DriverOne Festiva Build Pics

[graywolf_14]

Wow man sorry to hear about your bad luck. I agree that it needs lowered but if anything just the back lowered to level it.

[DriverOne]

I'd love a set of Teins. Unfortunately, only small mods for a while. Christmas is coming up, and that means another two weeks of unpaid, mandatory time off. Thank God my wife has a job now. Oh! And for some reason, the wheel on the left front protrudes from the car almost half an inch while the front right is tucked in like the others. That would make lowering it complicated. I believe the front clip of the car is twisted.

[DriverOne]

I've noticed that I haven't updated with pics of my stereo. So, here are some updates;
This is the SOUNDSTORM USS8 amplified low-profile 600w 8" sub I've been talking about.


I installed the included gain remote inside the ashtray since I don't smoke and had no real use for it otherwise, plus the blue LED on the remote module is super bright and I'm not trying to get pulled over for impersonating a cop! (joking)

[lanemeyer14]

Awesome! Love that slim design sub. I've never been a big fan of systems due to the size of the speakers/boxes, but that one looks great tucked under the seat!

[DriverOne]

Awesome! Love that slim design sub. I've never been a big fan of systems due to the size of the speakers/boxes, but that one looks great tucked under the seat!

I love it myself! I'm going to have to install a capacitor though, because I believe it cut my fuel mileage down to around 25mpg's under full power. Something that small, I'm surprised takes a bunch. If it didn't, it's back to the fine-tooth-comb search for more reasons why the Red Retro is still somehow sub-par.

[DriverOne]

Update! Fuel pump was what caused the drop in gas mileage. New fuel pump (on the engine, but for some reason there's a panel in the cargo bay?!) is $50 because I need it yesterday. Pics to come!

[kumalaba]

^

yea i love that sub under seat to save cargo space also! how are you & your wife doing? enjoyed talking with you guys @ fm4!

[DriverOne]

Building a new cargo trailer for the Festiva. I want to be able to take 4 people places and still carry what a normal car does, so since the trunk isn't the biggest in the world, I decided to buy a motorcycle cargo trailer. Used, they were more than I paid for the CAR. Next, I looked for stuff to build one new, and the 40"x48" trailers they were selling were going for $240 with 8" tires, and car-top cargo carriers were hard to find and all the wrong sizes. This week on Craigslist, I stumbled across a 40"x48" with 12" tires, a wooden floor, and a super-duty tongue stand and wheel setup that flips up and out of the way for $150! I mentioned that to my dad, and he told me that I could have his early 90's style (cause they made 'em bigger back then...) cargo carrier, which, as you can see, is almost as big as the Festiva itself. Took 'em both home with the help of Bebandit, and as soon as I can get a hitch made, I'll have a trailer.

[chrisofna]

Panel in the cargo bay is to service the sender and such I assume for the carb. On the EFI the fuel pump is there too.

[DriverOne]

I'm a condescending hypocrite. I swore up and down that I would NEVER put one of those cheesy Walmart personalization badges on my ride. ...Until I saw something that I had to put on (for now) under my badges:



Let the hell-giving commence.

[DriverOne]

The Bebandit LED mod, in amber.

[DriverOne]

Well, after over a year, it's time to ressurect the build thread. The original direction in which I was heading has been almost entirely scrapped. That's usually the way things go, I'm sure. My new direction takes a lot of my prevous ideas, some of which I've posted, and some of which I've kept to myself, but my interior is going a direction that will be probably 80-90% custom, including the seats.

I'm wrapping the dash, plastics, door panels, headliner, pillars, etc. in grey and black microsuede, leather, and cloth, double stitched when necessary. My center console will be a one-piece, reaching to and replacing parts of the orignal dashboard. I hate the temperature controls, so they're being replaced with a digital control from an early model Mitsubishi or Mazda product. Custom cut and radiused polished steel panels will house 6.5" woofers in the doors along where the map pockets used to be. The corresponding tweeters will be mounted in the doors as well in their original black recessed trim. A few other cars will lend their works to the interior, including (but not limited to) the Miata, 626, Saleen S7, Detomasso Pantera, and a Mercedes SLR.

Power windows are a must. As much as I like the manual windows, This is going to be the Festiva S, and I think going that way with the windows to match the mirrors is only right. This is an LX platform, after all. I'll look into other Mazdas for the window equipment.

I might keep the subwoofer, I might not. I'm really feeling the effects of the Tang Band W6 6.5" subwoofer, and I can build my own SQ box, powering the subwoofer with a 100w amp for 1/6th the power that my current amp draws, and still keep it under the driver's seat.

The gauge cluster in the car is gone (figuratively). The 323 cluster that I acquired from FB71 (thanks, Jim!) is going into my sister's car (she has made immense strides to turn her life around, and now has the likes of Michelin Corporate NA, Sylvan, and TD Bank in her resume') since she saw it and her eyes glazed over. That's ok. I'm helping her to build her car as well. My dash cluster is going a fully custom route, with digital tach, speedo, etc. surrounding a Garmin 5" GPS unit, sending sound through hollowed out, grille-covered switch panels that are currently unused, via the best (inexpensive) iPod speakers I can find, to be controlled independently to the rest of the (6-speaker) audio system. The benefit of this is that I can speak to the particular unit I have in mind, rather than touching it, solving the issue of having my hands through the steering wheel at 70+. For times when I do need to touch it, I can (and should) always pull over. I like the ability to add my own pictures to the Garmin startup sequence, which will enable me to add a Festiva S logo to the startup. I turn the car on, it goes "Garmin" ... "Festiva S", and begin. All my 'race gauges' will be Pantera style in the center console, in amber. I even plan to add an analog clock.

The 12v hub mod will see completion behind the clock delete, with two 12v charge ports and USB iPod/iPhone connectivity. It's also a perfect place for a Ford emblem. Charge ports will not be seen in the rear, rather a USB port will be available for each rear passenger. A 12v power supply will be available in the rear of the car under the driver's side rear speaker panel in the form of a one-way connector found on everything from RC cars to electric forklift batteries. The Coleman PowerChill 40QT that I have often blows fuses due to its plug design, and so you see why I want the solid connectivity to the rear. A 12V splitter from (truck stop) hacked up and femaled to the one-way connector gives me electric air pump functionality, as well as the option to power a socket-mount, 120w inverter. The larger, 500w inverter I own will be mounted under the passenger side. Why the hell would I need a 500w inverter? Why the hell not? I'm a trucker.

That being said, yeah, it'll have a CB, and the antenna's going right through the roof. For those of you who just :angry3:, hold on a cotton pickin' second. It's not a gaudy, age-defining unit. It's a Midland 1001LWX. Small, Festiva-sized, and enough functions to amp it up without destroying it. The mic has its own compartment in the console (per my design), and so you won't see the cable hanging down in front of everything. The antenna looks like the new Aerials, so it will appear that I have dual aerials (yet another secret revealed! :eeeeeek

The XR2 I own is great. It's great for parts. It's great for a B6T, and G-series, etc. It's also great, because the rear suspension is going under the Festiva, but not the original components. Light is good, so off to the metal shop I go. I've got it in mind to go tubular with my components, and so lighten the weight. I'm going Dastardly, and catching that Pigeon, if I can't pass him.



See the fenders, how they flare at the very ends, but drop immediately? Why? Because Festiva! Subtle. Not squared.

Added to this:



With these rims:



wrapped in 165/45/15's.

Lowered: Miata, RIO, Festiva. You'll see, whenever I can get wrenches turned.

[DriverOne]

M&R Metal Fab (Wiles Rd. Anderson, for any interested locals) built me these12-gauge A36 carbon Steel plate bridges for $72. They will install them as soon as I get the car to their shop. This is good news for Area Festy 1, as 72 square feet of real estate just opened back up. The frame will be sandblasted, removing all undercoating and rust from the original steel. These new bridges will then be penetrated at the best spots possible to weld the new steel to the remaining steel as well as to the floorboards.







Dimensions are 2.5' x 2" IW x 1 7/8" IH with 1" flanges.

[DriverOne]

Well, the car's back home. The modifications haven't been done yet, but I'm super excited to see it accomplished Monday afternoon. I'll take pics as soon as I get info.

[kumalaba]

nice!