When is a Miata not a Miata? When it's this.

"Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom" (will-alib) 07/21/2020 at 17:50 • Filed to: None

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On FB Marketplace not far from me, listed as a 1990 Miata MX-5 . For reals.

Seller’s description

Take a rusted Miata, strip the body, drop the Exo-skeleton frame over the power train and this is what you get. Now toss in an LS1/t-56/G-80 diff and stir gently. Spice it up with coil overs, Wilwood brakes, 3 core radiator and a custom tuned ECU and you have a whole lotta fun in a lightweight (1650) package. The car need the exhaust run from the installed headers to the stainless Magnaflow muffler, wiring, and the black bodywork mounted. Ct registered/insured/emissioned. This chassis was the first from Exomotive to come with a textured powder coating and they used this car to build the jig for the windshield frame. The glass is a cutdown version of schoolbus glass so it’s DOT approved and bonded to the frame just like any other modern car. Interested in cash but might entertain a trade for 60’s Firebird/Mustang/Mopar, possibly a Big Twin with your cash on top. I could have the car turnkey ready in short order if the money was right.

Insane, ugly deathtrap? Yup! Sign me up!

This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 07/21/2020 at 18:05

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Oh. My. God.

It’ll probably be the death of me, but I’ll take two of them.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 07/21/2020 at 18:06

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It looks a lot safer than the Myers Manx kits.

And I wouldn’t think twice about driving one of these.

Nauraushaun > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 07/21/2020 at 18:08

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Haha, classic unfinished project! “I could have the car turnkey ready in short order” - if that’s the case, why not do it? It’ll obviously bring a lot more money.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 07/21/2020 at 18:13

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While not a Miata, the Exocet is a real deal tube- frame kit car that uses NA/NB Miata subframes to supply the suspension and brakes, and sometimes Miata power train to make it go. This builder has upgraded. This is a way safer and stronger.  chassis than most anything ever sold on a dealer lot.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 07/21/2020 at 18:15

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Judging by some of those welds down near the floor ...I would ask for a crash test first.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 07/21/2020 at 18:17

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Well there is a Jalop with one, Nick has an Exocet, I went on a drive with him and IM. I felt like a Williams racing Hamilton in a Mercedes, he was way faster on curvy roads.

just-a-scratch > Nauraushaun 07/21/2020 at 18:25

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That Exocet very well may be a turn-key car. The body panels that are available for them are, uh, minimal. I haven’t seen the original ad/post.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 07/21/2020 at 19:50

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If that's an actual Exocet, then that's dope. It would mean it's a legit tube chassis. I've driven and worked on them with factory Miata drivetrain, and they're a ton of fun.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/21/2020 at 20:03

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Yeah its the "gheto-cets" that are appropriately death traps. Where people just saw off enough of an OEM miata that it kinda looks like this but is way floppier because of it! 

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 07/21/2020 at 20:04

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“miata" is a state of mind rather than the culmination of components in this case! 

t0ast > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/21/2020 at 21:27

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Looks legit as far as I can tell. All the bars are in the same place as mine and I recall seeing that windshield framework shown elsewhere from Exomotive or the FB group before.

t0ast > Nauraushaun 07/21/2020 at 21:31

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It seems they left the most obnoxious bits for last and ran out of steam, or worse, might have built themselves into a corner in some way. Wiring can be a bit of a PITA, and who knows how difficult cramming that exhaust work under there might be. I also noticed that they hadn’t yet fit the interior trans tunnel piece, which notoriously never fits right on these, nevermind the non-standard drivetrain. At least the bodywork shouldn’t be too bad considering it’s only 4-6 pieces, though there could be a few gotchas waiting depending on how they positioned the gas tank..

OldElvis > TheRealBicycleBuck 07/21/2020 at 21:35

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That's because you can measure 0 to 60 with an hourglass. 

Nauraushaun > t0ast 07/21/2020 at 23:29

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It seems they left the most obnoxious bits for last and ran out of steam, or worse, might have built themselves into a corner in some way. 

Totally. That’s why everyone knows not to buy an unfinished project, and if it were as easy as he says it is he’d have done it.

I-have-to-many-sports-cars-according-to-my-wife > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 07/22/2020 at 00:48

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As fun as it is to b uy one, building them is wh ere the fun is at. To get th e full experien ce, build it in a one car garage as a “winter pro ject” that last s 4 years just to find out it is nea r imposible to register in your state. Fun times.

bob and john > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 07/22/2020 at 09:19

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this isnt death-cart, as it IS an exo-cet frame.

this is just bad project 

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 07/22/2020 at 09:30

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Or DIY knockoffs built from exhaust pipe

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > t0ast 07/22/2020 at 09:33

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Yeah agreed. There only thing throwing me off is that I didn't know they make a "coupe" version, I've only seen the "roadster". But I know they can custom build. Not being a miata person myself though, I wouldn't have any idea if it is a thing and I just didn't know about it.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Nauraushaun 07/22/2020 at 10:05

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Honestly, I understand how that happens. I have three project cars all parked inoperable that I haven’t touched in weeks. Interest in working on them waxes and wanes. One is drivable, one is almost turnkey (needs an ECU, hey I should order that), one with no engine. It happens.

Meierznutz > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 07/22/2020 at 13:02

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Lol... it’s my car folks! Yes I have run into more delays than I can count. No the wiring isn’t hard because Painless only needs 12v, switched 12v, and ground to run the engine, I could finish it quickly but I’ve had 2 surgeries to my hand in the last 3 months to correct the injury of a year ago. I registered it before I tore down the donor. It’s my second LS swap...see the first in Car Craft 2/14 ph 86. 

Meierznutz > t0ast 07/22/2020 at 13:03

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Exomotive used this chassis for the windshield jigs

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > Meierznutz 07/22/2020 at 13:24

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You’re in Orange? What did the engine/trans/diff come out of?

Nick Has an Exocet > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/22/2020 at 16:46

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That’s the RACE chassis Exocet. It’s legit. I have the same chassis. The full cage is designed to make it safer and easier to pass tech for racing. 

Nick Has an Exocet > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 07/22/2020 at 16:48

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We need to do that again soon. I have the exhaust off the car and need to do new coilovers - but THEN I will be ready!

Nick Has an Exocet > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 07/22/2020 at 16:53

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Very similar to my car (legit exocet race frame) with a LS instead. With a stock 1.8L, these are slightly faster than most Turbo Miata’s with a extreme “sense of occasion”. With an LS, I’m sure it’s a total monster. You should buy it. It looks like the seller commented here . It’s really not that far off from being done. They aren’t pretty cars, but you WILL get more attention than a Lamborghini driving around. I’ve never seen people light up with smiles more in traffic. I love rolling up next to an old lady in her Jetta and having her roll down the window to shout something nice. I always reply with “want to race?” and it always cracks them up.

Nick Has an Exocet > Nick Has an Exocet 07/22/2020 at 16:54

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By the way, I bought mine in a less completed but somewhat similar state. Let me know if you’re serious and have any questions.

Nick Has an Exocet > t0ast 07/22/2020 at 17:00

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I bought an unfinished exocet that still needed wiring, trans tunnel, some difficult subframe bolts, exhaust, seats, etc. Honestly, if you just take an attitude of “I will walk away if I get frustrated” and don’t put time limits on things, it’s still an enjoyable project with huge upside fun.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Nick Has an Exocet 07/22/2020 at 18:17

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Oh sweet! 

t0ast > Nick Has an Exocet 07/22/2020 at 19:06

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No doubt it could be a fantastic project for someone with the right attitude to get it wrapped up right . J ust speculating a bit on the stopping point and potential pitfalls going forward.

Zak > Meierznutz 07/23/2020 at 02:33

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Where are you located and how much are you asking