Post by h5ngs on Jul 29, 2011 21:14:00 GMT
Hello everybody, just introducing myself as i've been on the forum for a while now, so thought id start a new build thread as i am in the slow process of my exocet build. My names craig and im a FORD senior technician and have always wanted to build a kit car. I have just moved into my first house with my girlfriend about 2 months ago and once decorating inside was done i could concentrate my efforts in my garden The house we bought has a garage so thought id start my build using my old mx5 as its gone past repair due to rot. I am used to driving mx5's as i have now owned 5 of them and my last one is now my donor for my kit.
I have decided to sell all the parts off my donor first to raise funds for the build but because i was selling so much and making money i couldnt refuse buying my friends mx5 aswell as it is a 1.8 with torsen LSD, and much better condition suspension including rear brace bars. This now means i now have 2 part stripped mx5's on my drive much to the amusement of the girlfriend
As i started stripping i soon realized that the existing garage is not suitable at all as its far too small. So i decided to stop the stripping and selling and make my new workshop ready for the build.
I thought i would show you all the build as i think it is part of my exocet build as without the garage i dont think i would build the kit. First off here are some pictures of the garden when we bought the house of my auntie and uncle. The garden was awesome and always very well looked after, but far to over the top for us.
we first started by clearing out the garden and garage and shed to put our things in.
As you can see much clearer and you can actually see the garden is a good size. I removed all the trees and started work on the 4 large ones in the bottom corner. Once all the trees were removed i started on the main structures.
The existing garage was about 10 foot wide by 16 foot long. This was okay but due to my job i also wanted somewhere to work. So i made a plan and stuck to it.
The plan was to remove the old brick garage and shed and build a 12 foot wide by 20 foot long wooden workshop I got a company in who said that they would make me a new base for the grand total of £1500 including removing my old garage and shed. However this was too expensive for me, so out with the string, spade, sledge hammer and pick axe and away i went.
removed old wall
started smashing up the old concrete slab at the bottom of the garden
lines marked up 13 foot wide to support new workshop
lets start digging
more digging
our dog buster keeping me in check
now the trench is dug out i marked the depth of the foundations and then leveled with hardcore
started too remove the old shed which was a fun job, reason being is the trench i am building needs a new wall to keep the new concrete slab in place. So in keeping with keeping the costs down i am removing them brick by brick and cleaning them up to reuse. I know i know its only £100 for 400 new bricks but this is free and also less rubble to remove, plus £100 is a full polybush kit for the new car.
from this
to this
to this
Thats how far i have got so far, not been doing it for long mainly on a night but as im doing it on my own its hard work. Its my 25th birthday tomorrow and on the cards is a half 8 start mixing the conrete and laying the foundations for my wall. Im classing it as a birthday present to myself haha.
I have also organised my new workshop. I was going to get this one off ebay.
cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160618134583&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
It works out £1500 including delivery but i have found a local company to me called Woodcraftuk who are going to price match it for £1500 and build it to my specifications. It is going to be as follows
12 foot wide
20 foot long
7 foot to the side walls
9 1/2 foot to the apex
no floor but bolted to my new base
3x2 framework
single side door
4 x 2 by 2 windows down the side
and 10 foot wide double doors on the front
i am going for 13mm shiplap cladding but im waiting for a price on 22mm loglap cladding, this is much much better, very strong and looks better imo.
Well i will keep you up to date on the build. Sorry for the lack of car pics but here is a few of my donor. Im planning on using 1.6 engine and hopefully either supercharged or turbo'd.
my 1.6 old car
new 1.8 i bought from a friend
Thanks for looking and sorry for the huge starter thread i'll try to keep it updated regularly and should have a few tomorrow. Cheers Craig.
I have decided to sell all the parts off my donor first to raise funds for the build but because i was selling so much and making money i couldnt refuse buying my friends mx5 aswell as it is a 1.8 with torsen LSD, and much better condition suspension including rear brace bars. This now means i now have 2 part stripped mx5's on my drive much to the amusement of the girlfriend
As i started stripping i soon realized that the existing garage is not suitable at all as its far too small. So i decided to stop the stripping and selling and make my new workshop ready for the build.
I thought i would show you all the build as i think it is part of my exocet build as without the garage i dont think i would build the kit. First off here are some pictures of the garden when we bought the house of my auntie and uncle. The garden was awesome and always very well looked after, but far to over the top for us.
we first started by clearing out the garden and garage and shed to put our things in.
As you can see much clearer and you can actually see the garden is a good size. I removed all the trees and started work on the 4 large ones in the bottom corner. Once all the trees were removed i started on the main structures.
The existing garage was about 10 foot wide by 16 foot long. This was okay but due to my job i also wanted somewhere to work. So i made a plan and stuck to it.
The plan was to remove the old brick garage and shed and build a 12 foot wide by 20 foot long wooden workshop I got a company in who said that they would make me a new base for the grand total of £1500 including removing my old garage and shed. However this was too expensive for me, so out with the string, spade, sledge hammer and pick axe and away i went.
removed old wall
started smashing up the old concrete slab at the bottom of the garden
lines marked up 13 foot wide to support new workshop
lets start digging
more digging
our dog buster keeping me in check
now the trench is dug out i marked the depth of the foundations and then leveled with hardcore
started too remove the old shed which was a fun job, reason being is the trench i am building needs a new wall to keep the new concrete slab in place. So in keeping with keeping the costs down i am removing them brick by brick and cleaning them up to reuse. I know i know its only £100 for 400 new bricks but this is free and also less rubble to remove, plus £100 is a full polybush kit for the new car.
from this
to this
to this
Thats how far i have got so far, not been doing it for long mainly on a night but as im doing it on my own its hard work. Its my 25th birthday tomorrow and on the cards is a half 8 start mixing the conrete and laying the foundations for my wall. Im classing it as a birthday present to myself haha.
I have also organised my new workshop. I was going to get this one off ebay.
cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160618134583&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
It works out £1500 including delivery but i have found a local company to me called Woodcraftuk who are going to price match it for £1500 and build it to my specifications. It is going to be as follows
12 foot wide
20 foot long
7 foot to the side walls
9 1/2 foot to the apex
no floor but bolted to my new base
3x2 framework
single side door
4 x 2 by 2 windows down the side
and 10 foot wide double doors on the front
i am going for 13mm shiplap cladding but im waiting for a price on 22mm loglap cladding, this is much much better, very strong and looks better imo.
Well i will keep you up to date on the build. Sorry for the lack of car pics but here is a few of my donor. Im planning on using 1.6 engine and hopefully either supercharged or turbo'd.
my 1.6 old car
new 1.8 i bought from a friend
Thanks for looking and sorry for the huge starter thread i'll try to keep it updated regularly and should have a few tomorrow. Cheers Craig.