The Great American Road Trip, Part 3

Part 3 of our road trip took us all the way to sunny Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Now, that's a long drive from Western NC.  So, then, why would we bother driving all that way?  I could explain in words, but I think a picture will do it better:

Why, for some drifting of course!  A club called Drift Myrtle Beach happened to be holding an open event on Sunday the 22nd at the Myrtle Beach Speedway, so we stopped in to check out the action.  While this was definetely amateur-level drifting (a lot of overrotated corners were observed!), there's no such thing as bad drifting - it's like bad pizza.  Even when it's bad, it's fun to watch.

There were all sorts of cars to be seen at the event.  And by all sorts of cars, I mean approximately four million S13 chassis cars (1988-1993 Nissan 240SX/180SX/Silvia) and a few others.  I mean, check out the pits:

So, if you're unfamiliar with how this all works, I'll Clif Notes it up a bit - drifting is an exhibition sport, judged on talent and execution - sort of like figure skating, only with cool cars and burning rubber.  It's competitive, but it's more about fun than competition.  The more sideways, and the faster, the better.  Here's some video footage of what was one of the best-balanced, easiest-to-drift cars I observed: a Mustang GT!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDjpE_JZlcw

The Mustang GT might not be the most obvious choice for a drift car, but look at the ingredients: big, torquey V8.  Rear wheel drive.  Stout drive train.  Limited slip rear end.  Plus, the axle might be a solid beam but it's well located and doesn't suffer from extreme axle hop, making those glorious powerslides all smooth and smokey like they should be.  Still, it's not a Nissan, so it looks a bit out of place.

So yeah, there were a lot of 240SX's.  It's the other stuff that's truly interesting, though.  Here's one recipe you've probably never thought of: Take one late-eighties Toyota Cressida, which is a big rear-wheel-drive sedan.

Add equal parts 2JZ-GTE (MKIV Supra Turbo engine) and large single turbo:

push to over 500rwhp, then drift it like you stole it:

Of course, the whole reason that 240SX's are so popular at drifting is because they're damn good at it.  It's a simple recipe: lightweight rear-wheel-drive chassis, large aftermarket, tuneable and easily swappable 4-cylinder under the hood, cheap 2nd-hand prices.  What's not to love?

This flat-green painted S13 coupe consistently put on a great smoke show, despite having a broken end link on one of the front wheels that caused a dangerous wobble at full-lock.  Ballsy.

It's hard to see this S13's fancy paint job through the tyre smoke.  Proper.

An early S13 hatch getting quite sideways.  I LOVE the four-spoke wheels.  Don't mind the fender dent.

The blue S13 was suffering from some oil consumption problems, but still burned enough rubber to put the EPA on alert.  Gotta love drifters.

This S14 displayed enviable car control technique, plenty of power from a swapped SR20DET motor, and clean looks.  Admirable.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j6R5w_JNlk

This car was easily the nastiest thing there.  It started life as a first-generation Lexus GS300 back in the early ninties, but has since been stripped, primered, caged, and fitted with a twin-turbocharged 2JZ-GTE.  The sounds coming out of this car are heavenly - I love me some howling straight six.

and a bit of footage of the Aristo  in action is in order, don't you think?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PdHsJHp0Qc

And then we get to the last  bit: cars that were just there, in the parking lot.  For one thing, of course this would be parked next to my Saab.  A Buick Grand National.  SOMEONE had to show me up for obscure turbo 80's car glory...

I swear, these cars are like Darth Vader with wheels.  They look like they "shot a man in Reno just to watch him die."  I wouldn't want to meet one in a back alley, etc.  The turbocharged 231ci (3.8L) V6 doesn't hurt, either.  Phwoosh!

And what do you think the young, hip owner of this modified Lancer Evo IX MR was oogling over?  Why, the Grand National - of course.  The GN just has that charisma, I guess.

The MazdaSpeed6 (Mazda 6 MPS to the Europeans) looks absolutely dangerous with the "murdered out" black accessory look.  God, these cars were cool- what happened, Mazda?

One of the competition cars parked in the pits during the other run group's turn - I think the Silvia front end is MUCH better looking than the US-market 240SX front end with pop-up headlights.  I guess this guy agreed.

And we'll end this post on a high note...  some dude drifting an E36 M3.  How can you not love this sport?  Where else do you get to see people beating the ever-living sh*t out of an M3?

Over the course of this 1,400-odd mile road trip, my new-to-me Saab 900 Turbo had... 0 mechanical problems!  So much for stereotypes, eh?  After Myrtle Beach, we pointed the Saab's dirt-covered nose northward on I-95, headed back to Raleigh.  Heads full of Deal's Gap, drifting and Ferraris, I can safely return to the world of text books and responsibilities now.  It's no fun, but talk about greatest road trip ever!

-James M.