Project Exocet John & Luke's build

[stubbers]

One thing with the search function is the day and post limiter , set at 10 posts and 7 days
Just put 1000000000 in them both and you will get everything in chronological order.

Rich

[jgilbert]

Stubbers

Cool, thanks. Hours of fun ahead of me!

[Stewart]

John, can you send me an email to [e-mail], I've tried replying to your message, but it keeps coming back with an error?!

[jgilbert]

Ok. Progress update. Made some excellent progress on Saturday and today (about 5hrs in total).
Bits starting to come of the MX5. Steering column, dash, wiring loom, pedals, radiator, air intake and front nose all removed.

Encouraged with our progress me and the boy set about the front body mounting bolts. Having read the stories about breaking 1meter long breaker bars I did warn Luke that we could be into a frustrating few hours. Anyway exactly one hour later all the bolts and nuts had been removed from the front. We only had to use a 12" t bar and another small length if tubing as an extension lever. Good work.

We also the tackled the front hub nuts both loosened with relative easy. Me with the bar and Luke with his foot pushing the socket onto the nut. Couldn't have done it without him!

So the target of the body off by the end of November seems achievable.

GoPro photo of he removed parts sitting in the future Exocet's home.

[bigmatt]

Loving the garage layout and tool "wall". Mine is slightly smaller and less used....

[jgilbert]

Quick update. Well Luke me and friend Scott Skywalker attacked the MX5 this afternoon. Didn't start great as the rear wheel nuts were bonkers tight (technical term). Thought that after the easy of the front subframe bolts and hub nuts that it was time for the MX to get its own back.

Anyway, the fight didn't last long and with the wheels removed, hubs where slackened next. Subframe bolts off, handbrake cables disconnected, brake hoses cut, have some nice shiny new ones. Fuel line disconnected and filler. Doors, bonnet, boot, rear bumper all off and she is ready to lose the body.

Anyway, light stopped play. Plan for tomorrow is to set up a small scaffold tower and take the weight of the body using a block and tackle to aid removal.

Very satisfying day

[welshy1]

Good progress with 2-3 people takes so much less time to strip apart took me and 2 mates a total 10 hours spread over 2 days to remove the body.

Keep up the good work.

[jgilbert]

Welshy, yes the more the better until the boy closes the door on your fingers as your undoing the bolts
Quick education in some industrial language for the boy, Bless him.

Five minutes everybody working in silence and then back to everybody mucking about.

Was temped to make a quick Halfords, "hi, I'm Brian, today I'm going to show you how to change this bulb" video.

Didn't happen but theirs time tomorrow.

[gwnwar]

Good lesson learned.. better yours then theirs.. and they got a vocabulary lesson too.

[jgilbert]

Got up early this morning and built a little tower to help lift the body off. Used 200mm bars in each corner of the suspension so that the PPF was able to roll. The youngster came in handy again.





Body and PPF are no longer one!



All done by 1pm. The PPF in its new home.

************

Really pleased we have got to this stage so quickly. Ideal timing for the dark nights ahead.

Some advice from you all on what is our first job on the PPF would be most welcome. We plan to replace the bushes, discs ball joints etc.

[gwnwar]

Back it out degrease and pressure clean it all.. after dry rust penertrent on all threads.. run a wire brush over all threads. Did you loosen the rear axle nuts while you still had brakes to hold wheel.. Don't forget to grab tophats for shock and vin plates cut from body.. looking good..

[jgilbert]

Hi, I jet washed the engine prior to stripping off the body, have retained the top hats and cut out the VIN plate. All the axle nuts have been released before the body was removed.

Having just skimmed the Rod's MX5 manual think I will attack and remove the disc and callipers first and then go for the wishbones.

[welshy1]

Nice to meet up with you today looking like the car has come apart nice and easy. Keep up the work can't wait to see it finished.

[jgilbert]

Great day today,

Met Welshy and Derek, great tips and advice thanks.

Started by removing the front suspension and front subframe. Once this was all removed i couldn't help but have a little play.


Stainless exhaust manifold which has been added to the new bit box.

Next attacked the PPF, happy days came apart with easy, in order to remove the top threaded collars in the rear PPF, I reinserted the rear bolt into the collar and half tightened and then a little tap with a hammer and collar removed.

The only issue was splitting the prop from the diff. Sheared one bolt and couldn't split the joint. Advice from Mr Mills (thanks) a cup of tea and then back to work.

Last picture from today, rear suspension and axle all ready for the next session. What was a rolling PPF last weekend is now reduced to two main bits.


Note it's upside down just to add bolt cleaning in preparation for stripping this week.

Good days work!

[jgilbert]

Not much time over the weekend (been spending to much time in the garage according to someone!)
Anyway, couple of hours and the back bits have been removed from the rear subframe. Hopefully front and rear subframes can be dropped off at the shot blaster in the week.

Any tips of stuff I should do to the diff and drive shafts now its in this state? Already have new discs waiting to be attached and new bushes for diff mount and wish bones. Thanks.

Back end bits all apart.