Drift EP4 project: We're off to Spain to pick up our AST roll cages

The AST Roll Cages adventure began in 2014 in a simple garage in Spain. At first, the aim was to design roll cages for their own cars. It wasn't long before this passion turned into a full-fledged business, which officially came into being in 2017 in Torres de Berrellén, just 20 km from Zaragoza.

Today, AST employs a team of 15 people and has modern facilities covering more than 1,200 m², including offices, workshop and factory. Their mastery of cutting-edge technologies, such as 3D design and scanning, combined with CNC manufacturing processes, enables them to handle the entire production process: from initial design to installation, including commercial and administrative management.

AST offers the most comprehensive catalogue of roll bars in the world, with over 2080 vehicle models and almost 6000 part numbers. Their expertise also includes mass production for competition or industrial customers, while maintaining highly competitive delivery times ranging from 15 to 30 working days. Today AST roll cages is one of the top 3 in Europe, producing 2,000 roll cages a year.

AST offers a wide range of roll cages, including bolt-on, weld-on and removable models. Their flagship models include the V4 and V5 NASCAR, which are particularly popular in racing and drifting circles. What's more, all AST roll bars are FIA-certified, guaranteeing compliance with strict safety standards.

During our visit to AST, we began by looking at the 3D plans for our rollbar. This first step allowed us to visualise the fixing points precisely and to have a clear idea of the final result before the project was even launched.

Next, we were able to see the technical details of the custom roll bar for our drift car. Designed to offer optimum safety while remaining high-performance, it reflects a perfect balance between solidity and lightness.

We were also able to observe the various stages of manufacture: precise welding, carefully selected quality materials, and a perfect fit for each part. AST also offers a number of variants, sothe rollbar can beadapted to suit the needs of the rider or the demands of competition.

On the practical side, our model is fitted with NASCAR bars for extra side protection while still leaving enough space for the driver's seat. The team showed us the many possible configurations, from welded hoops for maximum rigidity to bolt-on models for quick modifications.

Many thanks again to them for opening the doors of their company and their expertise to us.

Back in France, we were able to unpack the WISEFAB kit as soon as we arrived at Brothers Custom, so it was time to find out what it was all about.

The first thing we noticed was that the packaging was impeccable, with everything well protected to prevent the slightest damage during transport. We quickly realised that what we had in our hands was quality equipment.

The kit contains complete hubs, special cups and ABS sensors. What's striking is the lightness of the components and their robustness. You can see straight away that it's designed to last, even in extreme conditions like those encountered in drifting.

By the way, what is a WISEFAB kit?

A WISEFAB kit is a set of parts designed to optimise the suspension and steering of drift cars. It increases steering angle, fine-tunes camber and caster, and improves cornering stability. Designed to withstand extreme conditions, it is essential for drivers looking to improve performance and handling on the track.

Welding the AST roll bar

Before reaching the final stage of the paint booth, it was necessary to ensure that everything was perfectly prepared. To do this, a blank assembly was carried out to check that each part of the roll bar fitted correctly in place. This is essential to anticipate any adjustments that may need to be made before moving on to welding.

Médéric took charge of the TIG welding with the Brothers Custom team, and it's fair to say that he hasn't lost his touch! The work was precise and clean, making it possible to assemble each element of the hoop with precision and rigidity. The team was delighted to see the result, and everything is now ready to take on future track events.

Finally, we found ourselves in the paint booth to put the finishing touches to our project, a step that highlighted all the work done upstream.

After welding the roll bar, it's off to Youngtimer Carrosserie in Saumur for the final stage: paintwork. They've been in business for 11 years for the mechanics and 4 years for the bodywork. It's a new objective for them because they've never painted a drift car before, so they have to deal with the problems of roll bars and other issues.

In the cabin, the painters are already in action, applying rustproofing and then primer to ensure perfect protection and finish. at this point, Médéric still doesn't know the final colour of the bodywork

that's it, the painting is now finished, and it's time to reveal the basic colour of our drift livery for the 2025 season, and it's BLACK! The work is really perfect, everything's been repainted, and believe us, since we've been working on the project, we're really pleased with it.

As a little bonus, we're going to put a bit of ppf on the door sills and the roll bar to protect the whole thing and keep it in the best possible condition for as long as possible.

All that's left is to find a drift-appropriate decoration so that we can be spotted from a distance on the track and in the paddocks.

The rest of the project

In a forthcoming video, we'll be able to start reassembling the 335 i with some beautiful parts, so stay tuned - it's a sight to behold.