Drifting with rusty rails?

[300zx91]

I was wondering if it would be ok to drift my s13 coupe with rust holes in the rails if they greatly effect the rigidity? there both rusted through on were the rail curves towards the motor mounts. driver rail I tried jacking up held good and then bent the rail inwards. amazingly the body has no bondo or rust anywhere not even behind the wheels Its a purpose built drift car and I Already swapped in a sr20det and put on full coilovers tein basics. shock towers were clean just subframe. Its my first practice car so idk if I want to fix the rails just in case I wreck cause then ill just swap everything to a new clean shell some people tell me drift it cause subframe doesnt effect the rigidity as much cause its unibody and some people say fix it before you go anywhere. I had one guy tell me to cut it out completely and roll cage it and the subframe wont even matter. whats your opinion on this? :2c: wanted

[holemilk00]

You started off saying frame rails, and then started saying sub-frame, so which is it? Because it is a huge difference.

[300zx91]

sorry its the frame rails long day

subframe is clean or else I wouldn't think about it, lol I dont want my diff falling out

[Pro ViZIon]

Personally I would fix them. Its probably wouldn't cost too much.

[towlie]

I was wondering if it would be ok to drift my s13 coupe with rust holes in the rails if they greatly effect the rigidity? there both rusted through on were the rail curves towards the motor mounts. driver rail I tried jacking up held good and then bent the rail inwards. amazingly the body has no bondo or rust anywhere not even behind the wheels Its a purpose built drift car and I Already swapped in a sr20det and put on full coilovers tein basics. shock towers were clean just subframe. Its my first practice car so idk if I want to fix the rails just in case I wreck cause then ill just swap everything to a new clean shell some people tell me drift it cause subframe doesnt effect the rigidity as much cause its unibody and some people say fix it before you go anywhere. I had one guy tell me to cut it out completely and roll cage it and the subframe wont even matter. whats your opinion on this? :2c: wanted

Also see: OP's age.

Don't worry about the rust, this car is doomed.

No offense man, just telling it like it is.

[jr_ss]

Just weld a piece of flat bar steel in there and call it a day. You're going to inevitably wreck it anyway so I wouldn't spend too much time fixing it. But I would brace it.

[dawagarage]

no rust is good rust. its always a good idea to repair/replace rusted parts/equipment. ESPECIALLY when you put extra demand upon parts that were not designed for such stress ie drifting, etc

[maxtrbo93]

Also see: OP's age.

Don't worry about the rust, this car is doomed.

No offense man, just telling it like it is.

Just telling it like it is?

17 year old's arnt that stupid dude, check out the fabrication thread and some of the work some high-schoolers put into their projects and lurk some build threads. Dont be so quick to judge.

[holemilk00]

I love how everyone just expects to wreck the shit out of a drift car, it re-enforces my confusion of why anyone bothers to do it, all it does is destroy cars.

[240sx123$]

Just telling it like it is?

17 year old's arnt that stupid dude, check out the fabrication thread and some of the work some high-schoolers put into their projects and lurk some build threads. Dont be so quick to judge.

Unfortunately being that youre 17 or 18, you dont have the perspective to see what he meant by such a comment, and took it as a personal insult.

You completely missed his point, which was valid as helllllll. Even if youre "not that stupid," you still dont have the driving experience to confidently drift a car (your first drift car, i might add) without wrecking it. Its gonna happen. Get used to the idea, because its GOING TO HAPPEN. Even the pro's wreck.

He wasnt knocking you for being 18. Generalizing all 18 year olds perhaps, but he wasnt insulting you.

Let me put it this way. I give it 10-1 odds that you crash before the frame rails ever become an issue.

I say drift the balls off it, if it lasts you more than a season, Ill be impressed.

[maxtrbo93]

Unfortunately being that youre 17 or 18, you dont have the perspective to see what he meant by such a comment, and took it as a personal insult.

You completely missed his point, which was valid as helllllll. Even if youre "not that stupid," you still dont have the driving experience to confidently drift a car (your first drift car, i might add) without wrecking it. Its gonna happen. Get used to the idea, because its GOING TO HAPPEN. Even the pro's wreck.

He wasnt knocking you for being 18. Generalizing all 18 year olds perhaps, but he wasnt insulting you.

Let me put it this way. I give it 10-1 odds that you crash before the frame rails ever become an issue.

I say drift the balls off it, if it lasts you more than a season, Ill be impressed.

Not that I wanna sit here and get flamed but yes, i'll admit I've totaled 2 drift cars (S13 Silvia/TT5spd Soarer), I totally see where your coming from. I just wanted to point out that the generalization was kinda quick to be thrown down. I get bashed all the time about my age, knowledge, skills etc ... it gets tiring. I totaled both those cars at age 16 drifting. I know where your coming from with the age thing and your completely right about the odds of crashing a car haha.

Some people start sooner than others tho, I began drifting at age 15. Im now a sponsored drifter, so you never know haha.

You were totally right tho, the first drift car? Mine as well be written off the day you take delivery of it!

[240sx123$]

Not that I wanna sit here and get flamed but yes, i'll admit I've totaled 2 drift cars (S13 Silvia/TT5spd Soarer), I totally see where your coming from. I just wanted to point out that the generalization was kinda quick to be thrown down. I get bashed all the time about my age, knowledge, skills etc ... it gets tiring. I totaled both those cars at age 16 drifting. I know where your coming from with the age thing and your completely right about the odds of crashing a car haha.

Some people start sooner than others tho, I began drifting at age 15. Im now a sponsored drifter, so you never know haha.

You were totally right tho, the first drift car? Mine as well be written off the day you take delivery of it!


I agree with you fully. It was a large generalization... but it was founded with some fact! I wrecked my first car too, 29 days after I got my lisence. That shit is as good as gone as soon as you get the keys, lol.

I wonder what the percentage is of male drivers who wrecked or totalled a car before age 21? Probably something like 90% lol.

[jacobs13]

Your a sponsored drifter of 3 years and have tein basics and doesnt know if rust is ok? im 19 and I understand the retardation of the younger kids on here because we like to go around everything the cheap and easy but hey, you live and learn. Back to the original question, its obvious your gonna wreck so who cares, have fun with it while you can.

[240sx123$]

Your a sponsored drifter of 3 years and have tein basics and doesnt know if rust is ok? im 19 and I understand the retardation of the younger kids on here because we like to go around everything the cheap and easy but hey, you live and learn. Back to the original question, its obvious your gonna wreck so who cares, have fun with it while you can.

The sponsored 18 year old is not the OP.

[maxtrbo93]

Your a sponsored drifter of 3 years and have tein basics and doesnt know if rust is ok? im 19 and I understand the retardation of the younger kids on here because we like to go around everything the cheap and easy but hey, you live and learn. Back to the original question, its obvious your gonna wreck so who cares, have fun with it while you can.

LOL i dont run tein basics and i never commented on the actual thread, just on how someone responded to it. If your 19 and cant read, god help you.

OP:

I'd try and fix it the best you could, maybe get a few quotes from some frame shops, what if it turns out you dont wanna drift or life changes and you need to sell it? Then your gunna wish you had fixed those rails! I'd at least get a little bit of fixing done before getting to serious with the thing.

[chaotix]

I personally wouldnt take an age remark too close to the heart because it is usually true and yes I too wrecked a car before i even got my licence too bad it was my parents car but I maned up and paid for everything it wasnt pleasant ahaha.

[jacobs13]

LOL i dont run tein basics and i never commented on the actual thread, just on how someone responded to it. If your 19 and cant read, god help you.

OP:

I'd try and fix it the best you could, maybe get a few quotes from some frame shops, what if it turns out you dont wanna drift or life changes and you need to sell it? Then your gunna wish you had fixed those rails! I'd at least get a little bit of fixing done before getting to serious with the thing.

haha oopps, Im not that dumb but apparently to stupid to read right

[300zx91]

Age has nothing to do with it I know some kids my age that are way more intelligent then some people that are alot older. I guess what I'm saying is will the rails hold up while I slide it or should I just fix them before I attempt to. I don't wanna spend a grand fixing it though to have it totaled the next day. Where are the main points of rigidity I could test for strength?

[240sx123$]

If youre really that concerned about it, cut the rust out and weld in some mild steel. Its a freakin drift car... youre not doing the nurburgring with it.

[CaptainVlad]

I hate that whole pholosohpy of not fixing stuff, or not buying parts because you think or plan on wrecking the car.

why get out the house when you can get hit by a car...

Why go to work when you can get fired...

Why buy a car at all when you can take public transportation...

why live when you will eventually die...

[chiboy002]

koguchi style frame brace, do it

weld 2 decently sized, thick, strong bars between the frames in spots that won't hinder performance. crash it and hardly any money wasted

[300zx91]

I actually found a super clean 89 240sx with a ka24de swapped for $1200 Florida car would it be cheaper to swap to the clean shell or cheaper to fix the rust on the car I have? Guy with the 240 wants to meet tomorrow Id still probably drift the coupe till something happens.

[boost addict]

If it's not gonna be a dd dont do it. just brace it and save your money or put it towards other parts, or when ya break shit. That's what I'm doing

[PoorMans180SX]

S13's are unibody cars. Yes, rusty frame rails affect chassis rigidity, but so does removing your metal fender.

You can drift the car just fine, and I'm sure it's safe.

Get it fixed when you can, and try not to crash your car (it's not that hard).