To Current Goblin Owners

[Brian74]

I am in the process of trying to secure a donor; prference is a LNF (turbo) build. I have not seen too many videos or reviews of the car by guys who already own Goblins. Like any prospective buyer I am hungry for current owner's opinions and I would greatly appreciate your feedback!

1. What were your first impressions upon driving it for the first time? How do you like the kit so far?

2. Have any of you taken your Goblins to the track or autocross yet?

3. How is the handling? Any issues with understeer or cornering weight transfer?

4. What was the most challenging issue/aspect of your build?

5. Any other issues that a future owner should take into consideration?

Thanks!

 

[Goblin-SS]

Hi Brian.

A turbo build should be awesome! I building a LSJ supercharged goblin.

The reason for the lack of reviews is that no one has finished a build yet. The only kits curntly on the road are the factory built cars.

There are many of us that are at the same stage of the build prosses. And we are waiting on the final shipment of body panels and other odd and end To get the cars in the road . As I've been in formed this shipment is going out today fingers crossed. As you can see it's not a small package.

 

[DanPerryy]

In regards to challenges for the build. Thinning the wiring harness was the single most time consuming task for me BUT... I did a lot of custom stuff to the wiring harness that I had to figure out:
1) I added HVAC wires - not just the stuff the Cobalt came with but new ways to get the wires for fan control, heater water control, AC compressor control
2) I added heated seat wiring
3) I added auto-transmission auxiliary pump circuit for flat towing
4) Power for a 120V inverter
5) Towing lights integration (new plugs, etc.)
You can see my build, I have pictures of most of the stuff.
I also spend quite a bit of time on my shifter. I did not want it in the center as I have seating for 3 and did not want it in the way.

As far as stage 1 build went the rest of the stuff was real straight forward. I did not do a good job (actually no job at all) on keeping my bolts, nuts, screws separated. I just threw the kit stuff into a bucket with all the stuff I stripped. That resulted in quite a bit of wasted time looking for the right fastener.

I did a bit better job on stage 2 and in reality a friend of mine and I did most of stage 2 in a day (the front suspension, and the brakes). Stage 2 is pretty straight forward. My seat was a big time consumer.

I think that I had about 250 man hours (counting my friends time) in stage 1 and 2. The best idea is to have a lot of good friends.

My stage 3 is a work in progress still but it is going very well.

 

[JSATX]

I am in the process of trying to secure a donor; prference is a LNF (turbo) build. I have not seen too many videos or reviews of the car by guys who already own Goblins. Like any prospective buyer I am hungry for current owner's opinions and I would greatly appreciate your feedback!

1. What were your first impressions upon driving it for the first time? How do you like the kit so far?

2. Have any of you taken your Goblins to the track or autocross yet?

3. How is the handling? Any issues with understeer or cornering weight transfer?

4. What was the most challenging issue/aspect of your build?

5. Any other issues that a future owner should take into consideration?

Thanks!

Quite simply, the goblin is the best bang for the buck out there.

There are faster cars. There are very very few faster, cheaper cars.

I've gone to the track and the autocross circuit. The light weight frame blows the doors off most everything out there. I have personally made brand new STi's look like a john deer riding lawn mower.

It understeers a little. But by the time you've reached understeer you were doing something really stupid, and/or forcing it through incorrect acceleration.

 

[JSATX]

Hi Brian.

A turbo build should be awesome! I building a LSJ supercharged goblin.

The reason for the lack of reviews is that no one has finished a build yet. The only kits curntly on the road are the factory built cars.

There are many of us that are at the same stage of the build prosses. And we are waiting on the final shipment of body panels and other odd and end To get the cars in the road . As I've been in formed this shipment is going out today fingers crossed. As you can see it's not a small package. View attachment 1170

Dan and I are both on the road and neither of us have factory built cars.

Anyone reading this is welcome to drive mine just send me a DM.

 

[TheNuker]

Mine is on the "Road" just got inspection passed today. Just gotta wait to get VIN issued now to drive in more then my neighborhood.

The lower speed handling under 40mph is really great. I am able to feel just when the rear is about to go on hard turns. To me it gives the driver a very good level of feedback.

Nuker-

 

[Goblin-SS]

Dan and I are both on the road and neither of us have factory built cars.

Anyone reading this is welcome to drive mine just send me a DM.

My apologies I should have lead with . To my knologe.

 

[Brian74]

Funny, I had thought I read most of the threads and then stumbled upon the build logs this afternoon and read the longer ones. I will be following JSATX's carefully; curious about how the sway bar tuning works out. I figure by the time I build mine that you guys will have most the suspension fine tuning ironed out.

I was looking at the Exocet kit prior as I was originally going to buy an MX-5 and do a Honda J35 V-6 conversion. The Exocet is a nice kit too but finding a decent donor car and then building or retrofitting an engine to make comparable horespower would be much more expense and effort. I later stumbled across this kit and it just makes more sense overall with the Ecotec platform.

Right now the problem is finding a donor. I've got my eyes on a lower mileage rear-ended turbo car at a local IAAI auction that I'll be able to go bid on in person and trailer home myself. Its now just a matter of when the title is released.

Please continue to post driving videos as you get these things on the street/track. Its great motivation seeing the finished product.

 

[Dyno man]

I been driving mine since 4-7 16 7300 miles .I just like to go sight seeing . Don't ride my gold wing trike any more.NO problems at all.I cruise at 80 mph on hi way. I get lots of horn honks -thumbs up-head lights flashing.Stock brakes are almost to good at 95mph.

 

[JSATX]

Funny, I had thought I read most of the threads and then stumbled upon the build logs this afternoon and read the longer ones. I will be following JSATX's carefully; curious about how the sway bar tuning works out. I figure by the time I build mine that you guys will have most the suspension fine tuning ironed out.

I was looking at the Exocet kit prior as I was originally going to buy an MX-5 and do a Honda J35 V-6 conversion. The Exocet is a nice kit too but finding a decent donor car and then building or retrofitting an engine to make comparable horespower would be much more expense and effort. I later stumbled across this kit and it just makes more sense overall with the Ecotec platform.

Right now the problem is finding a donor. I've got my eyes on a lower mileage rear-ended turbo car at a local IAAI auction that I'll be able to go bid on in person and trailer home myself. Its now just a matter of when the title is released.

Please continue to post driving videos as you get these things on the street/track. Its great motivation seeing the finished product.

The first thing I tell people when they ask me why I chose this kit over the excocet:
Go to any Miata owners forum. Search for the term "300hp Miata" you will get all kinds of mixed reactions. Some say don't bother you'll blow it. Some say it can be done it's just not cheap. Most say it's not worth it....

Then do the same thing on a cobal forum. You'll get one big collective yawn and then "come back when you're trying for 500 nothing else is interesting"

The ecotec engine is far superior to the Miata engine when trying to go 250hp and beyond.

 

[Brian74]

The first thing I tell people when they ask me why I chose this kit over the excocet:
Go to any Miata owners forum. Search for the term "300hp Miata" you will get all kinds of mixed reactions. Some say don't bother you'll blow it. Some say it can be done it's just not cheap. Most say it's not worth it....

Then do the same thing on a cobal forum. You'll get one big collective yawn and then "come back when you're trying for 500 nothing else is interesting"

The ecotec engine is far superior to the Miata engine when trying to go 250hp and beyond.

I was super impressed with your build and your initial track impressions; plus the fact that you have a very qualified driver available to help you with the tuning. That was more than enough to sell me. I'm hoping to innovate some simple street to track adjustments into my build. Please post a driving video the next time you are at the track.