redundant aspire festiva swap question

[blitzbuggy]

in regards for the brake swap and hub swap, there are no aspires in the local junck yards here. so my questions is can i just buy the parts from my frendly parts store, the reason i ask is i recieve a substancial discount there, I should only requre front hubs/brakes/ tierods and rear hubs? brakes ect.

I understand to get a junkyard car is best, but on the other hand, there is a reason they call it the junck yards, and not the gently used parts lot,

[villageidiot]

its the whole rear axle beam assembly complete from drum to drum, and both front spindle assemblies with calipers, also tie rod ends

[blitzbuggy]

ah i forgot about the spindles. thanks!

[Safety Guy]

I think the most you could buy new from a McParts store would be:

-calipers (including brackets, I believe)
-pads and shoes
-wheel bearings and wheel seals
-tie rod ends
-rotors and drums
-brake hoses
-struts and strut mounts
-misc. hardware (bleeders, springs, nuts and bolts...)


The parts you would have to get used from somewhere:

-rear axle beam and brackets
-hub/knuckles
-e-brake cable
-spindles

I can't think of anything else.

Remember for the front brakes to keep auto and manual transaxle Aspire caliper brackets and rotors compatible. (You can't use auto rotors on a manual caliper/caliper bracket setup, for example.)

The parts that are different:

-rotors
-caliper brackets (usually not taken off calipers--for a long time I didn't know they were a separate part!)

Everything else should be the same between ATX and MTX front stuff.

As far as I know, all rear stuff is all the same for all Aspires.

Karl

[Bert]

Typically an entire car is cheaper to buy than a long list of parts from a junkyard. If you have the space that is by far the best way to go. I was amazed with all the extra stuff that could be scavenged off an Aspire (including 'free' engine/transmission) plus I got to drive the car home. Aspires (cars or parts) are mostly non-existent in Eastern Ontario and yet there are 1/2 dozen 'drivers' for sale at any given time in West Quebec.

[Safety Guy]

Bert's right about the whole Aspire idea. The best way to go if the price is right and you have some place to keep it, at least for a week or two until you pick it apart for all it's worth. Then you get scrap value for what's left! At least $100 or so, depending on steel scrap prices and how much is left.

Karl

[Bert]

Don't forget the trailing arm brackets where they attach to the body. They are a direct fit and better built and also allow for much easier access to the pivot bolts when assembly time comes around. Also: haven't done this yet (installation) but the front end sway bar of an Aspire is sturdier than a Festy unit (quite a bit thicker) and is supposed to be a direct fit. But you'd better grab all the accompanying brackets and mounts to go with it. In my case those particular bolts had to be sheared off the donor car with a really long breaker bar.
As I suggested earlier you're way better off to lo-ball bid on a complete car than collecting parts from all over creation and having to pay money to lie on gravel or in the mud every time.