Mev exocet lightweight build

[Quantum owner]

Right time to start a build thread for this.

Last weekend i purchased a rather tidy enuos mx5 1.8 with a couple of extras all for 400 quid. Picked it up last saturday and dropped it of to my mates house as my garage is full.

So here it is before the stripping down begins



As you can see my car in the background ready to be filled up with parts









And after 2 hours of work it now looks like this, all lights out some body panles removed most of the interior is out roof nearly out, wiper arms and motor out.







So i have a quantum full of mx5 parts ready to be cleaned up and sold on to make me some money hopefully should get back and a bit more of the money i spent on it.

Next update should have the rest of the body panels off interior completly stripped and mayby start on getting everything off the engine ready for the body to be liffted off the running gear.

The plan is to have the body of by the end of the month when hopefully i should have sold my mgb gt to make space for the running gear. Will strip the running gear apart poly bush the suspension strip the engine and so on.

Im planning on getting the kit running by september/october then the winter to finish the final bits ready for iva next spring.

Should be a fun project. Thinking about supercharging it aswel for some extra oomph.

Picture of what the car will look like when finished

[stupott901]

Yeah very nice been following the build in CKC mag I do like the look of the Exocet looks a nice build

Good luck and keep us posted

[Bulldog Bri]

Sometimes the best bit is the stripping of the old donor car. 

[Krazyken]

The MEV Exocet seems to be the best value kit car currently available, they are also racing 2 of them in the Ma5da race series.  You will almost certainly benefit from the club discounts during the build by becoming a supporting member.

['The Gaffer']

Good luck with the build - Nice of you to share it with us .

Would you mind using add image to post when posting pics, it helps keep our forum running smoother. Under the line of smilies and above the reply or post text input box on the reply screen you will see 'Add image to post' Click that and browse your pics and upload the ones you want. They will appear as small thumbnails when you post your reply..

Cheers.

[Quantum owner]

Thanks for the response guys im really looking forward to getting it all stripped and start putting it on the new kit.

Should get atleast one day working on it on the weekend i hope to get all the body work off, interior, air con system and all the bits of the car i dont need for the kit and depending on time start on getting the body off the frame.

Will do on the pictures "Gaffer".

[dave_bence]

Very interesting project - thanks for putting the pics up

I'm looking forward to following your progress.

[Quantum owner]

Day 2 on the stripping down.

She doesn't resamble much of an mx5 now, all the front end is removed wiring loom on the n/s is now in the cabin, the interior is completly removed and has most of the wiring loom init.

Some pics












Im going to have fun with the wiring it's been messed about with before and has had a after market alarm fitted badly so that will have to be ripped out oh the joys.

Will update day 3 progress later on.

[Quantum owner]

Day 3 doors removed, cut out the after market alarm, wiring loom in the back is now removed, brake servo, master cylinder and brake pipes to abs unit removed. Fuel filler neck removed.

Rad removed, air con system removed.

Some pics



Cut a bit out of the loom mainly the aftermarket alarm so there is less loom to lug around.






Hopefully have the body off with 2 more days working on it got a niffty way of taking the body off will revial soon.

Not to bad for 10hrs of work with 2 people.

Not have a update for a while  got to help my sister move house this weekend;D.

['The Gaffer']

Good progress there

I'm not sure you are loding pics correctly though, they should open in a new window much larger. Could be that postimage has thrown a wobbly.

[Quantum owner]

Sorry about the lack of updates my laptop and internet has been playing up so am using an old laptop at the moment so can't upload pics.

But ive made progress the bodyshell has been removed and scrapped and the ppf the technical name for the subframes, engine, gearbox diff is now up my garge and already started to strip the frame down. All the auxhillery parts are off the engine and will be cleaning and painting the engine, replace the clutch and timing belt while its all apart.

Sripped the o/s/f suspension, pushed out the bushes ready to fit polybushes, made a start on cleaning up the arms, shocks and brakes and painting.

Will do the other side this weekend.

Will keep the paint scheme a secret but its inspired on a f1 team colour scheme and haven't been done before on a exocet before.

Will upload pics when i get a new laptop.

[Quantum owner]

Just had my new laptop so will update with progress over the week ordered the kit at stoneleigh so have the rest of the month to strip and clean the rest of the parts for the kit to be collected at the end of the month. So should get some pics up later.

[Bulldog Bri]

Bet you can't build it in under 8 mins like they were at the show. lol. I recon they were cheating 

[Krazyken]

I saw that on the last day of the show, 4 mins 10 secs was the record.  At least it gives you something to aim for. 

[Quantum owner]

I saw it aswel just after i orderd the kit mine will not take 8 mins but i will be able to drive it when finished

[Quantum owner]

As requesed since last update the body and ppf have been split but forgot to take photos of it : week after splitting the body and frame me and my work mate picked it up on the recovery truck had some looks from people taking it back up my house but here it is in my garage ready to be stripped this was about 4 weeks ago.



http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u466/quantumowner/DSCF3910.jpg.

[Quantum owner]

Since the last update it has been completly stripped back cleaned up. degreased, painted etc

engine stripped, degreased and painted



Diff and gearbox cleaned and painted





Engine mounts and ppf bar that conects the gearbox and diff together



Propshaft painted



Shock and spring repainted



This is what i was going to do for all 4 shocks but have decided to get some gaz coilovers for it with adjustable damping and spring

Bottom wishbone stripped, painted and polybushed



Upper wishbone stripped, painted and polybushed



And front and rear subframes stripped and painted






This has taken roughly 3-4 weeks to get to this stage from it being a rolling frame ive arranged to pick the kit up on friday so have hired a van for the day and will get everything back in my garage friday evening and start the build next weekend.

[Quantum owner]

Another update managed to remember where everything went back onto the engine apart from 1 thing fortunently i took plenty of pics of the engine before i stripped it down. Good advice to anyone on stripping down anything take plenty of pics they may come in handy





still got to paint the exhaust manifold in the same paint as the inlet manifold.

Also managed to refit the diff into the rear subframe

.

Got  a busy week ahead my rear polybush set should turn up tomorrow so got to remove the buses out of the rear wishbones, clean, paint the wishbones then fit the new bushes. The clutch for it should turn up sometime this week so that has to go back on to refit the gearbox and fit the exhaust manifold
Then pick my kit up on friday to start the build. So will keep on updating during the week.

[Quantum owner]

So after a 7 hour round trip thanks in no certain terms as the olympic torch relay coming through south east wales closing several roads the bridge works on the M50, knob head lorry drivers who spend 3 miles overtaking each other and some of the worst driving ive seen for a long time but that is for another day ive got the kit back to my garage.

Meet stuart and julie and had a look around at the mev facilites abd the X5 superlight which might become our 2nd kit after this one.

So a couple of pics of it back in my garage







Ive moved all the body panels and panels down into the conservatory my mother is not best pleased mind you.

Got the alluminium fuel tank, bolt in roll cage which makes it easier to fit the floor and a mod i would recomend, aero screen and the dash pod.
I will prime the frame then build the kit so it's running and everything is in place strip it apart and spray it in gold to try and eliminate scratching the frame to much.

Couple of problems though this week the clutch that i ordered was to small the bushes out of the lower rear wishbone are not coming out so will have to burn them out but apart from that i should this weekend be able to spray the frame in primer, cut the floor out and secure it using a couple of self tapping screws it will be riveted on after i sprayed the frame in gold. Fit the front and rear subframe reaseambly the front suspension and a couple of other bits aswel.

I cant use postmaster taking for ever to load so coppied from other forums.

Keep you updated

['The Gaffer']

I can see a very clean and shiney build on its way

[stupott901]

Looking very nice

you had much selling the MX5 parts you not using for the build?

im still very interested in one of these, maybe once i finished my mini's

[Quantum owner]

Right after poping down to llandow to have a look at the kits cars down there mainly the racing exocet managed to start on the build so

Day1

First thing to do was mark out the floor and cut to shape



Did start to drill the holes for the rivets after managing to drill 12 holes the drill went on the fritz and died so have to do the rest again.

So as it was upside down decided to bolt on the front and rear subframes this was a mission in it's self but after mayby half hour or so managed to fit the front and rear subframes.







Finished for the day and going to be having a bbq one thing i rather be building a kit during the spring /summer months than winter.

For the poster above ive made about 170quid so far not be making a real effort to sell the part that was selling 6 bits roll bar, side repeaters, leccy windo motor, leccy arial and the seats. There is a mx5 racing team near me so will pay a vist to see if they want the body panels. You can make up to a grand selling of all the bits but depends on condition of everything. Im not that really conserened about selling th bits if i make 500 quid then thats my donor paid for.

Tomorrow will reassamble the front suspension fit the roll bar and fit the steering collum.

[Quantum owner]

Day 2 rebuilt the front suspension mounted the roll bar and steering collum did start on trimming the side panels but had to stop to help a mate out so pictures of todays work









Layed a coat of red oxide primer in the places where im likely to touch so eliminating any rust from foarming.

Hopefully next week i should be able to burn the rear bushes out paint the arms and fit the new polybushes, my clutch should turn up and i got to get a servo, master cylinder and porportion valve of a non abs mx5 to convert mine to non abs.

So should be able to get an update during the week if i get time to work on it.

[Quantum owner]

Day 3 on the build.

Cut and trimed the side panels to shape got to get some screws to fit them

Fitted the pedal assembley, brake servo, master cylinder and clutch master cylinder pics







Might have to take a washer out of the left side of the servo to make it square with the pedal.

This was done mostly by my father as i was in colege.

Ordered a set of stainless brake hose arrived today so should have the side panels mounted, rear suspension fitted, brake lines fitted, wing stayes and wings mounted on the weekend.

Then next week start on getting the engine in and start on the wiring loom ??

[Moleman]

Thats coming on nice mate. 

['The Gaffer']

Good progress there - Impressive

[Quantum owner]

Day 4 on the build.

Refit rear suspension as i finally managed to burn the bushes out of the rear suspension



Fitted brake flexi after they arrived on friday. Rear ones simply to fit just reuses the original mounting points on the rear subframe





The front is more difficult as the mounting points on the mx5 are on the body and since the body is not being reused bracket need to be made, they have to be poistioned so they don't strech when on full lock or touch the suspension with the steering the other way





was going to route the brake pipes bought brake ends and roll of brake pipe but someone forgot to take the brake flaring tool from work on friday and now not open till wednesday so that will have to be done again

Next job was to fit the handbrake cable and fit the handbrake lever, to do this you need to set the cable to the least tension possible mark out the holes for the lever and drill 3 holes



Also drilled the hole for the accelerater cable

['Mendip Wurzel']

Impressive progress and interesting to watch.

[Quantum owner]

Day 5 on the build.

Made a template for the rear bulkhead and marked out on to the plastic sheeting had to make a couple of cuts to get it to line up but managed to get it in



Also started to mock up the brake pipes using fencing wire to get the correct shape and length will have to transfer them to copper during the week and get them mounted.

Got bored with doing the mechanical side of it so thought i see what the front end will look like this. So decided to paint the mesh grill gold trimmed to size and fitted to front nose. Mounted it to the front and also put the bonnent on to see the results





Im glad i went with the black and gold theme.

This weeks plan is to fit brake pipes. Fit new clutch when it arrives and refit gearbox then fit back into the frame. Then can start on making brackets for all the engine parts, header tank etc and start with the wiring loom.

['The Gaffer']

Really starting to take shape

[Quantum owner]

Day 6 on the build.

After mocking out the route for the brake pipes borrowed the flaring tool for work and fitted the 4 brake pipes needed.





Still got to secure the front to rear brake pipes once i get more clips.

Fitted the rear bulkhead panel and both side panels that i cut to shape last week







Also mounted the instrument cluster into the mev supplied housing

.

[Quantum owner]

Day 7

Was going to put the engine in but my mate who was going to bring a engine hoist down couldn't come over to play so decided to fit the radiator. 
Trim the rear fuel tank cover allthough mine doesn't have a fuel tank under it will be making a boot and putting the ally fuel tank behind the passenger seat and started on making brackets for the instrument cluster.

Fuel tank cover trimmed will be getting some quick release bonnet catches to use to make getting under it easier



Rad mounted



Rad brackets bottom



top bracket



Also got to use my new rivnut tool i ordered on wednesday to attach the brackets did a great job to. Did mount the front nose cone  but will have to modify it to fit past the bottom rad mount not to much needed though.

[Bulldog Bri]

As your counting the days for the build, have you got a target number of days to do it in?

[Quantum owner]

No real target on getting it down but as you mention it i will be happy to get it built within 100 days. Or on the road iva'ed around feburary/march next year.

[Quantum owner]

Day 8

Managed to borrow the engine hoist from work to get the engine in so 2 of my mates help to get it in after a early finish from colege.
Also mounted the dash pod not ideal but will modify it when i get the correct steering wheel on etc

Pics





Still waiting for the clutch as the one sent was to small, So will put the gearbox in without the clutch so i can start on running the wiring loom and getting it in place. Not a job im perticaly looking forward too but my 2 mates who helped strip it down will be giving me a hand too.

[Quantum owner]

Update days 9 and 10 on the build.

Day 9 after an age of waiting for my clutch it finaly arrived so got it fitted and after my 2 mates came over to lend a hand fitted the gearbox, prop, torque tube, starter motor and slave cylinder for the clutch.
I also made up a template out of 2 serial boxes to hold the ecu and wiring loom. After it was cut to shape layed it with fiberglass and left it to harden. Give it a layer of filler will smooth it up nice later and fixed it to the frame using 4 5mm rivnuts.

pics







Day 10 was spent getting the wiring loom in place reconecting the main fues box back to the main part of the wiring loom, connecting all the plugs back onto the various engine components and working out wher everything plugs back into.
After a couple of hours (more like a day) i have dash lights, side headlights and main beam working and also the engine cranks aswel but as there is no fuel tank yet cant start it but am happy it cranks after ripping out the aftermarket alarm.

Pics of the mess of a modern day wiring harness







Next jobs are to order my lights get them mounted and working then start on stripping back any unecessery wiries that i don't need which will include the abs wiring , pop up headlights wiring, most of the interior wiring and any others i don't need oh the joys.

[Quantum owner]

So day 11-12-13

Was spent pretty much stripping back the insulation and removing any unwanted wires which in the end turned out to be a lot of wires. Also as im using the ally fuel tank fitted the fuel pump and sender into the tank

Pics

Had to cut a bit of the bottom of the metal bracket and cut the fuel pipe feed and refit the pump. Fitted back in the tank and used some fuel proff sealent and 8 self tapping screws to secure it to the tank





Would the fuel pipe position by there would be ok for iva as it is outside of the passenger compartment

On to the wiring stripped back the majority of the unwanted wiring loom and it has reduced a hell of a lot of wires and loom size and will sort the wires out shorten where i need to and buy some of the plastic spiral wire stuff to make it look neat and tidy







and after all that i still have working lights and still the engine cranks aswel so im doing something right.

['The Gaffer']

I reckon you will have it built in 50 days at this rate

[Quantum owner]

So day 14

Got most of the ally panels trimmed to shape a little bit more fettling required to get it spot on though





Mounted the twin horns using a single m6 rivnut



Sorted the n/s wiring for mass air flow, lights and horn



And yesterday my lights arrived and a few other bits and peices from car builders solutions looks very nice too

Headlights and indicator



Rear lights LED stop/tail and indicator in one, fog and reverse



Next jobs are to finish the ally panels, mount the lights wire them up and rap the loom in plastic spiral stuff i ordered with the lights.

[Quantum owner]

Day 16

After my lights arrived decided to get the front lights fixed. For the headlight i cut a bit scrap metal i had laying around the garage bent to shape and cut the nose slightly to mount the brackets. The inidcators bolted straight onto the nose cone



Close up of the lights



Also started to make brackets for the back lights


will mount the fog and reverse under the back frame by the edges and the stop/tail and indicator on the cylce wings.

As im using the ally fuel tank i decided to cover the area where the mx5 tank would go with a used sign where my father works



screwed directly to the plates for where the tank would bolt onto the plate has edges on it so used that to bolt the rear cover to it use 4 m6 rivnuts with it like this i have a bit of a boot too

.