As title really. Just out of interest as I been thinking the same. Hindsight is 20-20, and no doubt most of us have done things, built cars, owned cars, that were nowhere near as good an idea as they seemed at the time, so after all your experiences with various cars and drifting, what car would/should you have built, and why? I've had loads, from massive ones to tiny ones, from posh ones to hardcore ones, from powerful ones to slow as hell ones, from cheap shitters to big bucks money pits, and I think I know what I want now. For me, it probably sounds shit to most people with their big ideas and dreams, but I'd have a 1.8 Mk1 MX5 with a turbo. I had a Cossie powered MX5, which I'd prefer even more, but I bought that done, and the work to do that conversion would be a ballache, and engine conversions ALWAYS cause problems, even if the engine you putting in is WAY better than the original, so I'd use the original 1.8 BP engine rather than some badass V8 or whatever. Reason I'd choose an MX5 is, with modified hubs especially, they're simply the most go-kart like car there is, nothing has turn-in like a MX5 with decent hubs. Even my FC, which is a very small light car, with like a massive barge compared to one. Have always happily kept up with cars with 3+ times the power when drifting with shitbox 1.6 MX5s- They tick all the boxes for fun. Another reason is they're basic, strong, and parts are ten a penny. Had more seat time in MX5s than everything else I've had put together I think, and with the mods I'd do I don't think that'd change. I hate the looks, but I don't care about looks anymore really. As long as you don't modify a car to look shitter than standard like so many people do, keeping them standard looking is fine in my eyes. It will look like an MX5, just a bit lower. I'd want it as a daily, so while creature comforts I don't care about, a carpet and trim I'd want- Not fully stripped. I'd prefer not to have a cage, but for Pembrey GP track you need to, so a cage it is. I'd have normal 7x15s or whatever with 195 or 205s on it- I don't want loads of grip. Only thing that I've ever found lacking on MX5s was power. Not for drifting on track, never in fact, but for on the street generally going fast or smoking the place out. My Cossie one was 270bhp, and keeping up with superbikes to 160mph in it, and generally rinsing everything else on the road in a standardish looking car was ace fun, but one thing that car taught me was the chassis could easily handle a LOT more, 400bhp would do me I think in a car that light. A built (pistons, rods, etc) 1.8 BP engine with a GTX28 could bash out 400bhp with good low down power and reliability too, so that'd be ideal. Anti-lag too. Gearboxes aren't too bad at that power either. Diffs maybe break, maybe not, but that's no big deal to sort on them. I'd mod the cooling, mostly getting air in/out the car, like I did on the Cossie one, and that's reliability sorted. The exhaust would be as quiet as I could make an unrestrictive 3in+ system be on one too- Noise is gay. Engine management would be something good, and most importantly fitted and mapped by someone big time. No corners cut at all. For the handling, they need cock all- Decent coilovers, rod ends, modified hubs, decent geometry, bushes, welded diff, done. Inside just a smaller steering wheel and drivers bucket seat will do. With the no weight and skinny tyres for the power (but not for the car) it will handle mint but on the power just be a smoke machine even at big big speeds. The car should be fairly cheap, do everything I want, reliabile, subtle/sleeper. Done. Could daily it, drive it to drift days and back, and as I'd not have spent a fortune I could afford a decent trailer to take it places too. The end. TBH some of my thoughts/wants might sound odd, so if you wonder why I haven't gone for a turbo V8, or haven't done whatever, just ask. Hopefully people have some interesting ones, as no doubt everyones had a few nightmares over time lol.
I don't have a huge range of experience with drift cars. My first rwd was an s14a, which I still have. The worst I have had was a 1.8 Mercedes 190E, although to be fair it was bought for £100 and was only ever intended as a short term run-about while my 200 waited for mot and tax. It was slammed on god knows what kind of suspension, had blacked out windows, and a steering wheel the size of the London Eye. The only time I ever got the damn barge sideways was by accident at a junction. Nearly knocked out my mate who was in the passenger seat. But for £100 I couldn't complain. With the benefit of hindsight I wish I had started with either an cheap old BMW or MX-5, purely for the value of not worrying about fixing it when it was damaged / broken. When I started drifting the 200 was my daily and I drove it up to Crail (then the only place available to me) which was near enough a 3 hour drive. I never felt happy pushing myself in case something broke and I got stuck there. I suppose in a way I got a bit sick of not really enjoying it, so I stopped going. Then the missile scene kicked off in Fife and Jumanji Nights began. I missed all of that with work and family commitments, but I have finally joined the "club" and have an E36 for playing in and pushing myself to hopefully get better. This has the added bonus of giving me time to take the 200 and finally fit all the parts I have built up over the past few years. I'm lucky enough that I don't need a car for work, so my "daily" is an Audi A4 Avant which works well enough as a family car and also is capable of towing.
I think an S13 that didnt blow up ALL THE FUCKING TIME would probably be where Id head, Ive always said one with top bollocks coilovers, a Nismo GT Pro and a slightly breathed on VQ35HR (or ideal world a VQ38HR) would be a superb car for just about everything Bonus is that it would look beautiful as well in a way an S14 or MX5 cant. However Ive been seriously thinking about buying a charged MX to use as a track and occasional drift car since I got rid of the 200 so you may well have answered your question in the first post
I can see the attraction there. I went out as a passenger in a pretty much stock 350Z earlier, and it's amazing how well they skid with literally no effort at all. S13 with that same engine would be better in every way.
R32, rb25 neo lump a nice responsive 350bhp, minor lock mods,coilovers, cage, and fresh set of arms all round. that would do me fine. Never felt the need for anything more. After owning an mx5 recently for a daily would absolutely love to drive one with an SR in as imagine it would be a game changer!
It's the boring answer, but S13 handle really well. I've tried quite a few different chassis, but I always come back to them. Again the boring answer, but an SR with a bit of breathing on in one, brilliant.
My drift car experience is an s14, s13, e36 328i and a 1.6 mx5 eunos, all felt very different and taught me different things. s14 being my first taught me a hell of a lot, lovely chassis and just simply slammed on coilovers it felt great if a little vacant sometimes on the turn in s13 i never set up properly but was a bit more raw and precise mx5 was a brilliant car for complete balls out always on the limit fun e36 was the best of the bunch for me, plenty of power and now i know exactly how id want it set up, will be my next choice
The 350 is excellent as standard but doesnt have enough lock and is too heavy, the S13 feels "thinner" and is just more settled at high speed in my experience .......... and having big torque from zero revs just makes everything a lot easier. Little revvy things like AE86's (and the missuses MR2 actually) are a good laugh but feel light on the road, same with MR2's TBH - Im not sure Id fancy 100+mph in one anyway. Ive never drifted a proper big Toyota or BMW but Id have thought its the same common denominator as any other motorsport - big torque, fast revs and low weight are the way forward. ETA: No more than 400hp either, possibly less, lower power means working harder means more fun
I did, but it was cheap and it was winter, I ended up selling it after a bit. Since then Ive sold the S13 and its coming into winter again so Ive bought exactly the same car back, but more as a commuter that drifts than as an out and out track car
Not exactly drift related but the diff was welded and had the odd bit of sideways. I had massive plans to make my 1970s mitsubishi colt a seriously cool car. I got the looks right, but after listening to an "oldskool I hate turbos" friend I built a "race" engine out of the stock motor, headwork, cam, carbs etc etc. After a good few pounds and lots of hours it pulled a devastating 18 second quarter mile at santapod. I really wished I went with my original plan and put an SR20 in or waited for the right bits to turn up to put an EVO 1-3 engine in it! Still looked amazing though(and now getting its evo engine by its new owner mitsu-mech)
Lol, sounds like my FC now. Decided to go N/A as turbos give more things to go wrong, but has been more trouble than any turbo car I've ever had, the real powerband starting about 5k isn't much fun to be fair, and I get the distinct impression once fully mapped it still won't be fast enough for me regardless lol.
Definitely agree on the weight side of things, too heavy such as an e46/350z etc and it feels boaty, but too light as per mx5s etc and I don't get inspired at high speeds. For instance the 328 e36 I have will sit at a ton quite happily and feels very stable, the mx5s I've had felt too light and like it wasn't happy. Same with s13s, could happily reach silly speeds and it felt planted. Before anyone suggests all my cars have a decent alignment the second I buy them so for me it's down to a good balance of weight, steering response, a bit of comfort and nice low down power with a good sound track
It's fuck all to do with weight IMO. My Cossie MX5 was stable as fuck at a true 160mph (ie clock 180+). Happy to do that in on a 2 lane road. I've driven big cars that are all over the shop at 100.
If i was building again, E30 2 door with S54, cams, airbox and remap. 370hp, 1100kg (with some interior remaining) & reliable, 15 inch OEM BBS's with either Toyo 888's for track work, and whatevers for drifting. One car to do it all (and look cool). But to be fair, my current AE86 is everything i need & want right now. I drift it my way, its fun (ish) to work on and makes me happy just looking at it, nevermind firing it into corners.
This might seem odd considering I've owned all the e36s but for me the best skid car I've ever used / owned was an r32. Fairly stock rb20 but very hard on cusco everything suspension wise and auto s13 rear end in it. Literally the easiest car I've skidded and such good communication through the butt and wheel. One of them with an rb25 running a bit more puff would be grand. However I'm massive and if I had the cash I'd probably like to try a jzx90 next, hope it drifts half as well but has some space / comfort.
S-body. The many reasons why I bought one are still all fully valid. ie, cheap to run, piss easy and cheap to modify and fix, look gangster, and handle very well (and FUN) when set up properly. I keep thinking about parting with my s14 but remembering that there are very few other cars out there, that do what it does, as well as it does, for the money. In an ideal world I'd have two toy cars though, a PS13 for hardcore track and drift, and a road-biased S15. If I had to pick only one, it would be the s15 just cos its newer.
Interesting to read this as I'm just looking at 1.8 MX5s now for my first drift car, so it is nice to see someone with a good amount of experience thinks so highly of them. One thing though, you said with 270 bhp your MX5 kept up with superbikes up to 160 mph... I don't mean to be a dick but I find that extremely hard to believe. I've got a superbike (GSXR 1000) and an Audi R8 V10 (which yes is heavier than an MX5 but has 520 bhp) and the bike is A LOT faster. They do 0 - 60 in 3 seconds. Are you seriously telling me your MX5 could do anything close to that? I've also had a Lotus Elise which is even lighter than an MX5 and that had 180 bhp and was slow as hell compared to a superbike, so I'm not quite seeing how an MX5 with only 100 bhp more could begin to keep up with a superbike up to 160 mph. No offence and maybe I've misunderstood something you said, but just seems a kind of ridiculous claim if I've understood it correctly
