Blake Van Thof’s 9,000 RPM E92 Drift Car

Welcome back to Behind the Build. This time, we’re taking a closer look at a car that completely changes what most people expect from an LS-powered drift car — Blake Van Thof’s 9,000 RPM BMW E92.
Most people think LS engines all sound the same… until they hear this one.

FROM BARE CHASSIS TO DRIFT CAR

This car didn’t start as a complete build. The original owner blew the engine and parted the car out, and Blake ended up buying what was left back in 2020 during COVID. With extra time on his hands and experience from a previous turbo LS E36 build, he decided to start fresh and build a completely new drift car around the E92 chassis.

The E92 platform isn’t the easiest or cheapest BMW chassis to drift compared to the E36 or E46. They take more time, more setup, and more money to get right. But once dialed in, they make a very capable and unique drift car.

  • Hoonigans Compound

The Engine – 429ci LS7 Built to Rev 9,000 RPM

The heart of the car is a custom-built 429-cubic-inch LS7-based engine from Patriot Performance. This isn’t your typical LS — it’s a solid roller, dry sump, high-RPM naturally aspirated setup designed specifically for drifting and reliability at high RPM.

The engine makes around 700 wheel horsepower and runs on VP C16 116-octane race fuel. Blake chose C16 over E85 for reliability and engine longevity, especially given the dry sump system and high-RPM operation.

WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE AN LS REV TO 9,000 RPM

Making a pushrod LS engine survive at 9,000 RPM takes a lot more than just a cam and valve springs. The entire engine has to be designed around RPM — especially the valvetrain and rotating assembly. Key components and considerations include:

  • High-end rocker arms
  • Hollow stem valves to reduce valvetrain weight
  • Custom solid roller camshaft
  • High-quality pushrods and lifters
  • Carefully selected valve springs and spring pressure
  • Fully balanced rotating assembly
  • Molnar crankshaft and rods
  • Custom Wiseco pistons
  • CID cylinder heads and intake
  • Five-stage dry sump system
  • Vacuum-regulated crankcase pressure system

At high RPM, valvetrain stability, harmonics, rotating assembly balance, and oil control are everything. Small mistakes in engine balance or valvetrain setup can destroy an engine quickly at those speeds, so everything has to be carefully matched and balanced.

WEIGHT REDUCTION AND ENGINE SETUP CHANGES

Originally, Blake ran a turbo iron-block LS setup, which added significant weight to the front of the car — especially with the turbo, intercooler, and piping. By switching to an aluminum-block, naturally aspirated setup, he removed around 200 pounds from the front of the car, which dramatically improved the handling and balance.

Sometimes, less weight and better balance make for a faster, better-drifting car than just adding more power.

DRY SUMP AND CRANKCASE VACUUM SYSTEM

The engine uses a five-stage dry sump system, which not only controls oiling but also pulls vacuum in the crankcase. This helps:

  • Reduce crankcase pressure
  • Improve piston ring seal
  • Increase engine efficiency
  • Improve reliability at high RPM
  • Reduce oil starvation during drifting

The vacuum regulator on the engine controls how much vacuum is pulled from the crankcase. Too much vacuum can actually pull engine seals inward, so the system has to be regulated properly.

MAINTENANCE AND RELIABILITY

Even though this is a high-end, solid roller engine, maintenance isn’t as bad as people think. Valve lash is checked periodically and before events, oil is changed regularly, and the engine is monitored closely.
With proper setup and maintenance, this engine has reliably survived multiple seasons of drifting, which says a lot for a 9,000-RPM LS engine.

PARTS USED ON BLAKE’S E92 (AVAILABLE AT DRIFT HQ)

This build uses a mix of motorsport electronics, fuel system components, suspension, drivetrain, and safety equipment — many of which are available directly through Drift HQ.

FUEL SYSTEM & COOLING

  • Radium Engineering R10A Fuel Cell – 10 Gallon
  • Radium Engineering FCST
  • Radium Engineering Coolant Expansion Tank
  • Fast Cooling Midsize Cooling Complete System
  • Meziere 300 Series High-Flow Inline Electric Water Pump

ELECTRONICS & CONTROLS

  • AEM CD-5 Carbon Digital Dash Display
  • LINK ECU – G4X XtremeX
  • LINK ECU – Razor PDM
  • Rywire P30 Switch Panel (Keypad)
  • DC Power 270 Amp XP Alternator

This combination gives the car a full motorsport electronics setup, including an ECU, power distribution, a digital dash, and switch panel control.

SUSPENSION & STEERING

  • WiseFab Front Drift Angle Lock Kit
  • WiseFab Rear Suspension Drop Knuckle Kit
  • BC Racing DS Series Coilovers

This is a proven suspension setup for BMW drift cars, providing the E92 with the steering angle and suspension geometry needed for drifting.

BLAKES BUILD IN YOUR HANDS

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ENLACE ECU - G4X XtremeX (109-4000)
ENLACE ECU - G4X XtremeX (109-4000)
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WiseFab - BMW E90 E92 E90 M3 E92 M3 E81 E82 E82 M Kit de bloqueo de ángulo de deriva delantera (WF900)
WiseFab - BMW E90 E92 E90 M3 E92 M3 E81 E82 E82 M Kit de bloqueo de ángulo de deriva delantera (WF900)
$2,300.00
ENLACE ECU - Teclado CAN 12 botones (101-0239)
ENLACE ECU - Teclado CAN 12 botones (101-0239)
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Bridge Moto - Arnés de seis puntos FIA
Bridge Moto - Arnés de seis puntos FIA
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Meziere - Bomba de agua eléctrica en línea de alto flujo serie 300 Salida única (WP336S)
Meziere - Bomba de agua eléctrica en línea de alto flujo serie 300 Salida única (WP336S)
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WiseFab - BMW E90 E92 E81 E82 Kit de nudillos de suspensión trasera (WF901)
WiseFab - BMW E90 E92 E81 E82 Kit de nudillos de suspensión trasera (WF901)
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Clutch Masters Flow Control Valve | Clutch Delay valve
Clutch Masters Flow Control Valve | Clutch Delay valve
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Radium Engineering R10A Fuel Cell - 10 Gallon
Radium Engineering R10A Fuel Cell - 10 Gallon
$873.95
Radium Engineering Coolant Expansion Tank- Universal
Radium Engineering Coolant Expansion Tank- Universal
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GForce - GForce GSR DogBox Transmission 4 Speed
GForce - GForce GSR DogBox Transmission 4 Speed
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Diferencial trasero de cambio rápido para invierno Drift HQ 1,000HP+ - LSD de 2 vías
Diferencial trasero de cambio rápido para invierno Drift HQ 1,000HP+ - LSD de 2 vías
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Fast Cooling - Midsize Cooling Complete System
Fast Cooling - Midsize Cooling Complete System
$955.00

DRIVETRAIN

  • Drift HQ 1,500HP+ Winter’s Quick Change Rear Differential
  • Rise Fab Shop E82/E92 Quick Change Subframe
  • GForce GSR Dogbox Transmission – 4 Speed
  • Clutch Masters Flow Control Valve

This drivetrain setup is built for durability, quick gear ratio changes, and fast shifting — perfect for competitive drifting.


PEDALS & SAFETY

  • Wilwood Floor Mount Pedal Assembly
  • OMP FIA Fire Suppression System
  • BridgeMoto FIA Six Point Harness

These components bring the car up to proper competition safety standards and driver control.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Blake Van Thof’s E92 is a perfect example of building something different instead of following the typical formula. Instead of going turbo, he focused on weight reduction, high RPM power, engine response, and balance. The result is a drift car that sounds completely different from most LS cars and performs incredibly well on track.

This build shows that there’s more than one way to build a competitive drift car — and sometimes the unique builds are the ones that stand out the most.