S30.. Drifting.. seriously....

[thinkmonkey]

I have my 240z which is currently in perpetual restoration, but I also aquired a 1993 240sx last year, 20 years it's junior, and have been obsessed with drifting ever since. I started off drifting in the rain which helped me hone my skills at somewhat 'safe' speeds. I now have RS-R race springs, KYB agx's, whiteline adjustable sway bars, kumho 712 stickies, and a lot of close calls with walls, curbs, and the cops. What I need is a clutch type LSD, and roll cage, and a legal venue because I want to live to see my Z finished. It's damn good fun though.

If anyone doubts that drifting takes skill, find someone who really knows what they are doing and go for a ride. You'll be entering corners completely sideways before the road even starts to bend.

-David

[Zvoiture]

Think: I have a gear-type I will sell you really cheap. It fits in 12mm ring bolt R200's. Much more streetable and still will dirft,,,,,

$200 to a 240z.org menber.

steve

[z_boi]

Zvoiture,

Is this a gear type lsd your talkin about that you might have. I might be interested in it.

[CoastGuardZ]

This is where I chime in with my opinion.

I have never raced an automobile in a sanctioned event, only in small local events where the only prize is bragging rights until the next weekend. On the other hand while growing between 11 and 16 I raced Go-Karts in the WKA South Carolina and National Series event. Starting in the ~45mph Jr. Restricted Sprint Class and ending in the ~110mph 135cc Enduro lite class. I've raced on dirt and asphalt, oval and road course. I have seen films on "drifting" and in no way can consider it racing or even a sport. At best I will group it into an exhibition category. The "look at me" crowd. The same fellas with the picnic table spoilers and fart-can exhaust, the pants falling off and the hat's on sideways, the thousands of dollars in performance parts to make a car faster and then tossing in 200 pounds of stereos, speakers, amplifiers, televisions, DVD players and playstations.

As far as I can say about "drifting" is that it is not new. It has been around since man decided to whip a car around turns at speed. It has simply been known as "loose" and no one thought it to be so great as to do it on their own accord. In racing this happens and you know your chassis is a hair too tight. This "drifting" will take a bit longer to pass than the goofy mini-truck phase but it will pass. And all I have to ask is the same requested of all exhibitions of speed, keep it off the streets. It has a place and Main St. is not it.

Sorry I am now stepping off my very opionated soap box.

To answer the question initially imposed I do not see why a Z wouldn't make a fine "drifter", if that should be your cup of tea.

Also... There is a magazine out there called Grassroots Motorsports, and in the January issue there was a write up on the 240sx's. The thing that caught my eye was people using the KA24 motor turbocharged and getting 400+ horsepower. An interesting read. www.grmotorsports.com

Nate

[PrOxLaMuS©]

got that magazine

[gema]

Drifting is intended to be high-speed cornering for RWD cars, and is best done with a good F/R weight ratio. It's MOSTLY used for show, but in some cases/turns it really does aid in the 'race'. By drifting, a driver can exit the turn with the car pointed the right way and still having lots of momentum to carry the car forward. Basically, it's a controlled shifting of the weight in the car to 'swing' the car through a turn and have it be properly situated at the end. I guess.

[240ZX]

Steve, Talk to me about the LSD!!!!

Regarding difting........It's probably the same evolution as the obnoxiously pumped up bass you hear coming from the kids cars now days. And they actually think it sounds good.....wait until these kids reach mid life, and all they will be saying then is......Uhhhhhhhhh, sorry I can't hear you, could you please repeat that!!!! I think it's always been considered cool for young kids to have and do things that are totally different than the generation that brought them into this world.....I know when I was that age, God I can actually remember that far back, I did those sort of things. Hell, who wants to do what your parents are doing anyway??? So, time marches on and thing continue to change..........get used to it.

P.S. Some may call it the generation gap! What ever!!!!

[thinkmonkey]

Zvoiture - Sorry I didn't reply, I haven't lookied at the thread in a while. Are you talking about a quaiffe style LSD? If so I'd definately be interested.

Coastguardz - I don't think you understand what drifting is about and what differentiates it from ricers in honda civics at car shows. You can tell a real drifters car because it is stripped down, dented to hell, and used specifically for road racing and drifting. What makes it different from getting loose midturn is that you enter the turn sideways in order to exit parallel to the next straightaway. This takes a lot of balls to do on dirt, gravel, or asphalt and takes massive amounts of skill to pull off sustained slip angles that require full opposite lock through an entire corner. The three things that make it a legitimate sport is that it requires honed car control skills unlikes a burnout, it is something that spectators enjoy immensely, and it is bags of fun! I don't want to call you ignorant or close minded but you do need to experience it yourself, at least in a few years when it is popular enough in the US to have legal, sanctioned events with talented drivers.

On a side not, I just crashed my drift car two days ago. I went into a curb (industrial area, 10:30 at night) at about 25mph at no ones fault but my own. Destroyed my front and rear wheels (steel wheels, drifters choice) and collapsed the rear toe and lower control arms. Just got new ones from a Northwest Nissans event today and have them in now. Will get alignment on monday, weld in braces for control arm mounts and be back drifting next week. Silly me.

-Dave

FWD SUCKS!