Improbable Construct's build in LA (Lower Alabama)

[ImprobableConstruct]

I ordered Exocet chassis number 96 and it should be getting close to being ready. I found a good donor over in Pensacola for $1500.  The car had been owned by an older lady who had her licence taken away.  Probably because she ran just about every part of the car into something:

I got it registered and insured and drove it around for a couple of months just to see what it was going to need. The shocks are shot and it throws CELs for the catalytic converter and the EGR system.  Both of those are to be expected so no big deal. It was fun to drive stock so I am really excited to give it a major diet.


I started to tear it down last evening Tuesday.  I started at the back and worked my way forward. I stripped the trunk, top and seats out.  The two center back gas tank cover screws were badly rusted and I ended up just tearing the cover off.

On Wednesday I really got after it and removed the rest of the interior, except the carpet, the doors, the headlights and the fenders.


there was a fair bit of gunk in the fender but no rust!


On Thursday i finished removing the wiring harness.

I also drained the cooling system and disconnected and drained the power steering and brake lines.


Friday (Halloween) I didn't do much work on the car but I drained the gas tank and removed all of the chassis bolts and made sure all the wires and fuel lines were disconnected before it was time to get ready for trick or treaters.
I will continue the updates in the next post. (after I upload more pictures)

[steadfast]

Great progress. What color frame and body work are you planning on?

[ImprobableConstruct]

The frame is going to be Prismatic Powders Very Grey. The body work will be RAL 2008 Bright Red Orange.  If the carbon fiber bodywork is not too expensive of an upgrade I think that it would look sweet.

[ImprobableConstruct]

Saturday I got out to the Garage and got set up for the separation.

It was a bit tippy with the chains so close to the center of the body so I added some straps to help balance it out.
The only thing I did not get disconnected were the passenger side rear muffler hangers. Once I got those off the body lifted off cleanly.


I then moved the body to the side and rolled the roller skate out into the driveway. 


Next I had to get the gas tank out.  I have done everything by myself so far, so I rolled a chair over and when I pulled out the last bolt the tank literally dropped out of the body and into the chair. Worked really well.


I then wrestled the body out of the garage and onto my trailer. 


Then I pushed the roller skate back into the garage and called it a day.

[clintavo]

Nicely done. You weren't taking any chances lifting the body!

[jwagner]

Great start and you're really moving quickly. It looks like a good donor and that makes a lot of difference in the time and money it takes to get the PPF ready for the Exocet frame.

If I do this again I'll have to get a chair...

[dougamor]

I'm putting that chair on my tool "wish list"!

[ImprobableConstruct]

I actually had to do some work this week so I just got back to the skate board.  I separated the engine from the transmission and took a look at the clutch assembly.
Not too bad, but the back of the engine is super gunky as well as the inside of the bell housing.

[steadfast]

I had the same problem, realized that the valve cover gasket was leaking and dripping oil down and into the clutch housing.

[ImprobableConstruct]

I started to open up the engine by pulling the valve cover. The spark plug wires and spark plugs were covered in oil. (Sorry no pictures.)
It looked like this when it came off.  The gasket was super stiff and brittle.  I am hoping that that is where all the oil on the outside of the engine and in the spark plug wells is coming from.  After a few minutes in the parts washer it looks like this.

That looks better doesn't it.  After that I pulled off all the other parts on the front of the engine including the cam pulleys. The timing belt looked like it was in good shape and the water pulley had no play. I am going to replace them anyway but it looks like the maintenance had been done on a regular basis. I used the FM cam tool/bottle opener.  First to open a bottle and then to keep the cam gears in alignment. 

I am going to end the night with the bottom of engine looking like this:

Hopefully tomorrow I can get that gunk cleaned up and start putting the new seals in and reassembling the front of the engine.

[greg]

The FM tools are nice. $$ well spent even if they are only used once.

Our donors are twins! Is yours a 2000 too?

[ImprobableConstruct]

Yes mine is a 2000 with just a bit under 143k miles. Mine came with what was left of a black top and many more dents.

Question: What are people doing with the harmonic dampener. Mine is pretty rusty and ugly. Aftermarket ones are expensive. Can I just put it in some evap o rust and then paint it?

[greg]

Look for a good low milaged used one on eBay.

[ashneyder]

Nov 7, 2014 12:12:37 GMT greg said:

The FM tools are nice. $$ well spent even if they are only used once.

Our donors are twins! Is yours a 2000 too?

Ha! My original donor was a 2000 Green Miata as well. But it was in too nice of a shape to tear down, I sold it and bought my current clunker for almost half the price.

[greg]

damn... You should have torn it apart because it was green. We new less green cars.