89' 323 Hatch KLDE swap

[Bert]

All of which begs me to ask the question; for going to all that trouble why an auto?

Port, polish, balance, cam and breathe and totally build me the wildest 4 bolt main 69 Chev 302 ci there ever was and, by way, then hook it up to a '50's 2-speed powerglide' so as I can appreciate driving it.

[Damkid]

This 323 is not staying auto, the auto is destine to go in neanderpaul's festiva w/ a B6T

[neanderpaul]

[Safety Guy]

Bert asked:

"All of which begs me to ask the question; for going to all that trouble why an auto?"

Paul may be planning on being the first to build a 4 speed auto Festiva. Why?

1. It ain't been fully documented yet (supposedly one has been done).
2. Some folks don't mind or even prefer autos with their horsepower increase.
3. A FOUR speed auto would give an ATX Festiva the ability to get mileage about like a 4 speed MTX Festiva with the same engine. Revs should drop at least several hundred rpm from what a stock three speed ATX would do on the highway. For example, my B6/ATX Festy got, at best, about 37 mpg at around 60 to 65 mph. I bet a 4AT would get that over 40 mpg easily. Consider it also has a lockup torque converter, so perhaps 42+ mpg is possible.
4. Autos can easily hold the power of a stock B8, B6T or BP engine, along with a little "abuse" like giving it your all at the dragstrip. Stock Festiva manual transaxles won't.
5. The 4 speed ATX finally upgrades the slushbox Festivas into the late '90s. Or mid-'90s, for that matter. IT'S ABOUT TIME!

Karl

[bhazard]

Ford first used the AOD trans in 1980, so it gets the festivas into the EARLY 80's

[htchbck]

Hmmm... that looks really familiar. Where have I seen that before...



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Wait! I know!



Can't wait to see this KL 323, I drove my brother's K8 MX3 again over the weekend and even the baby V6 has got plenty of juice!

And Karl, all of your points about the auto swap were right on! Especially the MPG comments, thats why I'm doing mine, should average in the 40s on the highway.