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NSX + Drifting?

JDM JUNKIE

JDM JUNKIE

Registered Member
Joined
20 March 2003
Messages
86
Location
Denver Colorado USA
I was wondering how many of us actually drift our Xs. I do but I'm afraid to get too crazy with my new baby. The car breaks loose real nice with the traction control off and with some good heal toe action. I love it! However, I'm scared to take it to the limit.
Any thoughts?
Oh, and I did do a search first and the only thread I found that was similar was "Interested in Drifting" but only because it was getting a little off topic.
 
You should be a very good driver to do that with a MR car - even on a track. When you exceed a certain speed the car becomes very hard to control when the rear end gets loose - the stickier the tires, the more dangerous. In the german drift challenge you don't find any NSX and hardly any MR car (although I saw some Lotus Esprit cars in Hockenheim in perfect drifts but driven by professional factory pilots).

OTOH I had a lot of fun on a damp track with worn Yokohama rain tires (not street legal, race only). They made the car nearly as predictable as a FR car.
 
Just two proof pic for the above statement:
1st: Lotus pro driver with Esprit V 8 GT in unbelievable drift angle - no spin, he carried the angle through the whole Sachs curve in Hockenheim...
 

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NSX-Racer said:
Just two proof pic for the above statement:
1st: Lotus pro driver with Esprit V 8 GT in unbelievable drift angle - no spin, he carried the angle through the whole Sachs curve in Hockenheim...
Click to expand...

amazing pic, amazing car!! :D
 
If you you are in So Cal. We have driftdays here at a huge parking lot in Irvindale speedway.

www.driftday.com

They setup areas for different drift practice.. The event is gear toward learning for beginners. Also Lot of fun for the Intermediate/advance drifters too.

I gone a couple time on my IS300 and it is a blast.

Also buy the Drift Bible DVD from best motoring video. It will help with drifting technique and exercises.

They did have a very short clip of an NSX drifting but they filmed the MR dift demo with a MR2.
 
I have a friend who is a big drifting guy. He drives a JDM 180SX and I let him drive my X once to see how he liked it.

He didn't drift in it and mentioned that with practice it would be a great car to do it in. The only down side is that it would be expensive in the upkeep and of course, an expensive consequence if you ever wrecked.
 
It is pretty hard to wreck at a driftday event.. Course is setup pretty safe.

Of course Mechanical failure can always happen and that isn't cheap with the X.

Good way to get to know your cars limit and how to handle it. I would recommend if possible do 1 or 2 driftdays..

I'm much more confident after the events. still, NEVER Drift on the STREET!!
 
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I've got an old video somebody made of a pair of NSX's at the track drifting around. If anybody has some hosting space, its worth a look (set to music too if memory serves). Looks like fun!
 
mdb said:
I've got an old video somebody made of a pair of NSX's at the track drifting around. If anybody has some hosting space, its worth a look (set to music too if memory serves). Looks like fun!
Click to expand...

how big are the files? I might have space

pm me
 
JDM JUNKIE said:
The car breaks loose real nice with the traction control off and with some good heal toe action.
Click to expand...

That's some interesting heel-toeing you're doing if its causing you to drift. Heel-toe rev-matching is supposed to prevent you from drifting. Not heel-toeing, i.e. down-shifting and popping the clutch, throws weight off the rear and is a good way to start a drift (but is bad for your clutch).

I think drifting skills are important when driving the somewhat-tail-happy NSX at the limit on a road or autox course. Sometimes you have to decelerate at a bad time in a turn, and the tail comes out. Or when quickly exiting a tight turn, there's a good possibility of power oversteer. So learning when and how much to counter-steer to control these "drifts" is pretty important. I think the first step is developing a sense for when the rear is about to slip, and habitually doing a counter-steering twitch at those times.
 
buy an ae86 or 180 or 240 and have at it. I love drifting but NOT in my X. I have tried it several times in a very large empty lot and as stated above by nsx-racer an MR is just to twitchy for drifting.get a car that is ideal for it.the good news is you dont need hardly any mods for drifting.I know some guys adjust to oversteer but not much more and you dont need alot of power.BTW if your that much into drifting go on ebay and buy the japanese version of initial D anime with subtitles.you can buy 50 30 minute episodes,plus the extra stage and movie for 50 bucks,dont waste you cash on the battle stage though.but check it out...its a must have for all drift freaks.BTW I have drifted alot in other cars and want you to know I had real trouble using my drift style with the X..our car is just so well balanced it makes for a poor drift platform,not that you cant do it but it is really not realistic to use it in that manner of driving
 
Can anyone tell me if the AE86's steering ratio is as slow as the nsx?? I was wondering if the Steering ratio have anything to do with drifting the nsx...

I had no problem drifting a go kart (I'm only talking about those indoor ones, not even the shifter). It's a MR, the only thing that's really different in a nsx and the go kart (driving experience and handling wise) was steering ratio...
 
Bad carma: One of my other cars is a 240(or 180), and the car I learned to drift in. I really try not to drift in my X, but sometimes I find myself sliding around a corner anyways. My real question is if anyone hear does get crazy, I just have a little fun but don't get nuts in my X. Oh and takumi is a great tofu delivery driver!

Solid citizen: What’s wrong with heal toe action? I find it better than ripping up the e-brake. In my 240 I get great drifts by down shifting from 4th to 2nd using heal toe, and I'm sure your right it's not good on the clutch but I'm not worried about that or my tire wear. I'm just having a little fun.
When I first visited Japan my friend Takashi introduced me to some toge drifters and I was lucky to ride along in a s13 everyone there was using heal toe and that’s just how I learned I guess. What do you suggest instead?
 
JDM JUNKIE said:
Solid citizen: What’s wrong with heal toe action? I find it better than ripping up the e-brake. In my 240 I get great drifts by down shifting from 4th to 2nd using heal toe, and I'm sure your right it's not good on the clutch but I'm not worried about that or my tire wear. I'm just having a little fun.
When I first visited Japan my friend Takashi introduced me to some toge drifters and I was lucky to ride along in a s13 everyone there was using heal toe and that’s just how I learned I guess. What do you suggest instead?
Click to expand...

I guess I'm not used to hearing the term heel toe used in drifting, since its usually for smooth driving. It sounds like you are talking about a combination of sudden downshift and power oversteer. Since NSX clutches aren't cheap, I think I'd instead try gradually trail braking into a decreasing-radius turn, then throttle/counter-steer to maintain the drift. Or just power oversteer when exiting a turn, but be sure to counter-steer as soon as you stab the throttle. Be safe! Think of how many S13's you can buy for the cost of an NSX. ;)
 
SolidCitizen said:
Think of how many S13's you can buy for the cost of an NSX. ;)
Click to expand...
That is why I'm so reserved in drifting my NSXer! I was just hoping someone here was the all or nothing kind of driver and could tell me how the car responds in high speed drifting. I seem to be getting mostly warnings and what not to dos, I was just hoping to hear from some "reckless" drivers. I know a guy that gets insane in his s2000 and was wondering about the NSX drifting scene and if there is one. Anyone?

Bad carma: So to do a proper drift I want to slide the front wheels so that I don't bring the rear-end around... is that right?:D
 
Former Silvia S-15 Owner

I havent had my NSX to long but I used to drift the hell out of my Silvia and when I broke loose on my new honda it was a little uncomfortable......it seems true what that one guy said on the thread that once it goes past a certain point it gets crazy and you dont see to many nsx's in drift comps......its like a ferrari you dont break loose and when you do its not good.
 
NSX23: It was me who wrote that. Little addendum: No matter what car, be sure to fix your wheels properly before you try drifting;)

(Pic from the driftday.com site)
 

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There is a drifting video of 2 NSXes on my site.
In media archive. It can be done. Looks easy too.

Because of the midengine layout of the NSX, it has a most of it's mass very close to the center, making rotation fast (-er) than FR cars. That's why most drifters prefer FR instead og RR cars.
 
NSX-Racer said:
BITer: I'd really love to see the video but as one of the few Mac users I only hear the sound of an AVI file - not even the newest Quicktime version can show me the picture.
Click to expand...

Hi NSX-Racer,

I have no problem to watch AVI files on my Mac, try with VLC

Regards,
 

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