While researching this blog post, I didn't want to make a standard Driver Profile of Paul Vlasblom like what we've been doing with the Formula D drifters. I wanted to turn it into a Q&A type of feature with lots of pictures of his cars, build projects and driving skills instead.
Paul's career got started in 1998 when he was working for a Porsche dealership and and was racing a E30. He already loved to slide the little BMW but it never occurred to him it was a real sport. He won the BMW E30-Cup in 2001 and 2002. After that he became more and more interested in drifting and won the Dutch Driftchampionship in 2004 with a BMW E36 M3 Coupe. He also started to he attend his first drift competitions in the UK and Ireland too.
Let's take a closer look at his current drift machine: his E36 Touring.
The car started out as his personal daily driver but over the years it's evolved to a full blown drift machine. In 2005 he went to the D1 driver search in the UK at the Silverstone circuit. He qualified with 5 other drivers from UK and Ireland. At that time, the car had to meet the D1GP standards so it needed a rollcage. But because it was Paul's daily driver he didn't had one, luckily he was able to borrow one from a friend who was driving in the BMW-E36 cup.
Instead of bolting the rollcage into the car he used industrial adhesive because he didn't want to drill holes into his street car. During the scrutinizing of the car by the D1GP officials they checked the rollcage but the adhesive looked like perfect welds, so it passed. At the time it seemed OK, but thinking about it now it seems a bit reckless!
The car had been his daily driver for a year when he exchanged the standard 2 liter engine with a S50 M3 Evo engine. After drifting it in 2005 he fully rebuilt it as a professional spec driftcar. The exterior went from standard to widebody with a modified GTR-Coupe bodykit because there wasn't anything available for a touring.
The windows have been replaced with lighter lexan versions. Other weight savings have been achieved thanks to FRP doors, bonnet, fenders and bootlid.
The most important thing on a drift car has to be the suspension. The car has been fitted with a KW suspension, aluminum E46 wishbones and special tie rods for more lock. All these modifications and his amazing driving skill has earned him a place as one of the world's greatest drifters That's why was invited to compete in the...
Paul also have some other pictures of cars that he drifted in his career. This picture with Paul drifting a Porsche 911 GT3 impressed me the most.
Retirado de : Speedhunters
