The Red Drift ///Machine - 2026 NASA TT4 adventures

[bigjae46]

Took it for a test drive, the Z4 rack worked...just the same as a stock rack with the crossover block except it was even worse at low speed from my memory. So I will finally put my dreams of manual steering to rest. I guess I could do electric steering but I don't think it nets me very much in terms of weight savings. I like the feel of my steering now with the relief shims.

Looks like this is a case where I should leave well enough alone.

[bigjae46]

How quickly it can turn. A glorious win…fast forward to the next weekend - oil cooler line o-ring fails. I was on track and fluid gets on my windshield. By the time I get off I can’t see shit. As I’m going through the hot pits I’m worried once I stop the car is going to catch fire. Luckily it did not. Thought I was the VANOS line. Brought another line the next day and it was the stupid o-ring. Got it fixed, somewhat cleaned up the car and got a couple of sessions in.

Damn…what a mess! I was literally scraping oil from the windshield. Luckily the engine is fine. Was down 3 qts but never lost pressure.

BUT…Good news!

Im going to try this PS delete…again. Last time I used one of those crossover blocks - crap - waste of time and money.

The first gen Z4 has a manual rack with electric power assist in the steering column. I’m hoping that it will be decent through the slower turns.

I found an eBay coupler that fits the Z4 rack. The problem is the pinion sticks out more than the hydraulic rack. Hoping I don’t have to cut down the steering shaft.



And it fits!!! Perfectly…the pinion and shaft sit just deep enough in each end so it doesn’t interfere with the joint articulation.





So I am working on removing the PS system. The PS system is always getting in my way and would be awesome to drop some more weight on the front end.

I will drill an indent on the steering shaft for the set screw in the coupler to prevent them from separating. Then I need to degrease the car and then I can take it for a spin!

[bigjae46]

Here is the winning lap

[bigjae46]

Ready for my first time trial. Lots of stuff to get done. Annual tech, check ride, prep the car, meetings, out lap procedures…got all of that done. Luckily got checked out for a TT license early because it rained in the PM and I don’t have wipers. I wax the windshield so I can see when at speed. The issue is this course has a slower technical section on the backside. I’m good when I enter that section…blind by the time I’m getting back onto the next straight.



So I get 3 laps for test and tune...not off to a great start. Otherwise I'm ready! I go out for the warm up session. Bad vibration when turning right. Forgot to torque the lug nuts 🤦♂️…haven’t forgot to do that in 16 years. Only one side came loose so scrambled and found some wheel bolts.

One other car in my class, he has a couple of track records in the region. Really good driver. First day, was about 1-2 tenths off from him on NT01s and I was behind someone all day. Zero clean laps. Then I went home early because of allergies and missed the last session which apparently was the fastest. So second place on the first day.

Sun…felt better and ended up getting some clear and clean-ish laps. Ran a 1:40.580 to win TT3 by .140 seconds!

Super happy!

[bigjae46]

Getting ready for NASA time trials.

Completed the dyno - 325whp


The good news is that is more than expected...was not expecting that much of a jump! I dyno'd before with an Evolve canned tune at 311whp, this was a Paul Claude tune. Nothing else changed. Haven't even taken the valve cover off between the runs.

The bad news is this knocks me out of TT4. I installed 190lbs of ballast and would have been optimized at 12:1 wt:hp with modifiers. Now I'm in TT3 and I could lose 150 lbs or avg 30whp ore.

I REALLY wanted to run TT4 since I would be optimized on Toyo RRs. If I want to be winning then I will need to be on Hoosiers.

Megan headers and BW race...its loud!

[bigjae46]

I’m going to try and run TT4/ST4 for a season or two then step up to TT3.

Pending a dyno, I have to ballast up to 3100lbs for TT4 with 275/40R17 Toyo RRs. And I can run TT3 with 275 Hoosiers. May need a slight detune as I pull off more weight.

At my home track, I’m consistent low 1:42s on NT01s. Don’t see why I can’t be in the 1:40s with fresh RRs in TT4. Should be well into the 1:39s on Hoosiers.

I need to start pulling drag off the car, especially the rear wing. I am eyeing an AJ Hartman wing but I’m worried it will worsen my aero imbalance. I made room for splitter tunnels, I can improve the wheel well venting…can’t think of anything else.

My TC Kline shocks are 12 years old, probably time for a rebuild. Just dread the process of getting them setup again.

Despite 12 year old Koni’s…the car still slays on track!

[bigjae46]

Carbon headlight blanks are done! The pair weighs 1 lb vs 4 lbs for my gutter headlights.



Got the car on the scales. Happy with 2866! No passenger and fuel puts me at 2600. Shuddup! 😡I know I’m fat!🫃

[bigjae46]

I'm also working on some carbon headlight blanks - in the process of making the molds. I've been thinking about adding some ricey goodness to my carbon work - make some M stripes that are infused into the part.

I got some samples.

This is more subtle. It has colored tracers woven into the fabric



Here is what red looks like...



This is just solid colored carbon which is much more visible.

[bigjae46]

Cut the openings for the vents and hood pins. Sanded the hood for clear coat. Its tough to sand since some parts of the hood can't hold up to the weight of the sander. I screwed up and sanded up to 800 grit...should have went to 320 to 400 grit. And this WILL be a rattle canned 2k clear job...just want to keep expectations in line...lol.

I'm not very good at painting so I need to practice getting better. This is a great opportunity to practice.

[bigjae46]

Progress on the hood...slow progress...

The before shot



I think I can make this work. It's a racecar so the cosmetic issues aren't a problem and there are other things I can learn to make the next one better.

Rough trim and just sitting there...not bad!





Old "carbon fiber" hood on the left - you can see the fiberglass on the underside



I laminated some foam core on the underside which helped tremendously - probably a bit of overkill. Makes me wonder if I can use the same layup formula but include additional strategically placed core material and keep the hood around 6.5-7lbs.

[bigjae46]

The future...

The great news is NASA allows a 4-6 front splitter in ST4/TT4. So I can run 275 RRs without a de-tune...just need get over 3000 lbs. Let's see if I can make the Jan MSR Houston event.

For real...trying to get to 2525lbs. Sitting around 2640 - no fuel. I'm at 51.48% weight distribution so I need to pull about 40 lbs more off the front axle. I have to lose about 120 lbs so its 80lbs off the front and 40lbs off the rear

Here's the plan...

Carbon hood - 12lbs
Carbon doors - 48lbs
Carbon front bumper - 5lbs
Carbon roof - 15lbs
Single oil cooler - 5lbs
Carbon headlight blanks - 4lbs
Hotchkis front sway bar - 4lbs
Relocate ECU to inside car - better weight distribution
AiM Dash/Delete dashboard - 7lbs
Carbon fenders - 12lbs
Tilton flywheel/single plate clutch - 8lbs
Carbon trunk - 10lbs

Then I can install a .095 wall cage and reduce some of the extra tubing - figure another 50lbs of loss. So should be around the 2475lb range with near 50/50 distribution.

[bigjae46]

That spread tow...looks fantastic!!!

[bigjae46]

The carbon hood saga...the goal is to make the lightest hood possible. Which...I now think is 8lbs.

I will not be defeated. At this point...I could have just bought a nice CF hood but that's not the point.

Attempt 1 It fit! I lose vacuum and it came out WAY too heavy - 16lbs! An $800 f' up right here...



Attempt 2 Now I'm on the other end, way too light. 4.5 lbs but I don't think its stiff enough. Also had an issue with the mold...had to damage the CF part to get it out. Not as bad...$450 f' up this time.



So attempt 3 coming in 2024.

[bigjae46]

First track event of 2023...in May! The car did really well. It was hot and extra steamy even for Houston standard. Still poking around in the 1:42s and 1:43s.

I made some splitter end plates...not sure if they did anything.





Second event...in Sep . Hot and really old RRs...still quite happy.

Third and last event in Nov. First time here on this config in 3 years. New PR - 2:21.9 with a virtual best of 2:20.7 on the same really old tires from Sep.

First issue of 2023 - water pump blew up. Now I have two more used water pumps left in my spare parts pile. Also had some weird intermittent voltage drop so I pulled the regulator...not realizing once pull the regulator off it will never go back on. The water pump impeller blew up and the shaft would momentarily lock up. I think this was causing the intermittent voltage drop. I was noticing my water temps were creeping up. I typically run at 178...I was in the 180's in Sep and Nov.

[bigjae46]

It has been a slow year for track car progress. To get caught up to where we are at.

I made the carbon front radiator mount! Yay!



Its stiffer...not much weigh savings. Nothing broke, cracked or leaked - the car has seen up to 1.5g's in the corners.

Next...I got a string alignment kit which let's say there's a learning curve. I used to do alignments at a Hunter Rack at work. It was faster but not repeatable. If you pulled the car off the rack and set it up again, you'd get different numbers. If I set the toe at 0 in the front, I'd get .02 or .03 after racking it again (steering angle set to 0.0).

Seeing how I am no longer in the automotive business (thank god!!!...although it was fun for a little while) I just do them at home exclusively. First time...it took awhile. Like...1/2 day. I was definitely over-complicating things. Now its about 1 hr or less.



I do need to build wheel stands so I can be perfectly level (garage floor isn't 100% level). I'm exploring the idea of doing alignments on my open deck trailer. I could easily level that out and it should be relatively easy to get the fronts. The rears are right by the trailer fenders which would make rear toe adjustments difficult. But I could arrive at the track, unstrap the car, level it, align the car and pull off.