I'm looking to build a drift car and I'm targeting an F-body 305 with a 5-speed. This is high-speed drifting on a racetrack. The stock torque should be sufficient so I'm not planning on power modifications, just minor suspension and brake tuning.

Which years are best and which should be avoided? What about rumors I've heard about the 305 High Output engines blowing up? What issues should I know about?

Thanks in advance for your help!!!

 

Welcome to Thirdgen.Org. The first thing I will say to you is that the vast majority of members on this site, including myself, will tell you that drifting is stupid and useless. But that's just our opinion. Next, someone is bound to tell you to use the search button and look for some answers there. Then lastly, to indirectly answer your question, you're going to want a small-geared posi rear end.


Any reason you want a 305 versus a 350? I'd stay away from the 305, even if you don't "plan to modify the engine." Not that it's a bad motor or anything, it's just lacking in the output.

 

I'll go ahead and warn you guys then that this better not turn into a debate about whether drifting is a sport or fun or actual racing or whatever.

Look up CrazyHawaiian, DWNSHFT. He has been involved in drifting now for several years and I'm sure would be able to help you with your car setup. There were no thirdgen 350/T5 combos from the factory, though swapping a 350 for the 305 is a fairly straightforward and basic procedure. You'll want an 88+ as the T5 was somewhat stronger and I'm sure a hardtop would work better when you're twisting the car around than a car with t-tops from a chassis rigidity and safety standpoint.

The nice thing about a TPI 305 is that it produces tons of torque and is enough to 'spin the tires' without having too much power to get you in trouble. It's probably a great engine for using in a learner drift car. You figure that in Japan they use some 50hp rwd cars for learner cars so I'm sure a TPI 305 is more than adequate.

 

Drifting has more to do with vehicle control over power alone. It is so easy to drift an 5 spd 3rd gen car. Any 305 T5 car will suffice for what you want to do. The more power you have however the easier it will be to kick out the rear. If you just want controlled oversteer entering into a turn, any 3rd gen will do fine.

 

Although I agree that you'll need a 305/T-5 combo in order to get the manual, you'll probably need a 350 or 383 to actually compete in these competitions. At the last one I was at, there was an El Camino competing that had an LS1 in it, and although he won in the 1st round, he just couldn't keep up in the 2nd. Not only do you have to slide in these competitions, but if you're the 2nd car, you've got to stay on their butt throughout the course, or leave the other guy if you're the 1st car.

Although there were some slow cars out there who could drift, they couldn't keep up with the big boys in the later rounds and got killed by cars such as tubroed 240's, new GTO's and Vipers.

In most of the more local/lesser competitions, you won't see cars like that race. You'll most likely get 240's and old RX-7s'. So you might be able to win local competitions using your 305, but you'll need some juice for the bigger ones.

Like someone said, CrazyHawian has been doing it for a few years and could help you the most.

And don't listen to some of these guys. . . while drifting is not my cup of tea, it's pretty neat to watch and car guys are car guys. It's been catching on here in the states and due to breakout.

 

Thanks for your thoughts so far. I'm still looking for additional input.

This won't be a beginner's drift car. I do a lot of road racing as well as professional instruction and driver coaching and I've drifted lots of cars. It's simply time to build one with with torque.

I won't be competing, though. It costs too much money to make that kind of HP, and I think competition would reduce the fun factor. This is just about me gettin' slideways and having a blast.

So far, it seems like 1988 and newer cars with TPI are the way to go. Comments?

Also, how bad do T-tops leak?

 

It depends. When most people complain of leaks it is typically a few drops in a an all out monsoon. I know a few people who have early 90's T tops without any leaks at all while my old '95 Z28 had a few drips now and then during full sky bursts. You can condition the seals to really help things out. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

most ttop cars come with leaks unfortuantely, but can be fixed usually with weatherstripping..but as someone said you will have a much safer and stronger car if you go with a hardtop.
it looks like a 88+ tpi or even a tbi car with a five speed with a hardtop will be the perfect car for you to have fun with as these cars come with pretty strong torque from the factory..good luck

 

Drifting: I wouldn't do it myself, but it's a lot of fun to be a passenger with CrazyHawaiian...! You can usually find him in the Pacific Forum area (where the rest of us 'exiled' folks hang out) and feel free to hit him up for info.

 

were you at the drift thing up at road atlanta a couple weeks ago

 

a 305 should work fine, keep in mind if you beat on the t-5 too much you can break it with that little 305.

Personally I hate it when I lose the backend and put it sideways, but to each his own, tune her right and it wont be to hard to put her sideways above 60mph on the shift. Goodluck and enjoy yourself. and stick with tpi, the tbi is well not to preferential for any racing use.

 

I know a BMW M3, a cammed Mustang and a turboed Miata that would say otherwise.

 

Sure was. . . both days.

 

i was up there both days also

 

Well RS cars are slow, but what is more preferential torque on tap(TPI) or dieing 305(L03). The L69 engines weren't bad either but the trannies hold a lesser torque capacity.

Well as for the foriegn cars post their weights, and most tbi f bodies came 2.73's, and it doesn't sound like downshift is doing to much with the motor anyway. And the stang does it also have gears.

 

Check out www.powerslideways.com

This site has a couple f-bodys drifting
Its a domestic drifiting site

 

DWNSHFT: Try the later '90s 305 F-Body or '80s El Camino with the 350 swap. Pontiac is using the GTO as their 2005, "do anything and everything" performance car. The stock '05 GTO has about 100 whp on the L98 from the factory. Just make us proud.

Gunny Highway: My mother is from Toccoa, GA. It's been years since I've been there. I guess I'm probably called a "1/2-breed" down there. I got my love of cars from her. I love big, American, rear wheel, V8 cars and NASCAR. Is Drifting popular down there? I didn't know everytime I threw my car into a slide in a turn on the wet pavement in a shopping mall parking lot was a sport...

You know the FWD Import guys are angry their cars can't drift...

 

well I don't know alot about drifting.... but I wouldn't think a t-top car is ideal.. way too much flex and articulation in my opinion. you'd want to look for a hard top.

 

Every day I hear people say they drift their civics and integras.... that ****s funny. Ebraking a turn isnt quite drifting...

Oh and drifting a camaro? You better get some big *** welded on subframe connectors... thirdgens love to twist.

 

Well I agree with you on everything but the NASCAR part . Ya know it's wierd, because the import guys are the ones who are into drifting, yet all of the imports who drift on the circuit are RWD ones: RX-7's, Jap 240's, Supra's etc. However those cars are few and far between for what we see on the street. I've also got a few buddies who lean to the import side and they do the e-brake thing, and now they've got flat spots in their tires from doing it so much.

 

Ever heard of Katsuhiro Ueo? D1 driver of the yukes/sift AE86? Well he drifted my car this past event and told me that I've tuned a great drift car. Later one of my friends asked him what he thought about my car. His reply? "put me in that car at D1 and I'd probably win".

Anyways...I'd do more then "minor suspension" though if your set on just minor suspension. Then get some good springs the best you can buy out of a store in my opinion is the Pro-kit. Then get some adjustible Konis and possibly some Spohn or Suspension Tech. sway bars. And like odddoylerules said I would get some subframe connectors cause the factory setup isn't gonna like you drifting it.

If your going to use the stock 5 speed...I hope that thing doesn't go on you. While it was made to handle the 305 I'm not sure how much the factory transmission can handle the stress of drifting. With constant hard up shifts, down shifts, clutch kicks, etc.

As for the 305 I used to have one and it would be just fine. Though honestly I'd just go onto a 350 considering it would have more power stock over a slightly modified 305. Though the better thing about the 305 is that it might be able to rev a little higher.

 

go with a 283 or the best 327 or 302 thatll rev to the moon and give u pwr to boot