Drift Ability
I drive an '07 G35 (sport package) with a Nismo cold-air intake, Invidia exhaust, Hotchkis sway bar kit, and plenum spacer. I managed to get the car sideways at drift events, but the factory 19-inch wheels were too big, so I swapped them out for a set of 17-inch 350Z track rims. Besides running smaller wheels, what do you recommend I do to the car? I only plan to attend track events four to six times a year.
--David Marshallvia importtuner.com
I'm no master drifter, but I used to go to local drift events with my KA turbo S13 240SX several years back. I found as a beginner that it was easier to drift at 60-80 mph than at 20-30 mph. Once I got the balls to speed up, I was able to induce, hold, and power out of a drift much easier. The inertia from higher speeds helps the car (and driver) to induce and hold a drift, whereas grip, steering, driver skill and balls help to control it. If you are serious about drifting, then you'll want to go to an alignment shop that wrenches on drift cars and ask for recommendations. Get yourself some inner tie rods from Peak Performance that allow more steering angle, and replace your factory viscous differential with a more aggressive LSD (OS Giken or KAAZ). The aftermarket clutch-type LSDs are much more aggressive (sometimes too aggressive, but can be adjusted) and make it a bit easier to induce and control a drift. Another misconception is to use shitty tires in the rear. This is fine if you just want to create a bunch of smoke, but if you want a controlled drift, you'll want the best tires you can afford.
Hybrid Engine Swap
I'm looking to gain a little more power out of my '08 Scion tC without having to resort to a turbo or supercharger. I figure that since the tC shares the inline-four engine with the sixth-generation Camry, I could swap out my engine with the V-6 engine found in the SE and XLE Camry. I know the inline-four Camry has either the manual or auto transmission, but the V-6 is packaged with the auto transmission. Is there a reason for that? I was wondering what advice you would have on this swap, if it would work, and if it is even worth it.
--Igorvia importtuner.com
Any engine can be swapped into any car if you have the budget, but for all that extra time, effort, money, and trial and error, just run a Turbonetics turbo system and call it a day. Trust me; you'll be much happier with the end result and the extra cash you'll save.
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