What to look out for when getting into drifting?

teatime

teatime

New Member
Hello, young and complete beginner, looking for advice/words of wisdom. Currently looking at getting a stock NB mx-5 and trying my hand at fitting coilovers, roll bar, and seeing if I can get the diff welded somewhere? (controversial I've heard but it'll be a bit shoestring)

Main worry is a complete lack of mechanical knowledge/experience but you've got to start somewhere I guess? If I wanted to have this mx-5 drive itself to the track and back? Local track is buxton about an hour away. Sorry for the lack of pointed questions but I don't even know what I should be asking yet, I just don't have anyone to talk to about getting into it all. I know there's any number of people ready to do you over so I'm just a bit wary.

I guess if you could go back and give yourself advice when you got into drifting what would it be? Really just looking to be able to do some skids and talk to interesting people at the moment, not much more than that

Cheers for any replies no matter how big or small
 
Learn to do as much as possible yourself. It'll save you fortunes.

Mx5 is a good first car, need to be committed in them and Buxton is going to be a scary place to jump head first if you like your car. Maybe look at 3 sisters for a beginners day so the car can do more than one day out.

Taylor Ray on youtube is a good place for mx5 knowledge. If you go way back in the videos his car was a simple 1.8 turbo, now fully built into a fd beating car.
 
Andy318ti said:
Buxton is going to be a scary place to jump head first if you like your car. Maybe look at 3 sisters for a beginners day so the car can do more than one day out.
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Duly noted, watched a bloke smash the front of his RX-8 last time and pop the airbags, and I'd like more than one day out
I've only been to three sisters once, but do they do drifting on the track itself or on the open tarmac?

Cheers for the response!
 
MX5 is a good choice - not sure why a welded diff is controversial - run them in most things drift related and its consistent - legalities aside (grey area) its the simplest and most reliable way to do it.

Reliability is the aim of my drifting days. So make sure the cooling system is good. 1.6 or 1.8 will yeet fine. The NB chassis like to rust the chassis rails and sills so keep an eye on them.

My list would be - cheap coil-overs and a welded diff - will see you right for starting.

Crashing happens - it's not normally a question of it but when - especially starting out. Don't let it put you off and don't go in 110%.

Oval tracks (likes of Swaffham/Yarmouth etc) look scary - they aren't - take the inside line and just drift what you are comfortable with - UK days are great, nobody cares, long as you are having fun - just do one end. Then the other end, then you can look at linking the middle.

Don't be under pressure to be the best one out there, keep aware of your surroundings and don't be afraid to let people know you are new and wouldn't mind some space - slow down and hang around near the back of the pack if you so wish.

Above all else - have fun, don't get too caught up in loads of mods and this that or other - focus on the fundamentals and ease yourself into it.

Also, make sure to watch out for the marshals and do as they ask - they are there for your safety and others - don't be afraid to speak to people for advice - be warned though, you will get 5 different answers to the same question everyone has their own preferences and styles of driving.

Drifted an NA 1.6 MX5 previously and I must say - they are epic fun ! I imagine the NB chassis to be of similar ilk.
 
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