Tripod808's budget autocross/commuter

[tripod808]

Hi all,
Just decided to start a thread to track the progress of my build. I doubt I will be doing anything groundbreaking as of yet but you never know what will happen when the right parts are shoved in your face for the right price.

Things that I'd like to emphasize in my build:
-It is not my ultimate goal to build a high hp, drag racer.
-I'd like to stay true to what I value about Festiva's and keep the build as cheap as possible. Cheap is not a bad thing for me, it just presents new challenges such as being patient to find the right parts, making my own components, etc.
-Learn from everyone else's builds and compiled knowledge. I feel like it is really easy to get carried away with things and start infectiously modding out of control. One thing I hear often is "I had so much fun in my B3T", I sense the remorse in those who went full retard with modding.
-Have an agile and tight handling car.
-Become a better home mechanic and amateur driver

Pics to follow on whatever I am currently working on.

Thanks,
Will

[tripod808]

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So this is what I'm working on today. I need to install my ebay civic short shifter first. I specifically chose the style with the bend because I'm hoping it will give me more clearance for these seats. I got the seats as well as the civic ebay coilovers for free in a trade. It doesn't get cheaper than free!

Then I need to cut these springs. They are 150lb front and 120lb rear. I am cutting them more so to tweak the spring rates than the ride height. On advancedynamix's advice, I am aiming to have 185lb front and 175lb rear spring rates. Given the math on cutting springs from this link:

http://www.motoiq.com/MagazineArticles/ID/1439/PageID/1887/FrankenMiata--Handling-with-a-Hacksaw.aspx

I will be cutting 1.5 coils from the front (150lb x 8/6.5 = 184.6lb) and 2.5 coils from the rear (120lb x 8/5.5 = 174.5lb)
I will adjust the ride height with the threaded coilover adjusters. I may shorten my shocks if I can get my hands on a welder. Even though I am running stock shocks and they are shot, I just want to practice doing this on a pair of shocks that I don't care about. I know this setup is far from ideal but it will get better, I promise! In the future i may upgrade to a mk3 coilover setup but for now I am having fun making due with what I have.

Oh, and I don't plan on running those blue plastic top hats. I will probabably go to Ace Hardware and get some large washers. I have rio strut mounts on the way and they will make there way into my setup in time.

[tripod808]

Is there anyone just running a the drivers side seat in there car? These buckets are much heavier than the stock seats. I think that the mounts are a big part of that and i will be trimming some weight off. I am paying special attention to the weight distribution in my car. Obviously the drivers side of the car has a heavier bias due to the driver but will I be significantly adding to that tendency by removing ballast that is the passenger side seat? Will my handling in the turns be affected much? I'm guessing more so in the right turns.

[Huli]

I have seen people run drivers side only with an ice bath turbo cooler on the passenger side! You could look into changing out the mount. I put some civic seats in a jeep, just made an aluminum adaptor plate.

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[tripod808]

I have seen people run drivers side only with an ice bath turbo cooler on the passenger side! You could look into changing out the mount. I put some civic seats in a jeep, just made an aluminum adaptor plate.

Do you have any pics of that setup? I'm gonna trim some excess steel off the seat mounts for now and if I'm not satisfied I'll look into reengineering them. I don't know if aluminum mounts will be legal in the racing I'd like to do since the material tends to be soft. I've also never welded aluminum and I'd imagine it would be challenging, plus I'd have to buy the appropriate sheilding gas for that. Either way, I'll have to look into that.

Thanks for the suggestions!

[Huli]

Does this help?

http://www.jegs.com/p/Kirkey/Kirkey-Seat-Mounting-Brackets/753443/10002/-1

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[tripod808]

So my build took a slight turn today. I would like to build a festiva capable of participating in Hula-X, which appears to be the Hawaiian version of Rallycross:

http://www.kalaeloaracewaypark.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=22&Itemid=55

I don't need a car that specializes in either Auto-X or Rally-X, but I would like to versatility to do both. I'm getting into the racing for the experience and I am just competing with myself. I know that this will mean proper coilovers in my future. Who here has a festiva that does both? How should I "bulletproof" this car to endure Rally-X?

[tripod808]

Does this help?

http://www.jegs.com/p/Kirkey/Kirkey-...53443/10002/-1

Hmmm.. Yeah it does. I like to look at things from all angles and the suggestions definitely help fuel different ideas.

[tripod808]

Does this help?

Just some random information for you, "huli" in Hawaiian, means to flip.ty1

[TominMO]

Just some random information for you, "huli" in Hawaiian, means to flip.ty1

Oh fine, another random fact stuck in my head forever.....

[Huli]

Festiva would be great in Hula-X!

Get to work on a good suspension. No way some cut civic springs will carry you to a win.

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[Huli]

Oh fine, another random fact stuck in my head forever.....

Its chinese for fox.

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[Huli]

Almost forgot to link ya this... http://www.racingsprings.com/ ...thts where I got my rear springs. Still need to do the math for the front. I am going to stack two different rates.

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[TominMO]

Its chinese for fox.

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D'oh!

[tripod808]

Just wanted to update my thread with my current progress. Progress has been slow since I started a new job, been busy with an upcoming move to a new house and a baby on the way. Special thanks to some local enthusiasts Renny and Alex as they have helped me keep the motivation alive. Again, I know I'm not doing anything ground breaking yet but I have some unique ideas I plan to incorporate down the line.

As of yet I've been:
- stripping the car of weight and redistributing weight for a front bias.
-I've been treating and painting rusted areas for preservation reasons.
-I've added the civic short shifter with the bend in it to clear my bucket seat. I also added an extension to the short shifter for added length in the actual lever. I upgraded the shifter linkages with overkill and oversized grade 8 bolts.
-I am mocking up a Wink rally mirror. The provided mounting tabs are not working for me. This will be a functional piece since I plan to Hula-X which is a head to head rallycross type race.
-I have a rebuilt aspire power rack that I want to install soon. I need to source the appropriate rod ends before I can do this. Although I will leave the rack depowered initially, I plan to have some power steering lines made for it and capped for future modification. I plan on one day adding a steering quickener inline with the steering column and powering the rack with an electric pump from a 90's Toyota MR2.

I am also continuously sourcing parts. I need:
-drivers side aspire hub with good bearings. (This is holding up my brake and wheel pattern changes)
-coilovers but I'm not sure what spring rates will suit me for rallycross type racing or when my budget will allow it.
-Drivetrain upgrades (motor, tranny. There are slim pickings around here)

Aloha,
Will