V1 Wallace58's Build

[wallace58]

Jason just picked up his kit. Nice fellow.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

Another Jeep owner, seems we have a lot of them who have built Goblins!

 

[Rttoys]

It’s a gear head thing. I live in an airfield neighborhood. Just about everyone here has a plane (or 5), jeep, motorcycle, atv/sxs/golf cart and a hot rod. It’s like in our deed restrictions or something.

 

[wallace58]

Brian and Nicole just left with their kit. They had a wheel bearing go bad on the way up here. I had to go to I-75 and Hwy 27 to cut off the old wheel bearing race. We put on a new hub and they should be good all the way back home. Trailer is only 1 year old. Only second time they used it. Hopefully under warranty for them. Very nice couple.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

Tom, you're a lifesaver for Brian and Nicole to help them with their trailer. You are a prime example of the helpful, pay-it-forward values that our Goblin family is all about!

 

[wallace58]

Sent out the bare frame and 36 other steel parts for media blasting and Satin Black powder coating. I am only powder coating the aluminum panel that the steering column goes thru. All the rest of the aluminum panels will get Lizard Skin sound deadener and ceramic heat coating. Side panels only on the inside. rest on the outside. I will install X-Mat from Eastwood on the inside of most of the aluminum interior panels. This has worked great on 16+ builds for me in the past. Hope to complete wiring harness this week.

 

[ah.b.normal]

Squach, We are builders, it's in our bones.

 

[wallace58]

A little bit of everything day today. I did up to testing the grounds part of part 11 of combining the harness. I also cleaned and painted the EPS unit. Finally went to Ocala and pickup the 2007 2.0 SC engine at SE freight. It has 62K miles on it and looks to be in good shape. Compression is great and engine shows that oil was changed regular like. Even the clutch showed no signs of abuse. I am pleased so far. Typical of any salvage yard they cut all the wires at the connectors instead of just unplugging them at the fuse box. Lucky for me I have the donor engine that did run fairly well. So I will just use that harness. I will fix anything that needs fixing. Clean it up tomorrow. 62 K is better than 171 K any day, IMO. LOL.

 

[Vwsaabvt]

A little bit of everything day today. I did up to testing the grounds part of part 11 of combining the harness. I also cleaned and painted the EPS unit. Finally went to Ocala and pickup the 2007 2.0 SC engine at SE freight. It has 62K miles on it and looks to be in good shape. Compression is great and engine shows that oil was changed regular like. Even the clutch showed no signs of abuse. I am pleased so far. Typical of any salvage yard they cut all the wires at the connectors instead of just unplugging them at the fuse box. Lucky for me I have the donor engine that did run fairly well. So I will just use that harness. I will fix anything that needs fixing. Clean it up tomorrow. 62 K is better than 171 K any day, IMO. LOL.

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Even though it is lower mileage I would still do the updated timing chain tensioner and upgraded guide bolt at a minimum. Or just throw a whole new timing set in while it is out of the car.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

Great news Tom, looks like things are going good for your build!

 

[Ark :D]

Even though it is lower mileage I would still do the updated timing chain tensioner and upgraded guide bolt at a minimum. Or just throw a whole new timing set in while it is out of the car.

^ this, absolutely. The tensioner and guide bolt are a weak point on the early-model Cobalts.

 

[wallace58]

Even though it is lower mileage I would still do the updated timing chain tensioner and upgraded guide bolt at a minimum. Or just throw a whole new timing set in while it is out of the car.

Sounds good to me. Thanks.

 

[wallace58]

Finished up the wiring harness, I hope! LOL. Started to swap over parts like alt, A/C compressor front, cooler hose, ETC.

 

[OptimizePrime]

Been busy on the wiring harness. I am getting close to done. I will use split wire loom instead of tape to finish it up. Also I machined the knuckles .030" so that the TC front hubs fit and my Grand Am axles fit the F23 and my suspension parts. It was very easy and not the big issue some thought it may be. I guess 40+ years of building cars, race cars , engines, transmissions and all sort of car stuff comes in handy for me, LOL. I am really enjoying the build and very appreciative of all the help this forum supplies. Thanks to all.

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@wallace58 What was the reason you machined the LNF hubs for the Grand-Am axles?

I'm asking because I run that same setup with an LNF donor and didn't have to machine anything, others in the Cobalt community have done the same without going through this process as well. I'm not sure you understood the point @Rauq and I were trying to make, in an effort to help you;

If you have an LNF donor your least path of resistance is the Grand-Am axles as you already have the LNF hubs and correct control arms from your donor.

If you have an LSJ donor you don't have to, and shouldn't, buy Grand-Am axles or LNF hubs as your axles and hubs already work. Do you plan to stick with the LSJ control arms? You can't do that, ball joints are not the same diameter as the LNF hubs. FE5 control arms are hard to get a hold of nowadays, going > $100 each.

Again, both Rauq and I have already done this swap on different 'balt platforms trying to help you and you dug yourself deeper simply because you had already spent the money. I'm not trying to offend your building capability but I also don't want to misinform future builders. Your +40 year car building confidence is getting in your way.

 

[Gtstorey]

OTTP does have the LNF Ball Joints so LSJ arm can be made to work with the LNF knuckles. But at this point I'm not sure what parts are being used in this match up.

 

[Fozda]

Based on what I read, I believe he's saying that since you have the LSJ donor you don't need grand am axles or any machining, everything already fits.

 

[wallace58]

Look, I understand many of you are way more experienced on the Cobalt and Goblin. I do Know I did not need to buy Grand Am axles and TC hubs. I wanted to do this for reasons that my intermediate shaft on the one side was dented and had bad bearings. I wanted to convert the way I did. I understand you want to help out. Please refrain from multiple comments on the axle, hub issue. I do not feel the need to explain why I do every thing I do on this build. One great thing about building a kit is everyone can put their own touch on it. They are like Harley's to me every one is a little different. Please allow me to build this as I see fit. I do understand that all comments are meant to be a help. Thank you.

 

[Fozda]

I believe his intention was to ensure that other folks reading your build log for guidance on the swap don't get confused and/or buy/do things they don't necessarily need to.

 

[Gtstorey]

I think I'll probably comment on axle, hub issues all I want to.

 

[Robinjo]

Look, I understand many of you are way more experienced on the Cobalt and Goblin. I do Know I did not need to buy Grand Am axles and TC hubs. I wanted to do this for reasons that my intermediate shaft on the one side was dented and had bad bearings. I wanted to convert the way I did. I understand you want to help out. Please refrain from multiple comments on the axle, hub issue. I do not feel the need to explain why I do every thing I do on this build. One great thing about building a kit is everyone can put their own touch on it. They are like Harley's to me every one is a little different. Please allow me to build this as I see fit. I do understand that all comments are meant to be a help. Thank you.

In the end, this is correct. Let the guy do it his way! If it works then awesome, if it doesn't it becomes a learning for him and others. We're not here to tell everyone what is right or wrong with their build. We're here to offer guidance and also learn more for ourselves. I do believe this was the original intent of all the people adding their information, but at this point it sounds more like badgering.