Well I told myself that I would never sell my EF, but i've been having cravings for something rwd. Something with about the same power to weight ratio as my civic. Possible a boosted Miata, 240, etc. Who here has gone from a fwd to rwd and wish they had their fwd back.

 

I went for a ride in a turbo Miata, and I've driven an FD RX7. I was hugely impressed, and am determined to have something similar later in life. With the right RWD car, I can't imagine anyone wanting to go back (short of Honda cheapness and reliability).

I give those two specific examples because they seem pertinent to what you're looking for. A decently set-up 240SX does not make that list, just FYI. I've driven lots of other RWD (and FWD) cars that suck the big one. The overall package should be the selling point, not one specific characteristic.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by slow hatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Well I told myself that I would never sell my EF, but i've been having cravings for something rwd. Something with about the same power to weight ratio as my civic. Possible a boosted Miata, 240, etc. Who here has gone from a fwd to rwd and wish they had their fwd back. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I found it very easy to make the switch. I picked up a street miata as an autoX/daily driver/sunny day toy. Having had almost 100% of my experience in FWD and AWD cars, picking up driving the miata was a no-brainer. Very intuitive and easy, imo.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Stinkycheezmonky &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I've driven lots of other RWD (and FWD) cars that suck the big one. The overall package should be the selling point, not one specific characteristic.</TD></TR></TABLE>



I currently am tracking two different cars, one FWD and one RWD. While they handle differently, the basics between the two aren't really all that different. The line is still the line, and you still have to deal with slip angles, and have a feel for when the car is gripping and when it's starting to lose it (and the thing that's going to save you is usually straightening the wheel as your first reaction, with either car).

If you want to switch to a different car, by all means do so. Tracking any car is the process of getting familiar with its capabilities and how to get the most out of it. You'd be going through that process if you got a significantly different FWD car just like you would with switching to a(n) RWD car.

 

Yeah, i'm pretty set on getting a miata due to the way they handle. I believe it would be the closest thing to a RWD civic, lol. Oh but to part with my beloved EF. sigh.............

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxtasy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">



I currently am tracking two different cars, one FWD and one RWD. While they handle differently, the basics between the two aren't really all that different. The line is still the line, and you still have to deal with slip angles, and have a feel for when the car is gripping and when it's starting to lose it (and the thing that's going to save you is usually straightening the wheel as your first reaction, with either car).

If you want to switch to a different car, by all means do so. Tracking any car is the process of getting familiar with its capabilities and how to get the most out of it. You'd be going through that process if you got a significantly different FWD car just like you would with switching to a(n) RWD car.
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Yeah, I've become pretty competent with my EF and can push the car to its limits. But I always want that feeling of kicking the rear out and giving it a little slide.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by slow hatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Yeah, I've become pretty competent with my EF and can push the car to its limits. But I always want that feeling of kicking the rear out and giving it a little slide. </TD></TR></TABLE>

If you can't do that with a Civic, you're not pushing it hard enough

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Stinkycheezmonky &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

If you can't do that with a Civic, you're not pushing it hard enough </TD></TR></TABLE>

Oh it will slide in on the brakes, but can't hold a slide in the powar

 

I stand by my statement

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Stinkycheezmonky &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I stand by my statement </TD></TR></TABLE>

lol, ok ok.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by slow hatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yeah, i'm pretty set on getting a miata due to the way they handle. I believe it would be the closest thing to a RWD civic, lol. Oh but to part with my beloved EF. sigh............. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Even in stock form, they're fun cars. I managed to find a 97, 1.8 liter car with the stock torsen... probably going to be putting it up for sale shortly. PM me if you might be interested.

 

It took me a couple sessions to remember to LIFT when the *** end starts coming around. Oops. Fortunately no flat spots or bent metal to keep around as a reminder, but I did get a nice smokey spin out of the deal coming onto the front straight at Road America..

-Chris

 

I know which turbo miata stinky got a ride in (PS: new/fresh turbo arrives today... "new" car soon).

While I miss my 92 hatch, NA 190+whp and stiff *** suspension... I really do miss it... the miata is something new to learn.

It has been fun building, its basically a rwd civic. Its pretty much as cheap and reliable so far as my civic has been.

I don't see myself going back anytime soon honestly... as much as I miss the EG... the miata is an entirely different animal.

Oh.. I also agree with stinky... if you feel that the rear of a civic can't step out and be controlled... you haven't gone far enough

 

My friend recently started autocrossing his boosted S14 which is very well setup.
he currently hates it, and wants to start running his N/A civic again, which is faster. the suspension on them isn't quite ideal. even with a moderate ride height, they basically experience positive camber gain, due to the very short suspension arms. we had his S13 and S14 up on the alignment rack and i laughed when we compressed the suspension and i saw how much positive camber was gained.

He has worked at a race shop for a few years working on cars from Radical SR8's, to bmws , Porshces, ferraris, etc.
He's currently back to the idea of an E36 bmw. So with all of the cars he constantly gets to drive on the street and on track, that says alot about the E36 chassis in my eyes.

you can get 1995 M3's for about $8000 now. you may want to drive one and see how you like it. A 1996 m3 would be a good choice, as they increased to 3.2 liter in 1996, up from 3 liters. also i don't believe they had side airbags yet in 96, which adds weight.
i know 95,96 M3's that are down to around 2800 lbs in autox trim. gutted of course, you can get lower then that.

Miatas are great little cars also. but i'm a big fat 6'5", so it rules them out for me.
i've been into hondas forever. i just recenlty bought a 99 m3, and i have to say, it feels amazing and just feels easier and more forgiving to drive fast. i'm sure the longer wheelbase is a reason.

 

their expensive now, but if you can pick up a corolla that would be fun. but it will never be fast. but there really a lot of fun to drive because they dont weigh anything

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxtasy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
While they handle differently, the basics between the two aren't really all that different. The line is still the line, and you still have to deal with slip angles, and have a feel for when the car is gripping and when it's starting to lose it (and the thing that's going to save you is usually straightening the wheel as your first reaction, with either car).
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Exactly what I was going to say. One of the perks of being the Autocross Chief and the Novice Chief was the chance to help noobies drive the correctly line which means jumping in various different cars, makes, drive lines, and different levels of suspension/grip. So I would go from a Porsche Carrera 4, to a Miata, to a Honda CRX HF, to a Subaru STi. All different makes, models and horsepower. Once you learn to hear what the car is doing at the moment you can make adjustments as you are autocrossing or racing.

I remember my 1st instructor telling me that a car is a car. They all have 4 tires, 4 wheels, steering wheel, brake pedal, gas pedal.... etc.... They alll do the same thing turn, slow down, stop and go.

Just remember to be smoother on the brakes and gas pedals in a RWD car. LOL I remember jumping into an S2000 after running my car and got the back end around my 1st time out in one LOL. I was used to just mashing the gas pedal to correct oversteer, same method doesn't work so well in S2000

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CivicSiRacer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Just remember to be smoother on the brakes and gas pedals in a RWD car. LOL I remember jumping into an S2000 after running my car and got the back end around my 1st time out in one LOL. I was used to just mashing the gas pedal to correct oversteer, same method doesn't work so well in S2000 </TD></TR></TABLE>

To me, this is the EXACT difference between FWD and RWD. When I am in my H2 ITR, a lot of times the throttle is an on/off switch. When I was in my miata or my S2000, I had to learn to be progressive with the throttle. At times, in RWD, required a slight lift followed by more gas or vice versa... or balancing the car with the throttle. FWD feels like you just set the car and if something radical happens then you generally mash throttle (oversteer) or full lift (understeer).

Now that I am getting out of racing and looking into a multi purpose car (family car, autox, HPDE), I am only looking at RWD sedans. FWD can be as fast or faster than RWD, however, RWD is just more "fun", more of a drivers platform.