Help me make a decision on a car...

Rttoys

Goblin Guru
Maybe work with the goblin guys to make one out of a Pontiac GXP? It could be a little bigger, but the same concept.

You’ll need the paperwork from goblin to get your title.

They are more roomy to drive, than to ride in, but it’s not like you or I are small people though. o_O
 

Classy

Well-Known Member
Maybe work with the goblin guys to make one out of a Pontiac GXP? It could be a little bigger, but the same concept.

You’ll need the paperwork from goblin to get your title.

They are more roomy to drive, than to ride in, but it’s not like you or I are small people though. o_O
Which GXP? As it sits now, I was planning an using an LS4, F40, and G6 GXP axles, control arms, spindles etc to finish out the rear end.

The paperwork aspect is what is keeping me from venturing down the DIY path.

We are not a small people. Maybe I am over thinking the room inside it.. I think I need to sit in the driver's seat and maybe drive one
 

Mayor West

Goblin Guru
It looks like you're wanting something you don't seem to want to pay for? You've mentioned you're leaning towards a exuglycet ;) it satisfies the engine possibilities you're wanting and isn't going to break the bank, just a mirror.
 

Dale E

Well-Known Member
Classy, Your roof idea has been done so many times before. Not that difficult to pull off.

Your V8 engine choice is okay and it will fit in the Goblin frame. Just as the V6 SC's. The frame (cradle) mods will not be that difficult to pull off. The V8 would give you more forward (near cockpit) weight and a lower center of gravity. The LS4 will bolt to the F40 transmission (60 degree pattern) The only thing is the starter will have to be adapted, since it bolts to the bell housing over the transmission and not to the engine side. This has already been done and there are solutions for it. I would do a AFM delete so it would run V8 all the time.

The LS4 came in the 2005 - 2009 Chevy Impala, Pontiac GXP and a Buick model. There is a GXP engine near me that is going for 910$ (has a punctured oil pan from the wreck). I believe there is one in a Dallas or Houston area salvage yard for less than 1,500$. I can send you the listing site if you want. I believe Stalker had a roller listed for sale for 19,500$

The Stalker XL is almost a Corvette in wheel base and track. Come see me and I'll take you to one being built so you can have a look. Your about 11 hours drive away. I think JBINTX said he was auto crossing soon, and I might come watch him. I could be persuaded to bring my classic Stalker along for you to see in person.

The library should have a book titled How to build a car for 250Pounds (English -- Locost style frame. The McSorley option was a larger frame) It gives you the dimensions of all the tubing and where it goes. You purchase the tubing, cut it weld it. There is a Locost website of builder/owners that website that has all kinds of pictures of traditional builds and a whole section on mid-engine builds. Lonny mentioned Midlana -- he wrote a book about his build.

The Goblin is a fantastically designed chassis. Good on the Design team!! It is simple, bolt together from one donor build. Other kits are built well, but some you have to find parts that fit from multiple donors. My Birkin seven kit is from South Africa. It has Ford, Honda, VW, Toyota and English Ford parts. The Stalker is mostly a GM donor build. Exocet Miata based if you stay that way.

Any thing else I can help you Goblin builders with let me know.

At least you've ridden in a Goblin. I'll do that one day!! :)

Anyone wanting to try a Saturn Vue steering unit with the controller out? I have one in my shed. (by the way the controller only works with the metal box unit - for some reason it doesn't with the black plastic unit, so just infor)

Dale
 

Classy

Well-Known Member
So, had a discussion with Lonnie, he brought up something I missed, the track width is 62” on an impala instead of the 58” on the cobalt. I think this plays into my plans perfectly! I could cut the whole chassis in half, widen it approximately 4” to fix that issue. That would make the passenger compartment 4” wider, and I can better center everything for the driver. Yes it is heavier this way, but I think it will still be under 2000 quite easily. Also means a bigger radiator.
I feel better than ever about this project
 

Dale E

Well-Known Member
And the Fiero, which has had V8's mounted for years, is in the middle of what Lonnie said - at around 60". Impala 62", Cobalt 58" give or take!
 

Rttoys

Goblin Guru
Which GXP? As it sits now, I was planning an using an LS4, F40, and G6 GXP axles, control arms, spindles etc to finish out the rear end.

The paperwork aspect is what is keeping me from venturing down the DIY path.

We are not a small people. Maybe I am over thinking the room inside it.. I think I need to sit in the driver's seat and maybe drive one
from my buddy that has a gxp:

07 GXP. GXP is the only 4t65hd with tapshift if that's important. He might want to verify because people have swapped non tapshift trans into a gxp to save.

05/06 and 07/08 have different computers and reluctor rings. Mixing and matching wont work. The "fix" is more $$$ than it's worth

No manual that he knows of, as far as stock.
 

Classy

Well-Known Member
from my buddy that has a gxp:

07 GXP. GXP is the only 4t65hd with tapshift if that's important. He might want to verify because people have swapped non tapshift trans into a gxp to save.

05/06 and 07/08 have different computers and reluctor rings. Mixing and matching wont work. The "fix" is more $$$ than it's worth

No manual that he knows of, as far as stock.
I would want to get a motor with the harness and everything, not trying to deal with reluctor wheel issues, you are right about $$$...

You are right about no factory manual for the LS4, but a F40 bolts right up to it.
 

Brian74

Goblin Guru
I was in your shoes 2 1/2 years ago.

Have you built a car before and do you have any fabrication or automotive electrical experience?

A lot of what seems like a great idea at first begins to become very detailed and complicated (not to mention expensive) once you start trying to integrate it into the build process. IMO this is an excellent (if not the best) first choice of a kit car. A stock turbo version has similar power/weight ratio to a Ferarri 488.

You will not find better customer service than what Lonny & Adam provide.

You could always simply get your feet wet on a Goblin build, then sell it (these seem to sell extremely well for kit cars). I'm sure I'm going to build more cars after this one, but I couldn't be happier with this as my first experience building one. The insight I've gained so far is immense.

No two seater kit car in this budget range, opportunity cost & simplicity level will have much room, or be comfortable on really long trips.
 

Classy

Well-Known Member
I have a lot of experience With electronics, mechanical and fabrication. If you cut it down to it very basic nature, I am making educated cuts in the frame, welding in sleeved spacers, along with the other frame modifications I plan on. As far as the motor goes, I just follow what DF already did for the ecotec, use a LS4 subframe, use the associated suspension from that subframe and adapt it all to the goblin chassis
As far as the motor and transmission goes, I feel like this will be very straight forward, strip down a harness, go through the computer and make it happy with what I am doing, and run some gauges like a muscle car. Out side of that, it is making circuits for the lights and all the little things, I won’t have a BCM.
I was just at JBinTX’s place and I got to look over the frame really well in person again and it will be fairly straight forward. I am making plans to make it safer and more user friendly as well.
I feel like it is FAR too early for me to make a build thread as I have spent a penny on this yet. But maybe I should...
 

Classy

Well-Known Member
Kinda feel like this will be a Goblin XL, wider, extended frame. I will hopefully have it all planned out and start buying stuff around the new year. I need to have the drivetrain in front of me before I even start making modifications to a frame
 

Rttoys

Goblin Guru
Glad you are thinking outside the box. This is what R&D is all about. I did the same thing, but figured it was a bit bigger of a chop than I could chew, at least for the first build. We talked about this the other weekend, when you were here, I would consider something like this on a second build, but not really the first. That’s just me, though. I like what goblin did (that’s why I went with them), but I see a ton for expansion and exploration, but it all takes time.

I know I can help along the way. You saw my hangar, mechanical toys are my forte. we didn’t even get into some of the things I have already done.
 
Top