Motor questions for drifting

87-7msuprafreak

New Member
Jul 6, 2011
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Sauk Centre, Minnesota
Hey I own an 87 MKIII shell that is super clean and I am looking for some advice on what motor setup to use for drifting it and maybe still using it as a street driving car. I wanna turbo setup with whatever motor I get and also need a manual trans to go with it, if anyone has any advice, tips or maybe even a motor and trans let me know

Thanks
 

Moy

It's broken...
Aug 6, 2008
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Beach Park, IL
A properly done 7m will be fine for what you want, but I'd suggest MHG, ARP head studs, ARP rod bolts, and doing some cooling/oiling system mods. aluminum radiator would help. extending the oil pickup tube closer to the bottom of the pan, adding baffles to the pan, and a full flow oil cooling system. the stock cooler will NOT be sufficient for drifting.

1JZ/2JZ would be great platforms as well. Look at terbo_boost on the forum, he's sliding a MK3 with 1JZ and seems to do pretty well with it. Ahmedootie I believe is putting a 1JZ into his BMW as well haha.

Pretty much any V8 would be good too. Either worked over 1UZ if you have the know-how, or an American motor which is cheap/easy to come by/cheap as hell to build up. If you want to turbo it, I'd say 7M/1J/2J as parts for those are readily available. V8 turbo swap a custom manifold would have to be made, lots of headaches involved.

Hope this helps at least a little bit :)
 

te72

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Mar 26, 2006
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In my experience with this sort of thing, it's all about response. What's the best way of getting quick response? High compression natural aspiration. Only way to make enough power to do well with a car as heavy as ours is displacement... that said, v8 would be the way to go, Chevy LS series if you can swing the money. Used to break the back end of my SS out like it was nothing, and it wasn't for lack of grip... ;)

Alternatively, a fairly small turbo on a JZ would be great for this sort of thing. Oil cooler, good fan/radiator setup to keep things cool, and you'd be good to go. As much as I love 7m's, I'm not a fan of the oiling system, at least stock. If you have patience, some tools, and the willingness to learn how to build a good 7m, then that would work too. :)
 

Poodles

I play with fire
Jul 22, 2006
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Fort Worth, TX
87-7msuprafreak;1741438 said:
Hey I own an 87 MKIII shell that is soon to be not super clean and I am looking for some advice on what motor setup to use for drifting it and maybe still using it as a street driving car. I wanna turbo setup with whatever motor I get and also need a manual trans to go with it, if anyone has any advice, tips or maybe even a motor and trans let me know

Thanks

ftfy :p
 

te72

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Mar 26, 2006
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Hahaha, too true Poodles... drifting breaks shit, no matter how good you are, or how strong your parts are. Learned my lesson early on that one, fortunately it wasn't a Supra. :p
 

hvyman

Dang Dude! No Way Man.
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Apr 17, 2007
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Learning how to drift also might send you into the wall or tires or cones several times a day. 240's make a great drift car for that reason. There cheap and there are millions of them.

Ls engines will hold up the best but there rather expensive.

What ever motor you deciede to use make sure there is an extra qt of oil in the pan at all times. Possibly even make some nice baffles or a bigger oil pan. beech performance sells one for the 7m.
 

jessemkiiis

New Member
Sep 28, 2009
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Childersburg AL,
If the ls motors are a little too pricy look in to a lm7
it's the 5.3 cast block aluminum head little brother of the ls.
Ls parts will direct bolt on, and it's a rear sump oil pan.
I can pick them up around here for about 800 bucks
you'll want to do a ls intake manifold, pulley set and cam.
Just my .02 I wouldn't dare drift a 7m.
 

te72

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Mar 26, 2006
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hvyman;1742084 said:
What ever motor you deciede to use make sure there is an extra qt of oil in the pan at all times. Possibly even make some nice baffles or a bigger oil pan. beech performance sells one for the 7m.

THIS. Revving anything high enough for long periods of time would kill just about anything...

Jesse, I can't recommend an iron block V8 in the nose of one of our cars... would throw off the handling too much I suspect. Maybe IJ can pitch in on that subject, I believe his 6.0L was iron blocked.
 

Black Cat

Member
Sep 11, 2009
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Fort Bragg NC
I don't see a problem drifting a stockish 7M-GTE, Hell I did it for a few months.
In case you can't tell I'm the only supra out there.
[video=youtube;OamwfyH7Au8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OamwfyH7Au8[/video]
 

Black Cat

Member
Sep 11, 2009
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Fort Bragg NC
Not really sure lol, I killed a few NA alternators and blew the stock head gasket.
Now that I have a HKS head gasket, ARP head bolts, and a turbo alternator, I haven't had any problems.
 

supraguru05

Offical SM Expert: Suspension & Vehicle Dynamic
SM Expert
Dec 16, 2005
737
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louisville ky
I am far more abusive then that on my engine and it has lasted 3 race seasons. If you take your time and build the engine right you will be fine. Just check all the measurements and keep the components clean during assembly and it will last for a long time.
 

Master_Spazez

New Member
Jun 4, 2011
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SC
Yeah as long as you have a strong powerplant just drift with that. No need to look into JZ's and the like when your 7M is working fine.

Save your money for suspension it will go a long way.
 

te72

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Mar 26, 2006
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IJ.;1754857 said:
6.0L LS engine in my Mk3 would have been a dream for drifting as you could steer it on the throttle :)

No kidding there, sliding the SS around was a matter of how much right foot I put down... I'm surprised you don't see those cars in more drifting competition, they're cheap (both in build quality and price), and can be tossed around all day with little trouble, even in stock form.