Mikey_b

I noticed there is a lot of guys on here from Japan so they might be able to answer this question. I know the question of "How do I set up my Rx7 to drift" has been beat into the ground here but this is a different question.
I noticed that in all of my Japanese drift videos and magazes, I see very few 2nd gen RX7s anymore. In my Japanese magazines from the 1996-98, I saw a lot more. Nowadays in D1 drift competions, all you pretty much see is AE86s, S14s, S13s, PS13s, and the usual 4 door sedans. Very rarely do I see FCs. Is the FC losing popularity? The AE86s and S13s are also older cars but they seem to keep going strong. Are the FCs harder to drift then other cars? Why are FCs losing popularity?
Thanks to anyone that can help me out and answer this.

RX-7Impreza

alright i have to ask..... what the hell is an AE86??????

Justin

TommyTheCat

Toyota Trueno, or corolla in the US. code is the AE86, like an FC, FD, etc....light, RWD car that japanese drivers like to drift(cheap and easy).

MtnRacer

It's a Corolla GTS Hatchback from the mid 80s. The Japanese call it a Levin or a Trueno.

Steve

Mikey_b

This is a AE86 (Corolla GTS.) (My friends car.)

RXSpyder

I've seen a lot of silvias and ae86 that do great drifts. I havent seen a lot of FCs though. But i know that they do drift pretty well.....for a vert anyway.

Spawn VII

maybe because it cost more to maintain? (parts and all, plus it's a sports car... $$$) then people will not want to risk it unless they can afford fixing it? at least here in US it cost. in comparison, the nissans and corollas would cost less to maintain since there's more parts then it is in demand, and FCs are the exact opposite. i've seen drift competition videos with FCs in it, but popular or not? well... i have no idea...

Akagi_Red_Sun

I'm thinking the FC is problly a little harder to drift due to the mid-engine placement, and the dynamic tracking suspension system. maintenence costs might have something to do with it as well. I'm guessing though, Im not sure.

Try asking this on the japanese forum, some of those guys have owned FCs before, and some own s13 as well.

Ranzo

I would have to say that it is because Japanese are followers. They are all hung up on a s-14, 2-15 sylvia and cannot think outside the box. This is not a racial comment, this comes from 10 years of experience living with them, racing with them, and conversating with them

My favorite Misturu Haraguchi pilots a bad *** FC, the Yellow one with the big *** wing and BN aero kit, there are abouit 4 FC's that compete in D1 but only 2 of them make it in the top. I would have to say that most people who are into drift are young and don't know of the FC's potential or they think it is ugly. Another thing is the Rotary engine, alot of people don't know about the rotary and people are scared of what they don't understand. The FD has much more popularity than the FC but it is still and expensive car so not alot of people get them and still another issue is the availability of parts, there is everything under the sun available for a sylvia or 180, most anything nissan, especially in used parts shops. A RX-7 is a much higher class car in my opinion and is harder to find things for. This also goes back to the following thing where there are so many people making parts for cars that they like.

I would have to say that Sylvias drive very nice and the more you do to it the better it gets but it would never satisfy my needs like a rx-7 does. A FC is a very formidable drift car but due to its lack of popularity with the Japanese right now it would be hard to win D1 with one. D1 is a popularity artsy fartsy who do you like better competition with ever changing rules so I would venture to say that unless your name is Nobuteru Taniguchi you aren't gonna win it this year no matter what you drive.

When you go to a regualr circuit run or drift event there are plenty of FC's out there kickin *** so don't think it is not a good drift car.

Ichiban

its the fact that drifters ususaly have lots of engine problems and replacing parts alot and ther are no aftermarket stuff for rotors hench $$$$ to fix
so the average drifter cant afford to use it to drift on a regualr basis

wher as ae86 panels (over here anyway) are ceap as
mowst of the ae86 we have are jsut 140kw 4age's with a locked diff
and they do sideways easy

we can buy a whole replace emtnone for couple hundred dollars

and s13's will be selling for 5-7k australian next year

Ichiban

sorry here just a site with a nice ae86 track /drift car

in japanese

jacobcartmill

iTrader: (6)

whats everyone's deal with drifting? cant you go around the corner faster if you're putting the power to the ground?

Mikey_b

The point of drifting has nothing to do with going as fast as you can around a corner. (Using normal driving techniques.) Its about flare and finess and seeing how fast you can carry your drift through a corner. People need to stop comparing it to normal racing. Its a totally different class.
Its kind of like comparing Olympic speed skating to figure skating. Of course the speed skaters are going to be going as fast as they can. The whole competition is based on how fast you do it. I would compare drifting to figure skating. It is based on only on style and how well you carry the drift. You will gain more points/approval with drift judges if you drift faster though. If you have two identical drifts but one guy is going a lot faster, of course the faster guy will get judged higher. Drifting is judged using a panel of judges and has nothing to with lap times. In most competitions I have seen, they only drift a certain section of a track at a time. Its kind of bad analogy but its the best I could come up with.

Juan

iTrader: (28)

Drifting is the new fad now thanks to initialD. Just like TFAF made everyone run out of the theatre, into the mAd tYtE cIvIc and drag race all the way home.

Alot of people get away from the mountain racing/drifting scene as soon as they crash. These people just do it for the image and after their car is beat up, they usually go back to drag racing or whatever they did before.

Juan

iTrader: (28)

I agree. Drifting is a way to show off and in most cases you will be slower around a turn. If you want faster lap times, practice your lines. If you want to impress your friends and the ladies in the stands, then drift/slide the night away.

Mikey_b

Drifting will not stay around. It will be shortlived in the US. I know there is tons of talk about everyone wanting a AE86 or a S13 with a SR20det....but very few people actually own one. Its mostly talk.
A lot of the US kids like to walk into performance shops and say. "Here is 15K, build me a 10 second 1/4 (insert manufacturer of choice) motor." Drifting is 85%+ driver and 15% what kind of car you have. It will never catch on. Kids want instant gratification and they will get tired of trying to drift when they can't learn it one week. Drag racing is a lot easier compared to drifting. An average driver can jump into a 12 second (1/4 mile) automatic Mustang and probably run a half-way decent time. It would be very unique to find an average person jump in a modified 240sx and be a good drifter instantly. It would take months and years to become very skilled. Kids are also going to get sick and tired of having to fix so many parts that break. Drifting is really hard on cars also. Most serious drifters do all of the work/repairs on their own cars because it would be way to expensive to pay a shop to fix every little thing that breaks/ stops working. Ask any long time AE86 owner if they like to tinker with cars and enjoy fixing them. Chances are they do. Because if you didn't, you would of wanted to sell that car years ago.
Trends in the US don't stay around that long. Kids will quickly move onto something else that is easier.
The true die hard drifters will stick around while the rest have moved onto other things.

von

Driftin is funner who cares about the corner

Rs4Racer

you can drift a fc.
but the ae86 out of the 3 cars is probable the easiest to drift. you can drift it easy stock.

Rotorific

iTrader: (1)

rx7s dont have that much torque to drift but it really doesnt take that much now a tII is a different story although i must say that the ae86 is a very light car and it doesnt have that much torque but the 240sx has a decent amount so both are good candidates i personally think that its not the rx7 band wagon is dying out, its just that the other cars are fairly new to the US teenagers eyes for doing stupidfun stuff and people are jumping on those bandwagons with the whole JDM thing....**** we all know that the fc is one of the most coveted cars in japan along with the skylines supras fds sileightys and more its just the fact that they dont differ here than japan that much and the 240sx in japan is a turbo monster car for a 4banger and the ae86 is drift king...Im sticking with my rx7 to drift around

FC Drifter

t2s make great drift cars, dunno about n/a FC. if theyre dying out in japan its not because they arent good at it. personaly i hope the new US interest in drifting does die off. ive been sliding now since early '99, way before i even heard of initial d or option videos. i love it, its a lot of fun.

Sammymatik

I know my FB was fairly nice for drifting. Haven't been able to try my FC out yet, but I have driven my buddy's FC, and wouldn't that rear wheel toe steering hinder drift ability?

Juan

iTrader: (28)

Its all driver. A buddy of mine drifted my stock suspension GXL very easily. From what Ive heard, s13's are one of the easiest cars to oversteer. Maybe thats why theyre popular? If you know what youre doing, you can drift almost anything out there. Ever see a truck drifting or a small cargo truck (like the isuzu npr?)?

Mikey_b

Yeah...its the driver skill that makes the difference.

From what I've "heard", the AE86 is one of the most difficult car to drift because it has a short wheelbase and lighter weight which makes it twitchy. I've heard this comment often. "If you can drift an AE86 well, you can just about drift any car out there."
People have told me that the easier cars to drift are the larger 4 door sedans like the Cefiro, Chaser, Laurel, etc..

I am no expert. A lot of my knowledge was gained from people that were over there and have drifted. I have not been there so don't take my word as fact.

Ichiban

knew i for got something

http://www5a.biglobe.ne.jp/~cby/revinof.htm

slidingsky

HEHE I live in Hawaii, driftsession. Theres lots of cars. barely any FCs though. BTW I love haruguchis style. I think its the most agressive. He slides the furthest sideways before the turn. He does fairly well in the contests, right? Anyways. Haha I have drift session!