Building A D1 Equivalent Car; Costs Involved?

[DV19]

***If this has been covered in a previous thread, please refer me to it and I’ll delete this one***

Calling all 240 experts. (Special thanks to nissanguy_24 for the “S-Class” thread. Would love to see more chapters )

So like many people on this board, I’m new to Drifting and I’d like to come and join in. So first things first, I’ve got to get a car. I’m torn between the lighter weight of the S13 and the more modern looks of the S14 **(side note: does anybody know the curb weight & the wheel base on these vehicles?)**.

So once I have the car ($3K-$7K), I can modify at will. Now here’s my question:
I’m sitting here looking at pics from Irwindale & Laguna and I’d like to know (with reasonable assurity), to build a comparable car to those competing in the D1 events, what will I end up spending?

I know I can compete in drift events in “stock” form and I will (at first). BUT, I also know that down the road as I get better, I’m going to want what Gushi and Kazama have. Can you please give me and the others that are looking at this sport for the 1st/50th time an idea of what you’d have to spend to get:
“Built” Turbo Motor (presumably an SR20DET) with all the goodies (intercooler, harness, etc.)
Tranny and Drivetrain to handle the 400+HP
Purpose built Suspension w/mods for massive steering angle
Carbon Body panels and Aero kit
Interior (cage, seat, etc.)
Anything else I’ve not listed
Wheels and tires

Please guys, understand I'm thinking “long-term” here. I know the steps needed for the driver to get to the D1 level. Assuming as a driver you get to that level, I’m talking just the car. What do those D1 guys have in them $$. Also note that except for the Motor assembly and exterior paint, we’ll handle all the labor ourselves.

Thanks you for your time……..

[s14driftingTX]

The very first thing that you need to focus on is driving. A basically stock s13 or s14 is a very good platform to start with. Your first mod needs to be is LSD and suspension. A good way to get these is to pick them up used. These mods are more important that starting with a 400+ horsepower purpose built drift machine. As for the costs of D1 cars, my guess is in the 50,000 range though I'm not completely sure. Much of your buget will be spent on wheels and tires so, a tire sponsor would definately help if you could pick one up. Just start small, drift pretty much stock and get good then, add the power. It'll be much easier to learn that way.

[DV19]

Thanks for your thoughts:

Originally posted by s14driftingTX
The very first thing that you need to focus on is driving. Your first mod needs to be is LSD and suspension. A good way to get these is to pick them up used. These mods are more important that starting with a 400+ horsepower purpose built drift machine. Just start small, drift pretty much stock and get good then, add the power. It'll be much easier to learn that way.

I know, that's why I cover those subject in my post.........

Please understand, I'm familar with ALL aspects of driving AND the order of modifications done to a car. What I'm not familiar with is the cost involved in building a 240 to D1 specs........ Sorry if I didn't make that clear in my original post

[Oddball 7]

well im gonna make a few estiamtes that might be to low or to high but might balance self in end...

Motor w/ harness and ECU=2000-2500
coilvers=1000-2000
full spec cage=900-1500
seats and harness=1000-2000 (depends if ur getting just driver or matching set)
rims w/ 1 set of tires=1000
multiple sets of tires=400-600 per set
manifolds and exhaust/ CAT=800-1200
control arms/ braces/ bushings=1000-2000
turbo upgrades/ power upgrades=1500-2000
ECU tunning=500-1000
modified steering rack=??? 2000
steering wheel w/ hub=500-800
2-Way LSD=800-1500
built tranny (ex: OS Giken gear set.. maybe a lil over kill)=800-1500
areo/ carbon parts=maybe 500-1000 per piece (depending on size and how much of the car u want carbon plus painted or just dry carbon)

like i sadi this is just an estimate from what i could think of... some prices are prolly really high or extremely low. so your looking at around 24,000 i might have left some stuff out and some prices might be very low so if someone can put more accurate prices on here or add stuff i might have missed.

hope this helps

[Poweredby007]

this is a very vauge question.. as to what a D1 quality car is..

some have FULLY adjustable arms yadda yadda yadda.. and others run the stock arms minus a few mods on the arms.

D1 suspension
2 gs coils
2 gs all other arms
1 g ish dif
2 gs wheels


nice tomei engine 10gs


then you have people here with maybe 5 gs total in their cars running for D1

[Ernie]

Pretty much what he said....even the 50k part. You are going to need to find a sponsor backing to maintain it. A good engine requires maintenance. Oil changes, valvetrain checking, oil pressure monitoring, and a lot of money in developing and designing a car/engine that runs cool. Engine temp. is the most important part of keeping these engines alive. Any of these higher horsepower machines get hotter with the higher power. Brass radiator would be a good investment. You also want to focus on keeping things simple and easy to work on. A transmission is another part that is really hard and expensive to keep in tact. More on this stuff later...gotta go to work, laterz, Ernie

[DV19]

Originally posted by Poweredby007
this is a very vauge question.. as to what a D1 quality car is..
some have FULLY adjustable arms yadda yadda yadda.. and others run the stock arms minus a few mods on the arms.

OK, I'm talking about duplicating what Kazam & Gushi have. I know about what Millen has spent on the GTO and everybody know's how much that "Competition" Vipor Coupe that Samuel is driving costs......

I hope that's a little clearer.....

Thanks again.........

[s14driftingTX]

I think that these guesses are pretty low. I don't know exactly but, I think more than 24,000 goes into some of these cars. I know there are competitive cars thet are prepared for much less but, if you look at some of the cars it's obvious that lots of money goes into them. Just an example, Rhys Millen's GTO has a lot of money in it, the preparation of the chassis and suspension, rollcage, engine, fuel system.... I agree that we can't really say what constitutes a D1 car. I think that factory or tuning brand based cars have tens of thousands put into them.

[Ernie]

basically 50k got us where we are at with one of the cars..., but we are still solving transmission problems and have been working with some cooling problems, it may cost us another 10k to get these problems resolved.

good luck,
Ernie

If you need some help email me at silly32gtr@yahoo.com
I could give you some advice and possibly save you some money in the long run.

[Ernie]

Also the car I am talking about is not Gushi's car...his car did not cost as much. At Laguna Seca he was running a stock engine with head gasket and S15 turbo. Tuned with power FC. Basic frontmount intercooler, KAAZ LSD, Exedy single plate clutch, TEIN HE coilovers, Bomex body kit, Rotora brakes, 5zigen wheels and exhaust, with Yokohama tires. Might cost you around 20k to get what Gushi has and then some. Also some TEIN suspension, and steering, parts. Also some Battle Version rear arms.

Maybe this will help.

Ernie

[nissanguy_24]

Originally posted by Ernie
Also the car I am talking about is not Gushi's car...his car did not cost as much. At Laguna Seca he was running a stock engine with head gasket and S15 turbo. Tuned with power FC. Basic frontmount intercooler, KAAZ LSD, Exedy single plate clutch, TEIN HE coilovers, Bomex body kit, Rotora brakes, 5zigen wheels and exhaust, with Yokohama tires. Might cost you around 20k to get what Gushi has and then some. Also some TEIN suspension, and steering, parts. Also some Battle Version rear arms.

Maybe this will help.

Ernie

Stock sr20 with a s15 turbo.. thats exactly what i want to run.. I supose its not a bad set up afterall?


Basicly all the D1 cars look like this.. Interior stripped to a degree... Good Limited slip differential... Big brakes running some kind of high quality brake pad. racing seat of course.. Turbo motor (not all but most) alot of the pros are pushing the 400 hp range. but it really varies from driver to driver. And upgraded cooling and fuel systems of course. Most d1 cars have mean body mods and crazy paint jobs. not really nessisary though.. there just getting money from the guys who make those things.

I heard someone once say you could build a D1 car for between 10 and 20 grand. And its probably pretty true. Now the top guys are running alot more hardware. The japanese guys are even running nitrous.

as for the S13 vs the S14. the S13 is lighter but not by too much. Consider overall about 100 lbs lighter on average. However the S14 is also more expensive.. though its suspension and body may be in better shape. The S14 handles alittle better stock.. probably just due to the age of the S13s though.. Neither car is really very superior to the other though.

[DV19]

You guys are awesome!
Thanks for all the good info.
Ernie, I may be calling you before long.
nissanguy_24: thanks for the weight answer... and on that note do you know what the curb weight on a 240 is AND what do you think the D1 guys have got their cars weight's down to (considering cages, carbon body kits, etc.)?

Could anyone out there take a tape measure to their car and tell me what the:
Wheelbase is (front axle center to rear axle center)
Tread width (center of right tire to center of left tire)
Overall body length/width/height

Also, best guestimate, what (besides core charge) would you have to pay to get a 400Hp-ish motor built?

Thanks Again!!

[Feint]

Any idea on how much a bolt in rollcage for an S13 will run? Just curious,I'm trying to figure some thngs out.

[DV19]

Originally posted by Feint
Any idea on how much a bolt in rollcage for an S13 will run? Just curious,I'm trying to figure some thngs out.

No knowledge of "factory built" ones, but you could find your local "stock car/circle-track" chassis builder and they would probably custom bend you one for about $3-400 plus materials. If the interior was out of their way, that is.........

HTH...

[dae]

ueo i think has 12k into his car including the car. correct me if im wrong. makes me think that someday my car can be as nice

[Ernie]

I don't think your including Ueo's engine....and which car are you talking about? The one he ran in the US or his Japan one? The Japan one is running and independant suspension rear end...this jacks the price up quite a bit.

[sKyLiNeGts-25]

You guys in the states are drifting now more than ever and guess what your going to recking more than ever Dont tell me that your not going to drift in the streets cause they still do street races so ...Just from alittle experience in street drifting everyweekend on the streets of Yokohama,Japan Im telling you brakes play a big factor im running endless brakes right now i picked them up used .....for cheap at Up Garage good deals there so please be careful out there we dont need drifitin to look bad ...keep it real.......---Z--- From Japan....

[SilverGhost]

something you should always keep in mind is this: D1 slide ride = race car. they are not quite as extreme as some, but i would still wager about 60-70k is what each team spends when building their car. Also remember that those cars are fully sponsored, so cost isnt a factor. im sure that if they turned loose a part-by-part cost list for any of those cars, we would shat ourselves.

as for your own 240, if you want an SR, it depends onwhat one you want. sofar i have spent 1400 on a S13 redtop, and its not even at my house yet. and when getting the sr, its a good idea to upgrade stuff such as radiator, intercooler, and fuel pump if need be. why wouldnt you want to do the motor work yourself? trust me, engine stuff is way easier than suspension work. alot on suspension you have to have specialized tools, where as on the motor you can do everything with a rachet, some sockets, a couple extensions, and a screw driver. by doing your own motor swap and mods, you can save lots of money. shops like to charge out the waazoo for modding motors. hoe that helps, good luck to ye

[dae]

ernie - not really sure what car. i think it was in super street but then again they dont always know their ish. basically just pulling that total out of my butt. any idea what his car really cost? (the one he ran at irwindale).

[DV19]

Originally posted by DV19
do you know what the curb weight on a 240 is AND what do you think the D1 guys have got their cars weight's down to (considering cages, carbon body kits, etc.)?

Could anyone out there take a tape measure to their car and tell me what the:
Wheelbase is (front axle center to rear axle center)
Tread width (center of right tire to center of left tire)
Overall body length/width/height

Also, best guestimate, what (besides core charge) would you have to pay to get a 400Hp-ish motor built?

Any chance anybody knows these answers?
Thanks

[SilverGhost]

i can get you the wheel base info tomorrow, i will measure it for you. but its dark right now, and im too tired to do it tonight, but i can do it tomorrow.

[MongolDrifter]

All are 240sx SE specs

Wheelbase:
s13- 97.4
s14- 99.4

Length:
s13- 178
s14- 177.2

Height:
s13- 50.8
s14- 51

Width:
s13- 66.5
s14- 68.1

Curb Weight:
s13(coupe)- 2,712
s13(fastback)- 2,747
s14- 2,760

got it from autotrader.com
hope it helps, Drift On

[prodigy]

Why is Gushi running a less modified car than yours, Ernie? If it has to do with sponsorship politics you don't have to get into to much detail. I guess it really doesn't matter because he still wins. I guess I just want to know.

By the way what break kit do you guys run on your cars? I have been looking at your kit and I was wondering if your companies kit is right for me. I don't know if I want to go with the whole kit or just cross drilled rotors in the front. What pads do you run in your car? Can I run a stock pad with just the cross drilled rotors installed? Any help will be appreciated and by the way see if you can get Gushi on here.

[AlexPfeiffer]

I notice in this thread that most of you are trying to add up the parts you see on D1 cars and think that is the price. Even though the parts on the cars add up, there are still a few things being overlooked.
First is the man hours put into building a car. Just for instance, to strip down a car and built it from scratch usually takes about 300 to 400 man hours. Times that by say a shop fee of about 50 and hour and you have alot.
Another thing is the motors. For instance the motor alone in ueo's car is between 20k to 30k. Alot of the cars are running fully built race preped motors, a resonable long block will run 12k to 18k. When I used to work in AMLS, our motors would cost 60k and last only 30 hours before needing a 35K rebuild.
Body work, grafixs, and image are also important. At that stage of the game you have to have the bling bling kits and many of them ready to zip tie on. Some people may think the cars are all beat up. Your car is your tool and you have to use it. They cant stay perfect for long. But the sponcers and event organisers expect your car to have all the stickers just right and that isnt cheep or easy to keep up.
I just have to say that there is alot of expences that come up you dont really think about. From bling bling things like getting your helmit painted ($400 to $1200+ $600 bucket) to general maintainance and broken parts. Just ask anyone in this game how many trans did they kill and first thing that comes out of there mouth is a laugh cause it happens so much.

Bottom line is it is alot more than you would expect, but you can get by if you need to. Your car is your tool and you dont want to show up to a gun fight with a knife, at least bring a sling shot or some blow darts, or those ninga stars, something you can throw at them so they duck just long enough you can run.

[CRASHDRIVE]

Originally posted by DV19
***If this has been covered in a previous thread, please refer me to it and I’ll delete this one***

Calling all 240 experts. (Special thanks to nissanguy_24 for the “S-Class” thread. Would love to see more chapters )

So like many people on this board, I’m new to Drifting and I’d like to come and join in. So first things first, I’ve got to get a car. I’m torn between the lighter weight of the S13 and the more modern looks of the S14 **(side note: does anybody know the curb weight & the wheel base on these vehicles?)**.

So once I have the car ($3K-$7K), I can modify at will. Now here’s my question:
I’m sitting here looking at pics from Irwindale & Laguna and I’d like to know (with reasonable assurity), to build a comparable car to those competing in the D1 events, what will I end up spending?

I know I can compete in drift events in “stock” form and I will (at first). BUT, I also know that down the road as I get better, I’m going to want what Gushi and Kazama have. Can you please give me and the others that are looking at this sport for the 1st/50th time an idea of what you’d have to spend to get:
“Built” Turbo Motor (presumably an SR20DET) with all the goodies (intercooler, harness, etc.)
Tranny and Drivetrain to handle the 400+HP
Purpose built Suspension w/mods for massive steering angle
Carbon Body panels and Aero kit
Interior (cage, seat, etc.)
Anything else I’ve not listed
Wheels and tires

Please guys, understand I'm thinking “long-term” here. I know the steps needed for the driver to get to the D1 level. Assuming as a driver you get to that level, I’m talking just the car. What do those D1 guys have in them $$. Also note that except for the Motor assembly and exterior paint, we’ll handle all the labor ourselves.

Thanks you for your time……..

Are you just wondering how much it cost pro drivers to built their car? or you want to copy their style of car? because pro cars (raced preped cars) are not "long-term" parts and materials. If your building a car to copy theirs it's up to you. But if you want the same parts they have so you can drive better, I think it's a little bit extravagant. Many of amatuers drifters dont need high $ parts to make their car perform better and last longer ("long-term"). It's a preference of the individual and what setting they prefer that makes them perform better and last longer.

So, if your thinking of copying their cars, KUDOs and more power.

But if your thinking of ripping the road and tracks I suggest start "feeling" your car and see what's best for you, not what the marketers says.

FYI: not bashing you with your endeavors, just giving you a little advise
before you start spending all of your $.

good luck.

addition: Also, just to let you know, if you are thinking of actually drifting your car (or touge) make sure you have some money left over, because TIRES are not cheap, tranny is not cheap, fuel is no longer cheap, Control arms break, make sure you have a good contact or supplier for body parts and heat is your enemy.