V1 LaunchPad's technology demonstrator -08 SS/TC donor- #109 registered

[LaunchPad]

Howdy all! I am LaunchPad- I am retired USAF with 25 years in uniform (1991-2016). LaunchPad was my call sign for most of the time so I have actually answered to that far longer than my given name. OldB1 (like Obi-Wan Kenobi-from Star Wars cause he looks like him sorta) is older than my actual parents and like a father/best friend to me. We are building the car sorta like a last big HURAH! father/son project because OldB1 says he wants to take it easy now that he is supposedly old (he's a Vietnam Marine so tougher than me- LOL)

The "Technology Demonstrator" bit will take quite a bit more story telling further along.

OldB1 and I got our Goblin and donor car when a friend/business associate of ours passed away and his children auction off most of his projects. The chassis had been outside for a long period and didn't make the reserve on the auction- so OldB1 and I pitched in to cover the reserves for the Goblin chassis and the donor car. This was our friend Steve's SECOND goblin. The build log for his first Goblin is here: Steve's City Ext 09 Turbo | DF Kit Car Forum

 

[LaunchPad]

Got our Gobin chassis back from sand blasting and powder coating this week. It took 2 months but we got a smoking deal. OldB1 is in the photo.

we got it home and flipped on its lid to test fit the sheet metal. We are still missing the REAR firewall and/or a diagram for the rear firewall. . . anyone got pointers?

 

[LaunchPad]

We are strongly considering doing Linex on the floorpans. Has anyone else done this?

Linux of Omaha did a great job on my Stalker fenders. You can see the textured part on the lower portion of the rears here:

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

Great start! Glad to see you've kicked off your build log. This should be a great project for you both, hopefully it will be a positive experience with minimal issues - once you get past the missing parts situation. Let the building begin! Veterans rule! (I'm USAF 81-87, some of the best times in my life)

 

[Goblinfanclub1234]

F for firewall lol

 

[LaunchPad]

F for firewall lol

View attachment 42617

Yes indeed good sir! Looks like "F" is what we need a good tracing of! Else we were going to wing it I suspect once we got to the end of stage 1 assembly.

If I had drawings it could be whipped out in just 2 finger snaps. I have a CNC router - behind the stalker in the picture covered with the rest of the stalker bits. . .lol. . . .and a CNC plasma- tho we like the finish of water jet better. . . we have a friend that handles the water jetting. . . .it might be time to chew the fat over a 6 pack. lol

 

[Robinjo]

We are strongly considering doing Line-X on the floor pans. Has anyone else done this?

Line-X of Omaha did a great job on my Stalker fenders. You can see the textured part on the lower portion of the rears here:

I didn't do the Line-X, I did the spray can stuff from Auto Zone or Advanced Auto. I wish I had just sent the panels in to our local Line-X instead.

 

[Sebnuts]

We are strongly considering doing Linex on the floorpans. Has anyone else done this?

I had line-x do my floor pans and firewalls. A bit pricey but very happy with the final result.

 

[LaunchPad]

I had line-x do my floor pans and firewalls. A bit pricey but very happy with the final result.

Did you do just one side of the floor pan? Both sides? The behind the seat firewall too? (the one we are missing still)

 

[Sebnuts]

Did you do just one side of the floor pan? Both sides? The behind the seat firewall too? (the one we are missing still)

I had both sides done, on the floor pans and the front and rear firewalls (all of the thin aluminum panels). This is why it was so expensive, ended up being more surface area than a full sized truck bed.
This basically tripled the overall thickness of the panels, but it didn't seem to create any fitment issues.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

Launchpad, did you ever get the dimensions/template for the firewall(s)? I know you asked a while ago and don't remember seeing a response for this. I hope I just missed it, as it's not often that no one jumped on this request for help. If not, let me know and I'll see if I can get over to my storage unit to at least get you some exact dimension.

 

[LaunchPad]

Launchpad, did you ever get the dimensions/template for the firewall(s)? I know you asked a while ago and don't remember seeing a response for this. I hope I just missed it, as it's not often that no one jumped on this request for help. If not, let me know and I'll see if I can get over to my storage unit to at least get you some exact dimension.

hi D.S.,

in answer to your question- > well mostly. Adam did send me drawings of the floorboards and panel in front of the feet- the "bulkhead". we have these done and trying to decide if we will linex them. what we are still missing is the rear actual "fire wall" I believe it is 2 pieces. The panel behind seats and in front of the fuel tank. best i can assertion these we have a bit of time on because it comes after the engine is ready to start. I replied to Adams message that we still didn't get the rear firewall but I don't think he read it. When i get a chance during office hours i will call them again if something doesn't materialize. I think they are just really busy at the Golbin HQ. LOL.

Oldb1 and I only get to work on the goblin project on Wednesdays and mostly we are going to be tied up with striping, cleaning, and painting the donor parts in the near term. Lately, I have been working around the clock on the Stalker so I could have it done this year and my mind too occupied to remember to follow up again.

Thank you very much for remembering me!

 

[LaunchPad]

So this week we opted to pull the radiator hoses thru the body since the items we ordered for prep work showed up and it sure appeared easily enough on the surface. Now our frame had been VERY rusty when we got it because it had been sitting outside for about 7 years so we figured after powder coat and all the inside of the tubing would need some love. In preparation we ordered a 1.25" ball hone and we brazed that to some 1/4" rod to use cleaning out the inside with a cordless drill. Next, we swabbed out the bore with wads of paper towels and compressed air followed by a tire machine lube brush on the end of 2 wires and generous amounts of lube (a bit too gerous considering we needed "cat litter" to dry up the extra mess. Turns out I can't upload the mp4 of our process here so I might link it after I get it to YouTube. The hose got copious amount of lube coated on it as it went into the frame tube ohhhhh so very slowly.




We tapered the hose as videos said= used the aluminum ring and 3 zip ties as in the video and cranked away on the hand winch

Well suffice it to say that all that was not quite enough- because our rope broke 3 different times and eventually the end of the hose ripped off right as the aluminum ring poked its head out the far side and nothing could be done to coax it another 9 or so inches to get one side of the car done. We were looking pretty screwed at this point.

To get the hose back out of the frame we used a giant cable puller and an ATV winch on an 8-foot 2x4. Strangely the hose came out bone dry but the winch yanked it out pretty dang fast.

So in summation this Wed was a wash. We didn't end up screwed, but we are also back to square one with our radiator hose running. OLDB1 seems to think going slow is VERY bad and our silicon spray is drying somewhere along the slow process. So next up will be the ATV winch mounted on the recommended 2x4 in leu of the harbor freight hand winch and a LOT stouter rope after quite a bit more ball honing of the tubing bores.

 

[Joebob]

You can try pouring some lube in front of the hose as you winch it in as well to keep the leading edge of the hose wet.

Joe

 

[Gtstorey]

You might try the tapered end like is done in the videos vs the wire pull. The wire pull isn’t really designed to pull something that is tightly fitting inside of what it is pulling through. It might be digging into the steel and/or pulling too much from one side.

 

[LaunchPad]

You might try the tapered end like is done in the videos vs the wire pull. The wire pull isn’t really designed to pull something that is tightly fitting inside of what it is pulling through. It might be digging into the steel and/or pulling too much from one side.

The wire pull was to remove the hose that had already ripped in half. We were installing the hose as is done in the assembly videos with the taper, aluminum ring and zip ties.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

How much rust did you get out of the frame rails with the hone? Betting there are still lots of thirsty metal mites in there drinking up all the lube. May need something more substantial than tire wet - like maybe some of this stuff:

IDEAL Electrical 31-388 Clearglide® Electrical Pulling Lubricant - 1-Quart Squeeze Bottle https://a.co/d/cly3iwm

Takes a while for this lube to dry out and is slippery stuff.

 

[LaunchPad]

A lot might be a bit of an understatement. . . .half a dixie cup outta one side? it was a mix of rust, Powdercoat, dirt, honing material.

I sure understand what you are saying. I have a giant bottle of that stuff from a previous project at the shop- at this point I don't think it will hurt to try.

Mostly, I am relieved that the broken hose didn't remain stuck in the tubing.

 

[Scott #321]

When I did mine with a crank cable puller the hose seemed to pull pretty easy but after I stopped and measured and tried to start again it was a no go. Fortunately, I had just enough hose to get by on the engine side and did not have to risk tearing the hose.

 

[LaunchPad]

When I did mine with a crank cable puller the hose seemed to pull pretty easy but after I stopped and measured and tried to start again it was a no go. Fortunately, I had just enough hose to get by on the engine side and did not have to risk tearing the hose.

Yes, I think stoping and starting again is a huge part of things!