Festiva AutoX King

[xanthinic12]

Re: Festiva AutoX King

how i can make this little girl into a Cone King

well you start with a gender changing surgery, then your girl will become a king! nah really suspension, tires, take unneccassary stuff out. it wil do fine

[Arnie]

I think the most important question so far not addressed is "which class do you plan to compete in?"

[LittleHoe]

what are the different classes?

[quaddawg]

Festy is in H stock, when stock, and not very competitive in that class...

Further up the scale you can race in F street prepared with some stripping and other mods

E Prepared with Mazda engine swaps and MUCH stripping

ALL OUT in D Modified Just about anything you want to do with it, up to 1800 CC engine or so (I'd have to look) but with a lot more motor size (strange swaps) it could go in E modified.

You can also run a Festiva in Street Modified

I am not sure about the comment above that says C modified, as that must not be an SCCA class for Festy, cause C Mod isn't legal in SCCA Solo AutoX.. C modified is for open wheel race cars, I could list the types, but just suffice it to say, Festiva isn't in it.. lol.

D and E modified covers the production cars like Festiva.

[LittleHoe]

so I would be best to run E prepared with my BP festy?

[neanderpaul]

Aren't they going to just stick you in whatever class your car has been modified for?

[quaddawg]

E prepared or Street Modified. But I will warn you, if you don't have Autocross tires (DOT legal Semi-Slicks) you won't be competitive in E Prepared, or Street Modified.. most regions, those guys are SERIOUS.. BUT, go anyway, cause it's still fun, and you have to learn some time.

And Paul, no, not generally... Most SCCA Autocrosses make the competitor responsible for classing. They will help you, but beleive me, most folks behind the desks aren't super smart (kinda like everywhere) and it is best to have a class in mind. The SCCA rule book is pretty complicated for the average Joe... LOL.. There is a copy to download in PDF format on the SCCA website, It's over 300 pages and is a confusing read the first time through.

[nattyphysicist]

BP is speced at 127 HP. That means it will probably make just over 100 since any motor you find will be fairly old. Anyway, that's a discussion for another section of the forum..


Priorities for Auto-X:

1. Upgrade your tires. If you are going to use street tires, then I would recommend 195/45R14 Toyo T1R on 14" rims. I completed my first season of auto-x on these and they were pretty decent both on and off the track. Start with tire pressures of 45 psi all around and monitor the sidewall using white shoe polish. Adjust the pressures so that you are not riding up onto the sidewall. Camber will also help this situation.

If you want to go R-compound, which will make a huge difference, go for a 13" Kuhmo V710 or Hoosier (someone please help with the size).

2. Add an anti-roll bar to the rear subframe. If you were to do the Aspire brake swap, then you will automatically get stiffer ant-roll in the rear, but honestly I don't think the Festiva NEEDS the brake swap due to how light the car is. Auto-x is a short track, not like road racing. So your brakes will get a serious workout for no longer than 1 minute at a time and usually 45 mins between runs (depending on the race).

I don't know of another anti-roll bar solution (i.e. bolt on) other than making one yourself. I'm planning on making one. Stiffening the anti-roll in the rear will help you make better use of your rear tires. Essentially, you will limit suspension roll in the rear, putting more force on the rear end. With a front wheel drive car, you have most weight at the front, so most of the roll will be onto your front wheels. You want to try and balance that out to the back.

3. Install a smaller steering wheel. Less steering movement for more wheel turning.

4. Upgrade springs and struts on all four corners. FMS springs are great for sensible lowering and higher, but still streetable spring rate. KYB shocks are decent and at the very least they will refresh the damping to factory performance instead of 18 year old performance.

--

Those are the high priority items. Make sure all suspension components are in safe working order. If you need new bushings, then get urethane ones. Arguably, the bushing upgrade should be compulsory, but I haven't done them yet.

[quaddawg]

FMS Springs are found quite wanting in Autocross... didn't work one little bit for me... but then again, I was running 8" wide road racing slicks...

I agree that FMS Springs and struts could work if you aren't too serious and just autocrossed a little, for fun. BUT, if you are at all serious, skip them and get something much firmer.

[festyfreak39]

sorry i failed to mention i live in edmonton alberta canada the classes are all different up here!!!! c mod is under 2.0L here, we dont use scca rules.. just yet

i have a huge great big jesus steering wheel on mine,

each one to his own atleast