V1 Jason in Texas - ext. track - 09 SS/TC

[Desert Sasqwatch]

How true, the bigger the boys the bigger the toys!

 

[JBINTX]

So you all know I have been racking up some miles in and around the neighborhood. Today was different. I drove the Goblin down to my local PEP Boys (I know the manager there and he runs a great shop). And - he has an ASE certified mechanic with up-to-date certifications. In Texas, an ASE inspection is one of the hurdles to getting the vehicle registered. I assumed that taking off the hood would aid in the inspection. A side benefit is that there is no windshield then, so no wipers to worry about. Passed all the inspections / tests with flying colors!!!!!!!!
The mechanic who did the inspection said he was scared to drive it. He claimed he took off the first time and the front wheels lifted off the ground. Not sure that really happened, but a wheel stand is cool IF you know it is happening.
So, back to driving it on regular roads - with other cars around. First, I felt small in it. Not like a full size pickup. And it felt SLOW only driving 30 mph. Pretty weird driving next to others who are gawking at you. Two stop lights between there and home and two different guys rolled down their windows and wanted to talk about the car.

Goblin on friends!!!!!!!!!

 

[ToxicBill]

If I have any issues, I know where to go to get an inspection when I'm ready!

 

[JBINTX]

So I got to meet another builder here in Houston yesterday - Scott (SACTX). He has his donor stripped but no kit yet. Great guy. So, when I pulled up in mine at his place of business, he and half his shop came out to get a closer look. Then, I took him on his first ride in a Goblin. I think we will all remember that very first ride in one. The acceleration is such a rush.
The cool thing about building a Goblin is getting to meet people that you would otherwise never cross paths with. The six degrees of separation theory gets short circuited. Building was cool. But, the next phase of actually driving and enjoying it is even better!

Goblin on friends!!!!!!!

 

[SACTX]

We had a great time! Seeing your car was all most of the people in the shop to talk about for the rest of the day.

The rush is awesome and your car is awesome. Now I’m even more excited to get my kit! Hurry up Lonnie!

Thank you for the ride!

 

[JBINTX]

One of the requirements for registering in Texas is a certified scale ticket. Well, it might have been easier to drive to the scale than trailer it over there. Just sayin'....

It was a 40 minute round trip. Longest distance I have gone so far. I chose some of the smaller roads over the toll road or Interstate. Amazing how conscious you are as a builder of every squeak, bump, engine noise, smell, heat, etc.

The scale operator had a few issues at first and had to "reboot" the system. Then they had me back up into the view of the camera. I found out that the Cat Scale people were online and wanted to see what the heck was on their scale as they were helping the operator get a good weight.

I got a look from the driver with the roll-off next to me. That guy was just doing his job today, and my little race car was holding up his weight ticket.
On the way there an Audi R8 lined up next to me at a light. Lucky he turned. I would hate to have embarrassed him.

I made sure that I had the axles on different pads at the scale so I could get a front / back split. 1,660 lbs total (600 F, 1060 R). Full gas tank. No dead weight driver. I made very few modifications to the factory kit. Especially not anything that would make a weight difference. Tire and wheel choice may be biggest impact. 17X9 with 275/40R17

Goblin on, friends!

 

[JSATX]

How the heck did I come in at 1350?? Though that was suuuper early in my build. Didn’t even have the passenger seat installed.

 

[JBINTX]

How the heck did I come in at 1350?? Though that was suuuper early in my build. Didn’t even have the passenger seat installed.

Maybe my hood is 300 lbs?
Most weights I have seen recently have all been 1550-1650 or so. Just from memory, at least.

 

[RouteAbel]

His is extended, not sure about yours JSATX. Also the cobalt seats are probably heavier. Track Frame Halo. Also full tank of gas is about 45lbs.

 

[JBINTX]

His is extended, not sure about yours JSATX. Also the cobalt seats are probably heavier. Track Frame Halo. Also full tank of gas is about 45lbs.

boy those little decisions add up!

 

[Lonny]

The F35 trans may be heavier than the F23s.
The turbo axles are heavier.
The turbo knuckles and bearing hubs are also heavier.

 

[ToxicBill]

Do you not need the fenders to be street legal?

 

[JBINTX]

Do you not need the fenders to be street legal?

No sir. Not on the list!

 

[JBINTX]

The F35 trans may be heavier than the F23s.
The turbo axles are heavier.
The turbo knuckles and bearing hubs are also heavier.

My stopwatch 0-60 has been about 3.2s give or take. Mostly if I nail the shift. And lugging all this weight around!

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

Hmm, 1650 seems a little heavy for your car. I'm wondering if making a measurement at the low end of the scale - probably in the bottom 5% of the range - can induce a larger percentage of error? Most mechanical systems using strain gauges are most accurate in the 25 to 75 percent of their range - higher and lower weights tend to increase the error of measurement. I used to calibrate strain gauges, a long time ago, and set them up in safety systems. Just thinking out loud on this.

 

[JBINTX]

Hmm, 1650 seems a little heavy for your car. I'm wondering if making a measurement at the low end of the scale - probably in the bottom 5% of the range - can induce a larger percentage of error? Most mechanical systems using strain gauges are most accurate in the 25 to 75 percent of their range - higher and lower weights tend to increase the error of measurement. I used to calibrate strain gauges, a long time ago, and set them up in safety systems. Just thinking out loud on this.

Tim: You are indeed correct about the usable range of a scale. Your outloudness is spot on. That scale is set up for loads around 50,000 lb to 80,000 lbs. on a daily basis.

It gave me the "certified ticket" I need for registration. The state will not care about it's exactness.

However, I am like all of you. I was expecting 1,500 lbs or so. I have access to another set of scales a friend uses for racing spec Miatas. I will get the Goblin on there and get us another data point.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

Jason, I'm just not believing your Goblin is 1660 lbs, unless you gold plated a bunch of stuff and have some depleted uranium parts you have not shared with us.

 

[TheNuker]

My first SS/SC was 1470 with full tank wing hood large ZZP IC and no fenders.

Nuker-

 

[Rttoys]

With All the humidity around here, maybe that weighed it down a bit.

 

[JBINTX]

Went out on an ice cream run tonight in the Goblin with the wife. We hit a little stop and go traffic on the way there (Houston ya know). Some guy in a big ol' lifted truck was hanging his head out gawking at us from the next lane when he ran into the car in front of him. Not going very fast. Nobody hurt. Maybe a bumper. And some pride. I told my wife she sure is turning heads these days.... We kept on going wondering how many more times THAT is going to happen???!!!

Getting my second weight for the Goblin on some race scales tomorrow. I will report back on that to compare with the Cat scale weight above.

Goblin on, friends!