Tweaks Re-build thread

[moz]

It'll go well on the straights though

[Advancedynamix]

The downside to fwd is the weight transfer off the front wheels and weight itself. On the Festiva both of these things are kept in check very well with a proper setup.

That's what makes the Festiva such a competitive chassis. Theoretically, a FWD platform will provide the best handling car in nearly all performance scenarios on asphalt. However, the heavier the car, the less this is true, and the more weight that the chassis has behind the front axle line the less effective the car will be. The Festiva is very light, and has comparatively very little mass behind the driving axle, therefore it can enter corners at a much higher rate of speed than almost any other car. It is limited mostly by the amount of rubber that fits under the stock wheel wells.

So what happens to a Festiva with the engine in the back on a road course? Does it hook up better?

Nope. I wish my GoPro hadn't crapped out on friday, because I'd have proof of this. I easily passed a Lotus Exige that was driven by an experienced driver. The Lotus has roughly the same HP as Tweak (it was the 180hp model, not the R) weighs nearly the same amount and was on 215mm wide Proxes R888 tires which should provide drastically more grip than my 185mm wide Yokohama Advan A048s. After I passed the Lotus, the driver tried to follow my lines, thinking that he could pick up some speed. He almost spun off the track a couple of times. That car is supposedly "ideal" for road racing, yet can't hang with a similar weight FWD grocery getter on narrower tires? Mid engine is difficult to drive fast, especially on a short platform. I have no doubt that a FWD, front engine Festiva will hands down out handle a mid engined or front engine RWD festiva.

[scitzz]

It is limited mostly by the amount of rubber that fits under the stock wheel wells.

Where would you consider tire size to be most important on a Festiva RE handling. Front or rear? Obviously, wider front tires can handle more power getting to the ground, but if you had to choose front or rear, which one would you widen?

[TominMO]

That's what makes the Festiva such a competitive chassis. Theoretically, a FWD platform will provide the best handling car in nearly all performance scenarios on asphalt. However, the heavier the car, the less this is true, and the more weight that the chassis has behind the front axle line the less effective the car will be. The Festiva is very light, and has comparatively very little mass behind the driving axle, therefore it can enter corners at a much higher rate of speed than almost any other car. It is limited mostly by the amount of rubber that fits under the stock wheel wells.

Nope. I wish my GoPro hadn't crapped out on friday, because I'd have proof of this. I easily passed a Lotus Exige that was driven by an experienced driver. The Lotus has roughly the same HP as Tweak (it was the 180hp model, not the R) weighs nearly the same amount and was on 215mm wide Proxes R888 tires which should provide drastically more grip than my 185mm wide Yokohama Advan A048s. After I passed the Lotus, the driver tried to follow my lines, thinking that he could pick up some speed. He almost spun off the track a couple of times. That car is supposedly "ideal" for road racing, yet can't hang with a similar weight FWD grocery getter on narrower tires? Mid engine is difficult to drive fast, especially on a short platform. I have no doubt that a FWD, front engine Festiva will hands down out handle a mid engined or front engine RWD festiva.

Sounds like Lotus should buy up as many used Festys as it can, totally refurbish and upgrade them, and slap Lotus badges on 'em! :-) And also buy new stripped-down ones from Saipa, to add their own parts to. It's just hilarious that a Festy can be put together for a few thousand that will humiliate a Lotus.

Here is an article from R&T on the Exige S, a $57K car. Note that it calls it the best handling car in the world: http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-revi...?click=main_sr

[sketchman]

A buddy that moved to NYC a few years ago is currently building a 240sx. He's all about grip. I tried to tell him. Nope, front engine RWD, and nothing less will do.

I keep sending him your vids. I hope to get up there with a B3T and my suspension finally done so I can educate him.

It's already amusing when guys get behind me and try to tailgate. I wait for downhill and never break a sweat leaving them behind. Last one turned out to be a cop. Glad I didn't push it too much that time.

We definitely need to freeze your head when you die. Future generations will forget about the little Festiva that could, and long hammered RWD doctrine will rule again. Cognitive dissonance is such an irritating thing.

[Advancedynamix]

Where would you consider tire size to be most important on a Festiva RE handling. Front or rear? Obviously, wider front tires can handle more power getting to the ground, but if you had to choose front or rear, which one would you widen?

Definitely the front, which is nice because the front fenders are easily removed and modified, but I built this car to test what can be done to a mostly stock chassis with bolt on upgrades. The wider tires aren't for more traction under power, in fact narrower tires put more power to the ground more efficiently until they are overheated (narrower contact patch has more pressure than a wide contact patch). The reason wider tires are needed is for stability in corners. I wear the edges off these 185mm tires quickly, and I get a lot of tire squirm. I can easily overwork a 7" wide R-compound or racing slick tire with this car. I barely wear the back tires, but the fronts overheat and wear quickly. I have to rotate them every session, and then flip them on the wheels every day of racing. I only get about 3 track days out of a set of tires. However, pulling nearly 3 g's in a grocery getter is well worth the tire bill.

Sounds like Lotus should buy up as many used Festys as it can, totally refurbish and upgrade them, and slap Lotus badges on 'em! :-) And also buy new stripped-down ones from Saipa, to add their own parts to. It's just hilarious that a Festy can be put together for a few thousand that will humiliate a Lotus.

Here is an article from R&T on the Exige S, a $57K car. Note that it calls it the best handling car in the world: http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-revi...?click=main_sr

This is why it hurts me so badly to see these cars getting crushed in such excellent condition here in AZ. To me it's like they are crushing the worlds most potent and cost effective race weapon, and one by one killing them off. People see this car on the track and they think I'm an amazing driver or that this has some exotic modifications done to it to make it that fast. Truth is, I'm not a very good driver (just have a high tolerance for speed) and the car has less modification than the average civic around here(keep in mind I live in same town HASPORT, FullRace, LoCash and about a dozen other big name import tuner shops are in). Really, there is very little done to this car, and it's not a track car that is street legal, it's a street car that is track worthy. The secret is that the Festiva is the best platform for a track car ever imported to this country. It is cheap, it is light, it is unbelievably strong and well designed and the suspension geometry works excellent. Nothing exotic needed. People find that hard to believe.

A buddy that moved to NYC a few years ago is currently building a 240sx. He's all about grip. I tried to tell him. Nope, front engine RWD, and nothing less will do.

I keep sending him your vids. I hope to get up there with a B3T and my suspension finally done so I can educate him.

It's already amusing when guys get behind me and try to tailgate. I wait for downhill and never break a sweat leaving them behind. Last one turned out to be a cop. Glad I didn't push it too much that time.

We definitely need to freeze your head when you die. Future generations will forget about the little Festiva that could, and long hammered RWD doctrine will rule again. Cognitive dissonance is such an irritating thing.

A little creepy, but thanks! Lol. I am building quite a few more of these cars. This car wasn't intended to be a track car, it was intended to be a fun street toy that is track worthy, but remained mostly OEM+. No fancy engine management (it's even running on a stock B6t ECU!), no trick suspension, no wild body modifications, just stuff that anyone with simple fab skills and a good set of tools could do in the garage with parts from a salvage yard or great deals on eBay. My next build will be a Street legal Track toy. It will still be a time attack car (no roll cage, no need for fuel cell or up to date safety certifications/log books/complicated BS) but it will not be intended to appear stock, and will not be as budget conscious. If Tweak can keep up with your average slightly modified z06 Vette, the next car should be neck to neck with fully prepared Z06 Vettes.

240's are a waste of time in my opinion. Heck, GTR's struggle to keep up with the Festy (as you can see in that video).

[Flyin4stroke]

You need a reich ecu!?

[scitzz]

Thanks for all the answers!

[Advancedynamix]

You need a reich ecu!?

I was running a G-Force ecu when I blew it up last year. Revving it past 6500 with the ihi turbine is a bad idea with what I'm doing with this car. It creates too much exhaust heat and cylinder pressure and I melt things. Lol. I want to keep things stock on this car, and the stock tune works well and seems to keep it from self destruction. It is running 15psi and and water/methanol so it's not exactly stock hp. I have yet to dyno the new engine, but my last one made 161hp/160ftlb on 12psi with automatic cams. It feels like it pulls harder with the stock cams and it is now boost creeping to 15, which feels like a nice smooth boost curve, so I'm happy.

[moz]

What would your guess be?
I'm shooting for around 200hp

[Flyin4stroke]

Yeah I went through a couple stock b6t turbos. I was thinking you were still on 9lbs. 12-15 isn't bad but should see around 190 hp. I did 174 hp with open exhaust on 9 lbs no boost controller. But we know how all dynos are different. I heard 30 hp for just the ecu swap. Those stock b6t turbos are 1.3l turbos, at least it won't outrun the turbo like the b6t. It worked great on Danny's rear turbo 1.6 sohc.

[bhazard]

I need to come out and get one or two of those clean bodies.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

[Advancedynamix]

Yeah, vj14 is great on a b3, and realistically it's not a bad fit for the b6t, especially considering the era this thing was designed in, but a gt2560 would be nice. My next b6t will have a 2560r, and programmable management, which will make a huge difference in my lap times, not even factoring in larger front tires and less weight. But this is Tweaks build thread, and tweak is a really well balanced package.

[defprun]

Motec?!

[Advancedynamix]

EFI systems(Italy) Euro4. Much better system than the M4.