Mr & Mrs Exocet Build

[squiddy1981]

Hello everyone,



My name is John and I live in Neath South Wales. As you can see from the thread I will be building with the Wife (It was her Idea to start the build). I’ve been lurking around on the
forum for a couple of years, trying to decide on which kit to build but we’ve taken the plunge and
decided on an exocet.



The project was supposed to have started last year however due to a few overseas adventures
courtesy of her majesty, there has been a bit of a delay.



The Donor



I found this mk2 1.8 low mileage car on a salvage website, it was written off on a CAT C with
mechanical damage (no drive) so I bit the bullet and won the auction for a steal at £550.







Having got the car home and crawling underneath it quickly became apparent what was wrong.




Purchased a Diff and a drive shaft off eBay and she’s as good as new. Flew through the MOT (after a bit of sill welding) and so to apply for a VIC check. This came through within a couple of days so I
decided to give her a wash before the big day.




This was my first experience with the VOSA centre and having read some horror stories was slightly
worried. However they were very friendly and even helpful. With the VIC passed I applied for the V5
which turned up within a few days. And there it is a road legal MX5. Seemed a lot of hassle but I think it’s worth it as I now have a lower mileage solid car for a fraction of the going price.



The Strip



The plan was to strip the exocet early this year and then purchase the kit at Stoneleigh, enter
another "adventure" courtesy of HRH.

From the forum we seen that Stuart would be going to the classic car and restoration show at the
NEC this is where we decided we’d buy the kit.



Having just returned from my “adventure” we began the strip early last week.


Good job the boss is helping she’s got more patience than me thankfully.





You can fix everything with a 3lb hammer



Making good progress after a couple of days.








it doesnt look like it but its all labelled. (Thanks to the boss)

All that’s left to do know is lift off the body.



And we are collecting the Kit next week (excited).

[Stewart]

Good to see another Mr&Mrs build. We did mine together and she enjoyed it so much we bought her one for herself!

Just out of interest, have you still got the bonnet? I picked up a green Mk2 the other week and thinking it's too good to strip for spares!

[squiddy1981]

Hope we can get to the end of it still together! The bonnet is still available I think it's in pretty good nick I'm away at work this weekend but I'll check it Monday when I get home.

[Stewart]

You will. She'll love it
Yeah, let me know, I may well be interested in some green bits...

[welshy1]

Will follow this closely and if you need any help or what a look around mine im only up in blackwood.

[squiddy1981]

I've got loads of bits including the hard top, welshy1 would love to come and have a look, especially to have a chat about your turbo.

[squiddy1981]

Thefreak just had a look at the bonnet it's in quite good nic. If your still interested

[Stewart]

Could be depending on price
Can you email me some pics to [e-mail]?

[squiddy1981]

Bit of a milestone this week picked our kit up. Treaded the "boss" to two days travelling in a van and a night in the loudest premier inn ever. She doesn't know how luck she is. I was so excited I forgot to take any photos. Oops.

[squiddy1981]

Having tinkered around for a week or so fixing planes aka the day job, today was the day of the big lift. So all the subframe bolts were undone bar one which I let soak for a little while, whilst setting up the engine crane I borrowed. 




And so it began. As quick as it started it stopped,  the nut that I had left to soak, well it was still soaking. After a lot of mocking from the boss the was nut removed, and as if by magic the body was off. 




Enter the heavy mob to drag it outside.  A big thing we noticed was the weight difference between the body and the exocet chassis.





With the body dragged outside we decided it would fit in the van if we cut it in half. (not convinced)



 So out came the grinder and now its in half and minus a windscreen after some over excited windscreen removal by the boss and thor.




Nearly forgot the suspension plates. 

[squiddy1981]

Bit of an update, having got the massive sum of £15 for the body, we moved onto the ppf. We decided early on that the subframes and wishbones would be powdercoated,  so off they came had to improvise a little with the engine hoist.


I started cleaning the ppf with a wire brush attached to a 4" grinder, but it soon became clear that it was trying to rip itself out of my hand, so I upscaled to a 9" and it was miles easier. Once it was all brushed off i gave it a few coats of red oxide and finished it with Lidls finest rim paint. Im really happy with the finish especially as it was only £2.49 a can. 

Having been a cheap skate on the engine hoist I decided to splash out on an engine stand. It makes life a lot easier especially when cleaning and painting the gearbox. which i paint with aluminium zinc paint also from Lidl. Really happy with the finish on this to.



Been busy shopping this week to, I've ordered the following

Lower Balljoints
Upper Balljoints (From V8 Roadster in the USA)
Full set of drop links
Lower gear lever boot
Gear lever nylon cup
Sachs clutch kit
IL Motorsport Bushes 

Onto the bushes i read a few reviews as i thought PU bushes may have been a little hard as i dont really plan on many track excursions. Id be interested to hear if anyone has any opinions/experience with these.
 

[johnp]

Lidl - my favourite shop! They even have a colour match for MEV green. They have some paint offers link this Monday.

[welshy1]

il motorsport bushes are one of the few polybushes worth using so that's a good buy there. Also if you are getting new arb links may be worth getting adjustable arb links pretty similar prices to standard links.

Oh and if you want to have a passenger ride out in an exocet im down llandow next Saturday more than welcome to pop down to have a run out in one.

[squiddy1981]

Cheers welshy the missus is work all day Saturday so I was thinking of popping down. It's been quite a while since I've been to llandow.

[welshy1]

Its free for passenegrs just got to sign in that's all. I be there all day so if your free pop over for a chat and a look around mine.