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Ive been a long time lurker, and wanted a Festiva for quite awhile now.
First though, some back story for those that care to read it. My first car was a 1981 Mazda Rx-7, a car that I still own. For a lot of years I bought, sold and traded a ton of different cars (Over 25 now). I loved Toyota, I was raised in one, and most of my family owned them, and I ended up owning quite a few myself. I also owned several Rx-7s of various years, including a 1987 that I eventually turbocharged. No matter what I always found myself driving a Mazda, I couldnt escape the fact that I had become brand loyal.
I decided that I needed something that got better fuel economy than an Rx-7 for a daily driver. I typically kept my '81 garaged, and got a second car, usually a second gen Rx-7 to daily drive. I also wanted something RWD, so I found myself in a car Id never really pictured owning, A 1991 Mazda Miata. As with most cars Ive owned, I got a basket case and fixed it up. I was formally trained as a mechanic, and grew up helping my dad. I went on to also learn body work, and worked at an upholstery shop for a number of years. So I loved getting cars in sad shape and turning them into head turners. My Miata had been in a front end collision before I got it, and because of that, half the body panels were a different color than the rest of the car.
The 'Panda' theme only happened because I never painted the hood when I painted the front end. I didnt have enough paint at the time. The white manual mirrors broke, and the first replacement I found was black, the same person also had a black trunk and rear finish panel (Both of those parts were damaged on my car). By the time I got the skirts (That were black) and the black hardtop, I decided the 'panda' theme was here to stay.
The Rx-7 remained largely untouched from how I bought it until about a year ago. I traded it for an amazingly well built Miata, and eventually missed it and traded back. Somehow this six month period without it removed any and all inhibitions I had previously had when it came to modifying it. So I went crazy and did everything I had always wanted to do. I hand built a set of coil overs, because at the time nobody made coil overs for it. And I added some low offset wheels and Datsun flares to it.
I should also mention I admin the largest rotary club in Ohio, and founded the largest Miata club in Ohio. Ohio Rotaries and Ohio Miata Owners respectively. I am strongly considering creating a Festiva based group for the purpose of regular meets, and parts swapping.
So anyway, on to the most interesting part! My newly acquired Festivas!!!
I had decided I wanted a new daily driver after I began tracking my Miata. I decided I wanted to keep the mileage off of it, and use it for nice days, and track days. I was also getting tired of 28 mpg as well. I wanted to keep my stable all Mazda, so I looked around for a very fuel efficient Mazda. It wasnt long before I found a Festiva build on a Miata forum and learned that the drivetrain at least in a Festiva, is Mazda! I had hunted on Craigslist for over a year looking for a Festiva and I had found a few, but they either sold quickly or I didnt have enough cash at the right time. The rest were simply overpriced, or automatics. So I posted a WTB ad, not expecting much, if anything.
While working in Chicago I got an email, two Festivas, $500. This was it, only one problem, well actually a half dozen problems. I was in Chicago, the cars were in Ohio. The cars were also two hours from my house, one didnt run, the other couldnt stop. Also, I didnt have a truck or a trailer that could haul two cars. I managed to make a phone call and track down a tow vehicle and trailer. The cars were located in Cloverdale Ohio, I wish I had taken some pictures, the town was hit by a tornado last year....
The Festivas were on a plot of land, with a driveway, and nothing else. The twister had picked up the single wide trailer the owner had lived in and tossed it several hundred feet. Most of this had been cleaned up, but I learned that the Festivas were parked not ten feet away when this happened. They didnt move an inch, but had some damage to the hoods from debris. Why they hadnt been picked up is anyones guess, but it made for an awesome story.
The 1992 L 5-Speed
It ran, but the brakes were full of air. I bled the brakes and drove it 100 miles home.
Ive already sourced some parts for it to repair the damage. Thankfully the rust isnt too terrible, and the body damage is mostly on easily replaceable parts!
This is the one Ill be keeping, mostly because the other car is an auto, and Id rather repair rust than do a 5-speed swap.
Here is the other car, a 1992 GL Automatic
Dont let the pic fool you, its just about as rusty, just it has more underneath, and inside.
Really they are about equal in terms of condition, just one looks better visually. The white one will be going to a good friend who will take care of it.
First I cannot deal with not having a tachometer, I also cant deal with the prices for a tach cluster.
Yes, there is a sticker that reads "Lights on stupid?" Also a very poorly executed engine immobilizer switch.
$20 later, I found one at the local junk yard.
Same yard, I found a very dirty, but straight and rust free hood!
And tucked away with my Rx-7 for the time being. I need to transfer my tags before I can drive it, and park on the street. Then its on to a timing belt/water pump/full service. Then we will look into some DIY coil overs and some paint after the rust repair.
Well thats about it, I got a few more months of working like crazy (I work the auto show circuit) and then Ill be able to blow some money on this thing. Cant wait to put it into active daily driver duty!
First though, some back story for those that care to read it. My first car was a 1981 Mazda Rx-7, a car that I still own. For a lot of years I bought, sold and traded a ton of different cars (Over 25 now). I loved Toyota, I was raised in one, and most of my family owned them, and I ended up owning quite a few myself. I also owned several Rx-7s of various years, including a 1987 that I eventually turbocharged. No matter what I always found myself driving a Mazda, I couldnt escape the fact that I had become brand loyal.
I decided that I needed something that got better fuel economy than an Rx-7 for a daily driver. I typically kept my '81 garaged, and got a second car, usually a second gen Rx-7 to daily drive. I also wanted something RWD, so I found myself in a car Id never really pictured owning, A 1991 Mazda Miata. As with most cars Ive owned, I got a basket case and fixed it up. I was formally trained as a mechanic, and grew up helping my dad. I went on to also learn body work, and worked at an upholstery shop for a number of years. So I loved getting cars in sad shape and turning them into head turners. My Miata had been in a front end collision before I got it, and because of that, half the body panels were a different color than the rest of the car.
The 'Panda' theme only happened because I never painted the hood when I painted the front end. I didnt have enough paint at the time. The white manual mirrors broke, and the first replacement I found was black, the same person also had a black trunk and rear finish panel (Both of those parts were damaged on my car). By the time I got the skirts (That were black) and the black hardtop, I decided the 'panda' theme was here to stay.
The Rx-7 remained largely untouched from how I bought it until about a year ago. I traded it for an amazingly well built Miata, and eventually missed it and traded back. Somehow this six month period without it removed any and all inhibitions I had previously had when it came to modifying it. So I went crazy and did everything I had always wanted to do. I hand built a set of coil overs, because at the time nobody made coil overs for it. And I added some low offset wheels and Datsun flares to it.
I should also mention I admin the largest rotary club in Ohio, and founded the largest Miata club in Ohio. Ohio Rotaries and Ohio Miata Owners respectively. I am strongly considering creating a Festiva based group for the purpose of regular meets, and parts swapping.
So anyway, on to the most interesting part! My newly acquired Festivas!!!
I had decided I wanted a new daily driver after I began tracking my Miata. I decided I wanted to keep the mileage off of it, and use it for nice days, and track days. I was also getting tired of 28 mpg as well. I wanted to keep my stable all Mazda, so I looked around for a very fuel efficient Mazda. It wasnt long before I found a Festiva build on a Miata forum and learned that the drivetrain at least in a Festiva, is Mazda! I had hunted on Craigslist for over a year looking for a Festiva and I had found a few, but they either sold quickly or I didnt have enough cash at the right time. The rest were simply overpriced, or automatics. So I posted a WTB ad, not expecting much, if anything.
While working in Chicago I got an email, two Festivas, $500. This was it, only one problem, well actually a half dozen problems. I was in Chicago, the cars were in Ohio. The cars were also two hours from my house, one didnt run, the other couldnt stop. Also, I didnt have a truck or a trailer that could haul two cars. I managed to make a phone call and track down a tow vehicle and trailer. The cars were located in Cloverdale Ohio, I wish I had taken some pictures, the town was hit by a tornado last year....
The Festivas were on a plot of land, with a driveway, and nothing else. The twister had picked up the single wide trailer the owner had lived in and tossed it several hundred feet. Most of this had been cleaned up, but I learned that the Festivas were parked not ten feet away when this happened. They didnt move an inch, but had some damage to the hoods from debris. Why they hadnt been picked up is anyones guess, but it made for an awesome story.
The 1992 L 5-Speed
It ran, but the brakes were full of air. I bled the brakes and drove it 100 miles home.
Ive already sourced some parts for it to repair the damage. Thankfully the rust isnt too terrible, and the body damage is mostly on easily replaceable parts!
This is the one Ill be keeping, mostly because the other car is an auto, and Id rather repair rust than do a 5-speed swap.
Here is the other car, a 1992 GL Automatic
Dont let the pic fool you, its just about as rusty, just it has more underneath, and inside.
Really they are about equal in terms of condition, just one looks better visually. The white one will be going to a good friend who will take care of it.
First I cannot deal with not having a tachometer, I also cant deal with the prices for a tach cluster.
Yes, there is a sticker that reads "Lights on stupid?" Also a very poorly executed engine immobilizer switch.
$20 later, I found one at the local junk yard.
Same yard, I found a very dirty, but straight and rust free hood!
And tucked away with my Rx-7 for the time being. I need to transfer my tags before I can drive it, and park on the street. Then its on to a timing belt/water pump/full service. Then we will look into some DIY coil overs and some paint after the rust repair.
Well thats about it, I got a few more months of working like crazy (I work the auto show circuit) and then Ill be able to blow some money on this thing. Cant wait to put it into active daily driver duty!
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