"Formula V8" has become a popular nickname for Formula Drift. While the justification for competing with a large-displacement V8 engine is compelling, cynics and purists scoff at the shoehorning of a Chevrolet LS engine into an import engine bay. Some want to at least see engines from the same manufacturer as the chassis. To the critics dismay, more than half of the competitive field in Formula D currently rocks domestic V8-power.

Performance Pedigree

Fpr 2009 Formula Drift Champion Chris Forsberg and his crew chief Kevin Wells, selecting an engine that shares the same brandind as the chassis was important. In the past, Forsberg’s 350Z convertible drift car relied upon a VK56 Nissan V8. This combination earned a championship in 2009 as it was campaigned from 2006-to-2010. For 2011, Forsberg acquired a new 370Z to campaign in the series. The team weighed out two options: build a twin-turbocharged VQ37DE or go with a VK56DE V8 engine. Having previous success with the VK56, the decision was made to stick with the large-displacement, naturally-aspirated V8.

Game Plan

A considerable amount of planning went into the preparation for the 370Z to save time and build costs. With five years of experience with the Z33, transitioning to the Z34 was seamless. Analyzing the similarities and differences between the cars, Wells focused on making the already-improved Z34 chassis lighter and better balanced than the Z33 it replaced. Since Formula D revised its rulebook for the 2011 season, there were a few changes that needed to be considered.

C.O.R.R.-Powered - From Dunes to Tarmacs

Like Forsberg’s 350Z convertible, the VK56 engine found in the Pathfinder, Titan and Armada share the same block and heads that were chosen for the Z34 build. But the similarities stop there, as this particular mill was sourced from Nissan Motorsports Division. This spec-racing VK56 engine, which powered Nissan’s entries in the now-defunct Championship Off Road Racing (C.O.R.R.) series, features a production block and cylinder head filled with a complete Nissan Motorsports rotating assembly and valvetrain. Since this engine was prepared for the rigors of off-road competition, Nissan Motorsports also included a custom dry-sump system to defend against oil starvation. Nissan Motorsports 50mm individual throttle bodies breathe through a specialized AEM Inductions box filter, while exhaust gasses exit the engine through JBA headers and a Chris Forsberg Racing custom exhaust system.

Drift Power

Eight Bosch injectors spray VP Racing C16 Racing fuel into the combustion chambers. A BigStuff3 engine management system, tuned by Wells with the help of Nate and Chan of BigStuff3, regulates the fuel delivery and the spark timing of the 5.6-liter VK engine. While tuning on A’PEXi’s Dynapack dynamometer, the big V8 put down peak figures of 589 horsepower and 471 lb-ft torque to the hubs. The major advantage of the V8 can be seen on the torque curve, as the VK56 generates 350 lb-ft torque as early as 3,000 RPM, perfect for getting sideways and smoking the tires.

Drift-Worthy Driveline

Drifting really puts a driveline to the test, as the clutch kicks and sliding at speed would tax the capacity of most factory components. A custom flywheel and a Tilton Engineering twin-plate clutch transfer the flywheel torque to the input shaft of a Quaife Engineering 60G sequential transmission. This battle-proven box employs straight cut gears and dog engagement for the ultimate in durability and lightning fast gear changes. A custom Driveshaft Shop propeller shaft joins the 60G to the TOMEI POWERED Technical Trax LSD, which splits power to the drive wheels that are mounted with rule-compliant 285/35R18 Hankook R-S3 tires.

Get Low 'N Go

To keep the Hankooks planted to the track, DG-5 dampers absorb the imperfections of the pavement while Battle Version adjustable rear arms add alignment flexibility to the rear end. Up front, Wells customized the spindles for increased steering angle, which results in more aggressive drifting.