Ultimate Newb Question about Drifting

[justjuiceit]

Alright, I am a drag racing, road racing, autoxing type of guy. I bought my S13 with no intentions for drifting....unless you count those powerslides around corners.:)

Anyway, my question is can you drift with an automatic? I am not talking about a stock KA autotragic, I am talking Chevy small block with 500 ft lbs of torque in sub 3500 lb car. I am thinking you do not need clutch kick if you got a metric @ss ton of torque. Also, I am considering this automatic will stay in the gear you select and will not upshfit until you shift.

Any pros use automatics? I went to a turner event and saw a black Camaro that seemed to be doing fairly well that appeared to be automatic. Does it make a difference with a vehicle with a solid axle vs. IRS?

[Andy C]

ooh that is a noob question.

you want a manual.

i'm sure ppl will convince u that its possible, but you will never get anywhere that way.

i've never driven anything besides irs, so i cant compare that for ya.

[ThatS13Guy]

"bubba drift" did it in his el camino which was automatic, and tell me he didnt get anywhere? he was in formula d, k

[zebrafantastic]

sure its possible.. i powerover my dads f150 all the time... granted it does suck a big one... it can be done

[Photonic]

ooh that is a noob question.

you want a manual.

i'm sure ppl will convince u that its possible, but you will never get anywhere that way.

i've never driven anything besides irs, so i cant compare that for ya.

There is no convincing needed, Its POSSIBLE yes. Will you be competitive? probably not. The level of control needed is just not there..but yes its quite possible to link some corners with an auto and even run a drift course , it will just be harder and eventually you will just reach a limit of control that cant be broken without a manual.

[Jorgen]

hell yea it can be done...
wheres that drift bible video?

[Shiri Juu Atenza]

Theres a dude who comes out to the local events that has a black auto SC300. He does better good too.

[justjuiceit]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs6l9bsf9ug
Impressive for an auto!

[s7_]

if you drift auto you better have power, that's all i'm saying.

[justjuiceit]

lol I think 500 ft lbs is pretty good power!

[down_shift]

well then I guess we can expect you at Turner 2/14 then.

lock thread.

[Spicoli]

it can be done. and there are plenty of people at turner field who drift auto's.

i would say do it. but Be careful. ANd the sc300 guy he acctually wanted to convert it to a manual i talked to him. he is just trying to get enough mula

[~The_Duke~]

Jimi what you need if you are going to go with an auto tranny is something like is in the G35 autos...

Something that will shift it for you, but it will let you choose when.

[Spicoli]

what duke said. he knows the way of auto. + rep for duke for knowing his shit

[down_shift]

^dumb. he not asking advice for a build. He wants to know if he can take a car as is.

[Spicoli]

oh lol im a (d d d) :(

[~The_Duke~]

^dumb. he not asking advice for a build. He wants to know if he can take a car as is.

From what I was reading he is either doing a V8 swap or he is drifting one of his V8 jags.

I think he was trying to figure out if he didnt a manual tranny or could he go with one of the racket 3 speed auto trannies used in drag cars.

Atleast that is my view on it and since I know kinda how jimi thinks, I think that has gone through his mind.

[maxed1]

if you are going to drift an auto a stall convertor would best suit your needs if your running a small block pumping out 500hp 525tq you prob need a 2800rpm stall so when you nail it you hit the power curve.....i used to drift a 83 camaro with a 410ci small block just last season but i ran a 5spd the stall conv would be like a clutch kick except with some real hp.............Good luck

[MOOREOFSTEPHEN]

you can do it

[C.Ward]

there is a guy at osw with a auto s13 with nos that tears it up.

[madhatters-14]

:superman:yes you can drift an auto car
yes power and torque help
but one very important thing you are forgetting about is chassie balance.
a heavy ass smallblock with a turbo 350 will be garbage for difting.
DRIFTING=the perfect combo of balance and power!!!

[Nick Jeezy]

you need a manual valvebody.

and a stall converter. its basicly like a manual but no clutch.

[justjuiceit]

Well, Duke is right with the later..... I plan to take one of the Jags. I already have started to strip it out to get the weight down. lol The interior was trashed and its not like anything electrical worked anyway.

The jag should be an okay platform, 4 piston front brakes, rear discs with IRS. I already got two posi-trac rearends from pull a part :).

I would love to go with a 6-speed, but that is definately not an easy swap, plus I am trying to keep the cost down on this project, since I would like to enter it in the $2009 GRM Challenge.