Cue the maniacal laughter.

Sometimes they speak of The Exocet Driver in hushed tones.

In 2024, he reappeared at the exact spot he launched from in 2014, before the disappearance. Where had he been for ten years? What had he seen? We didn't know. We couldn't know. But he came back changed.

Now, finally, fully aware of the limitations of physical reality, The Exocet Driver dipped the clutch and reached for the next gear. Second gear. The concept pierced my mind like a perfect diamond. I felt weak.

The tires chirped, the air crackled, and, like a whisper on the autumn wind, he was gone again.

Nobody knows where he went, but a few weeks later they found some cave paintings in Mesopotamia that date back to 2 million BC. Archaeologists, flummoxed, angered, brought reproductions to General Motors. Was this an elaborate marketing stunt? Could an exploded parts diagram of the LSA truly have been etched into cave walls with such intricate precision, down to part numbers and measurements for the rod fasteners?

Keith Tanner wrote: This is actually a E-Rod engine, which means each of those 556 horses farts butterflies and sunshine as far as California is concerned.

I keep going back to this statement.

We live in a time where you can buy more power than people in the musclecar era could dream of making on gasoline (this net HP rating is probably more "gross" rating than drag racers and definitely NASCAR were making!), with emissions that CARB couldn't even begin to contemplate back then... and you can buy it direct from GM.

The future is a strange, scary, wonderful place to be, isn't it?

I love GM crate engines.

It's going to the track tomorrow. I have a trailer full of crazy - we're using our "normal" Exocet as a training aid for the new owners.

BTW, I came up with a way to characterize the LSA vs the LS376/525. The former is Hannibal Lechter. He's polite, civilized and can blend into society. But he'll eat your liver after seducing you.

The LS376/525 is Leatherface from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. BatE36 M3 crazy, waving a chainsaw and wearing a mask made from human skin. You KNOW what he's going to do.

This thread has so much win in it, I'm not sure I have the proper clearances to even read it. Keith, if the new owners don't mind please post up some pics. Looking forward to hearing driving impressions. Here's hoping there is a GoPro involved with the testing.

I haven't been keeping it up to date recently, but here's a build diary: http://flyinmiata.com/projects/XXXocet/

A few highlights.

Custom front sway bar. Custom intercooler heat exchanger. Custom bracketry. Off-the-shelf Miata V8 radiator.

Video to come. Here's what the owners of the car think after the initial shakedown run. They're taking delivery in a few months, but we had the car out on the track today to test it. The first drive was Wednesday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIFM2XwyYMI

Question, what's the big heat exchanger up front for? Intercooling related?

Yup. It's an air/water intercooler and that's the heat exchanger. We had it custom-made by Griffin for this car. They turned it around really quickly and for a reasonable price. The core area is what was recommended by GM Performance.

ssswitch wrote: Sometimes they speak of The Exocet Driver in hushed tones. In 2024, he reappeared at the exact spot he launched from in 2014, before the disappearance. Where had he been for ten years? What had he seen? We didn't know. We couldn't know. But he came back changed. Now, finally, fully aware of the limitations of physical reality, The Exocet Driver dipped the clutch and reached for the next gear. Second gear. The concept pierced my mind like a perfect diamond. I felt weak. The tires chirped, the air crackled, and, like a whisper on the autumn wind, he was gone again. Nobody knows where he went, but a few weeks later they found some cave paintings in Mesopotamia that date back to 2 million BC. Archaeologists, flummoxed, angered, brought reproductions to General Motors. Was this an elaborate marketing stunt? Could an exploded parts diagram of the LSA truly have been etched into cave walls with such intricate precision, down to part numbers and measurements for the rod fasteners?

That is some excellent writing!

OK... So I'm going through this thread, gettin ready to QFT some of the gems herein, cackling in an insane fashion, because this "car" has gotta be one of the very most entertaining coffins I've ever seen. But then, dammit Keith, you go and show us the dash display.

I haven't laughed that hard in a long time!