Ah. B. Normal: GOB-BALT build has Started!

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ah.b.normal

Well-Known Member
So begins the Saga of GOB-BALT! "Looks like a Cobalt, steers like a Goblin!" Please don't be expecting too many pix, as this build was developing I was sure pix would be of little entertainment value, my finished product will generally look like a Cobalt coupe. I'll be showing pix of the driveline install as that will be the NEW territory, so otherwise just look at any pic of a black Cobalt coupe and you'll have the idea. Over the past 10 months(whilst the wife and I toured around the U.S.) my victims have piled up at Lavender Hill Farm. Farmer Edwards has been very patient!(OK imagine Farmer Edwards as a double for the guy in the chainsaw massacre stories except he wields a Milwalkuee Sawz-All) 20 Feb 2023 and I have finally returned to bucolic Greenville, GA. First off I had to get acquainted with my victims!(A lot of cleaning out and tire swapping.) A cut up white/auto, HHR "race car"?, A well trashed 09 sedan in silver/ manual, a 07 Red SS auto and my primary, a Black 06 coupe. The HHR, victim #4, was someone's attempted race car, stripped out and well lightened by someone's liberal use of a Sawz-all. It rolls, I'll give it that! Most of the wiring was missing or butchered. I needed the front knuckles, struts and the sub frame and this unit was cheap! It's engine seems complete w/ auto trans. (Sadly so much was cut away I'm unsure of it's year, prospects are dim that it's next of kin can be notified. Just another "HHR, John Doe" destined for unknown burial in potter's field I suppose.) Victim #3 is an 09 Cobalt sedan, silver, purported to be an SS!(NOT! More like a drag queen of an SS). It's data sticker prove it is just a plain vanilla 4 door, manual F23, FE1 suspension. But the Eco-Tec 2.?L VVT motor has some odd bits bolted to it! I see an aluminum flywheel and a braided steel clutch hose, there is more here than meets the eye! The hood had been missing for about 5 years, so this block(LNF?) may be salvageable? No rods through the side, but that is a detective task for another day. The windshield wiper area has been hacked away for a intake tract tube of some sort(long gone) but a header is still on it! A mystery for sure. I've removed it's wiring(a beastly job!), carpet, the interior, shifter, console bits, parking brake handle w/ cables, BCM and doors. (ECM and fuse panel were MIA.) Engine and K member is off now. I have enough bits of automotive floatsam to fill an old van! Will get the dash out tomorrow. The other cars are victim #2 a red 07 2.4/ auto, SS coupe(light hit, front left) and my victim #1, a black, 2006 2.2, F23M/T, FE3. Of course, since these cars were formerly owned by "neer do well" types(likely meth was involved), out of 4 cars I only got one catalytic converter! But black and red have titles! The black car I will initially get running for "baseline experience". Then it gets the back half of the interior stripped out, the drivetrain and K member stripped out of the front and a dummy K member and struts installed for mobility. This rolling hulk will be wheeled onto the lift,(chained down so it doesn't teeter off the lift arms) raised up and it's rear suspension and fuel tank un-ceremoniously dissected from it's underbelly. {Victim #2 is an after thought. I believe it will be an autocross car, strictly for fun. Slated to receive a 3.8 Super Charged Buick motor w/ a VW Passat 5 spd trans mounted N/S, minimal exhaust, tach, oil pressure, temp, volt gauge and one seat. A full on toy.} Our placement of this motor N/S on a Cobalt K member(dictated by the rear axle centerline) will show if this configuration can fit into the confines of a Goblin as well.(Thanks Dale E.!) I hope my Tetanus booster shots hold out!
 
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ah.b.normal

Well-Known Member
After a long week of work I am down to just two cars now and a big pile of parts! We have decided that #2, the Red 07 auto/ 2.4 SS will not be sacrificed! It was in a collision on the left front and after installing bits of HHR it rolls and moves under it's own power. {Of course the Cat had been liberated prior to it's purchase, I blame Meth, haha.} But my accomplice Shawn (the Farmer) feels sure that with a judicious application of chain, his truck and body work skills, he can pull it back into shape, reassemble and sell it. There goes my Black Leather Bucket Seats!(just ****!) So we're on the hunt for another donor. I still need another left knuckle. Subframes I've got! My black 06 is the lone victim of choice. It currently runs but the clutch won't disengage. I will be throwing the clutch master off the 09 Sedan at it with hopes of function. If not I will not get to actually drive it before it goes under the knife. I've stripped out the back seat, belts, safety bar and trunk ephemera. Since it's wiring is being hacked and extended in several ways, I will be using all the wiring out of the 09 sedan. It had manual windows and locks so it only has a couple of extra dome light switches to delete. I need to speak to DF about buying a toe link bar and a manual shifter/cables kit. I was looking at fuel tanks today and a 2000 Blazer has a nice basic box type with similar pump fittings, we shall see! Though I may break down and get a Goblin tank?(less mystery) Though some of the joy is in reusing cast off bits of other vehicles. I must check the bills, but I believe that so far my investment is under $2,000. Subtract out the 07 SS and I'm probably under $1,500 including a new battery. Oh, black 06 still needs a driver's door window, interior door panels, ext and int handles and maybe hinges. All of which I believe Wallace58 has saved for me from his donor, but he is a 5 hour drive from me! That eats a day. Did I mention I leave here on April 30 and will not return for about 10 months!
 
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ah.b.normal

Well-Known Member
Dang nabit! It appears someone is angling to buy victim #3, the 07 Red SS/2.4/automatic, out from under me! I guess it wasn't crashed bad enough and the farmer figures we can find me another victim/Cobalt to cut up. It IS his shop and space! I must bend to his desire to keep the place neat and orderly and he'll make some scratch getting the red car rolling for it's new owner. Win-Win!! {I was a little sad considering sacrificing the Red SS, it wasn't very damaged and is a high content car with the big stereo and stuff.}
 
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ah.b.normal

Well-Known Member
The Sawz-All is getting closer! It took me several days just to get it this far, they say Rome wasn't Burned in a Day, Ya Know! I had to clean up my messes, sort fasteners, haul 2 carcasses to the scrap yard and make the 07 SS roll so someone can buy it and have their dream car too!
 
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ah.b.normal

Well-Known Member
Rain, Rain and more RAIN! The Farm is a slippery mess! "All Stop" So I went to the Junk Yards. Happened to locate many good parts including a matching driver's door with window, that'll save some time! Then I got DF Fabrication on the phone for some "Goblin Only Parts", parts like solid motor mounts and shifter reverser kit and cables. Since the shifter bits aren't going in a Goblin I don't need some of the Goblin specific parts like rear tunnel cover. They're going to send me pix of what they feel pretty sure will fit my needs; saving me shipping($) on steel I won't need. I was in Red Oak/ Waxahatchee last December 1st and since I was only there one day, I had the poor luck of also being there on a day when both father and son were away! My failure. I Didn't Call Ahead! Soooo, Next time, CALL AHEAD!
 
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ah.b.normal

Well-Known Member
My JY foray netted me a left spindle with an alloy control arm! I now have 2 Lefts and 1 Right, the rest are steel. (All probably need rear bushings! I'd like to use the best type, now If I only knew which were best?) My yard victim had new struts, got them, a new pair can't hurt! GOB-BALT Will have the same suspension front and rear. Dreams of 4 wheel steering? NO! ASOLUTELY, NOT! It has to function and drive BEFORE I can MODIFY. First Carpeting! (Actually I think Functional A/C is WAY higher up on the wish list than 4Wheel Steering!) Then, OHHH, leather seats! But 4 W/S???! How can you even suggest that? Really!, you peeps are just too much!(OH!?, that was me?...... Sorry.;))
 
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ah.b.normal

Well-Known Member
Not much going on since March 1. Had many bothersome things to settle, chase out funky wiring "fixes", install driver's door glass and mirror and lift motor system from donor door. New trunk lid, the PO smoothed the reverse lights and third brake light over. They also smoothed over the side marker lights in the rear bumper cover?? But they apparently never met a vacuum cleaner. The PO would fix anything with bits of wire and wood screws. (The door panels are a mess.) Clutch still won't disengage, hoping the M/C salvaged from a donor will get that working. Since no cutting has happened yet, Gob-Balt still moves under its own power. I must stretch ~40 wires of the engine harness 10' from the fuse block/ECM/ dash plug up front to the engine's soon to be new address in the rear.{A job much easier than Goblin wiring work since each wire just needs to be lengthened. I have several castoff wiring harnesses from which to pull donor wires. You think the Cobalt Main Harness is huge?, the HHR one is even bigger and longer!} I visited a Goblin in Dothan, AL, Thanks Steven! A three hour trip each way but netted mucho info!, many cast off bits from his build, a shifter reverser and supreme inspiration. I want to be further along but organization takes time and/or money and I'm trying not to spend cubic dollars. I have been in touch with Adam at DF, bought the solid trans mounts, F23 rear shifter cable bracket and a Toe Link Bar.(I can't buy shifter cables until the drive train lands. Fortunately their source has many shelf lengths and will even custom build them.)
 
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ah.b.normal

Well-Known Member
Everyone's always tryin' to get at my source!:eek: But seriously folks, it's nothing more than old age and Living well. I'm 60 Y/O. I've done what I was supposed to do and put my dreams waaaay onto the back burner, heck, off the stove and outta the kitchen! I've done what pays the bills and missed years of sleep. I've had to saddle my dreams and ideas to the benefit of family and raising kids. I'm not complaining, that's all been a Gas! But deep inside a body lurks stuff and things, not Hannibal Lechter stuff, Carrol Shelby stuff, just ideas and bits of experiences. 2006 at a Walter Mitty weekend I had the chance to parade lap a 1966 Lola, The Bardahal Special, Can Am Racer. Names painted on the body like Unser and Andretti, a museum piece. Rt hand drive open cockpit, Screaming, mechanically injected 327, 8 chrome stacks, left hand shift with a Renault? box. That car was beautiful sitting still! It had one purpose, FAST! Mid engined, hand hammered aluminum body over a 4130ChromeMolySteel tube space frame designed by spiders on LSD and tires as wide as an elephant's ass! And I was told to just putt it around the track and mind my manners, (if you call 130 in third on the straight at Road Atlanta "putting along", last lap we opened them up). I've resurrected many family sedans under budget and worked on ancient things with names like Allard, Jaguar, DeTomaso and Bizzarini; all the time I've had to get home to make dinner or be up at 3 AM to give someone a bottle. Regrets, NO! And none now! I'm building out of junk to keep costs down! I've got many hours in all this but I'm still under $2K. Keeping transportation on the road has taught many lessons on how to use the wrong parts for the right reasons, lessons I intend to capitalize upon. I didn't stop in for affirmation, but to maybe entertain, share information and maybe inspiration. I'm not insulted by your comedic position, drugs?; naaah Man, I'm like this naturally!;)
 
Desert Sasqwatch

Desert Sasqwatch

Goblin Guru
You do you - and don't let the negative commentary dissuade you from providing your build story for your project. DF has an 'Other Builds' section for a reason and yours is not the only non-Goblin car that has been included. There are also several members who are not Goblin owners or builders who provide inputs to the forum. I'm pretty sure that if anyone were to ask Lonny, he would likely state that all are welcome on the Goblin forum - not just builders or owners.

IMO - you have been providing interesting and entertaining comments - and not delving into derogatory or hurtful responses (and don't expect this as a reciprocal) - so your comments are as welcome as anyone else's. To those who are unappreciative, there is an 'Ignore' option so you don't have to see/read comments on the forum.

I'm not looking for an argument with anyone, just trying to help keep the spirit of the forum on the positive side of things. @Lonny
 
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Scott #321

Well-Known Member
Lol, normal I love reading your posts as I too suffer from the sometimes overwhelming desire to see what can be accomplished with next to nothing. Your build is your build make what you want and ignore any naysayers. I'm sure there were plenty of naysayers when Adam and Lonny started an open wheel kit car based on a Cobalt of all things but look at the community of builders that has since rallied around that idea.
 
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ah.b.normal

Well-Known Member
DS and Scott, Thank You for coming to my aid, I Am Really sure GobFanClub was only joking!!! Well ain't you a lucky bunch of Lug Nuts! Because I ain't likely disuaded from anything by negative comments from others! I'm 60 y/o, I've heard them all! I've built a parade float platform and a camera vehicle out of junk cars. I've kept my own junk on the road day to day for 30 years. AND my accomplice "The Farmer" makes me look like a piker! He's built and won Tractor pulls, Demo derbies and dirt track low buck near demo derby racing. The Farmer "body dropped"(I helped) a 55 Olds 2 door on a 85 Caprice chassis for a Delta Airline pilot. That Delta Pilot then proceeded to drive it virtually everyday and just about anywhere, towing his motorcycle on a trailer.(his budget was the list price of a new 1991 Hyundai) His furthest vacation drive was Atlanta to Fairbanks AK.(w/ trailer)The Olds took the ferry from Seattle to Anchorage. My feelings are teflon coated and bomb proof, naysayer's are wasting THEIR time, not mine. They(NOT YOU GFC!) are only telling me what THEY cannot imagine or cannot do. I've never understood why they would find it so important to tell everyone how shallow, unimaginative, ineffectual, impotent and truly callow they are? Mebbe they're looking for my sympathy? Hey All, Look at my Sig, it shows I'm crazy! :cool: (Following is a Private Message for DS, everyone else: Do Not Read!:mad:) We'll be in Globe for a week tween turkey day and Christmas, AHHH, Tamale Days! I sure hope we can get together! Now you have a Goblin Deadline!(to everyone else still reading: this is exactly why you had trouble in your build, can't you read and follow directions?o_O)
 
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