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

[bigjae46]

It has been awhile but finally set a new PR at my home track! Despite having to go around a spun Miata, did a 1:40.56. Goodyear Supercar 3R with 10 heat cycles, no ballast, full power.

Previous PR this direction was 1:40.9. I was on a predictive 1:40.0 before I encountered the Miata. The goodyear supercar 3Rs had 10 heat cycles so far and were an easy 1 second faster than a Toyo RR, probably closer to 2 seconds.

Removing the ballast caused quite a bit of oversteer over the only elevation change on the track.

No data because apparently the Solo 2 DL has a 10 minute internal battery. Oh...so that's why it came with a charging cable. Unfortunately I sold the charging cable with my old Solo DL.

[bigjae46]

Here is a video with the MK60 brake pressure data and steering angle. Need to refine the scaling a bit. I think this is very useful although this track only has one tricky braking zone. MSR Houston has a couple so it will be interesting to see video + data from there.

[samthejam]

Badass man! Congrats!

[bigjae46]

NASA went well! Won TT4 both days with a 1:18.94 and a 1:18.89. I was on a 1:17.9 - 1:18.0 flyer until a car went off track and came back on so I had to abort. I'm confident that this car will be in the 1:16s with a fresh suspension. The car really can't use all of the grip of the R7s.

Overall very happy! Won two hoosiers worth $500 each and I think I drove reasonably well.

Finally got the brake pressure data working. Greg Smith Racing, again with a genius solution.

MK60 Brake Pressure Sensor Data – GSR Motorsports

It does work - stick to the white wire in the 719 cable and it will work! This is the exact data point I need to refine my braking and especially trail braking. I am doing MUCH better than I thought. The real test will be at MSR Houston though...a lot more really deep trail braking.

[bigjae46]

Forged carbon strut tower plates came out good! Someday I'll finish Heinzenboehmer's strut brace project. Getting closer.





Onto NASA at Motorsport Ranch TX. Calamities on Fri for test and tune. Lost a trailer wheel bearing and have a nice hole in my deck. I loaded the car at 10pm in pitch black conditions. Heard a crunch and didn't see damage until the next day. Then got sexually assaulted by a trailer repair place close to the track for a new axle. Trailer maintenance is not a strength! 🤣. I know my trailer looks ugly. Normally wouldn't mind if the wheels didn't fall off. Luckily the wheel came off when I got to the track.





Then a front wheel bearing goes bad on the track car. 😫 Thank god for Greg Smith Racing...he had a spare and the tools to do it.

[bigjae46]

Detune done. Corner balance done. The weight jackers do make life much easier if you don't want to make a front height adjustment. Minus ballast, driver, and fuel with Hoosier R7s, the car is at 2510lbs. With strategic ballast placement I'm within 2.1% on all 4 corners and only 50.9/49.1 front to rear distribution.

The dream of sub 2500 lbs and 50/50 weight distribution is so close...yet so far away!



First time I'm running some good tires. Practice on Goodyear 3Rs and compete on Hoosier R7s. Wow! What a difference! There was a problem. My suspension is toast. The track is bumpy but the car won't settle down which makes it tough to drive. Still, 2 seconds faster on 3Rs vs Falken 660s.

Sooo...NASA at MSR Houston did not go so well. End of test and tune - ABS light comes on. Of course, I forget my Autel MX808. So next morning Day 1. I clear the code and the code comes back leaving the garage...bad front left wheel speed sensor. Didn't want to run without ABS on sticker Hoosiers. Closest sensor was 40 min away at Auto Zone (although someone in the paddock had one...didn't think to ask). Between instructing, the soonest I could get there was 3pm. So I was out for Sat. I did install my AiM Solo 2 DL...something went right!

Day 2 - ready to go! Hoosiers on! Now my GoPro is having issues but I did capture the interior video! lol

Did a disappointing 1:41.055 on session 1. My TC Klines are officially completely worn out. The car was bouncing when turning in at 124 mph. I could have gone deeper before every braking zone but I wasn't sure if the car would turn in. I pushed as hard as my nerves could take. Winner and lap record was a full second faster.

Hoosier R7s...WOW! I'm .4 seconds off my PB on RRs with 90 less WHP, 200 more lbs and no suspension. I can see this car in TT4 trim being in the 1:38s once I get the new suspension in. The biggest difference is the braking grip at the initial turn in. On the main straight, I usually brake at the 250' - 275' marker. I was braking past the 200' marker, almost 150' and turned in with the front end not being planted. I might have to start practicing left foot braking again because the braking zones are so much shorter.

Session 2...very bad. Cabin fills with smoke and car gets sideways. I thought I blew my diff. Drove it off track, got it on the lift...transmission drain plug is missing! I'm at a loss...because I haven't touched that plug since June last year. It is very possible I didn't tighten it enough. I tend to not want to really torque on the plug for fear of cracking the case or damaging something. Not my first oil disaster rodeo...hit it with foaming auto zone degreaser, wash off with a compressed air sprayer followed up by spraying with undiluted simple green.

Drain plug replaced, fresh DCTF in the transmission. Trans seems ok. Goes into all gears. No rattles or noises. Fingers crossed.

[bigjae46]

The final days getting ready for NASA. Nothing going as planned. Scrambling to find someone to drill holes in some weightlifting plates for ballast, tires being delayed by the weather, and having issues finishing composite projects due to cold weather.

My car taking a weee in preparation for 20 degree weather in Houston that never came.



Got the new splitter mounted. It looks relatively simple but tool 3x longer than I planned and I'm not sure why. I do need slightly longer mounts due to the air dam being taller.





Check out my kidney grills!



Had to go back to the old splitter for TT4...all ready to go!

[bigjae46]

You have some mad skills sir! I am always interested to read your updates.

Thanks! Actually...making a glossy flat carbon part is easy if you use glass or plexi. Looking at the AJ Hartman rear wing, I have a long way to go with developing my composite skills!

[D-O]

You have some mad skills sir! I am always interested to read your updates.

[bigjae46]

EDIT: Added some explanation on how to work with foam in an infusion or wet lay.

Progress towards NASA Jan 30th...

Splitter is made and came out great! The spread tow fabric looks outstanding as always!

Foam core cut and shaped



This was a wet layup and the vacuum bag. Not 100% optimal but the foam core presents some infusion challenges without infusion channels. The foam core is impermeable so the large flat surface will not enhance resin flow in an infusion. Some resin with flow through the carbon except for any spot where layers of carbon tows line up. And then any air will have an extremely hard time to flow towards the vacuum side.

I drilled over a hundred holes in the foam to allow air to flow from the mold surface. Even then, I didn't want to risk large epoxy voids in an infusion. The holes in a wet layup will allow for excess resin and air to be pulled through the holes and towards the vacuum. But damn...a wet lay is a LOT more work! Critical to use a very slow hardener and mix in smaller batches to prevent exotherm. I used Pro-Set extra slow so I had 3 hours.

If you do a wet layup, it is important to thoroughly roll the layers under the foam to remove as much air as possible to minimize the risk of air being trapped under the foam. Air creates resin voids which results in a weaker part.



i am installing tunnels but the challenge with the E46 is the short overhang. The tunnels sit right where everyone places the splitter mounts. So I'm using a bridge which I will bond and bolt to allow for an optimal mounting location.





Less than 9lbs!!!



AND...AJ Hartman rear wing. Somethings are better left to the professionals. A rear wing is one if those things. Expensive but the E46 kit is comprehensive. Took an hour to mount. Easy peasy!

[bigjae46]

Making a CF version of Bry5on's wheel well plates. It came out ok, needs to be a little thicker and needs a quasi isotropic layup.

[bigjae46]

2nd half of the mold is done. Once again, I forgot to install drive pins in the negative side to get the part out. So I had to drive the part out by threading a bolt in. I chipped the mold around the bolt hole which will require a repair. It will be a pain but maybe I'll learn my lesson this time.

Also didn't catch a negative draft around the inner opening. So I need to make 2 small repairs on each side.

Overall they came out really good!

Onto making the repairs, calculating the volume, and then making a part sometime in the future. Just not sure when, gotta get ready for NASA in 3 weeks among other things.

[bigjae46]

You could also do a hybrid. Fill the tight corners with putty to open up the radii and make release easier with little weight penalty.

I would more likely do that for the first half but I'm willing to risk it for the 2nd half. The 2nd half uses about 1/3 the casting resin and is relatively quick to setup. Most of the work is in the first half of a compression mold.

[Bry5on]

I did but I don't think it will be a huge issue. I use release wax and then a chemical release. So I just need to spend more time getting the wax into the corners. Then the chem release is a solvent so it should provide a good backup to the corners and edges.

You could also do a hybrid. Fill the tight corners with putty to open up the radii and make release easier with little weight penalty.

[bigjae46]

Maybe consider making the underside flat? The details are just there to save weight for the cast part.

(which means you'll end up with a heavier carbon part if you fill that in, of course)

I did but I don't think it will be a huge issue. I use release wax and then a chemical release. So I just need to spend more time getting the wax into the corners. Then the chem release is a solvent so it should provide a good backup to the corners and edges.