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Post by dewoof01 on Sept 27, 2017 3:28:19 GMT
Hey guys, my name is Brent. Been lurking here for a while. Well I've taken the plunge and I am building the car. I picked up my donor a 1992 miata a month ago or so. And am almost at the point of removing the unibody. I have a you tube channel that I am making videos of nearly every step of the process as I have not seen people doing much of this just bits and pieces. Anyways if you want to follow along my main presence will probably be through the youtube channel as I am trying to build that up as a very simple guide/overview for everyone wanting to build these cars. My YouTube channel: Building The EXOCETHope this is an aid for you guys. I have little idea what I am doing, just want to document the process. My plan is a 1.6 NA based exocet. Going to build the car then tear the motor down for a rebuild and go with a turbo, approx., 200-250 whp is the plan. Mainly a weekend fun car, occasional track use. Just want to build something awesome and unique. The order for the kit will be placed in the next week or two. Still trying to figure out the color. Going with the sport kit so I have the 4 or 5 point harness option as well as it seems like a better option for resale value down the road. Is it worth doing that over the base kit when you really don't plan on tracking the car at all or very little? |
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Post by dewoof01 on Sept 27, 2017 3:29:33 GMT
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Post by dewoof01 on Sept 27, 2017 3:30:27 GMT
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Post by buildercg on Sept 27, 2017 4:32:21 GMT
Welcome Brent. I have the race kit and I bought it mostly as a weekend toy with the idea of crash safety in mind....not that I plan to _ever_ crash but I wanted the absolute best protection that I could get given that wanted my wife and son to occasionally ride with me.
I did a lot of research into harnesses. I would recommend that you DO NOT purchase harnesses until you are almost ready because _they expire_ based on manufacturing date, not install date. I bought mine about a year too early and many of the tracks around me do check them before they will let you on the track. It they are expired you cannot drive on the track. Also, if you want to have the car street legal, you may or may not be able to get the car inspected if you don't have 3 point harness. I have 5 point harnesses (non-DOT; because the only 5-point DOT harness costs $400/set and only lasts 2 years) and I'm in the middle of my inspection process. So far, nobody has indicated I will have a problem but I also know a guy who has both 3 and 5 point in his BMW and the 3 point is just to pass the annual inspection. From what I've read, 4 point is deadly as you submarine under it in a crash. Either do 3 point, or do 5 or 6 (my non-professional opinion).
Since you want your car to be road legal (weekend fun) it's VERY important to understand Oregon state motor vehicle law. Print out the law and start reading it, especially about emissions, windshields, and windshield wipers. I live in MA and I'm very glad I did not turbo or supercharge my 1.6L car yet....I basically would never be able to get it to pass the initial inspection processes with a modified engine. Also, it turns out that windshields are required and therefore windshield wipers are required...even when the car has no doors and no roof...
Since you're in the states, when you are buying lights (headlights, turn signals, etc.) ensure you buy DOT marked lights if your state require it. MA requires all lights to be have DOT markings and this was already checked in my first 2 inspections; even a single light wrong is a fail.
Other than that, have fun. Take breaks when things seem impossible. Ask lots of questions but understand that your car is different than mine and therefore my answer may not suit your question. We all have lives (and cars to work on) so you might not get an answer promptly. Put your donor information in your signature. Plan how your going to run your fuel and brake lines before you mate the body with the skate. Buy some extra 10mm and 13mm bolts (I went through more than 50 of each plus a handful of many other sizes; McMaster-Carr is a good place to buy high quality metal supplies at not too high a price and with fast shipping). Rivnuts are are awesome replacements for rivets when you might need to take panels on and off (e.g.: transmission tunnel). Study your electrical system documentation. Don't make my mistake and start trimming the wiring harness until the car is STARTED and EVERYTHING works. Along the same lines, don't spend hours and hours and miles of tape and tube making your wiring harness pretty until everything works; you'll regret it.
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Post by buildercg on Sept 27, 2017 4:35:49 GMT
Oh...and when you buy the kit, ensure the receipt you get from Exomotive (or FM, if you're buying from them) has the date of purchase on it. You'll probably need it when trying to register the car. You should also look into if you have to pay sales tax (I paid a big penalty at time of registration for delaying the sales tax by 2 years).
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Post by gwnwar on Sept 27, 2017 4:50:08 GMT
Nice video.. Couple of things.. If you have a 1/2" impact gun loosen the rear center axle nuts.. If no gun put wheels back on lower car and set the E brake and step on brakes to loosen nuts.. Nuts are staked in place rear and front ones
Loosen front centers too..
Label all connectors both sides..
Red tag all grounds there should be 10 on your donor..
To drain fuel tank there is a drain bottom of tank forward left/drivers side..
Push the harness from battery through floor under rear shelf and disconnect from body by filter..
Remove E brake cables from calipers..
Take front sway bar off frame..
Disconnect speedo cable from firewall..
Ground strap under exhaust manifold rear to body..
Brake hard lines to rubber hoses..
Break clutch rubber hose to hard line..
Use 6 point sockets on underside bolts/nuts soak and wire brush threads..
Label the center most tube on the fuel pump plate Supply outer Return.. Front of engine fuel rail is the supply end..
Get some cat litter to soak up fluids..
Take pics of wires and fluid tubes for brakes..
You can remove fuel tank mounting bolts and let it sit on the rear sub. I remove after body removed..
Remove all exhaust rubber donuts between body and exhaust system..
Break steering at rack and U joint and put the bolt back into U joint..
Have fun, stay safe.. Wear safety glasses..
Ask questions..
Walk away if you have to for awhile..
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Post by beardy on Sept 27, 2017 17:30:09 GMT
There are several cars and builders in the Portland area that can be a local resource.
Are you anywhere close?
cheers
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Post by gwnwar on Sept 27, 2017 19:49:28 GMT
dewoof01.. see the Red White Blue in my post. Make up your Signature line. add city and state if you want..
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Post by dewoof01 on Sept 28, 2017 0:00:39 GMT
dewoof01.. see the Red White Blue in my post. Make up your Signature line. add city and state if you want.. Done. Thanks I'm in Hillsboro, or right outside Portland. I heard from exomotive there are a couple builds in my area but I don't do Facebook. Anyone know who is in my area and willing to let me stop by and see their exocet? Thanks for the axle nut advice. I knew I had to do that before removal because they are torqued on good usually. Fuel tank drain plug is a big help as well. I have it loosened just need to completely drain. I only siphoned what would come out from cutting the line at fuel filter. |
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Post by dewoof01 on Sept 28, 2017 0:19:11 GMT
Welcome Brent. I have the race kit and I bought it mostly as a weekend toy with the idea of crash safety in mind....not that I plan to _ever_ crash but I wanted the absolute best protection that I could get given that wanted my wife and son to occasionally ride with me. I did a lot of research into harnesses. I would recommend that you DO NOT purchase harnesses until you are almost ready because _they expire_ based on manufacturing date, not install date. I bought mine about a year too early and many of the tracks around me do check them before they will let you on the track. It they are expired you cannot drive on the track. Also, if you want to have the car street legal, you may or may not be able to get the car inspected if you don't have 3 point harness. I have 5 point harnesses (non-DOT; because the only 5-point DOT harness costs $400/set and only lasts 2 years) and I'm in the middle of my inspection process. So far, nobody has indicated I will have a problem but I also know a guy who has both 3 and 5 point in his BMW and the 3 point is just to pass the annual inspection. From what I've read, 4 point is deadly as you submarine under it in a crash. Either do 3 point, or do 5 or 6 (my non-professional opinion). Since you want your car to be road legal (weekend fun) it's VERY important to understand Oregon state motor vehicle law. Print out the law and start reading it, especially about emissions, windshields, and windshield wipers. I live in MA and I'm very glad I did not turbo or supercharge my 1.6L car yet....I basically would never be able to get it to pass the initial inspection processes with a modified engine. Also, it turns out that windshields are required and therefore windshield wipers are required...even when the car has no doors and no roof... Since you're in the states, when you are buying lights (headlights, turn signals, etc.) ensure you buy DOT marked lights if your state require it. MA requires all lights to be have DOT markings and this was already checked in my first 2 inspections; even a single light wrong is a fail. Other than that, have fun. Take breaks when things seem impossible. Ask lots of questions but understand that your car is different than mine and therefore my answer may not suit your question. We all have lives (and cars to work on) so you might not get an answer promptly. Put your donor information in your signature. Plan how your going to run your fuel and brake lines before you mate the body with the skate. Buy some extra 10mm and 13mm bolts (I went through more than 50 of each plus a handful of many other sizes; McMaster-Carr is a good place to buy high quality metal supplies at not too high a price and with fast shipping). Rivnuts are are awesome replacements for rivets when you might need to take panels on and off (e.g.: transmission tunnel). Study your electrical system documentation. Don't make my mistake and start trimming the wiring harness until the car is STARTED and EVERYTHING works. Along the same lines, don't spend hours and hours and miles of tape and tube making your wiring harness pretty until everything works; you'll regret it. Thanks. I have been in contact with Oregon dmv and our emissions testing. Oregon registration is a breeze. Basically just inspect the car exists and that you have a manufacturer certificate of origin and you are good to go. Also deq our emissions testing said they can't test a car that would be registered as a 2018 but had a 1992 ecu as the computer will prompt for a obd2 and a 2018 eco code. So they recommend a SP plate which is a special interest vehicle plate that is legal to drive on the road as long as it is mainly for racing, car shows, meets, etc. And limited street driving. This allows you to completely bypass emissions as well as alot of ticky tack things such as windshield, lights, fenders ect. Hopefully that all holds true when I go to register |
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Post by dewoof01 on Oct 1, 2017 1:57:19 GMT
Got another video up. First part of a two part series.
Also I just finished the body removal. Thanks for the great tips guys it helped alot and made the removal a breeze.
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Post by dewoof01 on Oct 1, 2017 16:44:43 GMT
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Post by dewoof01 on Oct 1, 2017 17:10:24 GMT
Chapter 5- the body removal. Went into detail on the bolt locations and the process i used for removal.
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Post by gwnwar on Oct 1, 2017 18:15:49 GMT
Good show.. Now to spray the skate and running gear down with Gunk Walmart cheapest place to get it then pressure clean or hose off..
Take a pic of the VIN on the firewall in place and then cut it off in case you will need it later I don't know the law in OR..
If you are going to remove the power steering the back bolt on the bracket will be covered by a slide spacer just tap it backwards to clear bolt head..Tape up throttle body before spraying engine. Some water might get into plug wells blow them out after cleaning..
Again nice going..
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Post by beardy on Oct 2, 2017 4:58:04 GMT
There's one local to you. Another in Vancouver, I'm in Camas and another down in the Salem area.
send me an email at mike dot wynn at coherent dot com
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