"DRIFT TRUCK" Im gonna Do It!!! Goods and Bads?

[cheesy586]

Thats a sweet plan.
I couldn't make it any darker beacuse then it would look too flat and would look like the hood, fender, center panel all are one big peice, would look dumb, its hard to get black and then put some design into the black.

Now this is a drift truck:
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=SplnNf...eature=related

[Justin Banner]

Originally Posted by cheesy586

Thats a sweet plan.
I couldn't make it any darker beacuse then it would look too flat and would look like the hood, fender, center panel all are one big peice, would look dumb, its hard to get black and then put some design into the black.

Yeah, black is hard to work with on the computer. Here is a "BRE510" scheme.



BTW, the copper color is going to reflect the velocity stacks that I'm going to make out of copper tubing.

[cheesy586]

Looks awesome,
But what about the suspension of the truck? What kind of suspension is he going to install beacuse thats a major role in this sport.

[Justin Banner]

Originally Posted by cheesy586

Looks awesome,
But what about the suspension of the truck? What kind of suspension is he going to install beacuse thats a major role in this sport.

Stuck with what I've got for this year since I'm doing the Grassroots Motorsports $2009 Challenge (and thus why this is Phase One). The front end uses torsion bars while the rear is still leaf spring. If I can get it to fit my budget, I'm going to install a Panhard Bar. I'm also going to lower it 2" in the front and 3" in the rear. If I get this Pathfinder front end, I'll be using it's front sway bar, as well. I'm staying with 15" wheels, but will have a 195/50 tire for show and either a 215 or a 205 tire (or have both and do a 205 front/215 rear stagger) for the drag and the autocross portion of the challenge.

After the Challenge is over, Phase Two will begin, with a coil over and a rear three-link with Panhard bar suspension conversion. It will use two lower links and have a Torque Arm (think of the last generation of the Camaro, but a thicker, better Torque Arm). This is the phase to get the Hardbody to perform as well as or better than an E30 M3, a high goal that I feel is reachable.

[cheesy586]

Your going to have to put some type of weight in the bed otherwise those rear wheels are going to spin like crazy even with LSD or VLSD.

[Justin Banner]

Originally Posted by cheesy586

Your going to have to put some type of weight in the bed otherwise those rear wheels are going to spin like crazy even with LSD or VLSD.

You'd think that, but look at what Mikey from Whiplash has done with his Dodge D50 with a 4G63 ( http://www.thedrifttruck.com/mods.html ). He doesn't have any weights in the bed from what I can tell, but I'll write him and see.

I may have a Panhard bar, buddy of mine from the show I produce for (not MOTOR) may have some bars and metal I can use to do it.

[eomund240]

Probably way too much custom fab work for what you're going for, but it'd be sweet as hell if you converted it to an independent rear setup.

[Justin Banner]

Originally Posted by eomund240

Probably way too much custom fab work for what you're going for, but it'd be sweet as hell if you converted it to an independent rear setup.

I've heard of some guys using a 240SX and 300ZX rears, but it is a lot of fabrication. That's not saying a 3 or even 4-link wouldn't be, but there are more bolt in kits for #-Links to make the job faster and just a little easier. Most of those, however, are made for air bags which I don't want. When I get closer to that moment, I'm going to make some calls and see if those companies will sell a kit better designed for the coil overs.

BTW, the D50 Mikie drifts in does not use rear weights. I think I'll be fine as well.

[cheesy586]

The thing is you want the truck to still have that aggressive druck look, but if you put those conversion suspensions on it the truck loses its truck stiffness. I think you should use the trucks suspension and find a way to get some sway bars in there and than try to get the springs a little softer.

[Justin Banner]

Originally Posted by cheesy586

The thing is you want the truck to still have that aggressive druck look, but if you put those conversion suspensions on it the truck loses its truck stiffness. I think you should use the trucks suspension and find a way to get some sway bars in there and than try to get the springs a little softer.

Not quite understanding what you mean. (I'm not a chassis engineer, I just play one on TV ) Typically, you'll see these trucks scraping frame, hopping with fast bags, and looking like it will take a good bit of a beating.

[Justin Banner]

YAY, UPDATES! Here is what I have done thus far!

Took off most of the front end off, kept the hood on for now, but I do have it, too.





Found some rust, but nothing bad that will kill the project.



Where the air pump was!


Battery tray


For those who don't know, the '91 Pathfinder front end is different in appearance. For one, the headlight has the lower, inner corners filleted (rounded). (The picture show the headlight upside down)


The fenders are also flared out, as you can kind of see here. (Hard to tell from the original, wrecked fender)


The badly worn Grant GT wheel


A better picture of the rusty American Racing wheels.


Not pictured, I have a pair of Honda Civic seats to replace the bad, worn bench seat. I also have an intake from a KA24E 240SX. I have also replaced the seized slave cylinder.

I've also been thinking, I found a T3/T4 turbo I had bought months ago for a BMW E30 I had. Also, after looking at the money I am using to just get the truck right, I'm going to eclipse the $2009 budget constraint that GRM puts on the challenge (if I include the performance enhancing parts).

So, the question I pose is this, how many of you would be disappointed if I decide to drop the GRM $2K9 Challenge, BUT, come up with a new budget, enter even more events, and make Phase One the E30 M3 equalizer instead of waiting on Phase Two. Me, I won't be either way, but this is going to be a radio show for you guys who love racing. This is that show's project, so it's as much my project as it is yours, too. Give me your input, do you want the new Budget, or stick with the 2K9 Challenge? Reply here or send me an email at jbanner@gmail.com! I want your input!

[eomund240]

Well, I know nothing of this show, but I'm very interested in seeing this truck completed myself.

[Justin Banner]

Originally Posted by eomund240

Well, I know nothing of this show, but I'm very interested in seeing this truck completed myself.

The radio show (if all goes well, read: MONEY) is about the Redline Time Attack, Automotive Technology, and Grassroots Racing and Car Shows.

I'm getting more excited about the truck the more I tear it apart. I start thinking of things from what is the best way to convert it to coil overs to the paint job to even should I go turbo or buck the trend and stick with my ITB idea. This has been fun, so far.

[Justin Banner]

BTW, look what came in Monday!







I'll be cleaning these up on Saturday along with figuring out if my 240SX intake will work on the Z24i.

[eomund240]

Nice.

As for the radio show, is there a web broadcast or anything?

[Justin Banner]

Originally Posted by eomund240

Nice.

As for the radio show, is there a web broadcast or anything?

Yeah, there will be (whap1340am.com). But, right now, it's not looking good as I have no confirmed sponsors . I really want this live by March 20th and it's not expensive at $75 a month per sponsor. If they don't have a commercial for me to use, I can make or have one made by the radio station for just $45.

However, if the radio show does not come, I am still going to post about this truck on here and on nicoclub.com's Trucks forum.

[MonkeySlide]

I'm actually looking forward to this almost more than the '09 season.

I know you're doing this (the truck) just for the enjoyment but did you give yourself an ETA for completion?

[Justin Banner]

Originally Posted by MonkeySlide

I'm actually looking forward to this almost more than the '09 season.

I know you're doing this (the truck) just for the enjoyment but did you give yourself an ETA for completion?

Thanks, but this is supposed to also be the Radio Show project (if I can get the show live, that is).

Well, by October of this year, I want to have Phase One done, as a N/A Street Fighter that is capable of going up against the E30, Miata, and other 4 cylinder, N/A RWD small cars. Look for it to have four wheel coil overs, three link rear, and 170-210 RWHP. ($2009 budget scrapped and a $4-5000 budget now in place)

Phase Two will begin no later than Jan '10 and I will either trans plant a KA24DE and turbo it, a SR20DET, or a CA18DET. It will be solely used as a racer, but still street legal (will have a small car like a Escort, B13 Sentra, B14 200SX or similar as a new Street Fighter). Look for the truck to then have 320-370 RWHP and an independent rear suspension from a 300ZX. ($5-7000 budget, not including what is already spent into Phase One)

[Neo_Drift]

That is one cool project. You don't see a lot of drift trucks at all. I'm making my e36 into a Ute, but that's different.
I hope this works out for you.

[Justin Banner]

Originally Posted by Neo_Drift

That is one cool project. You don't see a lot of drift trucks at all. I'm making my e36 into a Ute, but that's different.
I hope this works out for you.

Well, I'd say "You're not the only one," but you're really not! LOL I'm pretty excited myself!

[eomund240]

Hey justin, any updates on this?

[Justin Banner]

Yeah, you have to love plans, as they are always changing. Well, they do for me. Found complete and mostly complete VG30E's, purchased a Megasquirt, am going to rebuild my T3/T4 turbo for the VG, and now have a Hero Cam that I bought from Circuit City for $83 . Will be ordering a wideband controller Friday, start getting the truck ready for April 4-5th for a Redline show event in New Brunswick, NJ (as a four cylinder, if Nikolas of Redline approves, have no doubt though so long as I have it presentable by then).

[Justin Banner]

Look what arrived today!







Putting it together tomorrow!

[Justin Banner]

Took me a few hours, but I got it done!