Scottish Elises

I really want to be able to do the sideways action in a controlled manner.

Im lucky enough to have a sizeable private road near my house where trying sideways antics can be done legally and safely but Im absolutely rubbish.

That got me thinking today, a few questions

a) are there more people like this on here who would love to be able to gain more car control and be able to have some fun when the tracktime/circumstances allowed.
b) would I have to go to walshy's to have a decent chance of learning this well and if so would others be interested in making up the numbers
c) can I be taught this in scotland or could I hire somewhere like kames and find like minded others to split cost and find instructors to help, I was guessing 10 people - £70 each for two days and same again for an instructor to sit with us for time each.

Anybody have any thoughts, is this of interest, is it do-able, costs about right? instructors available?

cheers

Flip

You are not the first to ask this.

a) yes, lots
b) Would be up for that again, would prefer to time it right to include a track day down south
c) Kames is too small and narrow for car training days, this is the question that has been asked many times and as yet we have still to find the answer.
d) can i have a shot of your sizeable private road?

Flip, going sideways will take a lot of practise.

A large wet tarmac would be an ideal starting place. The question is WHERE in Scotland....... Also, drifts at high speed are a lot harder that slower ones which will require an airfield type venue or proper track.

How big is your private road (length and width)?

Snowy or icy car park is the best starting point but even in Scotland you will need to wait a few months. Wet grass is also a good playground but it doesn't last long before it cuts up. Mass is right wet Tarmac - knockhill used to have a skid car - don't know if they still run it but the area where they ran it would be good to play on for an hour or two to get the basics. Might be worth asking.

Crail oval/figure 8 with Walshy was always good - especially when it was wet and/or diesel covered.
Crail might be and idea - had a 110mph spin there once (and didn't hit anything).

Snowy car parks have been known for super slo-mo drifting (watch out for rougue skips!). Little football cones are good for marking the 'track', 'corners' etc.

Autotesting might also be an idea...

An Exige on 48s is not the ideal tool to learn to drift, a std S1 with road tyres in the wet is much more progressive hence easier. MX5/Caterham even better...

Going sideways is not difficult. Converting it to going straight again without losing it is where the skill lies.

tut

hey guys,

yeah over the years have tried the usual snowie car parks and empty wet diesely truck stops but mostly very slow (and uncontrolled slides). It wasnt until I entered the se fold and saw the guys controlling slides or even just catching them that it really caught my interest.

To answer on the private road its just long enoughto get up into 3rd hit a 90 degree bend and same distance again, double carrigeway width but with a grassy verge rising on each side. Its owned by a local quarry and is never used so gives me a little playtime without taking the piss out of owner or nearby farms.

Ali I did consider crail but I thought it had got quite bumby there altho its been a long time since I was there so thought kames might be better. If Crail is cool it might be quite good financialy and lcation wise aswell?

Mass, Im not really looking to be able to drift as such but to get a good handfull of opp lock and be able to catch it and drive out of it well.

So, what would generaly be more satisfying, trying to arrange some instruction of sorts at kh or crail or as suggested some training down south combined with a trackday for a decent road trip.

Would either be of interest to anyone and would any of the more experienced guys be up for extra tuition?

cheers

Flip

i did it down at lotus driver training.
they had a roundabout on their track at one end. they had an old subaru with a huge water tank on the back and soaked the tarmac.
they had an elise with front wheels and tyres on the rear, so less grip.
speeds were low 2nd gear.
we got to go round and round, using lift-off to get the car sideways.
it was sooo much fun!
wish i had it as a playground...!
after a few goes i got it about 1/2 way round sideways - lots and lots of spins before then

dont have an elise at the mo, so cant join in, but maybe someone could produce the same setup up here with input from all sides on S_E.
the aerodrome at Errol, when i grew up, had 2 runways completely untouched. its obviously changed since then with lorries / carboot sales / parachutes. However, maybe there are other old runways with plane parking tarmac that could be found?
also, lots of closed-down transportation hubs in scotland, maybe a landowner would be up for renting one out...?

We went on a Seloc organised wet grip day at Rockingham in May.
http://www.rockingham.co.uk/oem/wetgrip.asp
http://forums.seloc.org/viewthread.php? ... 656&page=8

The basalt low friction surface was really good, as you could break traction at about 18mph even in a low powered car. Most of the cars gripped a bit too well on the slightly stickier surface with a chicane between walls of water. The half day finished with a wet roundabout drifting session. I felt sorry for the guy in the Atom.

The day was planned to coincide with a BaT trackday, so many folk did the morning on the training area followed by a very wet afternoon on track. I think 10 cars would make it reasonable value and give enough driving time.

Something like this could be combined with a Walshy airfield day or full Trackday the following day

Dave

What you're after (I think) is power sliding, not drifting. Similar but very different.

Drifting you upset the car pre-corner, slide through it sideways and exit sideways. Power sliding you set up the car, get the apex, more power than you should on exit and slide the arse out up the road.

The latter lets you be quick and have fun at the same time. The former is for ballerinas and mentalists like Gigi Galli

The problem with doing it on the road is when the camber catches you out on the exit. But practice lets you know what to do should the worst happen.

Crail trackdays are good for it but they will destroy your tyres on that surface.

Crail has a faily smooth drift track, figure of 8. The track is too rough now for sure.

I agree, drifting and power sliding are completely different animals.

Any excuse to post my Wet Oulton vid again. Drift or Slide?

http://www.carlimits.com

A big part of being able to do this is being able to steer correctly, and that is a huge bit of the recovery.

Get the basic right and build on them. Walshy days are an absolute blast also, and I've had some wonderful days on the airfield

Ive been on a fantastic journey since returning from Montreal 6.5 years ago, buying a 111r and doing my first trackday, walshy day, race etc etc.

I'm at brand today doing practise and my car is on 10 year old S1 exige springs. I wouldnt be driving it the way i am if it wasnt for a lot of practise and tutition, and some insanity.

Should be on Nitrons for the next race thankfully, but currently 16/39 in practise on the Gp track which i havent driven before. Reckon i've got a good second + to get also

I *think* Crail has been mentioned before but they are limited to x amount of days per year now due to locals complaining / some deal with the council allowing them the restricted number of days, and they tend to use those days for high money spinners like the max power days etc...

Have a search around on here as there has been a lot of talk about it. It always seems to result in - great idea and i'd be up with it, but where!

Chris

Drift


Power slide


Think Scotty thought I've blown the engine

Hey Mass,

that first picture is realy cool, top class! (if there was ever a time for a jealous smilie)

def think with the comments there might be an outing or session for some se'rs to be arranged somewhere.

I'm not expecting to become an expert (wheres the fun in not getting loads of practice time). I would really like to know the basics, ie as you were explaining at the weekend about not lifting off and upsetting the car, smooth power etc for keeping it smooth on track. Just the same basics but for getting the end out and bring it back reasonably smoothly ie where to accelerate, basic steering principles etc

Will try looking into some options for a venue for some practising/tuition and post up to see if anyone fancies it.

cheers mate