Pedro the Festiva's build thread.

[Advancedynamix]

Success! Pedro now has Aspire front brakes, new wheel bearings all around, new control arms and tie rod ends, and adjustable coilover shocks. Right now I'm running -3 degrees camber on all 4 wheels with 0 toe. Before all these mods the car had the typical 60mph death shake that seems to plague so many festivas. Now, the death shake has been reduced to a barely noticeable wiggle of the steering wheel. This could have been remedied by the better quality tires, but I think the negative camber helps as well as the improved dampening in the shocks. Pedro is now very comfortable to drive at any speed.

[bhazard]

Is there a "cheap" but reliable way to get some rear camber?

[sketchman]

Get rocketman to cast them.

[eurotiva]

Is there a "cheap" but reliable way to get some rear camber?

Washers

[bhazard]

Get rocketman to cast them.

+111111 though I'm sure they'd need finish machined

[Advancedynamix]

Washers

Yup. When you buy a box of regular old 3/8" washers, they come in many different thicknesses. You can shim to suit.

[bhazard]

Any idea how much thickness equals how many degrees roughly? Or is it more trial and error?

[sketchman]

Draw a triangle on a piece of paper with a 90 on the bottom and a 3 degree on top. Make the vertical leg the length of the distance between the top and bottom of the bolt circle for the axle stub mounting holes.

Then measure the bottom leg.

That will get you in the ballpark.

EDIT: You'd need to account for the width of the washers you'll be using too when you draw your legs, not just the bolt circle.

[Advancedynamix]

Draw a triangle on a piece of paper with a 90 on the bottom and a 3 degree on top. Make the vertical leg the length of the distance between the top and bottom of the bolt circle for the axle stub mounting holes.

Then measure the bottom leg.

That will get you in the ballpark.

EDIT: You'd need to account for the width of the washers you'll be using too when you draw your legs, not just the bolt circle.

This is the basic formula, however it's more complex. The Festiva beam rotates the bolt pattern angle ( which is rectangular). Depending on your ride height, the centerline changes. Camber becomes toe and toe becomes camber as the assembly travels thorough it's stroke. I like to lower the car until the rear, upper mounting bolt is at 12 o clock. This simplifies the project and is a good ride height for these cars when driven aggressively on fairly smooth surfaces. This ride height will drastically limit what tires will fit under the car though.
The plates I've made allow for a wider range of ride height choices because they can be rotated. Brad, you're a machinist, why are you using washers? Lol

[Advancedynamix]

I'll post up more detailed descriptions of all of this in the Advanced Suspension mods thread. So we don't clutter this thread too much, and so the info is easier for people to find.

[Advancedynamix]

Get rocketman to cast them.

+111111 though I'm sure they'd need finish machined

Yeah, casting is just an unnecessary step. It's much less expensive to have this part made on a lathe with live tooling capabilities. It's a standard size tube stock that was used to make these.

[Advancedynamix]

I replaced the stock Festiva catalytic converter and remaining mild steel exhaust tubing with 2 resonators and stainless tubing. Pedro now sounds nice. The car was buzzy under hard acceleration before, and sounded very hondaesque. Now it sounds like a well tuned Miata, as it should.
Seat of the panties HP gain from this is hard to judge because the power delivery is so damn smooth. I know it's making more TQ now at about 4500rpm because it now slips the clutch in 3rd and 4th gear under hard acceleration at about 4500. I was hoping to be able to get away with this stock replacement clutch, but I guess It's time for plan B.

[sketchman]

Sweet. SPEC?

[Advancedynamix]

I'm torn between swapping to a 5 speed e series and using a spec clutch or biting the bullet and installing a g15mr. I put some pretty hard track miles on the car and realised exactly how much of a difference is made by moving the engine forward. I will have to move my radiator forward to mount the G box, which means making a new lower radiator support. I already have a g15 and axles/I.M. shaft, and I don't have a 5 speed e box. With the expense of a worthy (only a clean, low mileage trans will do) donor tranny and the Spec clutch being 400 or more dollars, it makes sense to just upgrade to the G series and not worry about tranny strength or clutch slippage until I have over twice the power I have now, and have better handling and improved ride quality.

[Advancedynamix]

Family ties. 3 B6 powered cars, 1 BP and 1 Z5.