V1 Wallace58's Build

[Desert Sasqwatch]

Have fun on vacation!

 

[wallace58]

I am back from a great vacation. Always good to be back home. Found out that Swap Specialties is a con job. I wish I would have looked into them better before buying from them. The owner is a crook, IMO. He did not supply me with what I wanted, will not answer the phone and will not answer emails. This is on me. Never again. Lucky for me affordable fuel injection is going to help me out. I will start back on kit soon. I found out I have 2 kits to build in near future as well. A VW dune buggy and a Factory Five MK4 for a customer. I need to see if I can finish up Goblin by September to make room.

 

[Robinjo]

Just curious how long it takes you to build a MK4 since you’ve done it a few time?

 

[Gtstorey]

It seems most of the suppliers of "swap" harnesses have some serious issues, at least from a quality control step.

 

[wallace58]

Just curious how long it takes you to build a MK4 since you’ve done it a few time?

Depends on options customer want. Fastest one I did took 33 days, longest 90 days. This is ready to go to paint/bodyshop. Car is turnkey at this point minus paint/bodywork.

 

[wallace58]

Finally had some time to work on Goblin. Installed Affordable fuel Injection harness. They tuned my ECU on their LSJ with my harness. Really nice unit. I wish I used them first. Install new flywheel, clutch, rear main seal, hydraulic throwout bearing and transmission. Ready to install in chassis soon. I am waiting on digital oil pressure gauge from Summit that has been on back order. Supposed to ship on the 26th. Feels good to get back at it.

 

[wallace58]

Thanks to all for help with tie rod ends. I am making some good progress on the Goblin.Hope to do a first start once oil pressure gauge gets here.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

Nice!! Love the corragated radiator hoses, great looking. Very clean engine bay - your past building experience is showing!

 

[wallace58]

Installed the rear brakes and did a baseline on rear suspension. Wired up 98% of everything aft of rear firewall. Working on the front wiring. Finally had to order a differant Oil pressure gauge. The original one I ordered is on permanent B/O. I wired up some of the dash. Hope to finish up wiring next week. Maybe a first start before the end of the month. Still waiting on some info for tach wiring. I was able to convert the EPS to a Saturn Vue controller and will install the e-bay adjustable mod when it comes in. Please excuse the dash photos. My camera has some scratches on the lens and sometimes blurs certain photos.

 

[wallace58]

Mostly a good day today. Bleed all the brakes with my wonderful brake bleeding spouse Marsha. She as helped me bleed brakes and hydraulic clutch systems for 21 years. Installed and mocked up front fenders. Put all 4 wheels on to see it on the ground for the first time. Waiting on some clutch line seals and shifter cable brackets. Once I know clutch is working correctly I will fill trans and cooling system and do a first start so to speak. I did throw some gas and oil in it and had to see if it would light off. Started right up, idled and had good oil pressure and voltage to battery. Only ran it for 10 seconds. But it sure sounded good, LOL!

 

[wallace58]

Real good day today. First I installed new clutch line parts and bled clutch hydraulics. Works great now. Then I filled up transmission with fluid, heat exchanger system and cooling system. Getting all the air out of any mid-engine cars cooling system is always fun, LOL. I am super impressed with what Affordable Fuel injection did with my ECU tune and harness. Car started up first time and settled into a nice idle once warmed up. Radiator fan comes on at 195. I ran engine for about 20 minutes and never ran more than 185 with large fan blowing up front. NO leaks of any kind other than what I spilled filling everything up, LOL. Here is photo of the 2 parts I replaced to get clutch hydraulics working fine and a short shaky video of start up. Tach is not wired to coil yet but everything else seems to be working fine. My wife really likes the sound so far. Throttle response on lift is awesome!

wallace58 LSJ startup

 

[escapepilot]

I really like the flex hose idea. And the dash looks great.

 

[wallace58]

Another milestone today. I finished up all the wiring. Did a front and rear alignment. Installed shifter, cables and made my own transmission cable bracket. I did not like how the DF unit fit my setup. Installed all the tunnel caps. next installed drivers seat and belts. Checked over all hoses, wires and such. Got my cell phone and took it for a 3 mile go-cart run. I live in the country side around lots of agriculture fields. Very little traffic other than farm equipment, LOL. I was very pleased. It shifted fine, accelerated very good and turned and braked how I was hoping it would. Very close to the 3 Factory Five 818's I built in the past. I need to center steering wheel a bit. Overall everything worked fine. I hope to do a video later this week. I am waiting on a set of emergency brake cables that I can custom fit to the Goblin from Summit. I really do not like the Cobalt SS tubes and cables. Going to work on body stuff now. Hope to get it off for paint by the end of July.

 

[Rauq]

made my own transmission cable bracket. I did not like how the DF unit fit my setup.

Care to show your work? Just curious.

 

[wallace58]

Care to show your work? Just curious.

Here you go. Not much to show. It works great. Shifting is very smooth and accurate in all gears. I just cut up DF unit and made my own brackets to it that worked better for me.

 

[Ross]

I also made my own shifter brackets. That bracket looks like one of the early ones (like my frame #121).
What frame number do you have? I thought that part was fixed somewhere around frame #200.

 

[wallace58]

I also made my own shifter brackets. That bracket looks like one of the early ones (like my frame #121).
What frame number do you have? I thought that part was fixed somewhere around frame #200.

#472

 

[wallace58]

Today I installed wheel spacers on rear wheels. Also mocked up rest of body work and windshield. My painter/body-man Chris, came by and we discussed paint scheme for Goblin. Hope to take it to him in 2-3 weeks when he has an opening. He owes me a paint job from way back when I helped him out with his paint booth. I just laid fenders on top of tires to get a visual. I need to mount them and adjust them some. Still waiting on e-brake cables.

 

[wallace58]

Got a few things knocked out today. First I removed bodywork and sprayed black bed-liner on inside of panels. Then I installed my Summit emergency brake cable kit. I really like these vs SS tubes and cables. Easy to route and install, IMO. I will finish up seats and belts tomorrow.

 

[wallace58]

I modified a Saturn Vue steering boot I had from the bone yard to fit the hole in the front firewall. It closed up that opening well, IMO. I also made a front lower panel for the underneath.