Watch me ruin a Z4M Coupe: build thread

[racerbruce]

I love the Rumpety-Rump-Idle....

[mattfwalters]

Originally Posted by racerbruce

I love the Rumpety-Rump-Idle....

Me too

[mattfwalters]

Originally Posted by eggman51

Hey Matt,

Are you using the Supersprint v1 Stepped Headers with the Supersprint Stepped No Cats Section 1?

I am contemplating the same, though I will likely use the Supersprint stepped hi-flow cats section 1.

For the time being, I will likely connect that to the stock X-Pipe and Mufflers (maybe replace those later as budget permits).

Can't wait to see this car at The Ridge in person! Just had my Z4MR out there and got down to a 2 minute flat lap time - such a hoot and an amazing track!

Cheers,
Eamonn

2:00:xx! Very nice. 2:02:xx is my PB at the Ridge, but I think I'll be able to neatly destroy that time when this bloody thing finally makes it back there. It is an absolute hoot, I agree.

Yes, I'm using the V1 stepped / V1 section 1 pipes. I took off a set of SuperSprint straight-through non-stepped (i.e. OEM compatible) section 1 pipes when I installed these units - since you're ~local, if they're in any way useful to you I'll cut you a great deal on them.

FWIW I would hesitate to put the stepped headers / section 1 pipes in front of stock x-pipe / mufflers. The S54 is extremely sensitive to exhaust flow and you just won't get the power gains from those (ungodly expensive) headers if the system can't breathe past the section 1 pipes.

Do you already have a tune of some kind?

[eggman51]

Originally Posted by mattfwalters

2:00:xx! Very nice. 2:02:xx is my PB at the Ridge, but I think I'll be able to neatly destroy that time when this bloody thing finally makes it back there. It is an absolute hoot, I agree.

Yes, I would imagine this beast will destroy that

Originally Posted by mattfwalters

Yes, I'm using the V1 stepped / V1 section 1 pipes. I took off a set of SuperSprint straight-through non-stepped (i.e. OEM compatible) section 1 pipes when I installed these units - since you're ~local, if they're in any way useful to you I'll cut you a great deal on them.

I'm kinda fixated on the stepped headers / hi flow cats, but perhaps we should chat hehe.

Originally Posted by mattfwalters

FWIW I would hesitate to put the stepped headers / section 1 pipes in front of stock x-pipe / mufflers. The S54 is extremely sensitive to exhaust flow and you just won't get the power gains from those (ungodly expensive) headers if the system can't breathe past the section 1 pipes.

Interesting - hadn't considered this. Gets bloody expensive!

Originally Posted by mattfwalters

Do you already have a tune of some kind?

Not yet. Am thinking of an Epic tune, but that's likely a ways out after exhaust and intake (which are after brakes and a more track friendly seat / harness setup). I did put in an Eventuri intake because I had to set *some* part of that S54 sound hehe.


Cheers,
Eamonn

[mattfwalters]

Far from final but I needed to hang the bumper so that I can build the splitter support and figure out rad / intake ducting. Nice to see it with a front end again.

[racerbruce]

Your front grille looks like it's smiling now....

[mattfwalters]

Who dis?




Ohai, splitty!

Originally Posted by racerbruce

Your front grille looks like it's smiling now....

look how happy it is!

Tied into the chassis, too:


Not what I should have been spending time on, but it was super, super fun.

[mattfwalters]

Not much progress today, but working on modifying the stock undertrays to mate up with the splitter. I will use these as templates for sheet aluminum pieces (or, comedy option: carbon fibre). Next up on the front end is mocking up the airflow routing to the radiators in such a way that I maintain a fairly large pocket of air on top of the splitter for generating the downforces.

Downforces. Anybody good with CFD and interested in helping me simulate a couple of designs?

I have the diffuser parts sitting on the ground under the back of the car and will probably start looking at that soon too.

[Vanne]

Looks great Matt, mate I'd be a little worried about your accumulator guage hanging that close to the splitter/ground. If the splitter cops a hit, (not unheard of) you might loose the accumulator? (Gauge neck snap) is there anyways you could remote mount that gauge?

Awesome progress man!

[mattfwalters]

Originally Posted by Vanne

Looks great Matt, mate I'd be a little worried about your accumulator guage hanging that close to the splitter/ground. If the splitter cops a hit, (not unheard of) you might loose the accumulator? (Gauge neck snap) is there anyways you could remote mount that gauge?

Awesome progress man!

Yeah, it's getting replaced with a plug - it's about 1/2" lower than the undertray wants to be there. I don't actually need it.

Took the car off the lift so we could put a buddy's Pathfinder up and do the brakes. Took some video of moving it back into the garage.

Review: it's going to be really goddamn quick

[racerbruce]

Originally Posted by mattfwalters

yeah, it's getting replaced with a plug - it's about 1/2" lower than the undertray wants to be there. I don't actually need it.

Took the car off the lift so we could put a buddy's pathfinder up and do the brakes. Took some video of moving it back into the garage.

review: It's going to be really goddamn quick

yay for fast!

[mattfwalters]

Welp.

We're moving on the 15th, and that has finally become real for me. The car isn't going back on the lift. It needs a lot of off-the-ground work still. Oh well.

I'm still pretty happy with how it looks right now:


And I got myself a new airtool as a consolation prize:

[racerbruce]

Originally Posted by mattfwalters

Welp.

We're moving on the 15th, and that has finally become real for me. The car isn't going back on the lift. It needs a lot of off-the-ground work still. Oh well.

I'm still pretty happy with how it looks right now:


And I got myself a new airtool as a consolation prize:

Wishing you well returning to Vancouver, British Columbia....such a wonderful city.

[Intentional Brown Stain]

Originally Posted by racerbruce

in the Great Pacific Northwest??

Yup

[mattfwalters]

Originally Posted by eggman51

Hey Matt,

Are you using the Supersprint v1 Stepped Headers with the Supersprint Stepped No Cats Section 1?

I am contemplating the same, though I will likely use the Supersprint stepped hi-flow cats section 1.

For the time being, I will likely connect that to the stock X-Pipe and Mufflers (maybe replace those later as budget permits).

Can't wait to see this car at The Ridge in person! Just had my Z4MR out there and got down to a 2 minute flat lap time - such a hoot and an amazing track!

Cheers,
Eamonn

That's right, the stepped V1 headers and stepped catless section 1 pipes. With the SuperSprint x-pipe and racing cans, it's *really loud* but sounds amazing.

Nice result at the Ridge - 2:00 range is pretty quick IME.

A few snaps from the move, and the new garage. Which... is not as nice a place to be as the old one.

[racerbruce]

Greetings Matt!
How is Vancouver BC??

Hoping things are well - send us an update of how the Bronze Beast is progressing....

[saintex]

well I have to say this was one of the best 2 hours of my weekend.

Nice Job Matt, welcome to Canuckistan

[mattfwalters]

Originally Posted by saintex

well I have to say this was one of the best 2 hours of my weekend.

Nice Job Matt, welcome to Canuckistan

Thanks for both sets of kind words We're actually Canadian, this is a return home for us.

I went to start the car today and discovered that the tender died and took the battery with it. Ugh. There's still a lot of work to do but I think my current plan for 2020 is to get a harness bar / harnesses installed, get it on the dyno, and get some actual laps in to get a feel for how the mods to date have changed it.

I miss driving this car a lot.

[eggman51]

Originally Posted by mattfwalters

There's still a lot of work to do but I think my current plan for 2020 is to get a harness bar / harnesses installed, get it on the dyno, and get some actual laps in to get a feel for how the mods to date have changed it.

I miss driving this car a lot.

You should definitely get it on the track this summer!!

I'm hoping to get 6 to 10 days in this year. You should come with on at least a couple of those!

I bought my teenage daughter her Father's Day gift to me as her Christmas present She's gonna take a ProFormance driving school at Pacific Raceways in a rented Toyota 86 while I do a couple of days in the Z4 and we hang out at the Fremont Fair in Seattle over that weekend.

And uh.. since we live five feet from each other we should prolly get together

Cheers,
Eamonn

[mattfwalters]

Originally Posted by eggman51

You should definitely get it on the track this summer!!

I'm hoping to get 6 to 10 days in this year. You should come with on at least a couple of those!

I bought my teenage daughter her Father's Day gift to me as her Christmas present She's gonna take a ProFormance driving school at Pacific Raceways in a rented Toyota 86 while I do a couple of days in the Z4 and we hang out at the Fremont Fair in Seattle over that weekend.

And uh.. since we live five feet from each other we should prolly get together

Cheers,
Eamonn

Lol, yes. I'm definitely in for at least a couple of those (assuming I can actually get a harness bar and a temporary dash sorted out). Nice choice of gift exchange(s).

Also, uh, yeah. We should definitely hang out. o_0

[racerbruce]

Pics / video of the Bronze Beast's first track day, please....

[mattfwalters]

Oof.

Hope y'all are doing well. It's been a rough six months here but I'm about two ticks of motivation away from working on the car. Maybe just starting it up will get me stoked again. Gonna find out this weekend.