Rob's Mazda 121

[robotrob]

Hey gang,

I'm Rob and just thought I'd say a bit about myself and post a few pics. My way of gaining emotional leverage for when I call on people's assistance

So I just scored a neatish 3dr Mazda 121 with 4 months rego 304000kms carby 5 speed with aircon bald 12" tyres a stench of burning oil when floored and a brake pedal that goes to the floor. I'm quite fond of the little buzz box, reminds me of my EJ-VE powered L200 Mira

Need to fix brakes so just picked up an even cheaper 5dr Ford Festiva GLXi.. Which I guess would be a whizz bang top of the wozza Ford Aspire if I wasn't in the land of oz

1.5 EFI 202000kms, new radiator, master cylinder, timing belt changed recently... No oil showing on dipstick and it's a bit rattly. I suppose I'll have to stick some oil in it and see what it sounds like and where the oil is leaking from, hopefully it isn't burning it

Plan is:
Aspire brake/rear axle swap with standard 121/Festiva springs with 1.5 coils chopped off or aspire springs with ??? coils chopped off on Festiva or Aspire front struts?
Aspire master cylinder + brake booster. Lines on opposite sides so I'll have to bend them, I'm assuming booster bolts up.. My master cylinder is stuffed so I need to make this work

Then if engine is good: engine, wiring harness, ecu, fuel tank etc full efi conversion into mine.. I looked at rockauto and the dimensions listed for aspire and Festiva fuel tanks are the same.. Although 5 door aspire is listed as a different part, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to fit the tank or see if the sender with pump will swap into my tank, hopefully fuel lines are adequate.

I should be able to keep aircon and I'm not sure if I can or want to swap the power steering.
Does anyone know of any other random bits and pieces are worth swapping? I won't swap the sway bar but all my bushes are stuffed so I'll swap the LCAs and such on the assumption they're the same

Once I get to this stage I'll need to decide between xr2i B6T, protege BP+T or KL. I guess if I need xr2 axles I should get a xr2 parts car and use B6T as a stepping stone. Need to figure out technicalitys of turbo/non turbo gearbox and axles that people say to use in the writeups

I just realised I typed this all out on my phone and I can't upload my pics, I'll take some with a real camera tomorrow and post them up.

I openly look forward to all comments and criticisms
Regards,
Rob

[ryanprins13]

Welcome! Sounds like quite the project! Looking foreward to pictures. You lost me here:

Need to fix brakes so just picked up an even cheaper 5dr Ford Festiva GLXi.. Which I guess would be a whizz bang top of the wozza Ford Aspire if I wasn't in the land of oz
Rob

Which car are you making the good one?

[moz]

Wb and later lca are longer than the da/wa lca so unless you want some wicked negative camber, you'll have to stick to the originals.

[bhazard]

Which gearbox does that 1.5L aspire have?

[moz]

Depends on the year.
I do believe most 1.5 models had f boxes

[robotrob]

Which car are you making the good one?

Sorry, I'm fixing the 121 and using the Festiva/aspire as donor parts

Which gearbox does that 1.5L aspire have?

Unfortunately it's automatic.. But I guess that means it has bigger brakes?

so unless you want some wicked negative camber

How wicked would the camber be, I could easily live with up to 2.5degrees

[bhazard]

Yes but it is 3 speed or 4 speed automatic? I know a 4 speed was available in those 1.5L cars.

I've been trying to figure out how one on this side of the pond might bolt such a thing into one of our festivas.

The gearbox itself is the same one they used in cars here like the Escort GT and Kia Rio (I possess one actually), but I wonder about things like mounts, wiring, controller etc.

I've been hoping one of our friends from down undah could help me figure that out.

[moz]

Sorry, I'm fixing the 121 and using the Festiva/aspire as donor parts



Unfortunately it's automatic.. But I guess that means it has bigger brakes?



How wicked would the camber be, I could easily live with up to 2.5degrees

Can you measure the discs and let us know?
I've pulled brakes from auto and manual aspire/festivas here in Sydney and they're the same sizes.
Even the 01-02 rio brakes Are the same.
Only difference I found was slightly different tie rod locations.

[moz]

Sorry, I'm fixing the 121 and using the Festiva/aspire as donor parts



Unfortunately it's automatic.. But I guess that means it has bigger brakes?



How wicked would the camber be, I could easily live with up to 2.5degrees

I think it's very noticeable camber.
The type of camber that makes tyres die after a couple of months and it will probably cause your cv joints to fall out.

[greywolf200]

Yes but it is 3 speed or 4 speed automatic? I know a 4 speed was available in those 1.5L cars.

I've been trying to figure out how one on this side of the pond might bolt such a thing into one of our festivas.

The gearbox itself is the same one they used in cars here like the Escort GT and Kia Rio (I possess one actually), but I wonder about things like mounts, wiring, controller etc.

I've been hoping one of our friends from down undah could help me figure that out.

Wouldn't a 4-speed auto from a 1.6 Capri fit? I know where there is one in WV.

[bhazard]

Yes the Capri, Aussie aspire, Escort GT, and Rio all use the F4EAT, but the issue is actually fitting it in the festy. The way I see it, if it fits in their aspire, it should swap right over, with their mounts and such. And if I can get part numbers for their mounts, maybe I can source them.

Even after that I would have to find out about the wiring and TCM. Maybe its a standalone system in their car?

[robotrob]

image.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpg

[robotrob]

double post lol

[robotrob]

image.jpgOk so I've stripped the Festiva except for the engine and I've fitted the rear axle to my Mazda.. When I was trying to undo the handbrake cable from the handbrake the adjuster nut just kept slipping endlessly.. So I removed it from the axle and when I tried to reattach the Mazda handbrake cable it seems to be too short. A bit frustrating, I'm going to have to figure something out

As far as the 4 speed automatic goes I'm happy to help as much as I can, I came inside because it was getting dark and the mosquitoes were coming out but I'm getting stuck back into it tomorrow morning.. Swap the front struts and brakes and brake booster and master cylinder and pull the engine out so I can get the Festiva picked up for scrap.

The gearbox mount wouldn't be too heavy to post just let me know what you want me to look at for you before I get rid of it

[bhazard]

Could you just get pics of the gearbox, mounts, and crossmember to start? Thanks for the help.