Placing order soon

Trail_Creeper

Active Member
Been lurking around this forum for a bit and will be placing my order as soon as I find out a return date from this deployment... so looking for some input.

Plan:
SS/SC kit
Full cage w/ full bar doors, hood, windscreen, side panels, etc.

My question comes down to the SC vs TC kit. I have plans to turbo swap the LSJ within a few months of getting the goblin running. So is it worth it to buy the TC kit or source parts like the intercooler later on?

Thanks for the inputs!

For viewing purposes. The $900 '06 SS/SC donor
 

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Desert Sasqwatch

Goblin Guru
Welcome. And thank you for your service, hopefully the deployment won't be too long - or dangerous.
That donor looks to be ideal, how many miles on it? There are several builders who have done the turbo swap onto the LSJ, seems relatively straightforward. The SC kit would be the choice if starting with the SC donor. :)
 

r3drckt

Goblin Guru
Welcome! I second DS’ remarks. Starting with a SC donor, go with the SC kit since you will drive it with the SC for a little in the goblin.

I’m also doing a LSJ-T and went with the intro turbo kit from zzp so everything in the SC kit works for me.
 

jaredthenav

Well-Known Member
And good to have another military member on here. There's a good handful of us AD/Reserve/Guard folks. I'm Air Force down at Hurlburt. Stay safe out there. I ordered my kit right after my last deployment.

Mine's an LSJ, but I'm sticking with the SC. Currently saving my pennies to get the thing registered up in Montana since Florida is being strangely un-Florida about the Goblin!
 

Ross

Goblin Guru
Congrats on a $900 donor for at LSJ... that is a great price now a days. I paid $900 and $985 for my 2 donor LSJs, and thought I got a steal a few years ago, as prices keep going up.

As far as a turbo kit goes, it depends what you want. The kits are designed to fit a Cobalt, so some kits include a big intercooler that isn't a good fit in the Goblin. Most kits have a small to medium sized turbo, so if you want big power, you swap that out. How much are you willing to source, build, or modify is up to you. I am slowly building my 2nd LSJ engine into a LSJT, while enjoying the supercharged LSJ for the last 3 years.
 

Rttoys

Goblin Guru
Run the LSJ and have some fun. See how these things tic, then decide on a turbo “kit” or build your own. The goblin is all cobalt, but not a cobalt. Things don’t work the same as it normally would.
 

Trail_Creeper

Active Member
Welcome. And thank you for your service, hopefully the deployment won't be too long - or dangerous.
That donor looks to be ideal, how many miles on it? There are several builders who have done the turbo swap onto the LSJ, seems relatively straight forward. The SC kit would be the choice if starting with the SC donor. :)
It's got 121k on it. Didn't run when my girlfriend picked it up. She loaded it on the trailer herself (since I've been gone). She also found out the fuel pump wasn't kicking on when the key was turned. Swapped the relay and the LSJ fired right up.


And good to have another military member on here. There's a good handful of us AD/Reserve/Guard folks. I'm Air Force down at Hurlburt. Stay safe out there. I ordered my kit right after my last deployment.

Mine's an LSJ, but I'm sticking with the SC. Currently saving my pennies to get the thing registered up in Montana since Florida is being strangely un-Florida about the Goblin!
I've been down to that area a few times. Was there last year for the 2nd F-22 crash at Eglin. Spent a little time stationed at Tyndall also from '10-12.


Congrats on a $900 donor for at LSJ... that is a great price now a days. I paid $900 and $985 for my 2 donor LSJs, and thought I got a steal a few years ago, as prices keep going up.

As far as a turbo kit goes, it depends what you want. The kits are designed to fit a Cobalt, so some kits include a big intercooler that isn't a good fit in the Goblin. Most kits have a small to medium sized turbo, so if you want big power, you swap that out. How much are you willing to source, build, or modify is up to you. I am slowly building my 2nd LSJ engine into a LSJT, while enjoying the supercharged LSJ for the last 3 years.
This one just happened to show up on Facebook marketplace about 3 weeks after I left so the girlfriend jumped on it.

I'm interested to see how this build goes. Thinking I need to knock the dust off the 'ol TIG machine for the turbo and intercooler parts.
 

Trail_Creeper

Active Member
@Trail_Creeper good to see more service members on here, prior service myself current contractor traveling with some of @jaredthenav assets out of cannon (maybe) l, based on what you've described the SC kit will be the route to take you can build your own Turbo setup or get the piping kit from DF at a later date
I'm surprised more adrenaline junkie military people haven't found out about the Goblin's yet.

Thanks for the warm welcome!
 

jcdman

Active Member
Just got my LSJ started a little while ago and rebuilt the motor/supercharger. Any reason why you want to swap to the turbo setup? Shouldn't be too difficult/expensive to get another 100+ hp out of the LSJ staying with the supercharger.

2019 - Current Active Air Force, Engineer at Wright-Patterson
 

r3drckt

Goblin Guru
Just got my LSJ started a little while ago and rebuilt the motor/supercharger. Any reason why you want to swap to the turbo setup? Shouldn't be too difficult/expensive to get another 100+ hp out of the LSJ staying with the supercharger.

2019 - Current Active Air Force, Engineer at Wright-Patterson
For $2k you can do a turbo swap and get 300hp out of the LSJ. For a SC setup, to reach 300hp, you need about $3-4k for all the supporting mods, if not more.
 

devianteng

Well-Known Member
My question comes down to the SC vs TC kit. I have plans to turbo swap the LSJ within a few months of getting the goblin running. So is it worth it to buy the TC kit or source parts like the intercooler later on?
I had asked this same question to DF and the response I got was to order the kit for the donor I had. My frame was just finished yesterday so I don't even have it yet, but I've had the last 3 months to think about a lot of the little details around my build. I've pretty well come to the conclusion (with all the great advice reading things here on the forums) that getting the goblin running with the stock engine is the way to go, and then do my mods. I've considered a TVS1320 swap aiming for 350whp, but since decided that turbo probably makes more sense. So as of right now, turbo swap is what I want but I have a ways to go before I ever worry about that.

Welcome, though...and thank you for your service!
 

r3drckt

Goblin Guru
Something to consider is the turbo setup that you will be using. To me, whether it’s the entry level zzp kit that utilizes the factory intake and heat exchangers, or going with a complete swap to an A2A configuration, neither will utilize the turbo components provided with the turbo goblin kit. It utilizes an A2W heat exchanger setup and also provides the tubing that works with the stock k04 from the LNF and has a vband/screw (don’t know which) adapter to shorten the charged air outlet so it fits under the rear cross bar. I’m sure there are some other minor differences in provided parts, but that could also mean you’re missing some parts that would make a SC setup work.

With that in mind, I’m sure DF would be happy to sell you the turbo bits as extra components if you think you will want to utilize them in your turbo setup.
 

Sluggonaut

Goblin Guru
My donor already had the turbo swap, so I just talked to Adam after placing my order and he modified my kit to include the parts I needed. However, if you are starting off SC'd, go with the SC kit and assemble the appropriate parts at the time of the swap. You're better off sourcing the parts you need at that time from DF or whoever has exactly what you want/need.
 

Trail_Creeper

Active Member
I will most likely end up going with the SC kit for the time being... like every has said just to make getting it swapped and running easily.

Something to consider is the turbo setup that you will be using. To me, whether it’s the entry level zzp kit that utilizes the factory intake and heat exchangers, or going with a complete swap to an A2A configuration, neither will utilize the turbo components provided with the turbo goblin kit. It utilizes an A2W heat exchanger setup and also provides the tubing that works with the stock k04 from the LNF and has a vband/screw (don’t know which) adapter to shorten the charged air outlet so it fits under the rear cross bar. I’m sure there are some other minor differences in provided parts, but that could also mean you’re missing some parts that would make a SC setup work.

With that in mind, I’m sure DF would be happy to sell you the turbo bits as extra components if you think you will want to utilize them in your turbo setup.
I've looked over the ZZP kit a couple times. I have a few previous build parts laying around (v-bands, t-bolt charge pipe clamps, half a million couplers, and intercooler tubes.... lots and lots of tube).

When all is said and done I'm looking at new rods, pistons, 160lb injectors, E85 with the possibility of meth, and having Cat V port the head. With some increased air flow from fabbing a top mount turbo manifold, to hold a s257 or something by Garrett maybe Precision, with a 3.5" downpipe, ~3" charge pipe, A2A intercooler with puller fans (if needed).


"Hi my names Scott, and I build dumb stuff in my garage"
 
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