RichN City Goblin - 2007 LT donor

Briann1177

Goblin Guru
Nice. I wonder if the person who designed that plate is a Bruce Willis fan.

Edit. I guess that is NH's state motto adopted in 1945.
 
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RichN

Well-Known Member
Well, that didn’t go like I wanted. My cousin came over and I took it out for a spin. I kept saying I think the tires are too cold, it’s only 34 degrees out. The right front locked up when I braked hard for the turn. I let off, counter steered, but the front slid up on the curb anyway. No leaks, should be an easy fix.

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JSATX

Goblin Guru
Well, that didn’t go like I wanted. My cousin came over and I took it out for a spin. I kept saying I think the tires are too cold, it’s only 34 degrees out. The right front locked up when I braked hard for the turn. I let off, counter steered, but the front slid up on the curb anyway. No leaks, should be an easy fix.

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Congratulations!! I think you’re the first to admit to biffing it. Doesn’t look too bad. Is there any damage to the frame or just the fiberglass?
 

Briann1177

Goblin Guru
What a that green piece below the radiator? Looks tweaked.

There seems to be issues with one side locking up and not the other with it. Is this a brake bleeding issue or because the Goblin is so lightweight in the front?
 
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RichN

Well-Known Member
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I wasn’t going that fast when I hit, only the front third was up on the curb. The car wasn’t at fault, I was showing off on cold tires. I am running stock Cobalt tires with less than 1/4 of the tread left. The tires locked up because I was standing on the brakes to show him how much the front dips and how quickly it can stop.

I cut off the front lower bar. One interesting thing is look at the steering shaft. The column pulled back almost an inch as you can see where the retaining ring is. Alignment is still good.
 
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RichN

Well-Known Member
Did the steering rack hit and push back or bend the mounting bolts?
Nope, steering rack is fine. I’ve already fixed that, took less than 5 minutes. I must have pushed on the wheel and popped the snap ring out and it slid back. All I had to do was remove the 3 screws holding in the bearing and snap the ring back into the groove.
 

TheNuker

Goblin Guru
What a that green piece below the radiator? Looks tweaked.

There seems to be issues with one side locking up and not the other with it. Is this a brake bleeding issue or because the Goblin is so lightweight in the front?

I have locked the brakes on purpose over 20 Times to test the point where I can push. I have not had even one time where only one front wheel locked up alone. It was always both at the same time.

Also the goblin slows down MUCH faster if you get good at pushing just hard enough to not lock them up.

Rich, get some good tires on that thing! I can’t imagine how scary the goblin is with all seasons. Especially in the cold.

Nuker
 

RichN

Well-Known Member
I went back to where I curbed it, looks like both fronts were locked.
Skid marks were less than 20'.
Looks like I hit a patch of sand, but still totally my fault for goofing off.
I was planning to order wheels and tires over the winter.
The radiator isn't leaking, just dented where no one will see it and the bottom tab is bent.
I kept the label from the radiator box, if I remember it is from a Honda DelSol.
I have found 3 core aluminum ones on eBay for $75 shipped. Is that a good price?
2 core all aluminum are less than $50, my car has never run hot, would 2 be enough?
 
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RichN

Well-Known Member
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Repair parts arrived yesterday. I like the way the new arms are angled. Hopefully that will take out some of the light feeling above 60mph. We’re getting 8” of snow today, school is already cancelled, so the girls and I can work on it.
 

RichRich

Well-Known Member
I found that the retainer clip had a hard time seating into its groove, I had to keep tapping on the shaft with a rubber mallet to seat the bearing then wiggle the shaft back out to ensure that clip was FULLY seated. When you hit the curb I'm sure you were stiff armed (As I would have been) and the impact pushed the clip out of it's groove if in fact it was partially seated.

Bummer to see the crash, at least it is easily fixable

As far as the harder braking to one side or another and bleeding the brake lines, I was planning on going around the car 2 or 3 times and continue to bleed each corner with mixing in some actual brake pumping especially after the initial complete fluid pack. Thinking there could be some air that might migrate to one side or the other at the junctions. I'm sure it was thought about and was probably done but figured I would suggest it.
 

RichN

Well-Known Member
It was 52 degrees today so I worked on it a little bit.

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Radiator installed. The fan is behind, just not zip-tied in.

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Cut the old nose to fit the replacement repair panel.
I’ll fiberglass it up tomorrow.
 

RichRich

Well-Known Member
Not sure if it matters much but my coolant flows through the radiator opposite than yours. The drivers side goes to the top and passenger to the bottom of the radiator. I'm not sure which direction it flows off the top of my head but I would think it wouldn't purge the air out as easily if flowed the wrong direction.

I just did it according to the video and haven't given it any thought other than that but just noticed it was different so wanted to bring it up
 

JSATX

Goblin Guru
Not sure if it matters much but my coolant flows through the radiator opposite than yours. The drivers side goes to the top and passenger to the bottom of the radiator. I'm not sure which direction it flows off the top of my head but I would think it wouldn't purge the air out as easily if flowed the wrong direction.

I just did it according to the video and haven't given it any thought other than that but just noticed it was different so wanted to bring it up

Nah that’s not correct. The drivers side is cool side. Cool side is the bottom of the radiator.

The hot side is on the passenger side and should connect to the top of the radiator.
 
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