Drift car question

[Jantrix]

Since drift racing is apparently done on fairly small tracks and the speeds aren't as fast as other types of track racing, how important would an aero kit be to a drift car? In my research I see a lot of cars with them and some without. But in reality, is it a necessity? Any help woulda be appreciated.

[LDO]

It helps even less when going sideways.

It would do no good at all.

[W-409]

I think there's no need for any aero kits or anything like that. Drifting can be done on good looking cars, too, this clip is filmed here in Finland.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNX5PmOJW8U

[Earl Marischal]

My son does drifting in a 3 Series BMW and he doesn't bother with aero packages.

steve

[TFchronos]

I don't think aero packages really do anything for the cars in terms of increased performance. At best they "might" lighten a car in some cases but for the most part I think they use them for show more that anything else.

[Jantrix]

What about extra downforce in the front of the vehicle? The one online reference I found for the "why's and wherefores of drifting" suggested it.

[unclescott58]

Niko, you crazy Finns. I love the "drifting" with the old Pontiac. With you Finns doing stuff like that, it explains a lot of where we of Finnish decent over here, get our crazy ideas from. It must be in the blood.

Scott

[High octane]

Would that be in any relation to Mickey Finn?

[DrGlueblob]

Back in high school days, I used to slide around Phoenix streetcorners in a bone-stock '71 Datsun pickup.. Too much Starsky & Hutch on TV....

[unclescott58]

One can do all the sliding they want here in Minnesota in the winter. Had a friend back in the 70's who had a '69 Mustang Mach I with a 351 in it. Any open parking lot, especially with fresh snow, he would be out there spinning donuts for has long as he could. He beat that poor Mustang to death. Eventually blowing up the 351.

Scott

[Ace-Garageguy]

It helps even less when going sideways.

It would do no good at all.

That pretty much covers it but it really depends entirely on the actual speed of the vehicle.

Though spoilers and wings on cars will make some small amount of downforce a low speeds, the effect should be close to negligible. The other theoretical effect of an "aero kit" (I say "theoretical" because most of them are jokes...just styling gimmicks that have never seen a wind tunnel, CFD, or even tuft-testing), to help limit air from getting under the car, should be pretty much negligible as well.

BUT: I have, on occasion, seen Jackie Stewart drive a Lola Can-Am car, and he was entirely capable of getting the car in a controlled 4-wheel drift at big-boy racing speeds. There's no question that THAT car's aero enhancements were helping.

What about extra downforce in the front of the vehicle? The one online reference I found for the "why's and wherefores of drifting" suggested it.

Stick your hand out the car window and angle it down like a nose spoiler on a car. Observe the amount of force it creates at "drifting" speeds. Empirical evidence at its most basic.

"Drifting" is one of those things that's been taken out of context and made into a caricature of the real thing, like wildly excessive camber. (WARNING: oversimplification follows !!) Drifting naturally occurs as a vehicle's tires are no longer able to maintain a zero (or close to it) slip-angle during high speed cornering, and real race cars don't want that to happen. It's a slower way to get through a turn. The whole point of a wing on a REAL race car is to increase downforce...TO KEEP THE TIRES FROM SLIDING, SLIPPING, OR SPINNING. This is entirely in opposition to the point of "drifting", isn't it?

Edited November 19, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy

[W-409]

Niko, you crazy Finns. I love the "drifting" with the old Pontiac. With you Finns doing stuff like that, it explains a lot of where we of Finnish decent over here, get our crazy ideas from. It must be in the blood.

Scott

Heh, it might be true that it's in the blood!

I've never been in Freak Race, but it's mainly for Fords (or vehicles containing Ford parts) and one thing they do is that they run circle track. Here is another cool clip from 2014 Freak Race. This time it's on gravel, though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdSyDmz_z5E

[1930fordpickup]

http://www.hotrod.com/news/official-ken-block-gymkhana-7-video/?adbid=10152387118507540&adbpl=fb&adbpr=13601527539&sm_id=social_aumohotrodsshub_default_20141117_35735467

Not much areo with this box, just what he needs. This is the Ken Brock 65 Mustang , just out.

Edited November 19, 2014 by 1930fordpickup

[unclescott58]

Heh, it might be true that it's in the blood!

I've never been in Freak Race, but it's mainly for Fords (or vehicles containing Ford parts) and one thing they do is that they run circle track. Here is another cool clip from 2014 Freak Race. This time it's on gravel, though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdSyDmz_z5E

That is one kool looking Ford. I like it. And yea, it's looks like the Finns in Finland are no different from ones over here. By the way, I've always heard that Northern Minnesota looks a lot like Finland. And that's part of the reason many Finns settled there years ago. Looking the two videos, if I didn't know better I'd swear they were shot in Northern Minnesota. It could be my cousins doing this, here.

Scott

Edited November 19, 2014 by unclescott58

[W-409]

Yep I've heard the same thing that Finland looks pretty much the same as Northern Minnesota. I've never been there, though, but yep many Finns have moved over there during the years.

If I had a Ford, I'd like to go to the Freak Race just to watch the action. But while I don't have one, I guess I won't.

[Jantrix]

Thanks very much for the input guys. I feel much better about my upcoming project now. I've always appreciated how much 1:1 experience and knowledge is on this forum.