX/240SX
Toyota AE-86 Corolla ('86 and earlier)
Mazda Miata (Becoming the new "86")
Mazda FC RX-7
Ford Mustang (80's Fox Body)
Third Gen (82-92) Camaro/Firebird (Heavy and flex a lot, but easy to correct)
*Lexus IS300
*Nissan 300ZX
Pre-'89 200sx (Or S12 if you prefer).
Early 80's 300 series BMW's
'80-'83 Corolla (TE-83)
'80-'85 Celica
*All Supra's from '80 and on (Pricey, but good power)
* Still a little pricey, but if you can find a good deal, go for it.
More than anything, though, a good drift car is one with a smart and safe driver behind the wheel. Don't do stupid things that will get you arrested or endanger the lives/personal property of those around you. All parts should be installed according to the specifications laid out by the manufacturer and the sanctioning organization.
--------------------------
What you don't need/don't need - "Keyboard drivers" will often give you a long list of thing you need to have in order to drift. While some of these are correct, most often these people are simply repeating what they've heard from other "keyboard drivers".
What you need - (Thanks to mranlet)
1 - Fix what's broken (TC Rods, Leaky PS rack, Overheating, Drivetrain layout, auto to 5-speed etc)
2 - Coilovers
3 - Racing Seat
4 - LSD
5 - Tires, Gas, Maintenence, Practice, repeat
Anything else is just icing on the cake.
You DON'T need -
Lots of power
Lots of steering angle
Hydraulic Ebrake
"Wheel fitment"
Short shifter
Drift button
Harness
Cage
Carbon fiber anything
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