Drifting a 280zx?

I have a simple question. Would you recommend drifting a 280zx? (I knew the subject gave away my question, but I was just getting your attention.)

Um... most of you are probably not too familiar with the Old School Japanese Drift Scene I gather...

A little History... Rolling Zaku (Japanese Mountain/Touge Racers) showed up around the 1960's. They raced the downhill and uphill mountain passes and discovered a technique that was adopted from the motorsport of Rally Racing. This technique is known as 'drift'... rally racers used this technique of lost traction to get around corners without losing too much speed. Touge racers adopted this same technique for the same purposes.

The most popular cars at that time were early Corollas, Celicas, RX3's, Skylines, Fairlady Z's (240Z-300ZX), Bluebirds (Datsun 510) and many others. As time progressed the cars changed and now drifting is what it is today!

To answer your question... YES! A 280ZX can be drifted and they saw much drift action back in there prime! The world of drift is not limited to newer S13's and HachiRokus...

Thanks, thats all I needed to know...

BlueBird... Damn that would be something, U13's are sick! Haha

Drifting is incredibly fun... Granted I know probably 2% compared at what 1viadrft knows, thats just his tha'ng. :D

Hint:

Your first time drifting, go out in an empty parking lot, and lay out some milk jugs filled with sand (we just hit up a local recycling plant for these) in a good drift patern (wide Apex's, and wide re-entry points), come in mild speed, countersteer in the opposing direction, drop a gear, rev it up (just press in the clutch and give it a rev) drop the clutch and nose dive right into the turn (try and aim so you will exit straight with the exit... That is the point of drifting... In rally at least).

It will take you a while to get it, but before long, you'll be powersliding through that course with no problem, just be smart about it!

I've had my share of wreck's with my old '89 240, the last one recently took me out of the game... But that's how you learn.

Have fun with it!

-Wes

I'm purely speaking from what i know about the z31, but if the steering radius in the 280zx is anything like the z31, keep in mind that you're not going to be able to get it very sideways without oversteering, simply because you wont be able to counter-steer very far.. This is going to limit how sideways you can get and still remain in control.

Other than that, the weight distribution over the front and rear seems to be quite good in the way of a drift machine.. Keep in mind though that you are going to have to get a stiffer suspension (if the 280zx is anything like the z31) as its pretty soft stock. Maybe even get some adjustable anti-roll bars.

Remember that you're going to have to need a LSD too, and not of the viscous type. iirc the 280zx turbo had a clutch type lsd, which is what you want. Its also got more power, which is also what you want.. :biggrin:

When you start to practise drifting, the main thing you should remember is to start counter-steering early. Dont wait until you're sideways because you wont be able to get it back again without fishtailing.

If you can find it in a video store/speed store/bittorrent, get the drift bible by Keiichi Tsuchiya. He explains 6 different techniques, all quite clearly with examples, and then goes on to show you how to start out drifting..

Oh, one last thing, dont do it on the streets.. Thats just plain stupid.

-Mike

It's kind of amusing to me how popular the whole drifting thing has become. I remember doing this in parking lots when I was 17 in my old 86 2+2 (soggy suspention, low power and all) before I had ever even heard of drifting. My sister asked me to take her for a ride in my new 86T the other day. Going around a turn at about 20 in second, I punched it and got it waaaaaaay out. Scared the hell out of her. She's only 14 and has never experienced anything like that.

Mike says "I'm purely speaking from what i know about the z31, but if the steering radius in the 280zx is anything like the z31, keep in mind that you're not going to be able to get it very sideways without oversteering"...I assume he means "without understeering"...drifting is little more than controlled oversteer. I beg to differ when it comes to the Z31s drifting capabilities. I can get the new T around completely sideways without losing it, but I can't help thinking that the guy I bought it from put a stiffer suspention in it cuz it's like a rock. It would be pretty hard to sling that ass around that far with the soft stock setup...body roll would carry it the rest of the way around. The stiff (damn near uncomfortable) suspention along with my rear tires that are hanging by a thread make this thing a wheel spinning terror...it's quite horrifying in the rain...it'll spin the tires in 3rd gear.

Decent drifting car = RWD, adjustable suspention (Hard in the rear, softer in the front if I'm not mistaken...right, 1via...you seem to be into this), some tires you don't mind cooking...A LOT, engine with some power, manual trans, a good front/rear weight dist is a plus, too. That sum it up ok, 1via?

Just Drift!

LOL......damn right. Sounds almost like a Nike commercial. :P

Mike says "I'm purely speaking from what i know about the z31, but if the steering radius in the 280zx is anything like the z31, keep in mind that you're not going to be able to get it very sideways without oversteering"...I assume he means "without understeering"...drifting is little more than controlled oversteer.

I was referring to the back of the car coming too far out and even with full lock counter-steer, it not counter-steering far enough to keep the car in control.. Granted the Z is quite drift happy with a LSD and suspension, but you aren't going to get those massive show drifts that S14's are pulling at the track, simply because you cant countersteer far enough.

Anyway, I have no idea about the steering in the 280zx, but to be honest, the best thing for you to do is don't take our word for it, jump in the car, start pulling the handbrake and start over-accelerating at the exit of corners. Please get that video/dvd I told you about ('Drift Bible by Keiichi Tsuchiya'). In a safe environment, you'll soon get the hang of it. In an unsafe environment, you'll soon learn to practise in a safe environment.. :)

-Mike

Ah yes. Got ya.

"a safe environment, you'll soon get the hang of it. In an unsafe environment, you'll soon learn to practise in a safe environment.."

That rules.

I learned on the abondonded docks of ILM (Wilmington is a VERY big port town). Abondonded parking lots where factories used to be, but NEVER on the streets. I am purely against street drifting.

Anyways, my 240sx suspension was almost stock, for the exception of coil-overs all the way around (low quality, VERY) strut tower bars... And hell, thats it. The car was only built for $450 keep in mind. It was the perfect drift car... Easy to fix, easy to work on, parts were cheap, and the car was a great base.

I recall the rear bumper catching the dock wall once or twice, and it getting half ripped off... Fiberglass, sand paper, and 35 minutes later, back on the course :D

God I love drifting... Haha

-Wes

It's fun. I also love watching it. I wanna pick up that vid mentioned earlier.