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It was 2011, after getting my text return and needing a second car found a little red Festiva. I didn't really know anything about it, had never driven stick but for $600 bucks, claims of 50mpg, and having a Ford badge I bought it. And that was how I got the Festiva bug.
Unfortunately I totaled the car in front end collision by rear ending someone who slammed on their brakes, I found an auto Festiva for $200 bucks that already had the engine taken out, and figured since I'd already swapped the 5spd tranny in my Festiva an engine couldn't be that bad. It took me a week but it it was a success. Although I got rid of that car because of some ignition problem I tried and failed to track for several months.
Ever since then I had a (metaphoric) Festiva sized hole in my heart. I joined the forum back after my first Festiva and always thought it would be cool to do a bt6 swap, I mean who wouldn't want more fun in their Festiva?! So last May I found a running 1991 Capri XR2 for and have been keeping my eye out for a clean(ish) Festiva. This July I found one in FL and had it shipped up to ohio.
The clear coat is flaking bad, it's got plenty of dents but it was like 90% rust free, I discovered the tail light gaskets had rotted, so I made some new ones out of some 1/8 in rubber sheet from amazon and cut out the spare tire-well that had rotted through. I used some cheap sheet metal and screws and patched and primed the whole then covered with a piece of particle board. The moisture that had gotten in made a bad smell and ideal habitat for some nice Floridian bugs, so I gutted all trim and carpet behind the front seats. I also cut out the resonator that had rotted out and replaced it will a straight piece and clamps from autozone. so now it's really close to having no rust on it, and is completely functional.
After doing a pretty good tune up, plugs, wires, pcv valve, air filter, thermostat, replace alternator and belts, along with an oil change I decided I should do some mods that would matter/carry over after the swap so I've done front coil overs for a vm mk2/mk3 golf with 2.5" ID x 8" 200lbs springs, rear kyb Excel-g struts for a cabriolet along Bilstein (193103) Steel adjustable height coil rest things with top hats and some 1 7/8" ID x 10" 120lbs springs in the rear. I also got some brand new front strut mounts for a 2001 kia rio (2 bolt).
My idea with the suspension was to elevate the rear to get more weight to the front tires, but I'll say that the suspension made a huge difference and would have been worth it if I wear going to keep the stock motor. While doing that I also upgraded to some kia rio shifter bushing and that mad a huge difference.
Then 2 weekends ago I installed a 95(era) honda civic/acura integra dual bend short shifter and an aluminum knob, when installing the short shifter I had to cut 2 coils from the retaining spring for the shifter. Although the shifter height is a little lower overall I really like it, although it's currently a 4 speed I really wish I had done this in my 5speed as it would have kept me from "punching" passengers in the thigh every time I went into 5th.
That was the last physical thing I did to it :love4: but last week I ordered a ton of parts and I'll try to list the important ones
used 03-05 kia rio power rack and pinion, festiva inner tierods, aspire outer tierod ends, aspire lower control arms/ball joints, Stage 3 clutch and 9.2lbs flywheel for a 1.6L miata, new XR2 cv axles and wheel seals, some reman capri front calipers, some xr2 plugs and wires, and some performance sway bar bushings, as well as some filters, plugs and blue wires.
I'm also trying to make a decision on a new exhaust manifold as I'm pretty sure the cast/stock one is cracked as there is an exhaust leak and the turbo still spools.
so now for my future plans for the car: to back track a little after the tune up but before new suspension I drove about 1.5 hours away to a drag strip for open tuning. it was a crazy experience as it was my first time to a strip, but they shut down open tuning early to start qualifying times for their DSM weekend, I was unable to take a pass. despite all the crazy looks I got, I heard some people talking about the **crappy** little car and pointing at me, and that was when I realized I didn't want to get a paint job or nice rims, I want it to look like a laughable car from the out side but be a mechanically beautiful car... so sleeper-ish.
I'm planning on swapping the XR2 engine/tranny and front brakes along with all the parts I've ordered so far the 1st week of November. So far in the process I've taken little to no pictures but hope to take a lot during the swap.
In the spring/summer I'm dreaming of an ecu, talon/eclipse turbo, a new fuel pump and injectors long with other mods but we'll see how that ends up as my ambitions often get larger than my wallet or attention span...
to wrap up my first post I really appreciate all the knowledge and entertainment I've gotten from this site and hope some will enjoy my build
Unfortunately I totaled the car in front end collision by rear ending someone who slammed on their brakes, I found an auto Festiva for $200 bucks that already had the engine taken out, and figured since I'd already swapped the 5spd tranny in my Festiva an engine couldn't be that bad. It took me a week but it it was a success. Although I got rid of that car because of some ignition problem I tried and failed to track for several months.
Ever since then I had a (metaphoric) Festiva sized hole in my heart. I joined the forum back after my first Festiva and always thought it would be cool to do a bt6 swap, I mean who wouldn't want more fun in their Festiva?! So last May I found a running 1991 Capri XR2 for and have been keeping my eye out for a clean(ish) Festiva. This July I found one in FL and had it shipped up to ohio.
The clear coat is flaking bad, it's got plenty of dents but it was like 90% rust free, I discovered the tail light gaskets had rotted, so I made some new ones out of some 1/8 in rubber sheet from amazon and cut out the spare tire-well that had rotted through. I used some cheap sheet metal and screws and patched and primed the whole then covered with a piece of particle board. The moisture that had gotten in made a bad smell and ideal habitat for some nice Floridian bugs, so I gutted all trim and carpet behind the front seats. I also cut out the resonator that had rotted out and replaced it will a straight piece and clamps from autozone. so now it's really close to having no rust on it, and is completely functional.
After doing a pretty good tune up, plugs, wires, pcv valve, air filter, thermostat, replace alternator and belts, along with an oil change I decided I should do some mods that would matter/carry over after the swap so I've done front coil overs for a vm mk2/mk3 golf with 2.5" ID x 8" 200lbs springs, rear kyb Excel-g struts for a cabriolet along Bilstein (193103) Steel adjustable height coil rest things with top hats and some 1 7/8" ID x 10" 120lbs springs in the rear. I also got some brand new front strut mounts for a 2001 kia rio (2 bolt).
My idea with the suspension was to elevate the rear to get more weight to the front tires, but I'll say that the suspension made a huge difference and would have been worth it if I wear going to keep the stock motor. While doing that I also upgraded to some kia rio shifter bushing and that mad a huge difference.
Then 2 weekends ago I installed a 95(era) honda civic/acura integra dual bend short shifter and an aluminum knob, when installing the short shifter I had to cut 2 coils from the retaining spring for the shifter. Although the shifter height is a little lower overall I really like it, although it's currently a 4 speed I really wish I had done this in my 5speed as it would have kept me from "punching" passengers in the thigh every time I went into 5th.
That was the last physical thing I did to it :love4: but last week I ordered a ton of parts and I'll try to list the important ones
used 03-05 kia rio power rack and pinion, festiva inner tierods, aspire outer tierod ends, aspire lower control arms/ball joints, Stage 3 clutch and 9.2lbs flywheel for a 1.6L miata, new XR2 cv axles and wheel seals, some reman capri front calipers, some xr2 plugs and wires, and some performance sway bar bushings, as well as some filters, plugs and blue wires.
I'm also trying to make a decision on a new exhaust manifold as I'm pretty sure the cast/stock one is cracked as there is an exhaust leak and the turbo still spools.
so now for my future plans for the car: to back track a little after the tune up but before new suspension I drove about 1.5 hours away to a drag strip for open tuning. it was a crazy experience as it was my first time to a strip, but they shut down open tuning early to start qualifying times for their DSM weekend, I was unable to take a pass. despite all the crazy looks I got, I heard some people talking about the **crappy** little car and pointing at me, and that was when I realized I didn't want to get a paint job or nice rims, I want it to look like a laughable car from the out side but be a mechanically beautiful car... so sleeper-ish.
I'm planning on swapping the XR2 engine/tranny and front brakes along with all the parts I've ordered so far the 1st week of November. So far in the process I've taken little to no pictures but hope to take a lot during the swap.
In the spring/summer I'm dreaming of an ecu, talon/eclipse turbo, a new fuel pump and injectors long with other mods but we'll see how that ends up as my ambitions often get larger than my wallet or attention span...
to wrap up my first post I really appreciate all the knowledge and entertainment I've gotten from this site and hope some will enjoy my build
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