Kia-Aspire wheel swaps

[Bert]

Good news! For those of you with Aspire-derived suspensions and brakes the upgrade to 14 inch wheels is cheap and easy as pie.

First picture is of a stock Festy with 145/80-12s (21 inch diameter) and next is of 155/65-14s (21 3/4 inch diameter) on 03 Kia Rio alloys over Aspire suspension/brakes. Rims were a freebie and the Nokia all-weather tires were in the Frisby Tire (Ottawa) clearance bin (purchase/mounting/balance was $330) . Hub size is perfect as is offset. No clearance issues anywhere. These wheels require 'ball-seat' bolts instead of Festy 'cone-seat'. VW/Audi versions are perfect for this (just happened to have some on hand) and use a 17mm socket instead of the OEM Festy 14mm.

[Bert]

Aspire wheels on a Festy

Because I can only post 2 pictures at a time here is a shot of the Festy (pre-Kia wheels) with Aspire wheels and tires (165/70-13s).

[zoom zoom]

Those look real nice man! Paint those drums and make the wheels POP!

[DriverOne]

Looks great, Bert! Those wheels are quite a bit more aggressive than stock! Let's see a whole car shot next.

[Bert]

View from the back. Kia/Aspire on the left and stock Festy on the right. A little more aggressive stance and wider tires but not so as to make the car look bizarre.

[bravekozak]

There is a set of Aspire alloys in Pontiac, MI.

They are 13 X 4.5
I currently have Geo Storm wheels, which are 14 X 5.5

I prefer the taller stance and put up with hubcentric rings.

[Bert]

Looks great, Bert! Those wheels are quite a bit more aggressive than stock! Let's see a whole car shot next.

How's this. Switching to 'universal' 100mm bolt pattern and floating rotors (thank you donor Aspire 'bubble cars') has been the best thing I ever did (so far) to a Festy. 2 hole Rio bearing-filled top hats was another. The Kia Rio compatibility thing, that has been ongoing for quite awhile on this site, is bearing fruit; instant modern wheels for our now obsolete 'fly-weight' cars can now officially be included.
I can buy a used H. Accent, Kia Rio, Toyota Echo or Honda Civic for 2-3 grand but none have the 'close to the ground' feel of a personalized Festy. Up here Festy daily-driver (DD) cars disappeared 10 years ago. Everybody laughs until I tell them an 8 foot piece of trim fits inside, that they get 50 mpg, and that they're a real hoot to drive and to climb curbs and sidewalks with.
I was an Austin Mini nut (actually slalom-raced one for a few years) 40 years ago. They are 'garbage' cars compared to the versatility of Festys. The Cooper 'S' models were barely faster than a stock 5-speed 1.3l Festy and with cheap upgrade Aspire suspension and brakes Festys can be made to handle very similar.
Yahoo!

[Bert]

There is a set of Aspire alloys in Pontiac, MI.

They are 13 X 4.5
I currently have Geo Storm wheels, which are 14 X 5.5

I prefer the taller stance and put up with hubcentric rings.

The beauty of going to Kia rims is that everything is instant, and fits perfectly. The VW 13 inch rims I got hold of last year required hub-centric spacer rings that were a curse to hold in place while the wheel was being installed. Perhaps you want a free set of alloy 13" VW rims?

[loknlode]

I use 1/4" spacers on the front of the aspire to fit the honda wheels and I use a pair of 3" dowels to put in two opisite holes and hang the wheel on those and the other two lugs line up to put the lug bolts on. works like a charm. that won't on your set up I don't think.


not to be a buzz kill but shouldn't this be in the custom wheels and sup. forum?

[Bert]

I use 1/4" spacers on the front of the aspire to fit the honda wheels and I use a pair of 3" dowels to put in two opisite holes and hang the wheel on those and the other two lugs line up to put the lug bolts on. works like a charm. that won't on your set up I don't think.


not to be a buzz kill but shouldn't this be in the custom wheels and sup. forum?

I too made up a 'dowel' bolt just for hanging loose wheels until I could get a wheel bolt started. But that's all in the past now. Aspire hubs are 2 1/8" as are Kia wheels. Can't get any better'n that.
Could be I should'a posted in 'custom wheels and sup' but who cares as long as the word leaks out. I've being toying with all manner of wheels and tires (even found vintage Maserati rims that fit last fall) for over a year and this discovery was a revelation. Plus finding high grade but bargain basement price 'only-for-Peugeot' car tires.

[DriverOne]

Excellent, Bert! The stripe across the side ties it all in together very well. Yours is probably one of my favorite setups now. Will you keep the KIA logo, or change it up for a Ford logo?

Oh yeah, and I definitely agree that the RIO strut mount is an absolute must even if you're NOT upgrading from stock. The simple switch-up absolutely removes the need for power steering.

[Bert]

Excellent, Bert! The stripe across the side ties it all in together very well. Yours is probably one of my favorite setups now. Will you keep the KIA logo, or change it up for a Ford logo?

Oh yeah, and I definitely agree that the RIO strut mount is an absolute must even if you're NOT upgrading from stock. The simple switch-up absolutely removes the need for power steering.

The stripe on the car (and the paint) is original. I only fix cars and drive them, never been into 'spit and polish'. The old duffer that owned it (was his wife's until she went into a nursing home) spent all his time removing metric bolts and screws and converting to Am. standard. Pissed me off no end (still), and/but convinced me he'd nearly taken the whole car apart, for just for fun or to merely to pass the time. Love of life or outright love of somebody does have it's inadvertent side-effects. Car needed a valve job when I got it but has since got the 'Aspire' treatment and lots more attention. Also needs a motor (blows smoke) but I have a lo-mile Aspire 1.3 close at hand for whenever I have or get spare time.

[Bert]

Excellent, Bert! The stripe across the side ties it all in together very well. Yours is probably one of my favorite setups now. Will you keep the KIA logo, or change it up for a Ford logo?

Oh yeah, and I definitely agree that the RIO strut mount is an absolute must even if you're NOT upgrading from stock. The simple switch-up absolutely removes the need for power steering.

Rio top hats is a 'quiet revolution' for Festy owners. The difference is unbelievable. On the other hand running around with lo-profile 14s on a Festy today was also a real eye-opener. I may have become too old to drive this car.

[DriverOne]

Rio top hats is a 'quiet revolution' for Festy owners. The difference is unbelievable. On the other hand running around with lo-profile 14s on a Festy today was also a real eye-opener. I may have become too old to drive this car.

Open eyes, closed bottom? Was it the extreme change in look, or is it the ride? I can certainly attest to the basketball-like feeling that all four of my low-pro tires have. The ride isn't comfortable for a lot of people, so they ride in my wife's Festiva. I will definitely say that a long trip in my car leaves a lot to be desired (i.e., pillows!)...

[Bert]

Open eyes, closed bottom? Was it the extreme change in look, or is it the ride? I can certainly attest to the basketball-like feeling that all four of my low-pro tires have. The ride isn't comfortable for a lot of people, so they ride in my wife's Festiva. I will definitely say that a long trip in my car leaves a lot to be desired (i.e., pillows!)...

You're a good man, Charlie Brown. Old car with a modern ride is entirely new to me. I'm stuck with 15 inch wheels on my 'pride and joy' 300 six 86 F150 because the buggers (Found On Road Dead) changed wheel bolt patterns in 1997.