GRM Exclusive Reveal: Exocet Spec-A

Warren v wrote: All in time. I shall reveal the FEA goodies once we can back up my data with physical testing. It's tricky to give out data as a manufacturer versus a column writer. Accurate FEA on a big tube frame is difficult, and the software I am using has a bit of wiggle room compared to say, ANSYS. I don't want to claim a number and then have physical testing reveal a reality 20% lower. It would put us in a pickle. It has nothing to do with hiding proprietary info. We're very open about our methods.

I understand completely, and I'm looking forward to it!

sonofabeesh I cannot berking wait until my workshop is built...everytime I read a post in this thread, my mouth starts to water and my right ear goes numb.

4cylndrfury wrote: sonofabeesh I cannot berking wait until my workshop is built...everytime I read a post in this thread, my mouth starts to water and my right ear goes numb.

You are having a stroke.

Zeitgeist wrote:

4cylndrfury wrote: sonofabeesh I cannot berking wait until my workshop is built...everytime I read a post in this thread, my mouth starts to water and my right ear goes numb.

You are having a stroke.

TMI.

Read all 28 pages today and as a fellow engineer I'm impressed. This has gone to the top of my list over the 818 when I have the funds next year. Keep up the good work, just hope I can find a 1.8 torsen car for anywhere near that amount when the time comes.

Some hoon in Colorado has a new toy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BST-SeXnwhA

There's something about these cars that just asks you to grab it by the scruff of the neck and throw it around.

Is that a stock engine?

Yup. FM is even retaining all the emissions equipment on this one, at least in the beginning...

loving a car this much can't be healthy.

1) "...might not do very good donuts yet..."

2) donuts

3) maniacal laughter.

The amazing increase in orders is leading to some fun plans. We're tripling the number of welding jig stations, hired a Georgia Tech MechE Intern for the spring, and I just put in an order this morning for 30 frames worth of tubes and sheet metal (5552 individual parts).

Just for fun, here are the numbers of laser-cut parts in each frame:

Base = 166, 112 unique

Sport = 178, 120 unique

Race = 197, 132 unique

There are 55 bends in a Race (sheet metal and tube).

Also, we recently found out from a building inspector that our current welding area has been used as a TV set. It was a body-parts-storage freezer in the A&E Coma Miniseries .

Kevin had some fun matching shot-for-shot the other day:

Yup.

awesome. Im really glad to hear the project is really gaining attention and your orders are going up and up. I hope you sell a million of em (then, I can buy a used one when the original owners spouse gets fed up with them getting so many tickets and forces them to sell).

Thankfully I haven't been able to use this gif yet.

Every time I've been pulled over in an Exocet, the cop just wanted to know what the hell it was. One even recognized the Miata components right away.

A few more questions (I don't think they've been covered):

1. Do you have a measured weight for the "race" version?
2. The plexiglass along the side - is it always the same "smoked" version or can a color be selected?
3. Where would you suggest buying a CoT wing? Do you think it would be a bad idea to only run a rear wing? (I prefer the look without the front wing)

Warren v wrote: ...hired a Georgia Tech MechE Intern for the spring...

Anyone I know? A bunch of the Wreck Racing guys have been talking about hitting you up for a part-time job over the summer.

Snrub wrote: A few more questions (I don't think they've been covered): 1. Do you have a measured weight for the "race" version? 2. The plexiglass along the side - is it always the same "smoked" version or can a color be selected? 3. Where would you suggest buying a CoT wing? Do you think it would be a bad idea to only run a rear wing? (I prefer the look without the front wing)

1. The Race's tubes add 44 lbs. The steel floors add 17 lbs compared to the aluminum. Expected wet build weight for an stock-Miata'd Race is 1575. Swapping out brakes, tubular subframes, replacing the Miata tank with a fuel cell, deleting the muffler, adding the standalone harness (not out yet), and using a lightweight battery should get you well under 1500.

2. It's always smoked. We can provide custom colors, but the difficulty is matching, since polycarb doesn't come in a wide variety. If you don't mind an opaque surface, a simple vinyl wrap job would work great for custom colors.

3. Just hunt around car forums and know the difference between the real ones and the display wings. If you don't mind waiting a few months, we'll have options for APR wings too.

JohnyHachi6 wrote:

Warren v wrote: ...hired a Georgia Tech MechE Intern for the spring...

Anyone I know? A bunch of the Wreck Racing guys have been talking about hitting you up for a part-time job over the summer.

Hah, I guess they were all talk. No WR guys that were available for the position contacted me (although a few stopped by to check out the shop). The fresh meat was on GTMS.

Feels good to be cranking these bad boys out. Here's a couple waiting to go to powdercoat:

Our final shop is getting close. We've got our storefront glass in, office doors, and the required ADA-compliant wheelchair ramp. We've been waiting on weather to do all the pavement, Atlanta has been very wet in the past few weeks.

Thanks Warren. Your answers are helpful. Knowing the plexiglass side piece color helps me select the best color for the car.

Assuming everything works out on my end I will probably be placing an order in the spring (probably not he ideal time for an order, but that's my timeline :) ). In the mean time I have an insurance person looking for prices and I'm trying to locate someone who could do a safety that would understand how to evaluate a kit car.

Local wrecked Miatas seem to be like hens teeth, but I suspect it might just be the time of year. A couple of weeks ago there was a great looking doner on erepairables.com around 150 miles from me, but as I said, I can't do anything until spring. :)

No worries. The side panel is a neutral grey, should work with most color combinations.

For insurance, you should definitely go the collector's insurance route. You can declare an insured value and you'll end up paying a fraction of normal car insurance. I think Kevin pays less than $250/year for his personal Exocet valued at $25k. Most collector car insurance departments have straightforward procedures for insuring cars like this.

Note: Most collectors policys have a lot of stipulations about use, mileage and such. Hagarty has a great reputation, but I have to wonder if you got a "Car shows and Sundays" policy what would happen if you got wiped out on the way to work?

Just call an insurance broker and tell them what you need. They'll set you up.

I can't see this being a commuter car for most people.

Kevin chose a 5k/year limit for his policy, which has been more than enough for the past two years. You can certainly get more if you need it. The collectors insurance departments are very accommodating; I would imagine the vast majority of their customers never make a claim.

I'll admit to joking around about the speedo cable being accessible from the driver's seat...

I have a broker looking into insurance, as Keith suggested. Unless the price is good, I'm really only interested in having insurance so that I don't receive the experience depicted in Warren's gif above. I have to assume if there is an accident and you have lied about the manner in which you are using your car (eg. driving to work), your insurance company would be under no obligation to pay. I've heard rumors on web forums that "facility" insurance (local government mandated insurer of last resort) may not be that unreasonably priced for folks with a good driving record (mine is spotless) and may have fewer restrictions on use. If insurance prices are reasonably plausible, I think I'd like to try using the Exocet as a partial daily driver in good whether. I'll update once I know more. :)

I will never argue against a man wishing to daily drive an Exocet. I'm sure you'll find a solution!

The dirty thirty train is rolling! Choo-choo.