Enthusiasts Spotlight: Exocet Builder and Miata Racer Taylor Perkins
Introduce Yourself
Iâm Taylor! Iâve lived in Atlanta my whole life, and love it here. Iâve been in the car scene since 2011, when I got my first car. Iâm a Georgia Bulldog through and through, and Iâm so excited to be featured in such an amazing local group! Iâm currently documenting my Exocet build, and if you want to follow along Iâm @summer_del_sol on instagram, and can be found on youtube at âSummer delSolâ.
What was your first car?
I still have my Honda Civic del Sol, and plan to keep it forever. I call her âSummerâ which is a nickname my Grandfather always called me growing up. Eventually the car will end up in a Honda museum somewhere with my ashes in the gas tank.
What kind of cars do you enjoy most?
I have a major affinity for nineties two seaters, much to my friends’ chagrin, as Iâm never a viable carpool option for road trips.
How did you get into cars?
Back when I got my first car, I was in college, and mega broke. At one point, my brakes went soft (in Athens, no less, chock full of hills), and it was revealed that my master cylinder had croaked. Up until that point, I had just enjoyed the car for the fun ride that it was, but now I had to make the repair myself, as I couldnât afford the (egregious) bill âJust Brakesâ quoted me. I realized it wasnât quite as monumental of a task as Iâd assumed it would be, and quickly caught the DIY bug from there.
What is your favorite thing youâve ever done behind the wheel?
Iâm really loving my time in autocross. I havenât been active this year with my weekends being dedicated to my ongoing car projects, but Iâm very much looking forward to getting back there soon! Once I get some good car control down, I plan to better set up my NB Miata for HPDEs as well.
Do you work on your car yourself?
Every chance I get! Even with the constant cursing, beer spilling, and knuckle bashing, I love tinkering and (mostly) fixing things along the way.
Whatâs the biggest regret you have regarding a car youâve owned?
Iâm fine with it now, but something tells me in the long run Iâm going to regret tearing down my NA Miata instead of my NB Miata for my Exocet build….I already miss my pop-ups…
What do you wish was different about car culture?
The sexism is rough sometimes. Iâve been inappropriately touched, commented about, etc. and those are just my experiences. Thankfully Iâve seen great strides being made, and Iâm very fortunate that the groups I run in are exceptional (like this one, for example). Iâve always been treated like any other enthusiast by those I know personally, and in the niche areas, but unfortunately in the larger scene itâs still incredibly common.
What are your favorite types of events to participate in?
I love car shows, HPDEs (High Performance Driving Events), autocross, and watching races.
If you had unlimited money and 5 garage bays- what would you buy to fill them up?
- Gordan Murray T50
- Spyker C8 Aileron
- Zenvo TSR-S
- Lucid Air
- Getting to fully restore Summer (Front and center display!)
Lucid Air 
Spyker C8 Aileron 
Zenvo TSR-S 
Gordan Murray T50
What advice do you have for someone whoâs wanting to get more into cars?
Dive in, and donât stress so much about breaking things. I knew nothing about cars when I first started working on mine, and the biggest hurdle was self doubt, and worrying Iâd just mess something up more by tinkering. While Iâm no pro, Iâm now building an Exocet on my own, and absolutely still learning as I go. Youtube is a great resource for learning, just check your sources/comments on each video along the way.
Is there anything else youâd like people to know about you?
That Iâm so appreciative of those who have helped me learn and grow in this industry, along with the automotive friends Iâve made within each community that Iâm a part of. Iâm better for knowing you all.
