Desert Sasqwatch #155 Track (mods) - 08 SS/TC crate LNF F40
- Thread starter Desert Sasqwatch
- Start date
SmsDetroit
Goblin Guru
Pickle ball is awesome. My wife and I play it a lot
Desert Sasqwatch
Goblin Guru
We have outdoor courts in our neighborhood complex. Always busy and you have to sign up for court times in the evenings and on weekends.
Lndshrk Steve
Well-Known Member
If you need it, I know a 120 lb. driver . . . 
Desert Sasqwatch
Goblin Guru
Horse jockey? Fully 1/2 of me out outweighs that person. From where I'm mounting my seat, they probably couldn't reach the pedals or steering wheel. Things have to be squatch sized you know.If you need it, I know a 120 lb. driver . . .
Lndshrk Steve
Well-Known Member
Well, I don't need a removable steering wheel and I've got the standard 13" one. Spent many years in formula cars with 10" wheels and space was at a minimum.
Desert Sasqwatch
Goblin Guru
I tried to squeeze into a formula Ford once, didn't make it, and thought I was going to break it in the process. Would have made for a good youtube video tho, how not to get into one!
Desert Sasqwatch
Goblin Guru
I did some more experimentation and rotated the engine/transmission forward in the chassis by 6 degrees to make accommodations for some further fabrication and modifications I am working on.
Before:
After:
This does have some benefits that I need:
1) adds about 3/4 inch extra space between the rear edge of the valve cover and the strut mount crossbar.
2) the turbo outlet is aimed lower in relation to the crossbar to allow for more space to get a charge pipe installed.
3) the transmission output/axle shafts are raised about 3/8 inch to help make them more level with the stock Cobalt suspension.
4) the engine sits more level, only tipped 5 degrees rather than 11 degrees to the rear - no claim of any better weight distribution since it was rotated at the left and right engine/transmission mounts.
5) the bottom of the oil pan is perfectly flat with the bottom of the car.
The left and right engine/transmission mounts have angle wedge shims (pickup truck leaf spring) installed between the bottoms of the frame mount and the tops of the stock aluminum mounts. The wedges are cut down and drilled with longer bollts installed, progressively back to front, and counter-angle wedges under the bolt heads to keep them straight in relation to the aluminum mounts.
The stock Cobalt subframe still fits in place. I have one spot with interference between the side rail and the transmission case on the driver's side, but I have the F40 transmission installed. It has a larger case than the F35 or F23 and these transmissions will likely not have this same interference issue.
The biggest setback for this change is the front and rear engine/transmission mounts will need some modification. The front mount cross bolt sits about 1 1/2 inches lower than the subframe mount, which would require fabrication of an adapter plate and drilling additional mounting holes to make the adapter plate rigidly mounted. The rear mount sits about 3/4 inch higher, but putting a shim plate/spacer on top of the subframe 'tower' at the rear and slotting the DF rear mount holes can accommodate this change.
I'm sure there will be commentary on the justification to do this and if it would be worth the trouble to even do this based on the gains made that I noted above. I did this to check to see if it could be done, since I don't recall seeing this ever posted on the forum. Someone else may benefit from this information. But I did this foremost to allow for additional changes I'm making to my Goblin that take advantage of the change in engine/transmission orientation.
EDIT: One other item that may be of benefit - the stock DF A2W intercooler MAY fit under the engine cover - MAYBE. Or it may take less cutting of the cover to fit. I don't have an engine cover to know what the measurements would be, but the engine/transmission in the rotated orientation sits about 1/2 inch lower in the chassis.
Before:
After:
This does have some benefits that I need:
1) adds about 3/4 inch extra space between the rear edge of the valve cover and the strut mount crossbar.
2) the turbo outlet is aimed lower in relation to the crossbar to allow for more space to get a charge pipe installed.
3) the transmission output/axle shafts are raised about 3/8 inch to help make them more level with the stock Cobalt suspension.
4) the engine sits more level, only tipped 5 degrees rather than 11 degrees to the rear - no claim of any better weight distribution since it was rotated at the left and right engine/transmission mounts.
5) the bottom of the oil pan is perfectly flat with the bottom of the car.
The left and right engine/transmission mounts have angle wedge shims (pickup truck leaf spring) installed between the bottoms of the frame mount and the tops of the stock aluminum mounts. The wedges are cut down and drilled with longer bollts installed, progressively back to front, and counter-angle wedges under the bolt heads to keep them straight in relation to the aluminum mounts.
The stock Cobalt subframe still fits in place. I have one spot with interference between the side rail and the transmission case on the driver's side, but I have the F40 transmission installed. It has a larger case than the F35 or F23 and these transmissions will likely not have this same interference issue.
The biggest setback for this change is the front and rear engine/transmission mounts will need some modification. The front mount cross bolt sits about 1 1/2 inches lower than the subframe mount, which would require fabrication of an adapter plate and drilling additional mounting holes to make the adapter plate rigidly mounted. The rear mount sits about 3/4 inch higher, but putting a shim plate/spacer on top of the subframe 'tower' at the rear and slotting the DF rear mount holes can accommodate this change.
I'm sure there will be commentary on the justification to do this and if it would be worth the trouble to even do this based on the gains made that I noted above. I did this to check to see if it could be done, since I don't recall seeing this ever posted on the forum. Someone else may benefit from this information. But I did this foremost to allow for additional changes I'm making to my Goblin that take advantage of the change in engine/transmission orientation.
EDIT: One other item that may be of benefit - the stock DF A2W intercooler MAY fit under the engine cover - MAYBE. Or it may take less cutting of the cover to fit. I don't have an engine cover to know what the measurements would be, but the engine/transmission in the rotated orientation sits about 1/2 inch lower in the chassis.
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Desert Sasqwatch
Goblin Guru
FYI to anyone doing the F40 transmission swap, please note the F35 'jackshaft' intermediate axle is 1 inch too short to mate up correctly - using the Cobalt LNF bearing carrier on the passenger side.
Looks like the Buick Regal GS Turbo intermediate shaft and bearing carrier are needed - on order from Rockauto. I will do a follow up to this post once I have them in hand and checked for installation compatibility.
Looks like the Buick Regal GS Turbo intermediate shaft and bearing carrier are needed - on order from Rockauto. I will do a follow up to this post once I have them in hand and checked for installation compatibility.
PaulPerger
Well-Known Member
I like the new Avatar @Desert Sasqwatch !
Desert Sasqwatch
Goblin Guru
You're the the first person to notice, thanks.
X2!!!
JBINTX
Goblin Guru
Missed the opportunity to put a few holes in it to lighten it…………….
Desert Sasqwatch
Goblin Guru
The Buick Regal GS Turbo intermediate shaft and bearing carrier bolt up correctly. I need to obtain the correct length bolts for the carrier.
The axle face on the passenger's side sits at the same location as the stock F35 intermediate shaft face. The driver's side transmission axle output location sits about 2 inches further outboard (the F40 mod kits all supply a shorter driver's side axle).
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Desert Sasqwatch
Goblin Guru
Happiness is...a freshly drilled set of speedholes!!!
Racer X was in the garage this morning!
Racer X was in the garage this morning!
JBINTX
Goblin Guru
Your Calc’s are off. You could put twice as many holes in there……Happiness is...a freshly drilled set of speedholes!!!
View attachment 34880
Racer X was in the garage this morning!
By the way, what is that??!!!………. Doh
Desert Sasqwatch
Goblin Guru
It's a stressed member, so the speedholes spacing and size fit the calculations for the maximum load, plus a factor of 1.5. Just another experiment that I'm bouncing off Dale, results in a month or so depending upon my available time and some outside resources.
Desert Sasqwatch
Goblin Guru
So this latest project started as an idea, way back in early September 2021, just about the same time Lonny was working on the 'new' replacement LCA for the strut suspension that bolts onto the Cobalt subframe:
dfkitcar.com
I asked if anyone thought a tube subframe, to replace the Cobalt subframe, was a viable idea. Got a few responses, but did get some encouraging words from Dale E and we spent many, many months going back and forth with too many ideas to count. I was planning to start on this project, but was in the middle of selling our old house and the Goblin got moved into storage (for 9 months!).
I did spend time, before all this, doing the speedhole thing to the Cobalt subframe - and did remove about 2.5 lbs - but visually it is chunky and clunky looking and doesn't match up well with the rest of the DF frame tubes - IMO. Guess that's why I decided to see what it takes to replace the chunky, clunky subframe.
Fast forward to May (2022), when I finally have all (actually only most) honey-do list items completed on the new house. My Goblin came home to a new - smaller - garage and work started in earnest again. I've posted many smaller things that I've added or changed to the frame.
So this brings me to the my latest big project. And it all (re)started with an idea:
More to come on this. It's okay Dale, it's time to start sharing this project with the Goblin family!
Desert Sasqwatch #155 Track (mods) - 08 SS/TC crate LNF F40
You gave a mouse a frame and he made Swiss cheese of it!!!!!!........... ;) 1.4 lbs removed 2.9 lbs added
I asked if anyone thought a tube subframe, to replace the Cobalt subframe, was a viable idea. Got a few responses, but did get some encouraging words from Dale E and we spent many, many months going back and forth with too many ideas to count. I was planning to start on this project, but was in the middle of selling our old house and the Goblin got moved into storage (for 9 months!).
I did spend time, before all this, doing the speedhole thing to the Cobalt subframe - and did remove about 2.5 lbs - but visually it is chunky and clunky looking and doesn't match up well with the rest of the DF frame tubes - IMO. Guess that's why I decided to see what it takes to replace the chunky, clunky subframe.
Fast forward to May (2022), when I finally have all (actually only most) honey-do list items completed on the new house. My Goblin came home to a new - smaller - garage and work started in earnest again. I've posted many smaller things that I've added or changed to the frame.
So this brings me to the my latest big project. And it all (re)started with an idea:
More to come on this. It's okay Dale, it's time to start sharing this project with the Goblin family!