Dan's #495 build (2006 SS/SC)

[TheAnesthetist]

Greetings! My wife and I have decided to put our marriage to the test by building a Goblin together. Background on us: I have moderate mechanical abilities (rehabilitated several motorcycles and a 1965 mustang) and my wife is a fast learner and overall pretty handy when she has a task in front of her.

We purchased our donor from copart in July. Our winning bid was $175 but after all the fees, we're into for around $1200. It is a 2006 SS/SC with 128k miles. It has a salvage title due to "undercarriage damage". The radiator and AC condenser were both punctured but there doesn't appear to be any other damage. I bought the cheapest radiator on Rock Auto and was able to start and drive the car. It shifts smoothly and the clutch doesn't slip, although the friction point happens within the first 10% of pedal travel so I'll plan to replace it when the engine comes out.

The plan for our Goblin is mostly street hooning but it will also see some autocross and track days. We live 45 minutes away from Road Atlanta and can't wait to see how this thing does coming down the hill into turn 12. That being said, before I place the order I'd love to get your opinions about the options I chose. I don't look forward to the wiring harness but I suppose it's all part of the experience. I'll pick out my own headlights.

Thank you all in advance for being such a helpful resource!

 

[Mahkoi]

Looks like a solid selection.

I have the footwell cover on mine and haven't noticed excessive heat from the radiator like some have complained of so I guess it works.

Not sure of your height, I'm 6'3" and the top of the extended windscreen is right in the middle of my line of sight. So, if your taller with the standard windscreen you will probably take a few bugs to the face. I only have the occasional one hit me in forehead.

Have fun with the build. The only part the wife helped with on mine was the hood wrap and she was about to pack my bags for me at the end of that night.

 

[Ark :D]

Welcome.

The only thing I'd go back and change on my kit is, I'd go with the double door bars. They combine ease of entry with safety/rigidity. They weren't an option when I ordered my kit though.

 

[TheAnesthetist]

Lucky for me, wife and I both come in at 5'7

As for the double door bars, I just worry about my arm being exposed if I get into a tire wall at the track. Do you think it offers enough protection?

 

[Sparvy]

Lucky for me, wife and I both come in at 5'7

As for the double door bars, I just worry about my arm being exposed if I get into a tire wall at the track. Do you think it offers enough protection?

For the track just use arm restraints...they are pretty cheap and some events will require them in a car like the goblin.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

Go with what you think fits your 'safety voice' in your head. IMO, the more protection, the better (especially when tracking) - which is the full door bars. At 6'3" and 275ish lbs, I can crawl in and out with no issue - just looks very awkward doing it - and get the quick release for the steering wheel. I also believe you will miss having someplace to rest your left arm if you don't have the full door bars, glad I have mine.

 

[Rauq]

Welcome! I believe there will be two Goblins at SCCA Time Trials at RA the first weekend of November. I'm going to try to make it out to spectate and possibly run their shush session TNiA-type thing from 10-12 Sunday.

 

[TheAnesthetist]

Welcome! I believe there will be two Goblins at SCCA Time Trials at RA the first weekend of November. I'm going to try to make it out to spectate and possibly run their shush session TNiA-type thing from 10-12 Sunday.

Nice! I'll have to come out and introduce myself. Maybe get some inspiration from looking at y'all's builds.

 

[ah.b.normal]

Holy Accounting Nightmares Batman! His total kit is about the same price Wallace58 wants for his completed unit! His is soooo cheap People are wondering if he's scamming. The Goblin owner that picked up a motor from him would prolly know more. I'm pretty sure he is legit, but I never got the chance to meet him in person. Too far away, I couldn't spare the long day to go get body parts from him at that time.

 

[devianteng]

Go with what you think fits your 'safety voice' in your head. IMO, the more protection, the better (especially when tracking) - which is the full door bars. At 6'3" and 275ish lbs, I can crawl in and out with no issue - just looks very awkward doing it - and get the quick release for the steering wheel. I also believe you will miss having someplace to rest your left arm if you don't have the full door bars, glad I have mine.

I'm 6'2" and 280, so about your same size. I was really worried about getting in/out with the full sides, so I went with the double door bars. I also have wide seats (Kirkey Series 55 20"), so the side bar does make a good arm rest when cruising but any spirited driving and I'm not able to rest my arm on the side because both hands are on the wheel at 10 and 2. Any track events, definitely using arm restraints.
I don't regret the DD bars, and hopefully it stays that way. Fingers crossed...


@TheAnesthetist Welcome, and enjoy your build! Don't forget to add your info to the builder location thread (linkalso add your donor info to your signature).

 

[RCK605]

Another item to ponder is the 5x114.3 hubs. I considered going that route to eliminate the need for adapters, but after some discussions decided against them. The main reason was that if you need to replace the hub, a standard hub is a direct swap. You don't have to get it drilled before installing.

 

[comegetjoe]

Another item to ponder is the 5x114.3 hubs. I considered going that route to eliminate the need for adapters, but after some discussions decided against them. The main reason was that if you need to replace the hub, a standard hub is a direct swap. You don't have to get it drilled before installing.

I thought about the hubs but then thought different. Hubs and then the work to replace them dont outweigh the ease of putting on good spacers and the extra track width and ability to clear the control arms. Just my not very thought over $.02

 

[Robinjo]

I had mine redrilled hoping to not use spacers, but ended up with them. Unless you go with wider rear wheels, you may want to consider spacers. The front width is about 1 inch wider than the rear. I used the spacers to get the rear wider than the front as it helps keep the rear from spinning around on you. Sticky (200tw or less) tires helped this a lot as well.

So, in short: the amount of money spent shipping and redrilling the hubs could have been spent on some high quality spacers that I ended up getting anyways.

 

[TheAnesthetist]

alright, you guys have convinced me. I'll nix the redrilled hubs and use adapters instead. Maybe I'll put that money towards the wiring harness service. I get anxiety every time i start watching the step-by-step harness videos. I read on someone's build log that it took them 40 hours to do?! Surely, it can't be that bad.

 

[Sebnuts]

I went with the wiring harness service and have no regrets

 

[escapepilot]

The wiring is intimidating but not really difficult. Making good splices is important. The videos do a very good job with one exception, the 2006 SS LSJ has one difference that has been well documented, when the green low speed data wires get all soldered together, there is ONE that does not. I'd have to look at the wiring diagram again to correctly identify which one, but it comes from the OBD port. Nothing about the build is difficult.

 

[Gtstorey]

Ross posted a link to his write up on the "other" data wire in the past day or two.

 

[Joebob]

I had stated that it took me about 40 hours done over a month with doing an hour or two at night after work. I included all the multiple watching of the videos and that I kept a lot of extras such as:
Dual accessory outputs:
Evap system
Parking brake light
Auto transmission
Seat heater plugs to stock seats
Seat heater switches in dash
Door ajar switch

As such I had to measure twice and cut once.

Either way when you work your bundle through the tunnel, I would add 6-8 more lines and tape them up to the bundle incase you need to add something later such as Wideband, accessories, or to replace bad lines due to my shoddy splicing.

Joe

 

[Gtstorey]

I think the time spent reworking your harness yourself is well spent, since it will help you troubleshoot any issues down the road. And there will be issues.

 

[TheAnesthetist]

Started the tear-down of the donor while I wait for my kit. No real surprises thus far. I'll have to replace some dried out vacuum lines. This car lived it's entire life in Virginia Beach, so there's corrosion on almost every metal surface. A wire brush helps but I'm not sure the juice is worth the squeeze. I'll eventually clean up or replace the valve cover just for aesthetics, but the rest of the engine might just get mounted in the goblin as is. Might also look into having the SC media blasted.