NITROUS-POWERED EXOSKELETON MAZDA MIATA KART BUILD

The plan is to turn this 2003 Mazda Miata (MX-5) into a go-kart with an exoskeleton and nitrous. Oh yes, and as cheaply as possible.

Ricky from throtl hasn't let the global lockdown stop him from working. When he came across a smashed Mazda Miata, or MX-5 if you prefer, he hopped on the opportunity for a stay-at-home build.

His idea was to make a fun, go-kart style cabbie, stripped down and with a Mad Max-style exoskeleton. It has the stock 1.8-litre engine but, after deliberation, a shot of nitrous was chosen over a turbo.

To keep costs down, he found a set of coilovers for $180 on eBay and slammed the car as low as possible. He got a bunch of lights, including LED spot- and floodlights, and a LED lightbar. As the Miata will be for track days only, he bought trailer tail lights with indicators, in case he needs to use his hazards.

Next up, a new set of two-piece rims and tyres, which are far more aggressive than the stock items, and a new cylinder and slave system for the clutch.

To get the exoskeleton started, Ricky chopped off the front brace that the bumper and other small bits bolt on to. Then, he welded baseplates onto either side of the front of the chassis to seal it up. These baseplates would become the mounting points for the new steel pipes that replaced the bumpers. It was the same process at the rear, with the piping welded directly onto the chassis.

Once all the steel had been primed and sprayed to prevent rust, it was time for the magic elixir, nitrous. The brackets for the bottle were mounted to the exoskeleton at the rear, between the seats.

With everything complete, what better way to celebrate than with a crazy burnout! It just goes to show, you don't have to spend thousands of dollars to make a mad track toy.

Check out the footage below of the final part of the build and its first burnout. This is Ricky's insane exoskeleton Mazda Miata Kart, and it looks like a lot of fun!

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