In early June, Dylan and I took our Checkpoint G35 sedan drift car to its very first drift event. Overall, it was a thrilling experience, though we encountered a few minor mishaps along the way. Still, the event gave us valuable insights into both the car’s strengths and weaknesses and our growth as drivers. The goal was clear: take what we learned, fine-tune the car, and improve our performance for future events.
Our friends at Ruiner sent us one of their pre-alpha strobe kits to test out on our car so with a little help from our friends Harman and Jon we got the kit installed and were ready to light up night drift events with all sorts of cool strobe patterns.
With July fast approaching, we set our sights on getting the car back on the track. While I was in Japan, Dylan made moves to secure the parts we needed to enhance the car’s performance. He contacted our sponsor, Lordco, who set us up with fresh brake parts. This would ensure more reliable performance from our hydro e-brake and overall braking system. Alongside this, we scored a slick set of Work XC8 wheels from some friends down in Washington State, further enhancing the car’s aesthetic and functionality.
Once I returned from Japan, we were ready for the next event. However, things didn’t go quite as planned. The G35 was performing well in general, but during mid-drift, we started experiencing power cuts. The car would lose power mid-slide, which meant we couldn’t maintain a drift through the entire corner. Frustrating as it was, we dived into diagnostics to find the root of the issue. After scanning the car, the codes pointed to a problem with the knock sensor.
Lordco came through once again, providing us with a new knock sensor, and Milo made us a fresh sub-harness to replace the old one, which had been chewed up by rats. Confident we had addressed the problem, we tested the car on the street, and everything seemed fine.
In the meantime, our friends at Overmodify sent over a new livery, dialling the car in aesthetically. With things looking good and the car seeming ready, time passed quickly as we were busy with Summer Touring and our Pop-Up Shop events. Finally, we got the chance to take the car back to the track in early September.
However, our optimism was short-lived. At the event, the same power-cutting issue reappeared. I noticed the power cuts were more pronounced when sliding to the right, leading us to believe the problem might be fuel-related. To test this theory, we filled the gas tank, drove in some circles, and then topped up again before returning to the track.
Success! The car performed flawlessly, and it became clear that the issue had been fuel sloshing in the tank all along. With the problem finally resolved, we spent hours drifting, and the G35 performed like a dream.
The journey from June to September was one filled with lessons, small setbacks, and perseverance, but in the end, we came out stronger as drivers with a better understanding of the G35. Here’s to more great events ahead!
We are always adding new goods to our store, including many car fashion accessories and vintage racing apparel.
Check it all out in the Checkpoint Japan Online Store.
