cxmoney

a windshield, eh?

how much of a price increase does that add to the kit if you don't mind me asking?

Meierznutz

Price hasn't been confirmed yet but the posting at GRM last year said $300ish for the mount You supply your own glass and install.

My car will be street oriented and I will be constructing a dash, adding heat, and a stereo. I will also be working with a friend locally to produce a top and side curtains for the car that can be rolled up and stored in it.

I have been told that I am ruining the car by doing this but the main purpose of this car is to have fun and yes, get attention! I will be using it in a future Fireballrun Adventurally: the Race to Recover America's Missing Children. I was a 2012 competitor with the v-8 Miata "Nadine". In the six years the foundation has been running the rally they have helped recover 43 missing kids. All this with just 40 entries running one week per year! If the mods don't mind, you can look it up at Fireballrun.com
In 2012 we went from Independence, OH to Bangor, Maine with stops in 14 cities over 8 days. Covered 2400+/- miles and got to run laps at Lime Rock Race Park and Watkins Glen, held a Nobel Prize/a Pulitzer Prize, an Emmy, and did so much cool stuff it is hard to remember half of it. I met great people from all walks of life and enjoyed every minute of it.

They book this as an "Epic/Life Changing" event.... for me it was both. What started out as a car cruise became a new cause....I hope to do the next one with my wife and plan on doing it again with each of my sons. Life changing??? How about this, because of the event, Nadine was seen in the Movie "FBR: Northern Exposure", got a full page in Car Craft in Feb '14, and was part of the Mazda Factory slide show at the NYIAS this year. I was also able to meet Tom Matano and many other Mazda execs at the unveiling of the 2014 25th Anniversary Edition MX-5. Karma baby!

cxmoney

you might be "ruining" the car by doing crazy things to it, but in all honesty, it is YOUR car. you can do whatever you want to it. I believe there is no limits, no rules, nothing when it comes to your own stuff. if you want to make it into a monster truck exocet, or a lowrider exocet, do what YOU want to do. it doesn't matter what others think, as long as you like it.

For me, one day I WILL have a 68-72 corvette. and it may be numbers matching or rare, or whatever. but I plan on tearing it apart and throwing a new LS3 into it and other upgrades to modernize it while staying vintage. its not original or what people expect, but it is what I want, and that is all that matters.

definitely looking forward to your build and what you come up with!

Meierznutz

https://i.imgur.com/8a6pOzj.jpg
Here is the first look at the windshield they have sent to production...it will actually place the glass out at the front edge of the tubes to give more room to the gauges. I might get a little wet with water passing through the slots if I get caught out in the weather but at least I wont be getting a face full and helmets become optional.

.boB

Cool. I like that design. I think it will look and perform great once installed.

When you get caught in the rain, I don't think the windshield will be that big of an issue.

WolfGT

I have been away from the forum for a couple months now with other life issues and was excited to see what has come of your project. Kind of surprised it hasn't even arrived yet. I understand how you feel (because of my delay with Monster Miata). You really want to get going but also want it to be right. Good quality work. Hang in there. BTW, I really like what they did with the windshield design. Pretty sweet.

Meierznutz

Kevin emailed today, parts are being cut this week and they hope to have my baby powder coated and shipped by the end of the month!
I also got prices for a flat safety glass windshield of between $145 and 175 shipped. Install on this end will be by a bud that does it for a living...he owes me a favor ;-)

Meierznutz

I am very excited about this and hope that they keep up this kind of communication.

Meierznutz

Got a pic of the car on jig2 today. Hopefully this is the last time she is "Wheels up"... Once the floors are welded in they will put her right-side up and attach the front tubes/halo/windshield mount...then she goes off to get her new dress. Kevin said she should be back in his shop and prepped for shipping the week after labor day. Tick-tock, tick-tock....

charchri4

Oh so that's only 10 months of torturous interminable waiting then. Don't know how you managed to not crawl through the phone line and strangle them!

Meierznutz

The Dr says my meds are stabilized! LOL
Look, I admit that it wasn't very long ago that I had to make a serious decision; stay the course and wait, or cancel the order and build another V8 Miata/early 70's Camaro/something stupid. Hell I even thought about just grabbing a drag chassis I found and going fast in a straight line for a few seconds a week.
In the end, I am the type of person that gets a project in my head and I'm not happy until it's in my garage. Too many of those projects went uncompleted or never came to be when I was younger... I have to do this.
My wife asked me not to have any more car projects after this, for a while at least. I quickly said "Sure". That worried her, I answered too quick.
"What did I just do?", she said. I replied, "I will just build a Harley from the frame up. I have the roller picked out and I think I will used an old Iron Head Sportster for the donor".
My dear Melissa then said, "What if I say NO?"
I replied, "First, I have never said no t you in my life. Get that word out of your vocabulary. Second, I would honor your wishes and build an ultra-light aircraft and learn to fly."
I have the OK to build the bike!
Love that gal....

charchri4

LOL she's a keeper! I doubt there are many here whose wives even take notice anymore when we say "It will be done soon and then I'll have time again..." I know mine is next in line for full blown sainthood!

Meierznutz

Kevin sent my chassis out for powder today. ETA back in his shop is next Friday. Watch for pics of the new windshield design in my Coppersun River!

sebz

Take picture when it come back I Like your project!

Meierznutz

I will post a lot of pics when the frame finally arrives! Ordered it Dec 26th and have delt with backlogs, material shortages, the company moving, the tubing supplier moving, body work redesigns, chassis redesigns, and struggles to get the windshield I ordered ( the only reason I pulled the trigger and bought one). The posted 8-12 week delivery went on to be 14-16 weeks..... I am at 9 months now!
She will be worth every second of the wait though!!!

Meierznutz

Finally a pic worth posting!!!!!
Kevin sent me a shot of the chassis straight out of powder coating. Now it goes back to the shop for a couple panels to be fit up and then crated for the trip here!

charchri4

LOL won't be much sleep for you the next few days!!!

Meierznutz

Exomotive posted this on their FB page...

Meierznutz

This was posted to the Exomoive FB page yesterday. Warren called it "the Steam-punk Exocet"

Meierznutz

Still waiting on UPS Freight....in the mean time, today I scored an SFI bell housing for $225 shipped. Gently used and in great shape. It will help with clearance in the firewall area. The Exocet isn't like a stock Miata, I can't adjust {beat the hell out of with a hammer} the trans tunnel if things are too close.
FM is doing a LSA 6.2L Supercharged build for a customer now. They posted up some pics of the exhaust and rad mounts that look very interesting. I might have to plagiarize a little bit, but I'm not above stealing ideas and giving credit later!

Meierznutz

FM has video of their XXX-ocet running. It sounds BAD! Now I have to do the blower motor and a different cam. Damn! I hate when people with money finish my ideas before I can!

Meierznutz

Waiting on frame to arrive due to shipping issue (my end no Exomotive's)
Delivered the donor car to a young man in Richmond VA last night.... 900+ miles in 22 hours! This kid is going to learn more tearing it down than he ever could from a Haynes manual. He paid for the trip and I made a couple bucks on the shell... paying it forward. Come to find out his Uncle lives a 1/4 mile from me.

Meierznutz

Ordered 1" hub-centric wheel spacers for the rear today. Warren at Exomotive says they have bee running into issues with the wheels rubbing the frame tubes in the rear. With these spacers I can run 4 of the same wheels (15x8 +15 offset) and 235/45/15 on all four corners without fear.
Also picked up a brand new LS series starter for $50. Last one I had to buy for the truck was $180 so I may grab another for a back up.

.boB

I recently learned about this issue. Months ago I got into the FM group buy for Jongblood 15x10 wheels. You cannot use standard Miata wheels in the rear because the offset is too much. You need a 0" offset.

The I ordered a set of 17x9 TrakLite Holeshot wheels. The bigger wheel added about 7# per corner, but increased tire selection. Unfortunately, 17x9's don't come in a zero offset. Back to 15" wheels. I really liked the bright blue ones, which would match my color scheme really well. Not available until March, 2015. Maybe.

So, I ended up with a 4th choice. But they'll be here in a couple of days.

Meierznutz

Natalie will be wearing a set of STR wheels that are Titanium colored. They are a little more brown than I hoped but then again the contrast might be just what the car needs. If I have to I will paint them to match the frame but leave the front of the spokes as is.