Geoff builds a silly 'car' in the few weeks before M@MRLS, every year!
 

I was going to post this on NorCalRoadsters, but because that site is basically broken at this point, I will grace all of you with my glorious, sometimes rambling, run-on sentence, rarely updated build thread!

Finding it and bringing it home:
Some time in February of this year(2014) I came across a really good deal, and despite having not driven my NB in almost two years because it was in some state of disrepair in the garage, I decided to buy and build an Exocet.

Here's the state of the car when I first went to look at it...
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410321015

The previous owner had put it together enough to drive it and then had a small fire in the "engine bay" and pulled the motor. I purchased the frame, the body work, the shocks/springs and uprights, the gas tank, the damaged wiring harness, and the steering column.

Here it is in my garage with my NA looking in with some jealousy.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410321015


Floors!
The kit is one of the lightweight kits (that aren't sold anymore) and was imported from the UK some time ago. That being said it was originally made to be right hand drive and doesn't come with fancy precut floor panels that the new Exomotive kits come with. Instead it came with a 4x6 sheet of aluminum that I had to layout and cut myself.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410321015

I bought a skill jig saw to cut the panelling out and it failed miserably, so I just used a cutoff wheel and prayed it wouldn't load up with aluminum and explode in my face (Yes I wore the face shield in the picture above).

I used Irwin quick clamps and a Harbor freight rivet gun to install the floors (Quick clamps: A++, HF rivet gun: C+).
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410321015

Floor pan and sad NB :(
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410321015

I stripped out the wiring harness at this point because I was tired of working around it and I was considering just buying a new used one, or stealing EO2k's msm harness.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410321015

Time progresses and things happen:

I cleaned up the garage a bit, switched the sides that the Exo and the NB were on, and taped some body panels on to see what it would look like. Note the lack of bolt in rollbar, it's in the side yard at this point.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410322475

I got distracted and didn't work on it for a while.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410322475

I picked up some control arms, and installed ES bushings in them with some bits from Ace hardware.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410322475

Installed the open diff(with ES mount bushings) and ppf out of the NB, and some extended studs.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410322475

One of the many 5 speeds I seem to have collected, installed. It is so easy to do when the car is in this state. It cant have taken me more than 20 minutes to do by myself. Also sometime in there I took the steering rack off the NB, depowered it the FM way, and put it in the Exo. Pay close attention to the steering rack mounts, as they were a pain in my butt more than once later on :p
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410322475

I get a haircut, shave, and my girlfriend thinks it's cute. Oh and car things too.

As noted.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410322475

Look how nicely those gen2 6uls fit, also note the monster truck ride height, and the roll bar!
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410322475

Exhaust, gas tank, and a motor:
At some point EO2k and I decided(maybe just I decided and he helped?) to install the BP4W that we took out of his car and replaced with the motor that came out of my NB in to his car, that I sold him, in to the Exo. I didn't take any pictures as I was too busy drinking beer or using the engine hoist.

I cut out the resonator from the NB's exhaust and welded in a straight pipe in it's place and bolted on the stock NB muffler. It's ugly. I also fabbed up some fuel tank mounts.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410324068

I seems this kit was designed for an NA donor and the gas tank would not fit mounted forwards, so I flipped it 180 degrees, removed the under shield, and beat on it with a hammer until it fit.

before:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410324068

A long time after(only pic I have of the tank in the new orientation, definitely not in chronological order):
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410324068

Fender stays and the drivers front wheel bearing:
I decided to install the fender stays and realized they were not made to be used with 8 inch wide wheels :(

So I fixed them(well I fixed the drivers front pair)! Just tack welded in this picture, don't worry. It also seems that I made brackets and installed the CXracing NA radiator that I had laying around. Oh and installed braided brake lines too.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410324068

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410324068

In order to install the fender stays I had to remove the hub as it mounts in place of the brake backing plate. This is what I found inside the hub (I cleaned and repacked that hub with amsoil dominator).
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410324068

and

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410324068

The grease was like honey that's been in the cabinet for way too long. Icky. I also installed the ARP extended studs in the front. Note the rings around each stud from my patent pending big 1/2" drive socket and nut, stud install method.

Transmission tunnel:

I decided that I didn't like the bent sheet aluminum transmission tunnel that came with the kit (optimized for RHD car, The LHD gas pedal didn't fit). So I started building my own.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410325754

and in the car (still needs to be finished and covered in sheet in these pics).

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410325754

It looks like a car!
Installed the nose using some quick-latches and mounted the drivers seat using some universal seat sliders.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410325754

and mounted the hood with some Aerocatch latches (picture taken while cutting holes for the latches).
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410325754

And then life happens...

I ran a half marathon, breakfast the next day:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410325754

GoKarting on my 30th birthday:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410325754











And I got a new job that necessitated a move. If you were paying attention to the photos above, you would know that moving is not an easy thing for me as I have a lot of stuff (big thanks to EO2k and all my friends for helping). But the move was totally worth it...























Because this.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410325754

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS


*insert evil laughter here*

Pretty much :)

Build thread continues...
A few weeks later all my junk was moved to the new house and I started working on the Exo again, only with a renewed sense of urgency as this was only two (three?) weeks before M@MRLS.

Installed and wired some trailer lights for tail/turn/brake lights.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410326606

"Why yes, it is a Ferrari, thank you for asking."
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410326606


I went to install the Xida CS that were intended to go on the NB and found the the rear passenger shock mount nut broke out of its retainer :vash: Fortunately it wasn't so bad to fix with the use of the lift that came in the new garage :party:

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410326606

I made some aluminum spacers to adapt the NB steering rack to the flat NA style steering rack mounts.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410326606

And I wired up one of the fans from the NB and let it run outside for a while to ensure that the fan came on when it got up to temp.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410326606

Motorcycle mirrors installed using some bar clamps on the frame.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410326606

T-1 one week to M@MRLS

I start freaking out that the car's not going to be ready in time and EO2k and my friend Pat come to help me! We get a cold side intake built.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410327361

And some side panels made of lexan roofing material.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410327361

And the firewall panels cut and installed.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410327361

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410327361

Factory heat shield and a VC breather filter.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410327361

And the passenger seat and harnesses and some headlights.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410327361

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410327361

And finished the transmission tunnel (yes it's steel, yes it's heavy, yes I'll likely remake it with aluminum sheeting).

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410327361

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410327361

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410327361

And somewhere in there the wiring got cleaned up and mostly loomed, the gauges got mounted in the cluster, I made a battery mount, and my NRG wheel and QR got installed.

Jimmies status: rustled.

Friday before (of?) M@MRLS

I decided that the car was together enough that I could drive the NA down for the record attempt and for the MT.net breakfast!

It's in there over on the left :)
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410328364

Saturday of M@MRLS
Fortunately I only signed up to drive on Sunday so I was able to take Saturday to finish up the car. I was sad to miss out though as in the past I think Saturday has been the better day to be there.

Pat and I worked on the car fixing things in the morning and around 2 we got it over to Big O for an alignment. Seems EO2k's mazdaspeed muffler went on at some point too.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410328364

After the alignment I decided it would be a good idea to take the car for a shake down drive before taking it to the track the next day... by taking it to the track for the Saturday evening bbq!

We took the Hwy 1 down the coast and my girlfriend came with us.

At first she was happy...
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410328364

And then not so much...
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410328364

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...ps53912f87.jpg

We got there just in time to eat as they were getting ready to show the movie and then immediately drove the hour and half back home...

I may have been a bit tired and crazed. Also I think someone mistook me for Emilio, that or the people in the 949 polos just like messing with people wearing 949 shirts?
Attachment 184703

Sunday at M@MRLS

Pat and I got up rather early on Sunday and drove down to meet EO2k at his place before heading to Laguna Seca. Somewhere on the way down my rear exhaust mounts failed and at EO2k's house I fixed it with some hose clamps (worked all weekend).

I signed up for group C as I haven't been on the track in almost two years and it was probably the right thing to do. In the first session I over cooked T8 after getting a point by after T6 and ended up facing uphill on the corkscrew. Took it a bit easier after that, but slowly worked up to going faster and by session 3 or so the car felt pretty good.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410329328

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410329328

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410329328

In the last session of the day I was really feelin it and decided that I could take T6 in fourth without tapping the brakes...

And I probably could have but I was off the apex by at least a foot or more and ended up riding the exit curbing and then spinning to the left side of the track after the curbing ended (Video uploaded later so you all can laugh at my poor driving skills).

The curbing caught the steering rack mount and ripped one of the welds right off. With the weld separated, it was very easy to see the who ever welded it at MEV must've popped off for a pint or three at lunch the day they made my frame as there was ZERO penetration in the welds.

Attachment 235308

i was able to jack the car up and drill a hole though the cross member and the steering rack mount and fortunately BBundy helped this random stranger out and gave me bolt to hold it together for the drive home (EO2k also has pics of me drilling the car in the paddock).

And now the car sits in my garage, waiting for me to get my own BP4W and fix the steering rack mount. I'm signed up for a track day at T-hill in early october but I'm not sure I'll be able to have the car ready by then :(

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1410329328

Ohhh sweet jesus!

Just hold on to the motor until you find your own, I'm in no rush. You have that track day in October that I will not be responsible for you missing. :party:

About two months ago there was this:
WARNING YOUTUBE STABILIZATION IN THIS VIDEO :(


Then there was this at MRLS:


But best of all there was this...
















:pitlab::riaa::pitlab::riaa::pitlab::riaa::pitlab: :riaa:

So I'm scheduled to be going to Thunderhill in early October, but the steering rack mount is still broken and I'm pretty much super busy until then... So I don't know if I'll make it :(

I think I may pull the motor and give it back to EO2k and try to clean up some of the things that are only half done (or kinda shadily done) over the winter rather than keep adding half ass fixes.

Though maybe not, it is a rather ridiculous amount of fun to drive.

Hahah! Is that Ed? :riaa:

Jesus, its like I was standing still. Its amazing how unreasonably fast that car actually is.

I can't weld, but I can help you pull that motor if it'll get things fixed. My labor is cheap, I work for pizza and beer. Strong back, weak mind and such. ;)

As I've said, I'm in no rush. If you give it back I'm definitely taking it apart, so you are going to be stuck until you can find another one. :( Also, I haven't had a chance to drive it yet so that definitely motivates me to help.

There are a lot of zip ties holding it together, but its not that halfassed :rofl:
Hell, its rather fun to ride in. :party:

FML, did you do under 2:00 in that "clean laps" video? Maybe 2:04?

All that work to get fender mounts to clear the tire... and still no fender!

Looking great! I love the "install turbo here" on manifold heat shield... is that a future plan?

Keith

This is what happens when you let me near your car @2am with a Sharpie. ;)

:bowrofl:

Yep that was me doing the wave. I thought it was a fitting wave, passing EO2K on the front straight of laguna seca, in handcuffs, in an exocet.

I hope you got under 2 minutes! :giggle:

I assumed you let up at least a little to let me pass, no?

I figure to fix it right the motor has to come out. If the motor is coming out, its going back to you and a motor I own is going in. I should really fix the NA and get it to Pat and get some more space in the garage.


Yeah I wanted to get the fenders on but decided to hold off until I had the time to do it in a way I like, ie not just glassing them on.

I think it looks like a mix of "Holy crap that's awesome" and "if you used anymore zip ties it wouldn't be a car anymore". But thanks!

1:55ish if the video times are to be believed. I still need to upload my last session of the day (when I went off at T6) and it felt really fast so I may have gotten a bit lower.

Wahoo. I'm as fast as an Exocet :giggle:

Fun stuff man, thanks again for the ride.

My favorite part of that second video is watching the clag burn off the center section of that NT-01 when you get into the outside of the tire on 3 ;)

How much camber do you have in the front of that thing anyway?

I am excite!
 

Picking this up this coming weekend so I can give EO2k his motor back.

Hoping that I'll be able to get away with just a hone and new-rings. But if it comes to it the rods and pistons are worth it anyways.

Now I'll be even more tempted to turbo the exo. Too bad there's not really a good way to run ic piping short of a custom radiator :p

More updates when I get the block :)

Looks like a great deal! Gotta go trubo now. Why wouldn't a hone and re-ring solve the problem?

Turbo with 10:1? Lots and lots of E85?

--Ian

That car does not need a turbo, trust me. Its scary enough already. That being said, 10:1 should be safe enough at 5~6psi on CA91 from the GT2554R he has hiding in his garage. Not that he needs rods and supertechs for 5~6psi...

But yes, there is an E85 station about 6 blocks from his house :party:

dude, run as much compression as you can, run corn, and just keep it simple NA if it's plenty fast as is. use the left over money to make everything else tip top

Sure, why not? I mean, look at doppelganger. 14 psi on an FM2 kit on stock 10:1 NB2 internals. Both engines lasted like 80k miles each and he drives it hard. Nothing wrong with boost on 10:1. You'd make more power on pump with a lower CR but you'd do fine on 10:1. That being said...

...If there's an E85 station that close, why NOT run it? Also: your first statement is null and void. Yes it's much faster than your currently-non-turbo'd car. But some boost would NOT hurt! Tee hee...

This is a good plan too. But I thought the car was pretty damn fantastic otherwise.

Doing it with a stock bottom end I can understand, but going to all the effort and expense of building a motor and then using 10:1 pistons is unusual. Hell, Savington looked at me weird for doing it with 9:1 instead of 8.6:1. :)

But sure, if you've got E85 easily available then it should work fine, and that's definitely one way to improve the boost response!

--Ian

He didn't go through the effort and expense of building a motor. He bought the thing for $350.

If you're not shooting for 350whp that compression ratio is fine. Throw a small responsive turbo on it, tune for 260 whp, and poop your pants as you giggle around the racetrack.

Likely (slow) progression will be...

- 10:1 bottom end with stock head and ecu
- add ms3
- add e85 (and injectors and pump as nessecary)

And then if that's not enough (never is, is it?), I'll decide if I should go with a crazy NA build or just be lazy and stick my 2554 on.

The turbo is just so tempting as its sitting there on the shelf with everything I need (expect ecu and ic pipes).

Also I just signed up for a track day at thunderhill on the 1st of Dec.

Things that MUST happen before then:

- Brakes: Holy crap the auto zone special pads that are on the car are bad! I pussy foot braked and let off before the crest at MRLS to keep them from burning. But do I just put some hp+ pads on and make sure the rotors arn't super worn? Or do I install the 11.75 BBK that is suppose to be going on my NB...

- Fenders: NCRC doesn't allow open wheel cars at their events. And while the fenders wouldn't actually do much in the case of contact with another car, they do make it a "closed" wheel car. Also they'll make it less likely that I'll get pulled over on the way to the track.

- Legitimate registration: I was worried driving to MRLS and back to my house that my questionable registration would get me in a lot of trouble if I got pulled over, but we barely got the car together before the event, so legitimate registration was out of the question. Now that I have some actual time I'll do it right and start jumping through the SPCNS hoops.

11.75s seems like a lot of overkill for an Exocet. While there's nothing wrong with overkill, decent track pads, new rotors, and high-temp fluid oughta do it if the turbo is still sitting on the shelf.

Are there SB100 registrations left this year? As I understand it, there are only 500 per year, and in many years they're all used up on Jan 2. This was less true during the height of the recession, but...

You're a braver man than I, driving an Exocet to Thunderhill in December. Every time I've tried to go there in Dec it's rained buckets and buckets.

--Ian

Yeah... The BBK is just another thing sitting on the shelf, tempting me...

I'm not sure if there's any left. I plan on starting the registration process and fully expect I wont get my BAR appointment until sometime time late this year/early next year. I can register it without a SB100 and then come Jan 1st, show up to the DMV needing only a SB100 and not all the other SPCNS stuff.

If that looks like it's going to be the case I wont take the Exocet. My girlfriend has a 06 si I can steal and a friend with a NA is also going and has offered to let me drive his car if need be. The Exocet is definitely going to be a fair weather only car.

Plus if it rains buckets we'll be slightly less fucked on this drought thing!

You should trade me the 11.75 + wilwood setup for the 11" + wilwood setup I have on my car right now. XP8s are already bedded :giggle: If you do the 11.75s will the Konigs still fit?

Man, if you drive that thing to T-Hill and it rains you are going to die with those NT-01s. If I don't go, you are welcome to borrow my 15x9 & RS3 combo.

Is it the TSE 11.75s? IIRC, the only wheels that fit over those are 6ULs, TD Pro Race 1.2s, and the TR Motorsport 15x9s, whatever they're called.

--Ian

The problem with E85 out here is the lack of availability across the state. The closest E85 station to me is literally 1/2 a tank of E85 from my house, one way. I wish California would get its shit together and embrace the corn.

Oh well, I've got gas cans and a trailer, but I question my dedication.

when your setup is together, I'm gonna force you to run corn. resistance will be futile

Yeah, the nearest one to where I live is in downtown SJ, which is far enough to be a major PITA.

However, the 76 station in Saratoga sells 100 octane unleaded. Given the milage hit on E85 and the relatively low number of miles the Miata gets per year, even at $9/gallon it's not all that expensive to mix it 50/50 with 91 and get 95, which let me run MBT on the old motor with the 2560. I'm giving up a bit of power from the greater oxygen-molar efficiency of the E85, but that's just a few percent.

The big killer for E85 for me, though, is that they don't sell it at race tracks. From looking at the various online station lists, the nearest E85 station to Laguna is in Gilroy and the nearest one to Thunderhill is in Sacramento! I'd need to haul a 55 gallon drum of it for a track weekend and I just don't want to read the hazmat regulations to find out if that's legal or not.

--Ian

I don't have to listen to you! You are not my real dad! :laugh:

I have a FlexFuel sensor and an MS3 so an E85 tune is not completely out of the realm of possibility. I'm paying very close attention to Soviet and others who have implemented such things. I'd probably want bigger injectors, but my fuel system should otherwise be able to handle it no problem. I'm sure once Gesso pits an MS3 on his we can convince him to do the same :bigtu:

What Ian just said is right on. His post is exactly what in was trying to convey but i was trying to do so through 3/4 bottle of red wine. No E85 near the tracks in a killer. I want to say there is a VP 100 & 110 pump at Laguna so the mix deal isnt so bad. Not sure where to find 100 closer to Thunderhill though.

I was in AZ earlier this week and while I didn't see a lot of E85 there were Sunco 100 pumps all over the place. :(

Thunderhill has 100 octane available at a pump as well.

--Ian

Shopping list
 

Parts to buy:
- Head gasket $103
- ARP head studs $119
- Oil pan gasket $16
- Water pump $57
- Valve cover gasket $18
- Timing belt kit $128
- Wiseco XX rings $108

Tools to buy:
- 3 1/2" Flex Hone $35
- Bore mic or snap gauges $59
- The right stuff $28

Parts to steal off of EO2k's motor:
- Complete head with intake manifold and TB
- Balancer
- All sensors (except knock)
- Dip stick
- Water neck and block off plate
- Timing belt covers
- Spark plug wires
- Coils
- Alternator and mount
- Nuts and bolts and things

:rofl:

I figure I'm doing you a favor! All of those things should come off the block before it's sent to the machinist anyways right?

Truth. I still need to figure out if I'm going to send a head to Emilio or not. If you have my spare 4W head that means I'll have to send him the 6D...

Negative ghostrider.
Seems you buy it, they ship you a head and then you've got a month(minus shipping?) to get it installed. Or at least that much time to take your old one off...

That being said, it's your head. If you wanna stay with the 4w and want to send the one I've got back as the core, that's fine :)

I just figured I'd send him a check and the head at the same time, seeing as I have the spare(s) and all.

I think the 4W head you are using right now has a 5A cam in it? Christ I have too many parts.

I haz
-fresh water pump (7ish k miles)
-intake manifold and TB (though mani is 6d, moar midrange less topend)
- Balancer
- crank sensor, wheel, wiring, etc.
- Dip stick
- Water neck
- Timing belt covers (for 6d doe, but the bottom 2 should fit a 4w)
- Nuts and bolts and things

lmk what you need mayne, I can stuff it into a box with EO2K's thubawu stuff that I promised him for 11 years to ship now

lulz

If I end up using the 6D head, I actually have all the front end covers and plastics so the 4W stuff can stay with the head. Also, I may have a spare set of thupertech valve stem seals that were intended for that head. I was going to install them when I checked the shims...

Other than that, you should buy things from Vlad. So other things can go in the box ;)

You're re-ringing and re-honing, right? If so you probably need a piston ring compressor tool, ring grinder, and rod bolt stretch gauge?

Are you re-shimming the valves while you've got it apart?

--Ian

I too have an Exocet (in San Jose). I am fairly certain that there are still SB100 numbers available. I got mine in mid May (I think) and was was almost 400 still left.

Oh snap! You are the other Geoff with the Exocet in the Bay Area. Welcome! :bigtu:

I sure am. Two Geoff's, two Exocets, both planning on turbos!

I'll take the water pump (with bolts?), Balancer, Crank sensor and wheel, Dip stick (CA version?), Timing belt covers (4w stuff please), and whatever bolts you have for those things.

Also a lower (crank shaft) timing belt pulley (crank gear?) and the all the spacers and bolts?

Send me a PM or a paypal invoice:pitlab:

I totally do need those things :( Mind renting me your fancy new tools when you're done with them?

And I live on the peninsula now!

What did you end up doing for headlights and where did you get your brake and light inspection? Also really good to know that there may be SB100's left for me! I don't know if you plan on doing it, but a detailed writeup on your registration process would be awesome :)

Engine tear down!
 

Step one: Put the engine on the stand and take lots of pics.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414970693

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414970693

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414970693
Not really sure what happened to the filter. Maybe the block got knocked over?

Step two: Drain oil!

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414970693

Step three: Curse a bit and spend quite some time removing the oil pan.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414970693

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414970693

Engine tear down continued...
 

Step four: Curse lots more and spend even more time removing the windage tray.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414971205
Really glad I have 12 point sockets.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414971205

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414971205
Yay! ARP main studs!

Step five: Take some more pictures!

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414971205

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414971205

Step six: Remove pistons.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414971205

Step seven: Check crankshaft endplay.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414971205
Yay! only 0.008", A tiny bit bigger than I would like, but definitely not crank eating the block bad.

Engine tear down continued continued...
 

Step eight: Remove oil pump and rear main. Also take more pictures.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414971762

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414971762

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414971762

Step nine: Remove all the things!!!!

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414971762

Step ten: Eww...

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414971762

I'm not an engine machinist, but I play one on the internet!
 

Step 11: Hone the cylinders!

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414972660

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414972660

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...56_zpsasvpuass

LOL!11!!!!!!! The image above doesn't work because the image link randomly ended in "a s s" without the spaces.

Results:
Cylinder 1.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414972660

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414972660

Cylinder 2.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414972660

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414972660

Cylinder 3.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414972660

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414972660

Cylinder 4.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1414972660

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...psb872fegt.jpg


Artsy shot for fun!
Attachment 184596


There's still a few vertical scratches (2 and 3 have the biggest) but I can't feel them with my fingernail. Unless someone convinces me otherwise soonish I'm gonna call it good. My cheap Chinese bore gauge isn't precise enough to tell the difference in size before and after honing(~0.003 of clearance). Time to get some rings!

.

This is an awesome build!

I met your buddy Pat at Thunderhill last weekend and he was telling me all about it. Im thinking I might sign up for that same event.

Where on the peninsula are you?

I used the lights from Exomotive. They are SAE stamped. To be honest they suck. The build quality is great, the light output is terrible. Once I have everything taken care of, I will replace these with something brighter. I was not asked by the DMV for a brake and light. Therefor I will not need one. This is the one area that is sometimes needed/not needed. Steps go like this:

1) Go to the DMV to start the process. You will pay taxes on everything, and get your info loaded into the system.

2) CHP visit to make sure you engine and tranny are not stolen.

3) BAR to look everything over and see if it is road worthy. I've heard this is now a two step process. You show up the first time and they take pictures of everything and send them back to the mothership in Sacramento. You then go back a second time to gather paperwork and get your new sticker!

4) Back to DMV to finish the process and get your plates.

The best resource is the following: http://home.thegrid.net/~ffr4776/SB100_Registration.pdf

I've used it as the bible for everything. It gives links to documents needed and even tells the DMV person what page in the large book to use for typing things into their own system.