V1 #403

[LLBenJ]

DF Kit Car - Goblin #403 - Completed 04 July 2023 - Titled, registered and insured in the state of Idaho

Donor

2006 Chevy Cobalt SS Supercharged - 123k on the clock - purchased and driven for 3 months prior to disassembly to work out any issues.

Cost of the donor, plus shipping to Idaho, was $4,750.

Kit - #403

The following full kit (all 3 stages) was ordered from DF on 09 December 2021. Full kit arrived by Stewart Transport on 05 July 2022.

- DF Goblin Stage 1
- Stage 1 SS/SC Upgrade
- Full Cage Option
- Roof Bars
- Billet Shifter Kit
- DF Goblin Stage 2
- Stage 2 SS/SC Upgrade
- Rear Coilover Kit
- DF Kit Car Steering Wheel Kit
- Hood Kit, Full Cage
- Duct Cut-Outs in Hood
- Windscreen Kit, Extended
- Footwell Cover Kit
- Side Panel Kit
- Engine Cover Kit, Non-TC
- Fender Package, Wide, with Coilovers
- Headlight Kit
- Mirror/Turn Signal Kit
- License Plate Mount Kit
- Taillight Kit
- Button Panel Set, Early Model
- Boost Gauge Mount
- Heat Exchanger Duct Kit
- Bumper Set, Street Version
- Wing Mount Kit Total: $14,790

- Stewart Transportation Total: $1,545

The following items/work were purchased, in addition to the kit, to complete the car. Some of this was preventative maintenance and much of it was personal preference to the get the performance, and aesthetics, I was shooting for with the build.

- Axle seals
- GM timing chain kit
- GM supercharger fluid
- GM steering shaft
- New battery
- Timing chain tensioner
- ECOTEC timing chain guide bolt
- ECOTEC water pump
- Fuel injector 0-rings
- ECOTEC fuel injector isolators
- MAP, MAF, TMAP and boost solenoid sensors
- Timing chain cover gasket
- Valve cover gasket
- Exhaust manifold hardware
- Starter
- Alternator
- LSJ harmonic balancer
- LSJ front main seal
- LSJ fuel filter
- LSJ oil pressure sensor
- LSJ supercharger bypass valve o-ring
- Clutch Masters stage 3 clutch
- Clutch clip
- Clutch pipe
- Hydraulic clutch elbow
- Fidanza aluminum flywheel
- Foreverfab V1 Goblin muffler with magnaflow resonator
- Edelbrock stainless steel braided brake lines
- Vibrant Performance AN to NPT brake adapter fittings
- New GM 5-100 front and rear hubs
- DF speed sensor caps
- DF SS/SC steering rack limiter kit
- DF SS/SC brake proportioning valve kit
- DF wiring service for main harness (fog lights, 12v acc plugs, side marker lights maintained)
- Badass Moto grab handles
- Autometer Phantom mechanical boost gauge
- Autometer Phantom Air/Fuel gauge
- 3D printed dual gauge pod w/light sensor mount
- Longacre steering wheel hook
- ZZP ECOTEC flywheel bolts
- ZZP ECOTEC pressure plate bolts
- ZZP LSJ bypass valve
- ZZP LSJ 1.0 PCM
- ZZP high output intercooler pump
- ZZP LSJ high voltage coil packs
- ZZP dual pass intercooler plate kit
- ZZP laminova core o-rings
- ZZP oil catch can
- ZZP shorty headers
- ZZP interference fit LSJ dipstick
- Highland Bronze powdercoat on steel/aluminum parts - JB Laser Boise, ID
- Motegi Racing MR147 17x8 bronze wheels
- Toyo Proxes R1R 235/45ZR-17 tires
- Black spline drive 5-lug wheel kit
- 3M White Carbon Fiber Wrap - hood, side panels and fenders - Wrap World Boise, ID
- NRG carbon fiber rear wing - 59in
- Planted technology seat mounts
- Fire exstinguisher
- Medical Kit
- Rear view mirror
- Suzuki GSX-R1000 mirrors with integrated marker/blinker
- LED headlight conversion
- Carbon fiber door seal protection film
- PefecTech third brake light
- MOOG control arms
- Lone Star Racing billet A-Arm brake line brackets
- Summit Racing 3 inch aluminum black textured air intake piping
- Summit Racing Stainless Works exhaust hangers
- K&N air filter
- Parking brake
- SPARCO seat sliders
- SPARCO universal seat mount hardware
- SPARCO 4-point seatbelts
- SPARCO Sprint seats
- SPARCO suede steering wheel with quick detach kit
- SPARCO shift knob
- NOAM NUT5-S V.2 sound system

TOTAL: ....a lot....

Build Log Video

UPDATES TO BUILD!

20 November 2023

- Winter project: pulled factory timing chain cover and replaced it with a new cover, oil pump, from ZZP
- Inspecting timing, timing chain, cams, guides, tensioner, valves, valve springs: looks good
- Considering Stage 3 upgrade for factory M62 supercharger or sourcing TVS 1320 supercharger
- Second compression test/check completed
-- Cylinder 1 - 210 psi
-- Cylinder 2 - 200 psi
-- Cylinder 3 - 210 psi
-- Cylinder 4 - 190 psi

19 February 2024

Harrop TVS 1320 supercharger installed.
- ZZP Stage 1 PCM update for new supercharger and fueling
- Siemens 60# injectors
- ZZP LSJ EV6 injector harness

23 February 2024 - Throttle Works, Boise ID

First dyno run for the car on a Mustang Dyno. 249 rwhp and 192 ft-lbs torque. Car is running lean and pulling timing on the initial ZZP 1.0 tune. Plan is to purchase HP Tuners and dial the car in. I'm not chasing horsepower, and still on stock internals, so I'm hoping I can get it tuned in close to 300 rwhp. 60# injectors should still have some room and I'm running the factory 3.1" pully on the TVS. Turbo swap is the best option for these cars, if you want real HP and TQ returns, but I like my supercharger whine!

Dyno Run - #403

08-10 March 2024 - Boise Roadster Show - 1st Place in Class

December 2024

The 2024 car show season brought 4 wins. I had a great time interacting with everyone at the shows and hopefully pushed a future builder towards DF kit car. After several iterations of remoted tuning with ZZP, Thanks Tyler!, the car is now putting down 287 whp and 223 ft/lbs torque. This is on 91 octane pump gas at altitude. Very happy with the performance of the car. Winter project is to get the front end a little more planted at speed. A big thanks to Talon Garage for the splitter and I look forward to working this into the mix for 2025.

I was able to enter the 2025 Boise Roaster Show for the second year in a row. The show is the star of Idaho's car show scene and I was so grateful to be entered and compete here.

I took second place to the Kindig-it Design "Twelveair" at this year's show and was the only kit car on display.

2025 Boise Roadster Show 2025 Boise Roadster Show with Goblin #403




A long standing goal was finally accomplished and a big thanks to Tyler and team at ZZPerformance for the constant back and forth on the remote tuning. The car is now putting down 309 wheel horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque and is officially....scary. Tuning has made a world of difference in this car and I can't thank Tyler and his team enough for the support! The Harrop TVS 1320 is now peaking at 21 pounds of boost but the intake temps are low until the car is on the road for a couple hours at high external temps. I can feel the car pulling timing when I'm heading home after a full afternoon of driving in 95+% temps and that's expected.

I'm really impressed with this factory Ecotec LSJ and it's ability to produce power with over 126K on the clock. I hope the car remains reliable over time. It brings a smile to my face every time I drive it!

 

[Rttoys]

That’s a pretty clean car. Gonna make a lot of people cry when you tear it apart.

 

[Rauq]

Welcome! Can you run tracks on your Goblin in the snow?

 

[PaulPerger]

Welcome to the Group @LLBenJ.

 

[Trail_Creeper]

I mean I know I'm out of the country but did you rob my donor off the trailer?

Welcome to the group!

 

[WYGoblin]

Welcome! Can you run tracks on your Goblin in the snow?

I looked into it for mine. I found adapters that went from my 5x114.3 bolt pattern to the polaris rzr pattern. I had the tracks but couldn't bring myself to do it.

 

[Trail_Creeper]

I looked into it for mine. I found adapters that went from my 5x114.3 bolt pattern to the polaris rzr pattern. I had the tracks but couldn't bring myself to do it.

Someone had to try it

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

Like your plate, thanks for your service!

 

[Rauq]

I'm not aware that things have changed since I got my kit (also an SS/SC donor) but you should be getting all new brakes. The front calipers and rotors are stock base model which are 1" smaller than SS/SC and the rear are the reworked Solstice parking brake caliper and rotor setup.

 

[Sluggonaut]

You can pull the parking brake cables and tubes as a unit. and you definitely need both for the Goblin. One of mine was seized and a little heat and cutting the cable fixed it. Replacement cables are cheap on Rock Auto. Yours look like new compared to what I worked with so it shouldn't be too bad.

The manual shift cables can be disconnected on both ends. In the engine bay, a flat head screwdriver will pop them off with a simple twist. Some builders reported minor difficulty with them, but I didn't have any issues with a rust belt donor. They disconnect easily from the cabin side as well - may actually be more difficult than the connections under the hood.

You won't need the airbag module, but you might want to label it so that when you come across it later you remember what it is.

 

[Rttoys]

Looks like the nuts are all removed, so remove the clutch master, then the pedal will come loose.

 

[Rttoys]

No don’t touch that. It’ll break and that’s a new set of problems. I circled the clutch master. YouTube it if need be, for removal.

 

[Sluggonaut]

Just be careful not to break the white clip when removing it from the pedal. It's not the easiest to remove but it does come out eventually.

 

[Rttoys]

Can’t see the inside well, but everyone misses pulling the Park brake cables and tubes, so don’t forget those.

Plus, I like to take the flex side of the fuel line, that goes to the engine off. This can be reused and cleans up the engine area vs the DF supplied line. Just personal preference. Doesn’t hurt to take it and toss it later if you don’t use it.

 

[Rauq]

Hey buddy that's a good looking wheel you got there.

 

[JBINTX]

New shoes came in today. Motegi Racing MR147 C7 in matte bronze wearing Toyo Proxes R1R 235/45ZR17s.

The chassis and other associated parts will be coated in Prismatic Powerder Highland Bronze which is a very close match.

View attachment 33248

Good tire choice.
I like the tire mounter put stickers on them for directional purposes.

 

[Sparvy]

New shoes came in today. Motegi Racing MR147 C7 in matte bronze wearing Toyo Proxes R1R 235/45ZR17s.

The chassis and other associated parts will be coated in Prismatic Powerder Highland Bronze which is a very close match.

View attachment 33248

Nice color! I almost went with a similar bronze color but ended up with US Penny Vein instead.

 

[Rttoys]

It gave its soul, so another could be born. rust in peace little buddy.







I think you forgot a part though.………

 

[Ghostknife]

That makes for an exciting day!

 

[Robinjo]

On your manifold and supercharger, I recommend cleaning it up a bit and painting it. I cleaned up a second lower manifold up and now wish I’d cleaned/painted my own units. Cast Aluminum Duplicolor made it look factory new. Plus it’ll protect it from the weathering again. I’ll pull mine again at some point in the future and do it then.
For the upgrading, my opinion is get it running and then make changes. I’m in your shoes, I want the Stage 3 stuff (mine came with S2) and keep having to talk myself out of the S3 stuff until it fires. I would do the Phenolic Spacer though, since the blower/manifold are off.