anyone here drift their vert? couple questions...

[paintballpro69]

anyway after doing a couple drift days with my hatch its time for a new project. a 92 convetible cali car no rust manual swapped and ive helped him with a lot of mantenence and repairs.. the cars flawless(minus the non working tach/speedo) but besides that it all check out..

im swapping a lot of my parts(body and performance) soon here so itll be good lookin shortly

anyway my question to you guys is that is the body flex noticible while drifting as opposed to a hatch or coupe? im planning on putting brace bar where the rear speakers are straght across through that hole to the chassis and then a main hoop, 2 bars from each brace point down at a angle to the center to where it humps up where the rear seat wouldve started to meet the back of the rear seats(hard to explain ill take a pic) and then continue from the main hoop 2 bars to the wheel wells with a cross bar connecting those 2 and i think that thick metal box looking thing brace(only on the verts) is fine so i dont need a rear strut bar nor weld a bar across correct?

anyway i also got the interior door panels from my old hatch(i parted and still have pieces) will these work if i do it the cut way ordo i have to swap doors(in hat case would hatch doors work?) id like to keep the power windows from the vert so hopefully the door panels will work and i can plug the hole for the crank.

also any other suggestions to make it a better drift car(that only applies to verts.. i know whatim doing for upgrades etc..) but to applying to vert drifters out there any tips or extra thigs to brace. im pretty sure between my cage set up and fender brace and my suspension setup i will be fine. just asking cause well.. its cold as hell and i cant go drift it yet since im swapping parts..

but ya keep an eye out for the best drift convertible on here come spring time..

[94_240sx]

wirelessalpha will be here anytime soon...

[paintballpro69]

well ill be waiting.. dont worry guys next season ill have ton of driftpics for this section of the forum to rep convertibles

[wirelessalpha]

hahahaha. sahddup 94!

Ok seriously though: I'll give you a few pointers along with my opinion (non professional...still learning) and opinions of others (street pro's...local guys who have riddent my vert and got it sideways...nicely)

1. You wont need a rear brace - yes, what we have now is super strong...and placed there by ASC.

2. DO go buy a super adjustable suspension set...as it will be worth it when trying to find those magic dial-in's. I'm still trying to find the right combo on mine....but I'm definetely getting there...I just need more track time.

3. I got a front strut as well....keep that in mind.

4. I have basically the same idea with the cage you are talking about...I just need to get everything welded in.

5. Do get a set of good front tires - when brake drifting, this is key. This week in E-town, some of the guys who ran my car kept telling me the front tires is hindering my true performance level...as it was theres.... I attempted alot of brake drifting that night....and a couple times I just kept losing it in the front...really ****in it up.

6. Yes, those door panels will work. I have coupe door panels on my vert - which I used to cover up my SAW antics when I chopped off that front-seatbelt mount. Looks real nice now....PS: You might need to drill 1-2 holes in the door in order to get some of the mount points to line up. For example, with the door panels I used - on the side closest to the door handle, were 2 mount plugs that didn't have anything to mount into (my vert door was missing them). So...I drilled 2 holes into the door...and jammed those mount plugs (the little white plastic things) into it.

My Opinion on all things Vert/Drifting:

1. Even with the Tein Flex setup - my entire chassis is floppy. I am hoping the cage will help in all this. For now...i seriously seriously feel like the flex is overwhelming.

2. I need TC rods bad...along with a set of sway bars to get more angle.

3. The Vert WILL DRIFT NICE with a experienced driver. Everyone who has taken my car on the track usually take 2-3 runs to get it right (by everyone I mean those that are not newbs)....but it will drift.

Everyone else's opinions I racked up from co-seaters and drivers who took my car for a spin (experienced users only):

1. YES to everything I mentioned earlier under "my opinion".

2. "This car is very difficult to drift to begin with..b/c of the vert setup. So don't be frustrated....it would be hard for a pro as well to handle compared to a hatch or coupe".

3. Replace the WHOLE suspension. EVERYTHING.

4. The chassis is too loose...and this is not good for a Vert. Again, refer to point 3.

[paintballpro69]

ive been drifting for a while now and know what im doing. we cant even go to a driftday /o a cage on convertibles..(4 point minimum) and i already have a set of coilovers, body kit w/ cf hod and wide fenders (still need to get rear ones), tension rods, sway bars(f&r), tension brace, rims (fno1r 17X9)w/ falken rt 615 tires signal auto racin seats w/ takatas, racing wheel with nardi hub and q/d, nismo shift knob with drft knob, stage 2 clutch, and some oher misc stuff..

im just waiting on putting some parts in and putting the new top on(IM NOT EXCITED ABOUT THIS) but ater that i got all winter for my sr20 swap/build and the cage. so ya im pumped....

thanks for the tips/pointers and knowledge that someone else drifts a vert

[afracer]

I don't 'drift' my convertible per se, I don't go to any events and get competitive or anything, but I do enjoy screwing around in an empty parking lot every now and then.

I've done a lot of suspension work on my 'vert and with all the mods I have done it's not too bad to control or throw around however I want, I just would need to practice drifting a bit more in that car to figure out where it really needs attention to be able to drift better/more aggressively. I haven't done it much cause I don't want to mess up or thrash the car. I know my coilovers aren't quite stiff enough and I'd need bigger sway bars (using JDM ones now), better brakes, some 18' wheels, front strut brace, and the Nismo power brace. Of course a roll cage would help a lot too. Anything (within reason) can be drifted well with a good driver, so keep practicing and take videos! I wanna watch!

[paintballpro69]

i took it out today and tore it up for sure.. the flex sucks *** though. im contemplting finishing this or finishing my hatch.. well see. either way my uddy will finish the convertible(ill take my parts back) or i will. ill get some video of me tearing it up next year though unless there is another nice day out

overall the stock lsd isnt tooo bad on it and its a fun drive through the fall colors on lake roads just driving or tearing it up in (closed proffesional race tracks) i.e. industrail park parking lots but ya.. its nice. it was just kind of snappy and got hard linking turns once you get into a wider angle but overall i think it could be done. well see though. but liek i said me or my buddy will have one scik vert this next season(ill drive it for the vid though.. got a lot of experience on him) i might make a vid of my hatch soon though

but someday ill have a seet 240vert. whether its now or maybe a year from now well see....

(theres a white rust free vert manual swapped with volks and tein suspension with a lot of new stuff i the midwest f/s on my forums for 4800 firm. its pretty tightt if anyone wants info on it let me know!)

[JRd916]

always wondered the same question myself lol

[Paradox]

I don't 'drift' my convertible per se, I don't go to any events and get competitive or anything, but I do enjoy screwing around in an empty parking lot every now and then.

I've done a lot of suspension work on my 'vert and with all the mods I have done it's not too bad to control or throw around however I want, I just would need to practice drifting a bit more in that car to figure out where it really needs attention to be able to drift better/more aggressively. I haven't done it much cause I don't want to mess up or thrash the car. I know my coilovers aren't quite stiff enough and I'd need bigger sway bars (using JDM ones now), better brakes, some 18' wheels, front strut brace, and the Nismo power brace. Of course a roll cage would help a lot too. Anything (within reason) can be drifted well with a good driver, so keep practicing and take videos! I wanna watch!

I would say 16" would probably be the best size for a S13 to drift with, I am going to use 16" wheels I have, they are enkei 92's and are 16x7 with zero offset. Drifting on 18's can get expensive quick...

I also plan on bringing out my vert to drift in the spring. I have many years experience drifting everything from a hi-jet truck to a z32tt to my fleet of AE86's. I bought my vert with no engine/transmission and bought a ka24de 5 speed to put in it to have something, but I am in the middle of negotiations of trading a 85 corolla gts coupe (AE86) for a sr swap to a guy I know who works at a junkyard and a nice setup wandered in to the yard complete with short shifter, koyo radiator and nardi wheel. He also has a 5 lug conversion, so i am trying to throw in a couple sets of wheels to get some other stuff from him. I really do not care about the 5 lug conversion so much, but really would like to run R32 GT-R wheels...

I plan on putting a roll bar in over the winter. My top is ok, but the back window is gone...

I also have a wide body silvia kit, both front and Z32 leather seats for the front. I am anxious to bring out the vert to drift days. I will have my son drive the AE86 that is setup to drift currently, and I can alternate cars for drift day...

[paintballpro69]

^^^16" rims are ok but 17" is where its at.. and 9" wide if you plan on going anywhere..

the tires cost me 125 for 2 then i got connections for mount and balance. if falken rt 615's are too much(which after you calculate how many other tires youd go through int he time of one set of those they are cheaper if not the same price and will serve you much better in the mean while and save time on tire service at the track)

anyway kumho ecsta 711 are a cheap alternative. rt615's is where its at though..

[110octane]

Falken Azenis RT-615's are the SihT!

For the price, performance, streetability and sizes available there isn't a better tire on the market imho.

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

http://video.google.com/videop...drift

I posted up this video way back when in a different thread...there's a gold vert in it...not doing alotta drifting but I thought you might wanna see how it looks.

[slownslurious]

is the body flex noticible while drifting as opposed to a hatch or coupe?

some people on here think otherwise but to me, for me, yes, it was night and day. I noticed the difference between the coupe and the hatch immediately, but the vert is like switching to a 1988 buick. its a noodle.

Quote »anyway i also got the interior door panels from my old hatch(i parted and still have pieces) will these work if i do it the cut way ordo i have to swap doors(in hat case would hatch doors work?) id like to keep the power windows from the vert so hopefully the door panels will work and i can plug the hole for the crank.[/quote]they will but you will have to cut the holes for the switch. I put a set on some converted vert doors once.

Quote »also any other suggestions to make it a better drift car(that only applies to verts.. i know whatim doing for upgrades etc..) [/quote]I am planning on making my own version of the HKS kansai tunnel brace that goes under the transmission I think that would make a big difference. also planning on tying in the the A arm bars of my roll cage into the A arms for additional rigidity (keeping in mind this will disqualify the car for many types of sanctioned events).

[paintballpro69]

why would it do that?

anyway building it this winter... its gonna be sweet.. im gonna get a great cage build and hope this thing is driftable otherwise ill be pissed and just have a sweet vert with a unneeded cage..

also im thinking of doing carbon fiber origin interior door panels.. otherwise well see.. id like to keep power windows on a vert but i might to save weight etc.. lets pray the kid i left the doors at didnt throw em away so i can swap the doors out..

anyway it will be a project.. lets hope i dont regret it.. expecially after just finishing my hatch.. everything is getting swapped now and going into the vert that i can swap.. well see the outcome.. ill post up some progress pics

[DukeBoy]

I have a 4pt roll bar in my vert and it makes the car completely different. I don't think that any suspension mod, no matter how many, will do what a roll bar did to my car. I used to drag my muffler trying to drift right turns; that's how much roll there was in the car. I am going to be adding the front cage this winter so I can tandem at events.

[paintballpro69]

im taking your guys word for it.. i feel bad not making it look uper nice.. men itll be a drift car.. with zipties and cracked aero pieces etc.. i dont feel a vert should see that.. but oh well..

im gonna do it. itll be aproject but i bet i could get pretty far this weekend assuming how much garage time i have(my friends garage.. i dont have one)

and living in mn sucks cause no garage+winter almost here well basicly is here.. plus the top needs to be replaced(comes with a new uninstalled one).. migh tnot turn out too well.. we will see maybe i can bum his garage lol well see though.. ill try n post pics of progress. but itll be in chunks..

[DukeBoy]

http://s30.photobucket.com/alb...k.flv

[one ton garage]

It's funny when you jack up one corner of a conv, and then try to open and close the doors. That should answer any questions about how much flex there is in the chassis. Ideally, if you're going to try and be somewhat competitive in a conv, you'll want more than just a simple 4 point cage... and you should try and make sure that you incorporate some of the bars into the strut towers (rear down bars into the rear strut towers with a cross bar, and run some front extensions through firewall to plates welded to front strut towers). Even then, you can't expect to get the conv as tight as a comparatively-equipped hard top S13 unfortunately. I always found the convs a joy to drift just for fun though just because they're so slow and easy to control.. mostly cuz of the added weight. Not as easy to toss around as a coupe, but still fun nonetheless

[DukeBoy]

[QUOTE=....Ideally, if you're going to try and be somewhat competitive in a conv, you'll want more than just a simple 4 point cage... and you should try and make sure that you incorporate some of the bars into the strut towers (rear down bars into the rear strut towers with a cross bar, and run some front extensions through firewall to plates welded to front strut towers). Even then, you can't expect to get the conv as tight as a comparatively-equipped hard top S13 unfortunately. I always found the convs a joy to drift just for fun though just because they're so slow and easy to control.. mostly cuz of the added weight. Not as easy to toss around as a coupe, but still fun nonetheless[/QUOTE]

quit picking on me let me have my fun

[one ton garage]

quit picking on me let me have my fun

Of course... and imagine how much more fun there's to be had when you get more bracing into it! Hmmm might as well strip the car out to save as much weight as possible when you upgrade to the cage... and that'll be a good time to weld some extra bits to the cage (i.e. tie it into the front and rear strut towers).