Brett W’s City Goblin – 09 SS Donor #229 v1

[Desert Sasqwatch]

All the yellow connectors are for airbags or stock seatbelt tensioners - all safety impact stuff - don't need the yellow connections.

 

[dvldawg]

Great job so far Brett, and just wanted to say thanks again for bringing my missing parts down with you. As for your wiring questions. I just clipped off the AC wires and put shrink wrap over the ends and tucked them into the wire loom. Same with the yellow connectors. As for the O2 sensor, you may not want to cut it out just yet. you may need it for your emissions. I'm pretty sure you are required to have a test to get registered.

 

[Brett]

Great job so far Brett, and just wanted to say thanks again for bringing my missing parts down with you. As for your wiring questions. I just clipped off the AC wires and put shrink wrap over the ends and tucked them into the wire loom. Same with the yellow connectors. As for the O2 sensor, you may not want to cut it out just yet. you may need it for your emissions. I'm pretty sure you are required to have a test to get registered.

Your welcome! It wasn't an issue at all.

I ended up clipping the AC wires and left the o2 sensor. My loom was falling apart so I ended up stripping all the loom off and have some arriving in a few days. It should clean up nicely.

 

[Brett]

Got some more done today. Started cleaning up the engine harness, installed the front shocks and control arms, installed the coolant tank, painted some more parts, ordered half shafts, got a battery, changed the spark plugs, and probably a bunch of other things I'm not thinking about.

Going to try and get the engine finalized this week and install it next weekend. I talked to Adam the other day and it looks like I am about 2 weeks out on the harness. Hopefully, it is here before Thanksgiving week since I have a bunch of time off. Honestly, the seats are looking like mid December so that might be the critical point to a test drive. Wife suggested a couple of milk crates. That might actually happen.

 

[Goblin Graber]

Looking good! Love the color you did on your chassis.

 

[SmsDetroit]

Got some more done today. Started cleaning up the engine harness, installed the front shocks and control arms, installed the coolant tank, painted some more parts, ordered half shafts, got a battery, changed the spark plugs, and probably a bunch of other things I'm not thinking about.

Going to try and get the engine finalized this week and install it next weekend. I talked to Adam the other day and it looks like I am about 2 weeks out on the harness. Hopefully, it is here before Thanksgiving week since I have a bunch of time off. Honestly, the seats are looking like mid December so that might be the critical point to a test drive. Wife suggested a couple of milk crates. That might actually happen.

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What did you use to paint your coolant tank? Looks great. I was thinking it’s the least attractive part in the engine bay

 

[Brett]

What did you use to paint your coolant tank? Looks great. I was thinking it’s the least attractive part in the engine bay

First, I used a Dremel to cut off the flange that protruded from the side (not the clip on the back since it is used as a refence for the mount).

Then, I wiped down the plastic with simple green (any plastic safe cleaner should work).

After that I roughed it up with 220 grit sandpaper. 320 grit might be better since the scratches wont show through is much. Goal hear was to give the paint something to bit into.

Using Rust-oleum primer that works with plastic (they should sponsor me give the amount of paint I have bought), I put about 3 coats of primer on the tank.

For the black paint, I have been using Rust-oleum matte automotive black paint (home depot carries it). I have found that the color and shine complement my frame nicely.

Note that it can take several days for the paint to cure on plastic. I rushed and mounted the tank after 24 hours and the spring that holds the tank to the bracket marred up the paint. Maybe I will touch it up in the future but probably not. While I want the car to look good, it is not a show car.

I opted to paint the tank since it had severely yellowed over time.

Also, I initially thought that a spring holding the tank down wouldn't hold solid. I was wrong, that tank isn't going anywhere.

 

[Brett]

I have been futzing with the front uprights and the wheel hubs. I had ordered replacement hubs awhile back and noticed that the studs that attach to the upright have a shoulder preventing the plate from being flush to the hub.

Easy thing to do would be to return these hubs and get some without the shoulders but the packing is long gone (or apart of my kids box fort).

I was thinking of clearencing the holes in the upright to clear the shoulder of the studs. I can just drill them out a little bit.

Does anyone have a reason to not make room for the shoulder in the hole?

The hubs are inexpensive enough that I don't might purchasing some other that would work but I have these....

Pictures attached with the shoulder circled.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

Are these 4 stud or 5 stud hubs? Many aftermarket hubs are supposed to fit multiple vehicles and some features are not always compatible with every vehicle the manufacturer claims. Sorry this happened. I would still try to return them to get a more correct part. Call the place you purchased from and explain the situation, they may be willing to exchange even though you no longer have the original packaging.

 

[Brett]

Are these 4 stud or 5 stud hubs? Many aftermarket hubs are supposed to fit multiple vehicles and some features are not always compatible with every vehicle the manufacturer claims. Sorry this happened. I would still try to return them to get a more correct part. Call the place you purchased from and explain the situation, they may be willing to exchange even though you no longer have the original packaging.

Five stud hubs. Here is the link to the ones I bought from amazon with the studs with the shoulders.

Amazon.com: Rear Wheel Hub and Bearing Assembly Compatible With Chevrolet Cobalt HHR Malibu Pontiac G6 Saturn Aura (5 Stud Hub 4-Wheel ABS Models) AUQDD 512285 [5 Lug W/ABS] : Automotive

Buy Rear Wheel Hub and Bearing Assembly Compatible With Chevrolet Cobalt HHR Malibu Pontiac G6 Saturn Aura (5 Stud Hub 4-Wheel ABS Models) AUQDD 512285 [5 Lug W/ABS]: Hub Assemblies - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

smile.amazon.com

Listed as:

Rear Wheel Hub and Bearing Assembly Compatible With Chevrolet Cobalt HHR Malibu Pontiac G6 Saturn Aura (5 Stud Hub 4-Wheel ABS Models) AUQDD 512285 [5 Lug W/ABS]

 

[Goblin Graber]

I’d say you would have no problem drilling them as long as you have the right size bit to not go too big. The way that stud is designed is for the big shoulder to hold the shear load and line the hub up. The nuts just keep it tight.

 

[Brett]

I’d say you would have no problem drilling them as long as you have the right size bit to not go too big. The way that stud is designed is for the big shoulder to hold the shear load and line the hub up. The nuts just keep it tight.

I reached out to Adam and he indicated that drilling the holes down about 1/4 an inch to accommodate the shoulder should not be an issue. Looks like the shoulder is 10mm or about 25/64". Amazingly enough, I have a drill bit to handle it.

 

[Brett]

Uprights have been slightly modified and fit on the car / hub just fine. Now I have a friend working on printing the bearing covers.

While working on the front end, I realized that the tie rod ends don't have enough thread to put the cotter pin in. I believe that others have had this problem. Also, one of the nuts on the tie rod ends threads stripped out and just spins on the tie rod.

It looks like the kit shipped with es2600r tie rod ends.

I found the following list of applications for the es2600r (non inclusive):

Application of ES2600R:

Make	Model	Engine	CC	KW	cylinder	Type	Year
CHEVROLET	NOVA	All				Steering Tie Rod End - FRONT OUTER	88-85
CHEVROLET	PRIZM	All				Steering Tie Rod End - FRONT OUTER	02-98
GEO	PRIZM	All				Steering Tie Rod End - FRONT OUTER	97-89
LEXUS	ES250	All				Steering Tie Rod End - FRONT OUTER	91-90
SCION	XA	All				Steering Tie Rod End - FRONT OUTER	06-04
SCION	XB	All				Steering Tie Rod End - FRONT OUTER	06-04
TOYOTA	CAMRY	All				Steering Tie Rod End - FRONT OUTER	91-87
TOYOTA	CELICA	All				Steering Tie Rod End - FRONT OUTER	99-86
TOYOTA	COROLLA	All				Steering Tie Rod End - FRONT OUTER	02-85
TOYOTA	ECHO	All				Steering Tie Rod End - FRONT OUTER	05-03
TOYOTA	RAV4	All				Steering Tie Rod End - FRONT OUTER	00-96
TOYOTA	TERCEL	All				Steering Tie Rod End - FRONT OUTER	90-87

After that, I found the following cross reference of tie rod ends model numbers:

ACDelco #:
45A0391
ACDelco #:
46A0391A
Autospecialty #:
03-56001
Autospecialty #:
356001
Beck/Arnley #:
101-3969
Centric Parts #:
612.44063
Centric Parts #:
61344063
Coni-Seal #:
XES2382
Dorman #:
534-390
Duralast #:
ES2600R
Falcon Steering Systems #:
ES2382
Firestone #:
ES2382
General Motors #:
94843581
General Motors #:
94843587
General Motors #:
94847293
General Motors #:
94854303
General Motors #:
94856276
ITM Engine Components #:
40-01573
Lazorlite #:
L85-2724
MAS Industries #:
T2382
Maremont #:
TR2382
Maremont #:
TR2600R
Mcquay-Norris #:
ES2382
Mcquay-Norris #:
ES2600R
Mevotech #:
MES2382
NAPA #:
269-2693
NAPA #:
269-2697
NAPA #:
ES2382
Perfect Circle #:
269-2693
Perfect Circle #:
269-2697
Raybestos Brake #:
401-1391
Raybestos Brake #:
401-1391B
TRW Steering and Suspension Parts #:
ES2382
TRW Steering and Suspension Parts #:
ES2600R
TRW Steering and Suspension Parts #:
JTE319
TRW Steering and Suspension Parts #:
TS4360
Toyota #:
45046-19175
Toyota #:
45046-29305
Toyota #:
4504609030
Vera #:
60-08710

Note, if you go with one of the above tie rod ends, you need to check for differences. Some have zerk fittins, some don't. No guarantee that they will be the right size, I did pull this from the internet and the internet is never wrong (sarcasm).

I am going to pickup NAPA 269-2693 today and see if they work.

Main purpose of this post is documentation for others that might have issues with this.

Brett

 

[k.rollin]

FWIW, none of my tie rod ends use cotter pins and castellated nuts; they're all self-locking, either Nyloc or deformed thread types. I've long since thrown out the boxes from the kit supplied units but I think that they were Duralast ES5017. I didn't reuse the ones from my donor and instead ordered a pair of ACDelco 45A1062 units.

 

[Brett]

My local NAPA had the necessary replacement tie rod ends. They are much beefier and had slightly longer thread engagement so that the cotter pin could fit through.

Part number:

Part #: NCD 2692693

 

[Brett]

JBINTX swung by the house this evening and gave my son, myself, and my neighbor a ride around. Holy Crap these things are FAST!

Thanks Jason!!!! My son will not stop talking about it. Much appreciated.

 

[ctuinstra]

That's awesome!

 

[Rttoys]

And y’all didn’t invite me. I r sad

 

[Brett]

And y’all didn’t invite me. I r sad

This was kind of impromptu. We have definitly hit critical mass in the Houston market. Jason and I were already talking about a get together.

 

[JBINTX]

It is ALWAYS a pleasure to give rides in the Goblin. I felt absolutely sorry for you since you were building one and had NOT had a ride!!......
Cool cars have a way of helping you meet great people. Your family, er, wrench turning helpers were a sweet crew.
And I am pretty sure that police car was after someone else.......


The critical mass here in Houston is approaching a boiling point. Won't be long before we can get a good group together.