You Need This: Exocet, Exocet, Exocet!

This Miata-powered Exocet gets super bonus points for the black steelies. Power comes from a 1.8-liter Miata engine. Asking price? $16,000.

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Very cool, except the black steelies probably weigh more than the stock wheels. And do you really need a big rear wing with only 140 HP?

Wow. Pretty sure you couldn't build that car, parts only, for $16K.

The post lists the Bassett wheels at 17 lbs each which is fairly light for steel. Pretty cool car, just not within my budget.

Kreb wrote: Very cool, except the black steelies probably weigh more than the stock wheels. And do you really need a big rear wing with only 140 HP?

The wing isn't about horsepower, but about handling, The speed carried through the corners by cars like these is pretty impressive compared to their costs. I'm sure your negative commenting really helps with the sale.

Don't like it? Take it off and sell it when you buy it, put the money somewhere useful for you.

In reply to Stefan:

Why are your panties in a twist? My "negative" comments are tame. Besides, since when are commentators obligated to pimp ze ride?

edit: the spoiler question was meant as more of a question than anything. Seems to me that the airflow hitting it's going to be pretty turbulent. But I reserve the right to be wrong.

In reply to Kreb:

Don't mind him. He's always this way.

Kreb wrote: Very cool, except the black steelies probably weigh more than the stock wheels. And do you really need a big rear wing with only 140 HP?

Mine has a wing so it looks less like a dune buggy (not that there is anything wrong with dune buggies)! ;) Exocet's always look funny without something back there to help what little styling they have flow (IMO).

That and I think it looks cool. I spent entirely too much on it, but it made the car's looks for me!

Kreb wrote: In reply to Stefan: Why are your panties in a twist? My "negative" comments are tame. Besides, since when are commentators obligated to pimp ze ride? edit: the spoiler question was meant as more of a question than anything. Seems to me that the airflow hitting it's going to be pretty turbulent. But I reserve the right to be wrong.

Just means not as effective as it could be. It doesn't mean ineffective.

Trackmouse wrote: In reply to Kreb: Don't mind him. He's always this way.

mostly because of people like you

Haha! Touché!

In reply to Trackmouse and Stefan:

Now, girls...play nice

Exocet aerodynamics or lack thereof are a topic unto itself. Seems to my little brain that adding downforce on one end and not the other might have.....interesting implications at high speeds. Autocross, maybe not so much. Or you can do the John Myers Stalker approach:

Digression is my middle name.

In reply to Kreb:

If I remember correctly

Exomotive used to sell it with (Still sell it ? ) with a front wing - they found it understeer'd too much with it in track conditions.

Their current 4-banger turbo track show car has no front wing/splitter for this reason. It handles just like a (aero-dynamically impaired) Miata - many, many miata have rear downforce with no front splitter/wing with no dire implications in highspeed track conditions (I have first hand experience there).

Old track demo car:

New track demo car

http://www.racingtheexocet.com/?page_id=524

"The car (apparently) needs a rear wing for down force. I have been told by Exomotive and other racers that there is no need for a front wing. There’s enough weight on the front, and enough down force from the hood that it only creates drag and doesn’t improve lap times. We’ll see about that."

As well - he's been racing it for a bit now and still only has a rear wing and seems to be doing well.

I absolutely LOVE mine!!! easy, fast, and fun build. Can customize to the extreme or keep simple (like mine) and drive the crap out of it almost daily. Folks can talk irreverent details (downforce?) all day. I'll be cruising the shoreline getting thumbs up and compliments every 30 seconds, or ripping up the back road having a blast at 10/10ths all day long.. Every car guy really should consider this build. It's THAT good..

Azulevo wrote: I absolutely LOVE mine!!! easy, fast, and fun build. Can customize to the extreme or keep simple (like mine) and drive the crap out of it almost daily. Folks can talk irreverent details (downforce?) all day. I'll be cruising the shoreline getting thumbs up and compliments every 30 seconds, or ripping up the back road having a blast at 10/10ths all day long.. Every car guy really should consider this build. It's THAT good..

Thanks for sharing. Awesome photo, too.

In reply to Azulevo:

I dig the front fender on yours .... what did you use ?? Also, stock mounts or something different?

accordionfolder wrote: In reply to Kreb: *If I remember correctly* Exomotive used to sell it with (Still sell it ? ) with a front wing - they found it understeer'd too much with it in track conditions. Their current 4-banger turbo track show car has no front wing/splitter for this reason. It handles just like a (aero-dynamically impaired) Miata - many, many miata have rear downforce with no front splitter/wing with no dire implications in highspeed track conditions (I have first hand experience there). Old track demo car: New track demo car

IIRC the front wing never really got used. It was destroyed almost immediately in a trailer mishap, and since it relied on a COT wing nobody else ever really implemented it. I think the XXXocet was the only other car that got one. The shot of the green car with the wings is when the car was just barely past the "self propelled" stage, not an example of what does/doesn't work.

Ideally you want your downforce to have the same balance as your static weight distribution, although you can play tricks. My track Miata is set up with a bit more rear downforce so that it's quick to rotate in slow corners and more stable in fast ones - but I do have a big splitter and canards to keep it reasonably balanced. My suspicion on the Exocet wings is that they're simply not working all that well due to the interference from the roll bar tubes. But they do look better with one.

Hey everyone. I'm the owner. Let me know if you have any questions. Also, mucho thanks to GRM for featuring my car!

Dude, if you don't have the wing on the front and back you can't adjust it in the gran turismo settings!!!!

Does anyone know since this is registered in CO if it could be registered in CA as a kit car or if it would have to be smogged, etc?

I want to build one of these.

Cxracer wrote: Does anyone know since this is registered in CO if it could be registered in CA as a kit car or if it would have to be smogged, etc?

It would go through the same SB100 process as any kit car, new or old. Basically no smog, but some paperwork to get to that point. I think all you need is a closed crankcase. My old Locost is now registered in CA.

Local autocrosser bought one late last year, I had no idea how affordable they were till I read about his. Now I want one. (Except I don't want the trailer/truck it would need.) EDIT- just saw it's street legal. Crap.