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Post by browno on Dec 4, 2016 16:10:03 GMT
Hello All, As some of you may spotted on Nutz, I have been working on a 98 Berkeley that I had bought from a colleague which was originally planned as a donor for an exocet (it had been repaired 3 years ago and failed MOT on sill and rail rust - but is mechanically very good). When I got it, I had decided that it drove too well to kill, and so had begun the process of chopping out the rot... to save regurgitating the whole story, check out my thread: www.mx5nutz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=294753&page=1So having got to his stage, I have now taken stock of what needs doing, and with large holes in the rear inner sills, one quarter panel and holes to the from of one inner sill and one frame rail to sort I have come to the conclusion that while it might be possible to fix all of that, I am still going to be left with a relatively average car - without throwing loads of cash at it to do a complete rebuild and respray - and I think that treatment might be best reserved for early and/or very special cars at the moment. As a result of this, I think it is time to stop being sentimental and get back to plan A - turn it into something unusual and fun! My thoughts are still going with an exocet to provide something that isn't yet another seven-type car (not saying there is anything wrong with them, but I think with a seven I would want a caterham) and is more unusual - along with it keeping much more of the Mazda parts and nature, and potentially being an easier build for my first kit car. More to come soon - my plan right now is to put the Mazda on hold for a little while until I can get my mini (a 23-year project that needs finishing!) all sorted and MOTd and then rip into taking it to bits. Meanwhile - here are a couple of quick pics...    And the mini:  |
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Post by Horney on Dec 4, 2016 18:28:40 GMT
Been followIng this on PH. Probably for the best.
I'm in the same dilemma with my rotten V-spec.
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Post by browno on Jan 3, 2017 11:16:05 GMT
A mini update on this - I haven't done anything really to the mazda over christmas, other than switch the cars round in the garage so I have better access to the mini and can get it on the lift.
I have though robbed the mazda of its front indicator bulb holders - I had a short on the indicators on the mini from within the front indicator units (dodgy fittings in there, allowing the connectors to short), so I looked up and saw the fittings on the mazda would fit, and so a quick wire cut and splice later, then it made its first parts donation! I am now waiting on new indicator and hazard relays to arrive, as the short appears to have fried them, then it is on with more of the list of jobs pre-MOT. I don't think there is a lot to do really - it starts and stops ok (but does need setting up properly), I need to refit the grille and bonnet properly and make the interior look presentable, and then I think it will be time to get it in and see what it needs for its first MOT since August 1993!
As I said above the plan is to get the mini MOT'd before really ripping into the mazda - but I am planning on getting started photographing and listing some bits for sale soon to get bits out of the way, and to go towards the cost of the kit! If anyone needs anything body/interior wise, then let me know!
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Post by browno on Feb 27, 2017 23:09:56 GMT
So it has been a while but it is time to resurrect this thread from its slumber... I have managed to get my mini sorted and ready for MOT (it failed, but is being sorted!), so I am now back on sorting this one... Firstly I have started stripping and selling off some parts, so far getting rid of the hardtop, boot lid, bumpers, mirrors, brace bar and tonneau, which is a good start on my aim to recover the cost of the donor in parts sales. With those bits off and a few more starting to be stripped, the car is looking a bit more bare:  09B32713-4560-47BC-9C14-D69BF15BC266_zps50cxfeux on Flickr and the boot is filling up with trim that is coming off...  09FF857E-3700-4C3E-9342-E21FCA052DFD_zpsf58qg8za on Flickr and tonight I have begun removing the dash - making sure to label all wiring! The dash is now free but needs the column lowering a little to make sure it will come out...  ABE8D134-AA02-4CC4-85EE-050630587836_zpsfxx8xdf7 on Flickr So just a bit of progress, but it is good to see it start to come apart - although I need to keep the momentum at selling parts as I fear the car will take up rather more space in bits (if anyone needs. anything, let me know, or see my parts sale thread)! My overall plan from here is to get the car stripped and get rid of everything I don't need then start to work on cleaning and refurbing the mechanical bits before ordering the kit - I will then have the duration of the order lead time to get everything cleaned sorted and rebuilt before the kit arrives for building. |
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Post by browno on Mar 2, 2017 23:52:55 GMT
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Post by browno on Mar 20, 2017 13:31:20 GMT
So, time for another update on what is happening with this - I have slowed progress on this somewhat as I have been busy on my other project - which is a 1985 mini that I bought back in 1993 to tidy up as my first car... and which I have finally got MOTd on Saturday after a full rebuild (and 23 1/2 years!). I have got some more done to the deconstruction of the green one though, and am going to visit MEV on Friday to check that the Exocet is the right kit for me (I am still pondering the seven-type kits as a backup, but given the cost to build one of them I may as well go out and buy a decent ready to run westfield...). So after the last update, the next job was to whip out the seats and carpets, which (with some help from my 7-yr old son!) was easily achieved.  CD040E71-76C1-4EA6-AEE9-B51553CDAB91_zps6thoeh31 on Flickr which left me with a car piled with bits  70CDA995-CC22-47CA-90E4-2388196EB4DA_zpsdddexteo on Flickr Then I removed the headlights and started clearing under bonnet wiring - with the n/s being relatively easy to access and sort, before pushing it all through the bulkhead, while making a good start at labelling the o/s. One note here is that I have been using a label printer that I picked up from costco ages ago (the machine is only about £7-8, tapes aren't cheap, but not horrid at about £20 for 6 from Amazon) which has made ensuring that I have labels that will stick to the wires and remain legible very simple - and hopefulyl durable too.  91BED762-E5F5-417D-B5F0-3EB02F0A9406_zps2ui08yj5 on Flickr which left the cabin filled with more wiring  34D8B972-6077-415D-BE7B-E5CD3E26CC48_zpst3xqztbm on Flickr Since that I have drained the coolant so that I could remove the heater matrix and free the harness behind it, and label and free all the wiring on the o/s - apart from one section that runs under the brake servo and doesn't want to come out - so tonights job is to remove the servo and master cylinder to allow me to remove the last of the wiring completely. For now, the interior is looking rather more bare than it was!  8E68F7E7-292E-4685-AEA6-C8A3DD591EEA_zpslv53cmxk on Flickr I have to say that as I go through this, and compare to the mini that it is interesting to see the differences in design and build methods - the mini had clearly evolved by trial and error, whereas the mazda is very much designed, and everything planned and executed for reliability, but also for ease of manufacture (and service to a degree). |
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Post by browno on Apr 4, 2017 9:00:04 GMT
A mini-update for today, but with a couple of important steps achieved (but a failure to take any new pictures!)!
Firstly, I have ordered my kit from MEV, which is exciting news - and so means I need to get my finger out on getting everything else going. As a result of that, I have been getting the last bits stripped from the donor,so since the last update, I have removed the loom, steering column, handbrake cable, brake lines and fuel pipes and am almost ready to lift the body. One good piece of news is that I stuck it on my lift yesterday and removed a few of the subframe bolts and they all look to be ok to remove with my impact gun - so that's another worry off my mind. Following that, I put in my wooden props in each corner and started removing bolts - it is currently sat with all but 2 subframe bolts out ready for the body to come off later this week.
To get ready for the next steps I had a ride over to MEV in Mansfield to meet Julie and Stuart to have a good look over an exocet in the metal (I had had a look at Stoneleigh last year, but at that point was erring towards a restoration!), and more importantly think about options and colours that might work. It was great to spend some time looking over the cars and chassis and get Julie and Stuart's experiences of many different builds.
I had thought of a colour scheme (that I hadn't seen done before), but then having played with photoshop was not convinced by it. I have then been playing around a little more and have a final plan (again a combination that haven't seen) - and after a bit of confirmation with Stuart that it will work, my order is now in - pending confirmation of any very final changes once I have seen the new demo car at Stoneleigh... This should then give me plenty of time to get the body off and everything tidied up before collection day! My plan at this stage being that I want the build to be quicker than the mini... quite a lot quicker in fact, and would like to be on the road by next spring - let's wait and see!
I have also now provisionally the interior from the donor, so that's a little more into the pot for shiny bits!
Finally, (and slightly prematurely!) I a reasonably priced set of new pro-race 1.2 wheels on ebay, so I snapped them up - 15x7 et25 in matt black - which will suit my colour scheme perfectly. I am a fan of the pro race wheels, having had a set of anthracite 18's on my old Vectra VXR, and I think the style and light weight of them will suit the Exocet well...
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Post by browno on Apr 7, 2017 22:56:25 GMT
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Post by browno on Apr 9, 2017 21:24:00 GMT
So, a bit more work completed over the weekend to keep the momentum going. Those of a squeamish persuasion might want to look away now... (MX-5s were harmed in the making of this post) First jobs were to remove the strut tops, fuel tank (and all lines down the tunnel - the reason for which will soon become apparent!) and also remove the VIN plate and stamped in VIN from the shell ready for disposal...  131F8633-A7A0-49F4-94C3-E035E93FB6C9_zpsek0iroyi on Flickr Then it was out with the tools to make the shell a bit lighter to remove...  D960D07C-20D0-4969-8C93-D507AF6622D1_zps4bd64glm on Flickr and after a bit of swearing and chopping to get through all of the layers of the sills and the chassis rails underneath we had separation again...  35C6B568-0E15-4534-A87D-70760A690E20_zpssfv5gdol on Flickr Which resulted in me giving it a stretch...  BB40FC8A-CD81-406B-A672-7A1C1E3D7998_zpsjarb9glp on Flickr which then allowed me to recruit an extra pair of hands (and a trolley jack and creeper) to get it out of the way and ready to be removed - a sad sight, but at least the rest of the car will live on and the majority of other parts are going on to keep others on the road...  95DCFA2C-5D95-46D9-9A8D-2AA301614A2A_zpsu8djzfc3 on Flickr Now I need to get cracking on stripping down the roller-skate ready to get everything looking nice and shiny ready for the kit arriving! |
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Tom
Chats A Bit
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Post by Tom on Apr 11, 2017 6:58:00 GMT
Will be following this with interest  |
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Post by welshy1 on Apr 11, 2017 20:01:49 GMT
Good luck with the build exocet is such a different animal to a mx5 feels so much more alive due to lack of weight and being so exposed. I'm running mine in the javelin sprint series finished 2nd overall and 1st in class at the first Rd. If your local to one of the tracks more than welcome to pop over for a chat.
Mine is fully race built 250bhp turbo charged pretty quick car now.
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Post by browno on Apr 12, 2017 12:25:40 GMT
Cheers guys - welshy, I have read through your build thread and read on your experience in the sprint series, so will certainly keep a look out if I can make it along to one of the rounds for a natter!
Out of interest, what suspension are you running? I have Meisters on my NC which have been superb, so have been thinking about a set for the exocet, but have seen a lot of people are running Gaz, so would be interested in your thoughts before I buy something...
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Post by welshy1 on Apr 12, 2017 18:15:25 GMT
Gaz coilovers had then for 4 years now and still feel as tight as they were when new. Reason why most of the race exocets use them was the tie in with the Mazda race series which the series sponsor was gaz.
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Post by browno on Apr 23, 2017 21:29:25 GMT
Here goes with the latest update - and a little more stripping. First job after the last update was to get the roller-skate up on stands and start separating the front and rear halves.  4CC8D452-200C-4420-9AFC-E3219DC00F57_zpsdq5guthg on Flickr and one rear shaft even popped out quite easily  9BFFE99A-D056-4614-B5A5-3A50484312A5_zpsiohlumix on Flickr Dropped the diff oil which has clearly been changed recently.  7AF0E4F9-A829-4C65-9E43-EED396C779AB_zpsa7njbmah on Flickr and managed to strip back the subframe. It looks pretty ready for a clean-up, and you can see just how much rubbish had flaked off it in the process of stripping!  9CF24439-F7D2-44D8-990F-11AEF0F7E551_zpsk8bvfv2g on Flickr In the meantime, the scrap man came and picked up the shell (and decided to hold it secure on the truck using the winch cable - which the kids found most amusing...)  2CA32BD3-D95D-4706-9830-E14FB40D0520_zpswffxvdu8 on Flickr I haven't yet managed to get the long bolts out of the rear hubs, but am working on steadily cleaning up the bolts and getting plenty of penetrating fluid around to avoid chopping them out.  9D36DC4C-937C-47AC-9E58-022EE180789D_zpsrl4qdm3s on Flickr next was to start stripping the front subframe - so I started taking off wishbones and separated the engine and gearbox (and created a bit more mess in the garage in the process!)  7467B3AC-7669-49A2-AE4C-C92CB3976A82_zpshubpxy0d on Flickr So I now have everything split (and have removed the final wishbone from the front subframe), I have started to get ready to clean things up. I have had a good look over everything and have decided that I am not going to be changing bushes as they are all absolutely fine, and I think decent standard bushes will be as good as cheap poly bushes (and I will see more impact on handling spending the money on decent springs and dampers). As a result, I will paint the wishbones rather than powder coat them, but I am going to get the subframes and other bits off for coating this week.  2591DD61-291E-411B-A5CB-5B8C9A4A0052_zpsr4qonbtt on Flickr |
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oli
Chats A Bit
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Post by oli on Apr 24, 2017 5:23:16 GMT
Looking good! When's the kit from MEV coming?
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le sigh