...were they front- or rear-wheel drive cars?

Just wondering...the local sport-compact and drifting scene here still covets them highly because of all the aftermarket parts available to them, but it seems to me a bit of a waste to try and turn a front-wheel drive car into a "drifter".

Arvin

 

FWD, although there were some models that had that 4 wheel steering.

 

They are definately front drivers. I have seen 5th gen preludes that were converted into RWD drift cars. As for drifting them stock I dunno about that... For a drift car just get an rx-7, AE86, 240z or something like that. However I have thought about putting blad *** tires on the back of my lude to "drift" it a little bit.

 

You have seen them converted into RWD? Where was this at. I used to have a prelude and built a few of them, but who would put the kind of money into the developement of changing the layout of the motor, designing new mounts, Actually finding a tranny (none out there) that can be mounted to the H series so you can use a drive shaft then developing a rear end. I just don't see it happening. If you could get pics of this I am sure people would pay to see it. I know a lot of lude enthusiast that would love to get their hands on how they did it.

 

I have seen pictures on the internet. I can't really understand why you would convert a FWD car either for the kind of money it costs you. I guess they really like preludes and they really want to be unique. Do some internet searches and I'm sure you can find some pics of the conversions. I saw the pics and was like "thats cool I guess" but I don't remember where they were. If you ask around preludepower.com or hpoa.org someone will probably know.

 

I've seen a FWD honda civic place pretty well in some drift compitions. Its just a different method of getting the car to drift. It requires heavy use of the E brake.

 

this maybe a stupid question , but How do you drift ? I drifted a few times accidentally but TCS or w/e released the gas before I actually got horizontal. So how do you drift ? I know you have to turn off traction control. But is there a special way to do it ?

 

It's harder than it looks, by as far as FWD drifting, it's fake, real drifting involves spinning the back tires as you counter steer into and around a curve.
Start in a wet parking lot, determine where your imaginary curve is, go into the curve in 1st, as you start to steer around, put it in 2nd and drop the clutch, as your rear wheels spin and the back slides out, counter steer 1/2 the amount of the angle of your slide, keep your back wheel spinning. (I'm usually at about 5k before I pop the clutch). When you are exiting the curve, let up slightly on the gas, and straighten yourself out. When you get a feel for this, try it in 2nd and pop the clutch going into 3rd.

Again you can always use the hand brake to get your slide started, but you have to hold down the gas so your back wheels spin when you release.
This is how the FWD's are but it lacks the same finese.
It's hard to describe writing it down, practice if you like, save money for tires, and make sure you have a safe place to do it. You don't have to be going really fast to do it either.