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

[ah.b.normal]

Today’s exercise in CAD!(Cardboard Aided Design) the double cable housing stop for my shifter design. Up by the shifter, trying to still use OEM console. Or at least most of one! I made a 3D model with tape and then broke the design into pieces of flat plate that the Wolfman can weld up for me! Getting closer!

Looking for proper materials to make into a bulkhead. The solid lower part will come out, I hope to design it so the upper see through Lexan panel stays put while the lower area is open. Kind of like the back wall in an Avalanche? Though not as tough. I am thinking 2 layers of fiberglass panel sheeting and a layer of fire resistant Foam board insulation in between. With aluminum “C” channel retainer edging. I have considered making one out of steel from the floor of a truck bed. Seems heavy though? Other ideas on materials? I’m listening.
No plan ever survived contact with reality.

 

[ah.b.normal]

What was I thinking of!! “ Move under its own power by March 15”?!! I must be outta my mind! March 20th maybe!?. The 15th, yeah, right!?
This crazy moment has been brought to you by a mind focused on closing and then plotting placement of several buildings of yet to be announced proportions avoiding the driveway and the septic tank.

I dunno, on second thought it just may; “move under own power”! Baby Steps, certainly won’t be Driving! And I was happy when it would roll on all 4 wheels, that was a milestone on its own. (Still rolls BTW!! I haven’t screwed that up, yet!)

 

[Markm]

How many spare hoods do you have?

 

[ah.b.normal]

How many spare hoods do you have?

No spares. I had three slightly bent(all roughly the same) but sold one. Two were beyond help(walked on, etc)and one was folded like a taco. Oddly the taco hood gave me a brand new support shock.(win?) Were you thinking a hood for bulkhead panel? Hmmm? Must look in to that!
On the search for black coupe parts. A Rear bumper cover and a trunk lid. Leather seats would be nice but the pair I have are pretty dern good for now!

 

[kano501]

Don't recommend water + water wetter. My (previously new) dual pass endplate had corrosion on it when I rebuilt the engine earlier this year. I'd run some sort if coolant mix

Not true. Many documented users on forum that used WaterWetter and distilled water in the heat exchanger system.

The engine cooling system is a different story

If you had corrosion in the intake manifold's endplate, there may have been some sort of infiltration with bad o-rings or leaky laminova cores.

 

[ah.b.normal]

Not true. Many documented users on forum that used WaterWetter and distilled water in the heat exchanger system.

The engine cooling system is a different story

If you had corrosion in the intake manifold's endplate, there may have been some sort of infiltration with bad o-rings or leaky laminova cores.

Kano501. I suspect this is in the wrong thread.

 

[ah.b.normal]

I feel like I need to update the forum: We bought land! I would call it "unimproved", variety of ugly pine trees aged 0 to 45 y/o, 2 buildings on the property that need to be demolished, but 6 acres! So the only buildings I have now are the 2 well houses, not big enough to park in, unless you are driving a BMX bike. Weeks of work and we still have not completely demo'd "the huts"(they don't qualify as houses), but we're filling dumpsters as fast as we can! Then build my shop and the RV "Dock", cement slab with Electric, H2O and sewer hookups. Hoping to get to wrench on GOB-BALT in May. Sadly all I lack is to build a simple cage to support the Blazer fuel tank and original straps, wire the fuel pump, create a bulkhead, construct exhaust system and plumb the cooling system. Oh, forgot, plumb rear brake calipers, using front hoses and brackets. My rear lines currently end/plugged in the new engine compartment. Then drive it to see what breaks! Hoping to take it on Hot Rod Power Tour in June.

 

[Markm]

I feel like I need to update the forum: We bought land! I would call it "unimproved", variety of ugly pine trees aged 0 to 45 y/o, 2 buildings on the property that need to be demolished, but 6 acres! So the only buildings I have now are the 2 well houses, not big enough to park in, unless you are driving a BMX bike. Weeks of work and we still have not completely demo'd "the huts"(they don't qualify as houses), but we're filling dumpsters as fast as we can! Then build my shop and the RV "Dock", cement slab with Electric, H2O and sewer hookups. Hoping to get to wrench on GOB-BALT in May. Sadly all I lack is to build a simple cage to support the Blazer fuel tank and original straps, wire the fuel pump, create a bulkhead, construct exhaust system and plumb the cooling system. Oh, forgot, plumb rear brake calipers, using front hoses and brackets. My rear lines currently end/plugged in the new engine compartment. Then drive it to see what breaks! Hoping to take it on Hot Rod Power Tour in June.

Maybe this year I can meet up with you over there in the wife’s Goblin, no telling if the wife will be able to go or not until it gets closer. Where did y’all get property at?

 

[ah.b.normal]

Maybe this year I can meet up with you over there in the wife’s Goblin, no telling if the wife will be able to go or not until it gets closer. Where did y’all get property at?

We are in Greenville, GA adjacent to Lavender Hill Farm. North and east of Columbus, GA, about 40 miles. We're in the country for sure! Farmers grow "Peeler" pines(made into plywood) and Pulp pines(paper) here. HRPT does NOT go through Nashville this year, it starts in Indy and ends in Norwalk, OH. But hoping to be driving it around this summer, maybe to Red Oak? Adam was very helpful on this build and was quite curious about my ride. Goblin accidentally did much of the science I needed to build my car. Invited us to drop in on Goblin Fest, we shall see. I have a kid that lives not too far away in Springfield, MO.

 

[Markm]

We are in Greenville, GA adjacent to Lavender Hill Farm. North and east of Columbus, GA, about 40 miles. We're in the country for sure! Farmers her grow "Peeler" pines(made into plywood) and Pulp pines(paper) here. HRPT does NOT go through Nashville this year, it starts in Indy and ends in Norwalk, OH. But hoping to be driving it around this summer, maybe to Red Oak? Adam was very helpful on this build and was quite curious about my ride. Goblin accidentally did much of the science I needed to build my car. Invited us to drop in on Goblin Fest, we shall see. I have a kid that lives not too far away in Springfield, MO.

Goblinfest is fun. You should make Goblinfest a goal

 

[Robinjo]

Goblinfest is fun. You should make Goblinfest a goal

I've enjoyed the last two I attended and am planning to go again this year.

 

[ah.b.normal]

A new signature line to compliment my latest life changes. YES! Actual land bought, terraforming is slow. Shop? I hope to have it by July. "RV Dock" mid June. House, estimated next spring. We will still be in the RV on the road some as well.----------- GOB-BALT is about seven "projects" from complete, three away from driving! Attacking coolant transfer plumbing, then Build fuel tank support cage and pump wiring, Shifter proving and tweaking(fettling?), Trans upper mount re-design, Exhaust, to the exhaust shop made from a Goblin S/C cast off muffler and pipe, Build/create a bulkhead and rear window, Plumb rear brakes, then door panels? *****Thanks to Gt Story I have cool SS seats!***** Then comes destructive testing and repairs! HRPT starts June 9 in Indy!! ******Plus I have to keep my 2000 pick up running. We are staying in an RV park about 30 min from the new place, so everyday still has a commute. ARRRRGH!****** I'm so close, but I'm in My way!

 

[ah.b.normal]

A minor update, I'll try to post a pic tomorrow. I'm using the fuel tank(17.5 gal) out of a 2 door bubble Blazer, just a little deeper but the pump body fits with some of the perimeter of the hat trimmed back 1/4". I put some rubber fuel line "legs" on the bottom of the pump body to have it touch/ compress the springs. I imagine it will not pick up the last gallon of gas, but a much better price than that smaller DF tank. Using OEM tank straps hanging from a constructed(1" box steel tubing) cage that spans from side to side laying on the unibody frame area in the front compartment. I will secure this frame to the unibody frame with large self tapping screws. This is fuel tank holder design #2, my first idea looked like it would be prone to spreading and letting the tank move/vibrate. This design mimics the way the tank is mounted in a Blazer frame. Originally VW's and "Porche's you had to raise the bonnet to fill them, on the first Panteras you had to raise the engine cover and twist the gas handle 180*, kinda a PITA. Seems every item has a learning component.

 

[ah.b.normal]

On a completely separate note: I have been casting about for solutions to counter the anti dive designed into this NOW rear suspension. Raising or lowering the lower control arm points is near to impossible. One item that has mucho ability to move is the upper strut mount point. The original design leaned 4* forward of vertical. What lean angle change might could have a positive effect on this design? I believe I can reposition the struts anywhere between about 8* forward through 0* or maybe about 8* back. I believe I can move the strut tops closer together but not spread them much wider, as appears they would rub the tires.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

There is little positive change that can be gained with moving the top of the strut position if the control arm angle cannot be changed from the anti-dive down angle (toward the front). See this diagram from the website link below of a proper McPherson strut setup.

The rear control arm has to have an upward angle to enable the perpendicular line from the top of the strut to intersect close to the center of the car. The anti-dive angle will not allow for the perpendicular line from the top of the strut to meet close to the center of the car. Even by leaning the strut very far forward the intersection will be at or below ground level very far forward, maybe in front of the car.

Please check the section in this article for the McPherson struts for more details.

Anti Squat, Dive and Lift Geometry – Geometry Explained Suspension Secrets

Anti-squat, anti-dive and anti-lift geometry which will be referred to as “anti-geometry” when discussing them as a whole is a form of geometry at the front and rear wheels that alters and controls the amount that a car will compress the springs due to acceleration, deceleration or braking...

suspensionsecrets.co.uk

 

[ah.b.normal]

Another key point of modification not generally available to Goblin builders is that I can raise or lower the rear subframe pickup points to bring the lower control arm level with the ground, Then relocate the strut(top) angle. I am also in a good position as I can easily relocate the upper drive train mounts to the body so the drive package maintains it's geometry within the subframe.------I noticed that the guy who was race testing DF's prototype bolt on subframe appears to have used some spacers at the rear pickup points of their original(Proto?) unit?

 

[ah.b.normal]

Roughly 21 days until I expect to depart for HRPT 2025(Indy, Joliet IL, Ft. Wayne, Monroe, MI ending at Summit Race Park in Norwalk, OH.) In the mean time I am working furiously to get stuff built on the property. Which means very little time for GOB-BALT work. Fortunately I seem to be on target with many of my "one off" mods, I just have find time to complete them! One really sticky problem is paperwork! Even if I do everything right "state paperwork", just the regular titles and tags stuff(long turn around times), may conspire to keep me out of the tour. ....... I hope to get the shifter cables hooked up and functional (tomorrow?). I had a minor set back with my self fabbed cable mount near the shifter but lucked out as one of the scrap metal pieces I would have lopped the top off of (conveniently) stuck up too high, it is actually where I need to mount the
"gear select"(front to rear throw) cable. My positioning of the "row select" cable(side to side throw) was correct. Function seems assured but testing will prove all. I have a wiring problem to overcome. The wires off the fuel pump are a pigtail from GMT800 truck fuel pump and it must hook to my 06 wiring. Color codes are in question, was there a post covering this? I haven't found it. It is "just four little wires", #4, the black is ground but the other three are up for grabs. Or I need to find 06 wiring diagrams. I know this isn't bomb defusing but I'd like to do it right. I HAD the original 06 pigtail but can't find it now that I need it. It all sounds like I'm on the road to being defeated by timing but even if I cannot take GOB-BALT on HRPT I think I'll be driving it by July(I Hope).

 

[ah.b.normal]

This afternoon I had the time to hook up the shifter cables. Everything feels functional but until I can start the engine it doesn't seem to want to find reverse, a common prob with manuals sitting still. I must visit my "welding shop"(long holiday week-end, dern!) to assemble the cage support for my fuel tank and then actually install it. It incorporates the oem straps(my original design effort vibrated). All electric is connected except fuel pump and battery.(oh, and several misc grounds; "it's always grounds"). Still no rear brake soft lines.(definitely optional IMO!) Must install coolant transfer tubes and fill system. The HHR used a short pipe on the head coolant entrance with a cap built in, a convenient high point for my set up. And my coolant tank is even higher. I must create an air intake system, HHR and Cobalt systems in hand but are too bulky. The HHR air filter and box is huge(so sad) the Cobalt air cleaner and cover is shaped to fit a Cobalt, no go. I have the rubber inlet pipe elbow and an ugly lump cut from the HHR system. Current exhaust system: I have a piece of straight pipe with a CC on it from a donor, we shall see if it muffles any. My Goblin S/C muffler will need much work by my exhaust shop. With the name Wolfman's Exhaust, confidence is high!

 

[ah.b.normal]

Well, maybe next year? So I will NOT do Hot Rod Power Tour this year. Actually very close but paperwork/lost title slowing things down. Plus homesteading!, very time consuming. Coolant hoses still not plumbed, rear brake lines incomplete, need to construct a fuel fill neck........... And now the security system seems to be holding starting my engine hostage! I get the yellow padlock light flashing or steady and some times it sets off the hazards, but only in the dash cluster? I hear fuel pump prime and TB goes clack, clack, but no starter action. Engine spins when jumped, but no fire?? (It is an 06.) I have 2 keys for it and it fired up before sitting for a year off the batt??? I wish it's flashing light show could be decoded, like maybe flashing hazards means it wants to "key learn", Door Ajar, etc or something specific? Maybe 2 padlock flashes then padlock steady and 3 hazard flashes means car feels it is owed an Arby's beef and cheddar combo with curly fries? What does this mystery light show indicate? I feel sure the patterns flashed are not random, computers and their programmers don't usually do random. Sadly I don't even have an owner's manual..... Morse code is more than a century old but this light show is a mystery without my Capt'n Crunch with Crunch Berries secret decoder ring! The Shadow Knows!

 

[Mahkoi]

Well, maybe next year? So I will NOT do Hot Rod Power Tour this year. Actually very close but paperwork/lost title slowing things down. Plus homesteading!, very time consuming. Coolant hoses still not plumbed, rear brake lines incomplete, need to construct a fuel fill neck........... And now the security system seems to be holding starting my engine hostage! I get the yellow padlock light flashing or steady and some times it sets off the hazards, but only in the dash cluster? I hear fuel pump prime and TB goes clack, clack, but no starter action. Engine spins when jumped, but no fire?? (It is an 06.) I have 2 keys for it and it fired up before sitting for a year off the batt??? I wish it's flashing light show could be decoded, like maybe flashing hazards means it wants to "key learn", Door Ajar, etc or something specific? Maybe 2 padlock flashes then padlock steady and 3 hazard flashes means car feels it is owed an Arby's beef and cheddar combo with curly fries? What does this mystery light show indicate? I feel sure the patterns flashed are not random, computers and their programmers don't usually do random. Sadly I don't even have an owner's manual..... Morse code is more than a century old but this light show is a mystery without my Capt'n Crunch with Crunch Berries secret decoder ring! The Shadow Knows!

Have you tried cramming an Arbys beef an cheddar in the intake? Please do, and let us know the results.