mk1 mr2?

[MrMaggot]

i love these cars
and i love drifting..

how would those two workout together...

and what would be a good start, as far as working on the car...

anything you have to say will be much appreciated

[SidewaysGts]

Alrighty first off mid engines car are NOT well suited for drifting.

That stated, keep in mind drifting is lik 9/10s skill and 3/10s car (yes, add the one up). basicly skill can make up for anything, ive seen a few people really cpable of riping it up with mid ship cars. Its ab it more difficult due to "snap oversteer" but more then doable if you have the patience to learn.

How do mod the car? hoenstly keep it simple, 4age is a great engine as it is, hoenstly jsut get ab etter intake and exhaust system for the car first and getused to the vehicle. If your going to use this car as a weekend warrior type of thing, id just get a simple suspension set up.

Adjustable shocks, better springs (i suggest a set up for MILD understeer.. this or so im told really helps with the cars natural tendency to oversteer on its own and make it much more controlable while drifting), and maybe some strut bars.

If your going to go all out, i suggest a high quality coil-over suspension (the kind with adjustable shocks and adjustable camber) and some basic strut bars.
__

Once you feel your good with this and need some power i suggest just digging undert he cams slightly. Increase the duration, avoid messing with the lift if you want just abi t of power to avoid uneeded stress on the valves.

Keep in mind its really hard for an na 4age to go past 160 hp without a piggy back ecu to get a proper fuel curve (not sure about the mr2 however.. i know on the 86 at least the fuel curve is pre-programed when your at full throttle).

And then keep in mind without heavy modification 180 hp is really the reasonable limit for them (Still NA speaking).

[MrMaggot]

ya, its nothing i would want to compete with or anything..
just to toy around with..
if i was gonna get super serious id get a 240.

[RipOff]

My mates newish to drifting and he drifts the aw11. (same car) He can sustain drifts for quite a way when he gets it right... however since it's a midrear it requires a lot more precision and you have to have fast hands on the countersteering or you WILL go and snap oversteer and spin. He can get maybe 3/10 drifts right... so yea its a very hard car to drift but if you do it right you can pull off some awesome looking drifts.

Practice makes perfect here... you need to find an empty car park... well go for it if you want..

[malcolm]

yeah, I drift my aw11... It's VERY difficult, but when I do a nice drift, it's SO rewarding. It can be done, but it's just difficult, and it takes a lot of practice and precision.

As I say to everyone when they are starting out and ask for modification advice... leave it alone. Learn how to drive it first, and THEN start to build it up. The only thing I would agree with you modifying before you learn to drift is perhaps a bit more power. Add about 15 or 20 bhp, and that should be suitable.

I agree with the slightly stiffer springs and better shocks (ie. KYB or something like that). You'll want to think about an LSD, or if it's a serious drift machine, a locked diff (you can get the diff welded, but you might want to leave that to a pro). Actually, contrary to popular belief, a locked diff isn't THAT bad on the road, and it's certainly no worse than just having stiff suspension.

But first thing's first... learn to drive it. here are some tips:

-start off with just fish-tailing the car. Get to know what the car feels like when it transfers weight from side to side. modulate the throttle, and see how far you can keep it going, and how much angle you can get, before you spin or run out of space.

-make sure your handbrake works well... might need some adjusting. after that, start with handbrake turns. Just fool around and get a feel of it. Eventually, yank the handbrake, and try to slide it through a controlled slide. You'll spin a lot, and you'll find that you just use the handbrake for an instant. You should focus on being able to keep the car sideways once it is sideways to begin with (ie. work on countersteering, and the modulation of the throttle)

-now combine the two. Do a mini-fishtail (or a "feint") and pitch the car sideways, and then drift through the corner. This will apply both techniques that you had to use in the other part (minus the handbrake).

[MrMaggot]

i would definatly want to do upgrades to make the care handle better and be more stable/predictable before i did any other kind of mod to it.

so any suggestions on spesific parts and/or which ones to put on first would be a big help..

thanks
j

[malcolm]

dude, just learn with what you have. that way, when you do upgrade your car, you will be a sensitive enough driver to feel it, and be a good enough driver to be able to take advantage of the improvements.

once you are a better driver, I would suggest KYB (or equivalent, or better) replacement, adjustable shocks, slightly stiffer springs (200 lb/in springs? maybe.... can't tell you for sure). I would also think about putting in some polyurethane bushings if you can get some. maybe think about going to either 13" or 15" wheels (13" will be cheap to learn on, but a little more difficult to drift with, 15" will be a little more precise, but more expensive to replace... however, both are WAY more common than 14").

go to some MR2 sites, and try to get some info from autocross guys. Basically, the set-up they use for auto-x would be a good base set-up for drifting. remember, google is your friend.

[SidewaysGts]

Malcoms right on this one. a stock suspension is much easier to learn on, teach youself some proper weight shfiting skills and line taking.

A awesome setup in the hands of someoen whos unskilled (no offence, sorry) will not produce an awesome outcome.

THink of it as exercise, in order to bench 200+ pound you need to work your way up.

Exercise your driving abilities, then advance.

[MrMaggot]

i understand what you are saying...
im asking for later...
the only thing i would get at first is another set of stock wheels for tire pruposes...

p.s.
im not a 15 year old kid looking for what mommy will buy me..
im 19 working hard trying to get what i want... (i drive a busted subaru legacy right now which i have made legit drifts in with the e-brake ofcourse.. and on a gravel road.. haha )
im looking into the aw11 and the svx
i just have to get the funding first..
and im looking into the possibilities..

and thanks for all the advise so far

[malcolm]

no worries dude. good luck! feel free to ask any other questions you have.

[MrMaggot]

shure will, you guys are awsome..
and ill definatly let you all know what happens when it does..

thanks