to switch to FC or keep FD?
 

Hey guy/gals?,

Looking for some feedback from someone who has experience drifting both chassis. Obviously the cars suspension is a lot different and I am wondering if someone can comment on the difference that has on driving style, if any? As a "beginner" and someone with none or very limited track availability what chassis would be better? I see a lot more fc's drifting than fd's and yes i know it is possible to drift either but is it any easier or more forgiving in an fc?

I am currently driving a FD3s, i have basic mods, bucket seat, 2 way diff and stance coilovers. so I'd say my car is decently setup but I think the car is a bit of a handful for street driving, I am use to nissans.

I find the fd picks up a lot more speed in corners than what I am use to and if i am not full on the throttle the car tends to hook up and straighten out, which for me has been an issue , I've been driving the car for about 9 months now and have made considerable improvements but I am starting to think maybe I am better off in a different chassis. I am getting a wheel alignment this week and also thinking about going non sequential. hoping that makes some difference in the right direction as well.

Not looking for another how to improve the FD thread but wondering on the differences in how an fc and fd drive.

-Joe

Id say keep driving it. an fc could be just as hard to drive. just up the pressure in the rear tires to make you not gain speed and not hook up so easy when off throttle. also make your rear coilovers stiffer.

but really it sounds like you just dont have the experience under your belt. drive more and youll be fine. the best car to drift is whatever car you have.

most drive fcs because they are cheap, throwaway cars.

i dont have experience in drifting either chassis but do know that replacing parts for a FC is a lot more affordable than a FD.

Not sure what the track is like where you are or if you ran tandem but if there is walls or you run tandem, you are bound to smash into someone, someone smash into you or smash into a wall.

I have a FD as a wknd car and plan on building a FC drift car.

Parts availability is the biggest issue. I got rid of my FC for an Fd, and with what I've done in it, they handle about the same. Both cars are going to be a lot 'snappier' and want to straighten out a lot more than a s-chassis, that's mainly due to superior suspension design.

But, if you dirt drop an FC and crack a spindle, you can get a replacement at a salvage yard for 30 bucks, as opposed to an FD where you have to wait months on here to find somebody parting one out or go through Mazda and pay an arm and a leg.

^ I think if your decently active in the FD community....you can find replacement OEM parts fairly easily. Just depends on where you look. I started flipping parts years ago and i've kept a collection of parts known to break. Now I have a hoard of em. And guess what? I havn't broken much yet. Dear god knock on wood sooooo hard right now..

Also, I really feel like Fc's are a bit more tail happy than Fd's... suspension is quite different... and I think you are right about fd's wanting to snap back.....but that just forces you to be a better driver. I'm by no means a good driver. But I can tell you that you can learn and drive an fd just as well as an fc. They're not the "Easiest" cars to learn in... but if you've driven s-chassis cars your whole life and are looking for something different... where here you go. If you miss the s-chass... then get another one. Pick a care you want to drive and go with it.

I say get an RX-8 to drift.

I have FC, FD and RX-8 and though I am no drifter (I auto-x) the RX-8 is by far the easiest to drift due to its long wheelbase and quick steering ratio with decent lock.

Only issue with the RX-8 is it takes more $ and effort to make reliable power. Companies are coming through with plug and play EFI and 13BREW turbo swap manifolds etc though- so it is getting better.

The RX-8 is like the new FC- they sold a bunch so used parts and whole cars are cheap, but it has all the benefits of being a 22 year newer car.

plus for the most part its built like a lego, most of it is really really simple

My next track car will be a LS swapped RX8. Once there are a few more swaps done and people figure the odd details out we are going to see a ton of engine swaps in RX8s.

My next track car will be a LS swapped RX8. Once there are a few more swaps done and people figure the odd details out we are going to see a ton of engine swaps in RX8s.

Yes!

My friend wants to sell me his wrecked 6.0 GTO and I am having a hard time deciding if the LS should go in my FD or RX-8.

hmm, I do have an entire S5 Tii drive train not being used... could swap that into an Rx8 haha