Bought a Miata Because Exocar

[Monochrome]

Seriously.

...and it's..... GREEN!

















...and I'm parting it out. Mostly...

Check it out! Absolutely no rust!





See this is what a car looks like that has NEVER seen salt Jeff.

[ChargerX3]

Oh the irony. Just proves you have always been green with envy.

[Chris GTO TT]

Holy crap that's CLEAN!

[Monochrome]

[quote=""ChargerX3""]Oh the irony. Just proves you have always been green with envy.[/quote]

Just wait.... It will get better.

[Monochrome]

[quote=""Chris GTO TT""]Holy crap that's CLEAN![/quote]

Found it on eBay. Probably the 100th one I came across. Threw a low ball max bid on it last week expecting the bids to go over like they did so many times before. Ended up getting the car for a lot less then my max bid.

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if it was just a little more than what you have in yours.

[tabasco122]

i kinda want one still

[Monochrome]

[quote=""tabasco122""]i kinda want one still[/quote]

Sell you everything but the motor, trans, subframes and wiring.

[Chris GTO TT]

So you're keeping the roller skate?

[Monochrome]

Yes. This is what I plan on building. It's called an Exocet (probably heard me talk about it before) and it's nothing more than a tube chassy build to fit onto the Miata roller skate.

The engineering behind this complex anomaly of tubes is mind blowing.

warrenv wrote:

We are incredibly thankful to have the community's direct input. You guys are an incredible resource with very diverse backgrounds and opinions, basically the best design review board an engineer could hope for. We consider the Exocet as a car designed by hoons for hoons, and this thread has already led to real changes in the final development and future plans. If you have any questions, suggestions, or other input, your voice will be heard here. Thanks again. -Warren

You guys are our most stringent customers, so the GRM Forums get it first. That's right, my handlers have given me (your friendly neighborhood Exomotive Engineer) the okay to reveal our big secret. We've only told a few key people (and already have sight-and-price-unseen preorders, funnily enough). This isn't even on our website or the MEV forums yet, so feel special.



Current UK-Produced LHD Exocet (bodywork remains the same):
<img src="http://exomotive.com/wp-content/uploads ... Exocet.jpg" width="800px" />

We have spent the past few months redesigning the Exocet chassis from the subframes-up with modern CAD and FEA tools. Why the redesign? Well, the Exocet is already raging success in the UK, but the US market demands even more performance and perfectly streamlined assembly. The basic concept remains exactly the same: it's an easy bolt-on exoskeletal body for the Miata mechanicals, as seen here:


Miata mechanicals after unibody removed with engine hoist. (Image credit to FlyinMiata)

This new chassis has been made possible with a critical partnership with an industry-leading laser-CNC manufacturer based near our Atlanta headquarters. The tubes will be CNC profiled and bent, and the panels will be laser cut complete with mounting holes. The tubes have slots and tabs to ensure assembly precision and reduce our jig costs. All tubes are now DOM, too. There are no more bolt-in rollbars, a new shipping crate design allows us to ship even the base models with welded-in hoops. The Sport bar meets NASA, FIA, SCCA, and IMSA standards for vehicles up to 2500 lbs. Expected build weight should bounce around 1450-1500lbs with stock Miata components.



Here are some pictures detailing the new chassis:


[I'm trying to get the lower bar option as a "Stupid Tax" line item. Not flying with the marketing guys.]















We are in the manufacturing approval stage for the prototype and hope to have a running example ready in early January. A few measurements and a pre-powdercoat test-assembly will hopefully allow us to start full production before then. The question everyone is going to ask: HOW STIFF IS THAT, BRO? Well, it's improved. My last FE model was before the welded-in shear panels and a few tubes, but it was easily 3x as stiff as the original Exocet. I'm comfortable in saying that the Spec-A Sport model will be at least 4x stiffer than the original Exocet.

To some of you, that may seem like a ludicrous improvement, but look at the photos. The floor is now a fully stressed member, the propshaft cover is tied into the rear support structure, the rollbar is an integrated part of the chassis, there are new downtubes, the rear tophat boxes are active torsion loadpaths, the firewall is completely different and triangulated with a central welded-in shear plate, the engine bay is boxed in with gusset tubes, the rear bulkhead is newly triangulated, and the subframes are called upon to pull their share of duty, too. Another thing worth mentioning is the subframe positioning. The original Exocet tilted the subframes a degree or so relative to their original Miata positions. This chassis leaves them in the exact positions that they left, so your camber curves and other kinematics stay Miata-beautiful. Months of design has been put into this; the current chassis model is revision V (the letter, not roman numeral). That said, if you see something to improve, NOW IS THE TIME TO TELL ME. This is why we're announcing it here first.

The Sport version will weigh within 5lbs of the MSA-spec original Exocet. Science.

The plan is to build this car to be every bit as much of a "street" car as it will be a track car. I've done my home work and will be registering the Exocet with everything needed to being street legal. Talking lights, fenders, license plate... While this won't be "daily driver" status, it should be every bit as practical as a motor cycle.

The plan is to keep the stock 1.8 motor and add a Flyin Miata turbo kit. Shooting for about 250whp on pump gas. Should be plenty fast for a 1500lb car.

[Monochrome]

The new body work was just released a couple weeks ago. Here is about what mine will look like. Just imagine a shocker yellow chassy with satin black body panels.

[tabasco122]

needs more v8

[Chris GTO TT]

Yep I know all about the Exocet I've thought about turning my Miata into one, but then it has to be garaged.

[ChargerX3]

I see...shocker green. Some things dont change.

[Monochrome]

[quote=""tabasco122""]needs more v8[/quote]

Don't think I could handle that kind of low end torque. As cool as that would be, I don't have the confidence in my driver skill for that kind of power band in a 2WD paper light setup.

[quote=""Chris GTO TT""]Yep I know all about the Exocet I've thought about turning my Miata into one, but then it has to be garaged.[/quote]

I have an idea rolling around my brain for a canopy that can be folded up and stored behind the seat. Just in case I run into bad luck or need to leave the car parked over night when its humid.

All the switches I've been planing to run in the car will be marine quality for weather proofing. Even the USB cell phone charger slot.

[quote=""ChargerX3""]I see...shocker green. Some things dont change. [/quote]

Nacin Piss Yellow. Common man! Keep with it.

[green-lantern]

So we've have another one out of the closet.

[Monochrome]

[quote=""green-lantern""]So we've have another one out of the closet.[/quote]

Isn't the average age of a miata owner about your age? Common man, all the cool people are buying one.

[Duck Vader]

I have actually debated on buying one for some time if I can find a cheap enough one.

[DCIV]

I hope you complete that kit greg.....don't let this turn into some of your cars and then sold a little later.

Do the v8.....a 302 that can rev and move that power band up high so you can still drive it but when you want to let it wind out you can! I've rode in a v8 monster miata and it was a blast!


Coop

[Monochrome]

The cost to use a V8 is out of my budget. Even if it were something I wanted to do.

[ChargerX3]

I thought Greg had endless amounts of cash? Need to make the wife work more.