Mev exocet build
Discussion
petrol head ash said:
your cars coming along real nice Chris, I'm loving the gold chassis
Thanks took a while to do it but well worth the effort.
Bit of an update
Removed the tyres off the wheel last week and preped them ready for painting and layed 3 layers of primer ready for the colour
With my coilovers arrived last week painted the shock top mounts and fitted to the car
with them on could bolt down the roll bar and attach the fuel tank cover
So jobs for tomorrow attach the front-rear brake pipe, fit front coilovers, fit the clutch pipe and hopefully depending on weather paint the wheels.
More progress today.
Removed the front wheel hub to bolt the wing stay on behind it had to knock of the abs ring off to be able to clear the bolts that hold the stay on. With the stay on rebuilt the rest on the suspension and fitted the coilovers
With the front done moved on to the back to finish that of
Made a bracket to hold the clutch pipe on will do a detailed post on how to flare the pipes for the brake and clutch pipes at the weekend as some people are having problems with that.
Also had time to paint the alloys with 4 layers of gold and 3 layers of lacquer
Just need to order the tyres wait for the wheel spacers to be able to pick up and fit the wheel arches hopefully not long till i will be able to drive it.
Removed the front wheel hub to bolt the wing stay on behind it had to knock of the abs ring off to be able to clear the bolts that hold the stay on. With the stay on rebuilt the rest on the suspension and fitted the coilovers
With the front done moved on to the back to finish that of
Made a bracket to hold the clutch pipe on will do a detailed post on how to flare the pipes for the brake and clutch pipes at the weekend as some people are having problems with that.
Also had time to paint the alloys with 4 layers of gold and 3 layers of lacquer
Just need to order the tyres wait for the wheel spacers to be able to pick up and fit the wheel arches hopefully not long till i will be able to drive it.
chuntington101 said:
Any updates?.....
Unfortunently no it's been a rather busy 2 months from other projects, fixing my mx5, selling my other kit car and moving into my new unit the car hasn't been touched since. Hopefully i should be getting back on to it within the next few weeks when everything has settled down. There is only a couple of weekend work to be done then off to rtr for the iva.
So managed to get back on the build today, bleed the brakes, fitted pair of lower ball joints, drilled out all the snapped split pins and fit new ones.
Also fitted the wheel spacers and my wheels know they have tyres on so decided to get it on the ground and take a few photos
It sitting so low that i can't actualy get it out of the garage opps need to adjust the suspension to raise it up a bit.
Jobs left to do fit cycle wings, bleed the clutch, fit fuel lines/tank/filler neck, seats finish of the wiring and then all the small pieces for the iva not a lot left to do.
Also fitted the wheel spacers and my wheels know they have tyres on so decided to get it on the ground and take a few photos
It sitting so low that i can't actualy get it out of the garage opps need to adjust the suspension to raise it up a bit.
Jobs left to do fit cycle wings, bleed the clutch, fit fuel lines/tank/filler neck, seats finish of the wiring and then all the small pieces for the iva not a lot left to do.
Didn't manage to do as much as i wanted due to my drill dieing on me while drilling the holes for the seats so that will have to wait till next week.
However made some more progress on it, drilled a hole for the battery cable and secured the rear bulkhead panel
As im using the ally fuel tank instead of the mx5 tank it will be positioned behind the passenger seat so placed it roughly in place mark the holes and put a bolt up through and used a nut to tighten it down like this
so i can fit the fuel tank over it and using another nut to tighten it down so if i want to remove the tank in future i don't have to get under it and hold the bolt
Next on the list of things to do mount the mx5 runners to the seat an easy job but time consuming to get the runners sliding without hitting the bottom of the seat 3 washers between the seat and runner clears it with just enough room, i also had to drill 2 new holes as the original holes in the runner don't line up
Also started on bonding one of the rear arches on to the wing stays but will do a detailed post on that next weekend.
However made some more progress on it, drilled a hole for the battery cable and secured the rear bulkhead panel
As im using the ally fuel tank instead of the mx5 tank it will be positioned behind the passenger seat so placed it roughly in place mark the holes and put a bolt up through and used a nut to tighten it down like this
so i can fit the fuel tank over it and using another nut to tighten it down so if i want to remove the tank in future i don't have to get under it and hold the bolt
Next on the list of things to do mount the mx5 runners to the seat an easy job but time consuming to get the runners sliding without hitting the bottom of the seat 3 washers between the seat and runner clears it with just enough room, i also had to drill 2 new holes as the original holes in the runner don't line up
Also started on bonding one of the rear arches on to the wing stays but will do a detailed post on that next weekend.
Steffan said:
Excellent build diary, superb photos and really genuine useful informed advice. Frankly few of the Kit car magazines can compete with build diaries at this level of expertise.
Even better you do jot take yourself too seriously unlike the Kit Car mag "experts". Good for you, good for other enthusiasts. Keep It Up!!!
Thank you im glad people are enjoying reading the thread as much as i have building it it's so close to being on the road but still a few jobs to go that most will not notice but are critical for the way the car drives and be able to pass the iva. The plan is to be at stoneliegh even if it has to be trailed up there.Even better you do jot take yourself too seriously unlike the Kit Car mag "experts". Good for you, good for other enthusiasts. Keep It Up!!!
Steffan said:
MG CHRIS said:
Steffan said:
Excellent build diary, superb photos and really genuine useful informed advice. Frankly few of the Kit car magazines can compete with build diaries at this level of expertise.
Even better you do jot take yourself too seriously unlike the Kit Car mag "experts". Good for you, good for other enthusiasts. Keep It Up!!!
Thank you im glad people are enjoying reading the thread as much as i have building it it's so close to being on the road but still a few jobs to go that most will not notice but are critical for the way the car drives and be able to pass the iva. The plan is to be at stoneliegh even if it has to be trailed up there.Even better you do jot take yourself too seriously unlike the Kit Car mag "experts". Good for you, good for other enthusiasts. Keep It Up!!!
Another update rather cold so didn't spend to long on it but managed to get a few jobs done.
So first job was to swap all the nuts to lock nuts, raise the coilovers up to actually get it out of the garage and cut the excess bolt sticking out of the front subframe to floor to give an extra bit of cleareness.
So with new drill and drill bits (dewalt drill bits are a must so good 60 quid and well worth the price) finished drilling the holes for the seat one hole did end up going through the rivet holding the floor on so one for the future drill holes for seats before putting the floor on.
2 washers underneath each hole levels everything up for me anyway
Went down to halfords to get a battery clamp set only 3 quid with a trade card, so bolted down 2 brakets
had to extended the threads on the bars and cut them down and cut the top bracket down to fit
So for the first time since july the kit moved outside of the garage just mind you so some pics of my dad/ sister/ my mate simon and me in the car
So first job was to swap all the nuts to lock nuts, raise the coilovers up to actually get it out of the garage and cut the excess bolt sticking out of the front subframe to floor to give an extra bit of cleareness.
So with new drill and drill bits (dewalt drill bits are a must so good 60 quid and well worth the price) finished drilling the holes for the seat one hole did end up going through the rivet holding the floor on so one for the future drill holes for seats before putting the floor on.
2 washers underneath each hole levels everything up for me anyway
Went down to halfords to get a battery clamp set only 3 quid with a trade card, so bolted down 2 brakets
had to extended the threads on the bars and cut them down and cut the top bracket down to fit
So for the first time since july the kit moved outside of the garage just mind you so some pics of my dad/ sister/ my mate simon and me in the car
A little bit more done fitted the rear cycle wings and got the rear lights and front side lights working also making yet another route for the wiring to make it look better.
So i wasn't a fan of bonding the cycle wings on to the stays and wanted them to be removable so tried a few different methods and liked this one the most, so my father found a pack of plastic clips that fit perfect over the wing stays and got a hole at the top for a bolt
covered the cycle wing with masking tape and on the tops of each plastic clips some paint which one the wing is fitted on top leaves a mark to find where i need to drill the holes
My body couldn't stand the cold any longer so thats it for today.
So i wasn't a fan of bonding the cycle wings on to the stays and wanted them to be removable so tried a few different methods and liked this one the most, so my father found a pack of plastic clips that fit perfect over the wing stays and got a hole at the top for a bolt
covered the cycle wing with masking tape and on the tops of each plastic clips some paint which one the wing is fitted on top leaves a mark to find where i need to drill the holes
My body couldn't stand the cold any longer so thats it for today.
Steffan said:
Excellent work and by the look of things a really excellent build quality. Well done indeed. What is the ETA in terms of finishing the car and IVA testing? Are you on target to get this done by the summer on the road?
I bought another car (now 11 cars (variously on/noton the road) (I am compulsive/obsessive by nature) this week an MGF with a high output engine which is being rebuilt currently and supposedly ready this summer (May????). My heart/back/wimpish attitude and pressure from SWMBO and offspring mean that I cannot rebuild the car myself so there is at least a slim chance that it might be ready on time. It is with a firm of motor racing clients to rebuild and remap. I still have a few clients although I am semi retired.
Once again well done indeed to you and I really look forward to seeing you and the car at Stoneleigh. The sense of achievement in building your own car is immense particularly when you clearly have a very good idea of what matters to you and how you want the car to be which is very apparent from your reports and postings on kit cars generally. Fifty years later I still remember my Lotus Super Seven I built in 1963. Wrote it off ploughing fields (those were the days!) but if only I had it now. Entirely my fault. As ever in my life. I am really looking forward to seeing both car and you together. Keep it up!! And intact!!
Well yesterday made a list of things to do which atleast gives me an idea of what i need to be doing a lot of the stuff is just small jobs but a few bigger jobs that will be more time consuming. It should be all ready for around mid aprill have a week booked of over easter which gives me 11 days of in total so great timing. I bought another car (now 11 cars (variously on/noton the road) (I am compulsive/obsessive by nature) this week an MGF with a high output engine which is being rebuilt currently and supposedly ready this summer (May????). My heart/back/wimpish attitude and pressure from SWMBO and offspring mean that I cannot rebuild the car myself so there is at least a slim chance that it might be ready on time. It is with a firm of motor racing clients to rebuild and remap. I still have a few clients although I am semi retired.
Once again well done indeed to you and I really look forward to seeing you and the car at Stoneleigh. The sense of achievement in building your own car is immense particularly when you clearly have a very good idea of what matters to you and how you want the car to be which is very apparent from your reports and postings on kit cars generally. Fifty years later I still remember my Lotus Super Seven I built in 1963. Wrote it off ploughing fields (those were the days!) but if only I had it now. Entirely my fault. As ever in my life. I am really looking forward to seeing both car and you together. Keep it up!! And intact!!
Then will go on a track day down my local track llandow for a shake down to find any issues and hopefully iva in may but ive come to the point that it will be trailerd up to stoneleigh then left with rtr for the iva and a few jobs.
Looks like you got a good deal with the mgf very underrated cars and a great engine when the hg is done im guessing it's a vvc lump.
Steffan said:
MG CHRIS said:
Steffan said:
Excellent work and by the look of things a really excellent build quality. Well done indeed. What is the ETA in terms of finishing the car and IVA testing? Are you on target to get this done by the summer on the road?
I bought another car (now 11 cars (variously on/noton the road) (I am compulsive/obsessive by nature) this week an MGF with a high output engine which is being rebuilt currently and supposedly ready this summer (May????). My heart/back/wimpish attitude and pressure from SWMBO and offspring mean that I cannot rebuild the car myself so there is at least a slim chance that it might be ready on time. It is with a firm of motor racing clients to rebuild and remap. I still have a few clients although I am semi retired.
Once again well done indeed to you and I really look forward to seeing you and the car at Stoneleigh. The sense of achievement in building your own car is immense particularly when you clearly have a very good idea of what matters to you and how you want the car to be which is very apparent from your reports and postings on kit cars generally. Fifty years later I still remember my Lotus Super Seven I built in 1963. Wrote it off ploughing fields (those were the days!) but if only I had it now. Entirely my fault. As ever in my life. I am really looking forward to seeing both car and you together. Keep it up!! And intact!!
Well yesterday made a list of things to do which atleast gives me an idea of what i need to be doing a lot of the stuff is just small jobs but a few bigger jobs that will be more time consuming. It should be all ready for around mid aprill have a week booked of over easter which gives me 11 days of in total so great timing. I bought another car (now 11 cars (variously on/noton the road) (I am compulsive/obsessive by nature) this week an MGF with a high output engine which is being rebuilt currently and supposedly ready this summer (May????). My heart/back/wimpish attitude and pressure from SWMBO and offspring mean that I cannot rebuild the car myself so there is at least a slim chance that it might be ready on time. It is with a firm of motor racing clients to rebuild and remap. I still have a few clients although I am semi retired.
Once again well done indeed to you and I really look forward to seeing you and the car at Stoneleigh. The sense of achievement in building your own car is immense particularly when you clearly have a very good idea of what matters to you and how you want the car to be which is very apparent from your reports and postings on kit cars generally. Fifty years later I still remember my Lotus Super Seven I built in 1963. Wrote it off ploughing fields (those were the days!) but if only I had it now. Entirely my fault. As ever in my life. I am really looking forward to seeing both car and you together. Keep it up!! And intact!!
Then will go on a track day down my local track llandow for a shake down to find any issues and hopefully iva in may but ive come to the point that it will be trailerd up to stoneleigh then left with rtr for the iva and a few jobs.
Looks like you got a good deal with the mgf very underrated cars and a great engine when the hg is done im guessing it's a vvc lump.
I will start a post shortly on this car and stop sidetracking your excellent Exocet subject. Keep it up your Exocet will be an excellent car.
Steffan said:
MG CHRIS said:
Steffan said:
MG CHRIS said:
Steffan said:
Excellent work and by the look of things a really excellent build quality. Well done indeed. What is the ETA in terms of finishing the car and IVA testing? Are you on target to get this done by the summer on the road?
I bought another car (now 11 cars (variously on/noton the road) (I am compulsive/obsessive by nature) this week an MGF with a high output engine which is being rebuilt currently and supposedly ready this summer (May????). My heart/back/wimpish attitude and pressure from SWMBO and offspring mean that I cannot rebuild the car myself so there is at least a slim chance that it might be ready on time. It is with a firm of motor racing clients to rebuild and remap. I still have a few clients although I am semi retired.
Once again well done indeed to you and I really look forward to seeing you and the car at Stoneleigh. The sense of achievement in building your own car is immense particularly when you clearly have a very good idea of what matters to you and how you want the car to be which is very apparent from your reports and postings on kit cars generally. Fifty years later I still remember my Lotus Super Seven I built in 1963. Wrote it off ploughing fields (those were the days!) but if only I had it now. Entirely my fault. As ever in my life. I am really looking forward to seeing both car and you together. Keep it up!! And intact!!
Well yesterday made a list of things to do which atleast gives me an idea of what i need to be doing a lot of the stuff is just small jobs but a few bigger jobs that will be more time consuming. It should be all ready for around mid aprill have a week booked of over easter which gives me 11 days of in total so great timing. I bought another car (now 11 cars (variously on/noton the road) (I am compulsive/obsessive by nature) this week an MGF with a high output engine which is being rebuilt currently and supposedly ready this summer (May????). My heart/back/wimpish attitude and pressure from SWMBO and offspring mean that I cannot rebuild the car myself so there is at least a slim chance that it might be ready on time. It is with a firm of motor racing clients to rebuild and remap. I still have a few clients although I am semi retired.
Once again well done indeed to you and I really look forward to seeing you and the car at Stoneleigh. The sense of achievement in building your own car is immense particularly when you clearly have a very good idea of what matters to you and how you want the car to be which is very apparent from your reports and postings on kit cars generally. Fifty years later I still remember my Lotus Super Seven I built in 1963. Wrote it off ploughing fields (those were the days!) but if only I had it now. Entirely my fault. As ever in my life. I am really looking forward to seeing both car and you together. Keep it up!! And intact!!
Then will go on a track day down my local track llandow for a shake down to find any issues and hopefully iva in may but ive come to the point that it will be trailerd up to stoneleigh then left with rtr for the iva and a few jobs.
Looks like you got a good deal with the mgf very underrated cars and a great engine when the hg is done im guessing it's a vvc lump.
I will start a post shortly on this car and stop sidetracking your excellent Exocet subject. Keep it up your Exocet will be an excellent car.
Got three other K series lumps in cars and they are good engines. Very very rev free and light. Until they let go which sadly they all eventually do. I do appreciate your attitude to the ideas and challenges of others. We need more like you in Kit Cars!!!
Im driving around in a mx5 and driven zetec and duratec eengined cars and they good but non rev like the k series and the only other engine thats much better is the toyota units and honda engines. Just annoying when a lot of so called petrol heads dismiss then k series without owning one serious considering a vvc zr or tf for my next car also great bargins to be had aswel.
Ive never been one to nit pick and boss around other when it comes to car projects everyone likes something different and thats the best things different ideas and different tastes which improves the level of builds, like over on the mev forums so many different exocet builds and everyone is different.
No 2 are the same the more professional builds with experience in the trade (like me) give advice and opinions for the others which have little or no experience in mechanics or building cars which in turns brings up the level of the builds, and some of the builds are of a high standared and the builders have had little experience before the build everyone is happy.
So a new month and some more progress fitted the front cycle wings, transmission tunnel which doesn't really fit but with a bit of edging stuff and a rubber seal will do the job.
also made a dash and fitted the switches for the extra fan, hazard switch, fog, horn and after iva a starter button and kill switch style panel
I will cover it in carbon fibre rap before final fitment
Jobs are slowly being ticked of the list was going to fit the mirrors but not sure on best place for them anyone got a picture where they should go to pass the iva.
The final parts like fuel lines will be completed up my unit which has a 2 poster lift and has plenty of space for a test drive.
also made a dash and fitted the switches for the extra fan, hazard switch, fog, horn and after iva a starter button and kill switch style panel
I will cover it in carbon fibre rap before final fitment
Jobs are slowly being ticked of the list was going to fit the mirrors but not sure on best place for them anyone got a picture where they should go to pass the iva.
The final parts like fuel lines will be completed up my unit which has a 2 poster lift and has plenty of space for a test drive.
Steffan said:
This project is being completed to an excellent standard and hearing about your unit with two poster lift confirmed what I already suspected. You clearly have direct experience in the business. Which is just as it should be. I would expect you to be able to sort any issues which less experienced mechanics like me would be struggling with!
Good to see your enthusiasm shining through and your car steadily shaping up. I will (God willing) be about at the Kit Cars shows this year and I will certainly take the opportunity to view the finished car if I may. I will find time for coffee with Stuart Mills too if only I had a fraction of his energy and drive, no wonder he is so successful with his cars!
Thanks ive had the unit for 4 months sharing with a mate of mine doing jobs for family and friends etc, while still in work to build up a customer base before going self employed in a year or 2 it's hard work doing 2 jobs but im young and no commitment. Good to see your enthusiasm shining through and your car steadily shaping up. I will (God willing) be about at the Kit Cars shows this year and I will certainly take the opportunity to view the finished car if I may. I will find time for coffee with Stuart Mills too if only I had a fraction of his energy and drive, no wonder he is so successful with his cars!
I would love to take the full credit for the build but it's been a team effort with mainly my father (ex mechanic) and several friends helping during the build. Hopefully get it all finished this month and with this week off is definitely doable, the ramp has just been installed last Friday actually so with it up in the air will make the last few things a lot easier.
Be good to catch up with you at the shows.
Well im back. Got to say the last 4 months have been the most busiest of my life with work and setting up my business during the evenings and weekends have taken my time away from the exocet. But with my business partner away for a few weeks given me the time to actually finish it.
So back in july while picking up another mx5 to be stripped while I had the trailer picked up the exocet and took it to my unit for the last line of jobs.
(note trailer not mine but have unlimited use of it from an arrangement for a friend)
So sat in the unit for another month till I could actually touch it but got back onto it first weekend in august. So got it up in the air, fabricated some fuel lines and clamped down to the chassis. Fitted the prop, new gearbox oil, diff oil.
Added fuel connect battery cranked the engine over then boom fired into life was a mighty relief and a load of my mind. With that big step ticked off fitted the rest of the exhaust, finished altering the wiring loom, bleed the clutch then went for it's maiden drive.
wow is all I can say the acceleration is so much better than my daily mx5 sense of speed being so close to the ground is unbelievable. So with it running booked up for a track day down in llandow on the 14th September so if you can come down say hello can even have a ride in the passenger seat.
So back in july while picking up another mx5 to be stripped while I had the trailer picked up the exocet and took it to my unit for the last line of jobs.
(note trailer not mine but have unlimited use of it from an arrangement for a friend)
So sat in the unit for another month till I could actually touch it but got back onto it first weekend in august. So got it up in the air, fabricated some fuel lines and clamped down to the chassis. Fitted the prop, new gearbox oil, diff oil.
Added fuel connect battery cranked the engine over then boom fired into life was a mighty relief and a load of my mind. With that big step ticked off fitted the rest of the exhaust, finished altering the wiring loom, bleed the clutch then went for it's maiden drive.
wow is all I can say the acceleration is so much better than my daily mx5 sense of speed being so close to the ground is unbelievable. So with it running booked up for a track day down in llandow on the 14th September so if you can come down say hello can even have a ride in the passenger seat.
Steffan said:
MG CHRIS said:
Well im back. Got to say the last 4 months have been the most busiest of my life with work and setting up my business during the evenings and weekends have taken my time away from the exocet. But with my business partner away for a few weeks given me the time to actually finish it.
So back in july while picking up another mx5 to be stripped while I had the trailer picked up the exocet and took it to my unit for the last line of jobs.
(note trailer not mine but have unlimited use of it from an arrangement for a friend)
So sat in the unit for another month till I could actually touch it but got back onto it first weekend in august. So got it up in the air, fabricated some fuel lines and clamped down to the chassis. Fitted the prop, new gearbox oil, diff oil.
Added fuel connect battery cranked the engine over then boom fired into life was a mighty relief and a load of my mind. With that big step ticked off fitted the rest of the exhaust, finished altering the wiring loom, bleed the clutch then went for it's maiden drive.
wow is all I can say the acceleration is so much better than my daily mx5 sense of speed being so close to the ground is unbelievable. So with it running booked up for a track day down in llandow on the 14th September so if you can come down say hello can even have a ride in the passenger seat.
All very interesting and how much must every kit car builder feel the sense of relief expressed by MG CHRIS when the motor finally burst into life. Well done indeed and I am delighted to hear that you are getting there with the build completion. I may be in the UK on the 14th September and if I am a I will certainly make the effort to come and cheer you on. We are out of the UK a lot in September so fingers crossed. Anyway an excellent job done and well done indeed. Finally I do hope that the new business venture proves to be a winner we all need a good income to enjoy these kit cars!!So back in july while picking up another mx5 to be stripped while I had the trailer picked up the exocet and took it to my unit for the last line of jobs.
(note trailer not mine but have unlimited use of it from an arrangement for a friend)
So sat in the unit for another month till I could actually touch it but got back onto it first weekend in august. So got it up in the air, fabricated some fuel lines and clamped down to the chassis. Fitted the prop, new gearbox oil, diff oil.
Added fuel connect battery cranked the engine over then boom fired into life was a mighty relief and a load of my mind. With that big step ticked off fitted the rest of the exhaust, finished altering the wiring loom, bleed the clutch then went for it's maiden drive.
wow is all I can say the acceleration is so much better than my daily mx5 sense of speed being so close to the ground is unbelievable. So with it running booked up for a track day down in llandow on the 14th September so if you can come down say hello can even have a ride in the passenger seat.
As for the business venture it's going ok workshop is pretty much all sorted with tools and equipment just paying of the debt while still in work so have money coming in and will reduce expenses when I make the jump to full time.
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