rick021808

Hey, I used to be a member on here many years ago but can't remember my old username/password. I bought a brand new 2006 Cobalt SS/SC then later sold it in 2008. I was just having a hard time affording rent, bills, $500+/month car payments, $500+/month insurance, $1500+/year in speeding tickets.... etc... So ended up just buying cheaper cars throughout the years. Right now I own a 2000 Cavalier Z24, just getting a little bored and want to either speed some money and do a eco/m62 swap or maybe buy another cobalt, they are so cheap now (then what I paid for mine brand new). Figured I'd join CSS.net again and see what I missed over the years. I haven't been here since 2008... Been trolling her for last few months, never knew anything about the TVS before, seems like I missed a lot. I noticed this is also a very active forum compared to jbody.org. But lots of reading to do... I still think I am leaning towards staying with the cavalier. But who knows, the cobalt seems to have way more tuning support. I have also learned(mostly on ecotec forums) that a few guys have done hybrid builds so I am interested in that now. My plan if I stay with the cavalier is:

06/07 forged LE5 bottom end with LSJ head
I was thinking of just doing a L61 and building up the bottom end but many guys say the factory bottom end on the LE5 is strong enough for +400hp? So I would probably just leave it stock if I can find a low mileage one, probably put neutral balance shafts on it. The LSJ head though, depending on budget, I wouldn't mind doing some head work(porting, valve springs, etc). I will probably put a M62 on first just because they are cheap and good starting point for me to learn hp tuners. Then down the road, maybe look at a TVS, I also read this build> 20,000 rpm eaton blower........Civic si. and I really think with a good amount of headwork, the ecotec can do very well with a supercharger. The M62, like I said will just be a starting point, to learn and that but after with the TVS, I am aiming for +400whp. (this is just a long term goal) I will continue searching but if anyone has ran a bigger s/c, please let me know, I'd be interested in the build. I will be running the LD9 PCM/harness so I can use the GM s/c 2 bar speed density flash.

I will hopefully be starting the "buying parts" part of the build this summer. When I decide which direction I want to go, either the above or buy a Cobalt.. and if I do, I was leaning towards a LSJ but now maybe thinking LE5 as a starting point. Then do similar as above, put lsj head on it, s/c, etc...


I know this forum may be a little cobalt bias but any advice/opinions are welcomed.



If anyone cares, here are a few pictures of my Cavalier, I dislike body kits but if I do plan on keeping the cavalier, I'd probably just get a LSS lip, tint the windows, get some wider wheels(either 16s or 17s, after owning a car with 18s, I will never put 18s on a car)

BlackielawlessSS

iTrader: (1)

Dat J body! Welcome.

LS6Rally

iTrader: (14)

Very nice, i had an 2001 Base that was very good to me.

not to be an ass, but you need to fix the rust on that Cavy before you worry about building it. if its too far gone or getting bad, you amy want to go with your gut on buying an SS.

keep in mind the LSJ is non VVT and the LE5 has VVT.

06cobaltncng

iTrader: (9)

welcome amigo!

rick021808

Yeah I know, the rust is just surface, If I do plan on going all out on the cavalier, it will get some minor body repairs. It has 210000kms(130k miles) on it so its in pretty decent cond. There is also few minor chips here and there too, so yeah. But no point spending bunch of money on a $2500 car if it will remain nothing more than that. If I do decide the cobalt route, I may put the stock suspension back in the cavalier and keep it as a winter car.

Yup, I am a wear of the VVT, with the cavalier it would be a LE5/LSJ hybrid, and never research the cobalt enough yet but I would probably ditch the VVT and put a LSJ head on the LE5(if I can)

Tsbbzm

iTrader: (1)

Welcome!

makememad

Is performance everything to you? my family has had a cavalier before and it was an okay car but i think its safe to say that the SS/SC i have now is a much nicer car all around, much more enjoyable to drive everyday. If i had a choice between a stock cobalt ss/sc and a 400hp cavalier then id still take the cobalt home. But thats just me, if performance is everything you are after then i guess stick with the cavalier and fix it up and it would be an awesome sleeper! Oh and also, welcome back!

rick021808

Good point, I would say performance is the most important but having a clean stock body is nice too, if it was full of rust/dents, then I wouldn't waste time with it. But I think it has a pretty decent body/interior... I do miss my ss/sc a lot. It was a fun car and looked very nice. When I had it, I would of never thought in a million years I would ever be in a cavalier. Now that I own one, I do like it too, I think the interior on the cobalt(steering wheel especially) is far superior to the cavalier.

Below is a picture of a member on JBO(he might be one here too) of his cavalier next to his ss/sc. Both are on stock suspension. I do like the styling of the cobalt but the cavalier is a lot shorter than the cobalt... Nicer stance IMO... This is the bumper lip I was talking about too...




I also agree with the sleeper thing, it was nice when I had the ss/sc and nobody knew anything about it. Surprised a lot of V8s with it.

LS6Rally

iTrader: (14)

there is an 08 SS/TC for sale by me, 117K blown motor, guy is asking $4k. would be a fun project wtih all teh TC gooides too.

SunburstSS

iTrader: (48)

I would have jumped on that if I did not have a project car at the moment lol

rick021808

There was actually a 06 ss/sc g85 in my area, I was really interested in, he lowered it down to $2500 and now ad is not listed so might of sold it. It had 200k kms on it, engine was good, needed clutch work and body had a big dent in drivers door/quarter panel and front bumper was damaged. Realistically, it would probably be well over $3000 to fix the body. But was thinking it would be a good project then part out rest. If body work was cheap, it may have been worth fixing but it had a lot of high value parts, I would've probably kept the LSJ for the cavalier but sold LSD trans, might of sold the recaros(unless I could use them) and lots of other misc parts still good on the car. Would of all added up pretty quick. I am going to be buying a house over next few months too so not starting any projects until after I move into the new house.

bmartz1991

iTrader: (35)

Welcome to the site!

Mr Mall Cop

iTrader: (1)

Welcome back to Cobalt land, Once you enter there's no escape.

tazmanian devil

welcome fellow canadian!!

96S1

iTrader: (7)

Keep us posted whether you decide Cavalier Z24/LSS sleeper build or Cobalt SS . . . both boards, here and jbody.org are great for tons of info as you already know.

The more time I spend here the more I think I recognize other jbo members . . . I have been on that board since 01. Learned a ton. Still learning a ton. Awesome Cav builds on that site still. Catch up on the Canadian built 383 stroker RWD sleeper?! Effin’ awesome!

I've had my '98 Z24 for 13 years or so. Koni Reds, Eibach Sportlines, 1" Addco and 18x7.5's really made that car's handling come alive. Baer brake kit . . . all I was waiting for was power adder but then I had a wife, 3 kids and a mortgage instead!! Fast forward a few years and saving my pennies . . .

A couple weeks ago I picked up an '08 SS/TC and . . wow. It's a GMS1 car . . effortless power on tap. Handles so much better than the J. GM really did a nice job on transforming the econobalt into a mean little road machine. I really enjoy this car, and I will start adding performance and handling upgrades to it soon, from the likes of ZZP and Powell. But even bone stock GMS1 - this car feels miles ahead of the Cavalier. The fact that GM did not continue this mindset into the Cruze and further is a crime in itself, but that’s another story.

That said - I still really like my Cav. If I can swing the funds and time, it'll be upgraded into ecotec FI of some sort I think . . . just not sure yet which route to go. Then tackle all of the interior rattle with a complete tear down/rebuild wrapped in fabric of some sort . . . we shall see!

Here is the SS next to the Z24.

08SSTCGMS1-001_zpse9633543.jpg?t=1394676260

Z needs new paint badly!

rick021808

Nice SS/TC, I read somewhere before the SS/TC beat a bunch of cars on some time attack or road course or something but can't seem to find the link again. Heard the brembo brakes and suspension are a lot better than the SS/SC. I never been in the TC yet but do remembering the SC having pretty awesome handling stock, I also upgraded the brakes on my SC, so they were pretty amazing, stopped on a dime. I've always wanted a turboed car but still leaning towards supercharged.
My thoughts are if I get a Cobalt, it might be ready to go, few mods/bolt ons and its ready to go, reliable for the most part. With the Cavalier, there will be pretty extensive mods done to it, so having down time with it may be an issue as I plan to daily drive it. So that's why I think part of me wants to just buy a cobalt for simple and reliable but the other part wants to be different and have a cavalier. Not to often you see a quick/fast cavalier driving around. I do want to get a diesel truck down the road. So the cavalier at that point may not be that bad since I would have a 2nd vehicle if the cavalier is in the garage getting work down to it. Then I won't be rushed to get it fixed.

Xmetalhead2003X

iTrader: (3)

Welcome back!

96S1

iTrader: (7)

The Time Attack Cobalt is awesome. It beat an 800hp Skyline by like 7 seconds or something . . it was actually a sub 400hp SC LSJ on dope . . Powell Race Parts - John Powell is on this board all the time - here is a link to his product line and some details about the Time Attack Cobalt:

Powell goodies


Exactly . . that would be sweet. Catch up on jbo if you haven't been there in a while too - there are loads of super nice J's still on there - many of them sleeper status. Not as much traffic as here, but a lot of the guys that are on that board regularly offer up tons of great advice.

rick021808

Hmm, Impressive but I was thinking of a different one, it was a SS/TC that was either stock or almost stock. Maybe it wasn't time attack but I thought it was some road course.

Yeah I am on JBO, way more traffic here for sure. Even if I do stick with the cavalier, figured it would be good idea to join here again, when I do the eco swap and need parts, the classified section on here has a lot of activity.