Now accepting entries for November FOTM

[Damkid]

Post your entries!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[xanthinic12]

Name: Paul Barrera
Location: Miami, Fl
Year, Make/Model: 1991 Festiva GL
History of Car: hand-me-down car from my sister.
Current modifications: B6 swap, full Exhaust, tint, wheels and tires, redone interior, new speakers, 6" subs, head unit, painted brakes. relocated battery,sattilite radio
Planned Modifications: coilovers whenever i get around to it.

[collegeboi]

lol at the license plates

[freshtiva]

How ya doing Betty ?? :love4:

[freshtiva]

Name : Marcus Johnson
Location: Dearborn, Missouri
Year/Make/Model: 1993 Festiva GL
Car Name: "Festdiva"


I bought “Festdiva” March 2006 shortly after I joined this forum. Festdiva quickly earned her name. It was my fourth festiva. The minimal needs of the previous three festiva which required little did not prepared me for the high maintenance requirements of Festdiva the Drama Queen. I’ve probably sunk over $3500 in this car. But I’m a true festiva nut so I never gave up and now I’m glad I didn’t. I’ve just now put 5,000 trouble free miles on it this summer so hopefully the pay off begins. It’s been a rocky road but I think diva now is performing like a true festiva. I bought Festdiva mainly because it was low mileage, a GL, and has an excellent body and interior. If it wasn’t for those things I would have never invested so much in it. I like to keep track of the things I do to my cars for myself and future owner( heaven forbid) Pics of when I bought it.






Below is what I wrote about festdiva in April of 2006 one month after I got it. Little did I know at the time that it was only the beginning.


Bought the 1993GL with 115,446 miles on it. Soon found out it had a cracked head or block. Since it had a newer head on it, I figured someone had already tried changing the head so I assumed the block was cracked. (Later found it was the head }When I bought it there was no thermostat in it, the cooling fan was unhooked and the temperature gauge didn’t work. I hooked up fan and bought both a fan switch and a temp sending unit this got the fan working and the temperature gauge working. Bought a new thermostat and radiator cap also but if car was started with thermostat in it would blow coolant out the radiator if cap was off and out the overflow bottle with cap on. Definitely engine compression in cooling system. Posted a want add for replacement engine at Ford Festiva dot Com and found one in Minnesota from member IdealSociety with 124,000 on it ( see prints out of that posting on engine). Got the engine changed out.

Did the following to the car and motor during engine swap:

1. Replaced the original instrument cluster with a cluster with a factory tachometer, The new cluster had 118,454 miles on it so true car mileage is 3008 miles less then what is indicated.. True engine mileage is 5,546 more then indicated.
2. Replace rear wheel bearings and grease seals, and a grease cap that was missing.
3. Put in a deluxe dome light combo with map lights.
4. Took out new thermostat, new radiator cap, new temperature sending unit, and new cooling fan switch from old engine and put on replacement engine.
5. Replaced oil pan gasket on replacement engine, replaced valve cover gasket on replacement engine. Also put new water pump and timing belt on replacement engine.
6. Drained trans-axle fluid and replaced
7. Flush out radiator, heater core, and entire cooling system, added new antifreeze.
8 degrease engine compartment which was oily from old motor.
9. Waxed car and factory aluminum wheels and shampooed carpet and interior.
10 bought a jack, jack handle and lug wrench and t- bolt which holds jack as these items were missing from car when purchased
11 replaced intake manifold gasket
12 changed oil and filter
13. Cleaned engine bay
14. Adjusted rear hatch latch to stop squeaking

I have driven the car about 100 miles since engine swap and everything works fine no leaks runs good.

Cost breakdown as follows ( see receipts)

Original purchase price $900.00
Replacement motor $100.00
Gas to pick up motor $168.00 ( 713 miles round trip in van )
(Fluids) oil, trans, coolant $17.00
Thermostat gasket $1.00
Wheel bearing and seals $57.00
Rad cap and thermostat $15.00
Coolant sensor $17.00
Temperature switch $35.00
Wax and polish ,degreaser $20.00
Manifold gasket and filter $11.00
Engine paint $6.00
Valve cover and oil pan
Gasket $33.00
Water pump and timing
Belt $55.00
Labor help with motor swap $100.00
Factory tach and dome lgt $75.00
Grease cap $3.00
Jack handle jack, lug wrench $25.00

Total $1638

The half shaft looked as if they had been replaced, boots still in good shape. Tie rod end ok, but control arms need to be replaced.




Upgrades and Improvements since April 2006
( not in order )


1.Discovered the rear torsion beam was bent Bought parts car for parts and replace rear torsion beam.
2. Replaced front and rear struts and boots
3. Repair frozen e-brake cable
4. New brakes front and back
5. Replaced control arms and outer tie rod ends
6. Put factory alloys on Redford and bought new white 12” hubcaps I like the white on white look better then the silver alloys.
7. Added NOS factory rear hatch spoiler.
8. Added factory cargo cover and complete cover hardware ( very nice cover)
9, Added factory cargo light and factory grounded hatch latch.
10. Added rare factory orange clock and bezel
11. Added equally rare orange factory fog light switch. ( no fog lamps yet )
12. Repaired factory A/C ( the holes in the block where the a/c bracket mounts on the replacement engine did not have any good thread so I had to retap them. A separate nightmare on its own. I finally prevailed and it now has cold air.
13. Replaced oil pan gasket
14. Successfully Replaced oil pan gasket
15. Added factory LX console, boot, retainer
16. Added NOS factory shifter knob
17. Replaced factory dual manual mirrors with 1990 LX power mirror and switch
18. Purchased factory rear window with defrost and switch
19 Added factory intermittent wiper module
20. Complete change over from white to orange instrumentation including Tach cluster, combination switch, radio, lighter, clock, defrost switch, rear wiper switch, fog light switch, interior dimmer switch, power mirror switch, heater a/c controls.
21. Removed after market radio/stereo and install factory unit ( like to find one with cassette.)
22. Replaced cracked left rear tail light lens
23 Replaced all four tires and got computer four wheel alignment
24. Replaced right rear spindle
25. Replaced both axle seals ( one was leaking )
26. Replaced exhaust from cat back last month
27. Added NOS factory hockey stick stripe kit
28. Removed door panels lubed window inners and replace weather stripping on driver side window
29. Replaced several minor misc interior parts when parts car yielded a better replacement
30. Bought new battery.
31. Upgraded to dome light with map lights
32. Added factory mud flaps
33. Bought new Ford floor mats.
34. Installed new fan motor
35. Added NOS festiva GL decal ( it had none )
36. Added 1.3 L decals
37. Added FordFestiva.Com decal
38. Bought on ebay original owners manual with the blue cover and full paper work on sound system, tires, etc.
39. Replace noisy blower motor
40. Finally resolved persistent high idle and surging problem
41. Many other minor things to numerous to mention















Future improvements

I’ve tried to keep Festdiva stock and make as many factory upgrades that I could. This car has evolved into a quality festiva. I've gotten 50 + mpg out of this car on two occasions ( a personal best ) The engine I purchased from IdealSociety has been a good motor. It hasn’t used any oil between changes and tests out fine. The tranny is one of the stiffest in the fleet. It really drives smooth, straight, and quiet and with the cold a/c it has become my full time summer driver. It has a clean rust free body with original paint and a super clean interior, Every thing works as it should. Other then the below mentioned items the car is finished as far as I’m concerned and I’ve moved on to my other festivas.

1. Have rear window with defrost installed by a pro
2. Like to find some factory white alloy wheels
3. Add some fog lamps
4. Find orange faced factory stereo with cassette
5. Probably will replace the plug, wires, cap, and rotor next spring. It runs great but they are still originals on replacement engine.
6. Find factory LX shifter knob

[collegeboi]

^^^^^^^ beautiful and well worth the investment.....................

[Damkid]

Last call!!! 1 more day to get your submissions in!!!!

[Festiva Chick]

Name = Alicia Falcone(soon to be Pond )

Location = Joliet, Il

Year, Make & Model of car = 1993 Festiva GL

History of Car = When I met kemp he was driving around a red & white festiva. I loved in & was sad to see it go when he buoght a escort GT. He found me one on here & we drove to indiana & bought the festiva from jeffd in june '05. Best car I've ever had. Sooo cute & parks anywhere.

Current Modifications = Swapped in a R&R Mazda B6 engine, polished the intake, 60mm throttle body. Inside I have a mazda Mx-3 steering wheel, & some speakers. Outside it has the Festiva motorsports Euro front bumper, festiva motorsports sideskirts, sport model spoiler, Euro taillights kemp bought me for valentines day, the mazda 121LX grill and headlights which are far better than the stockers on my other festy. Rolling around on some 3 spoke rims. Under the car there is KYB GR-2 struts and Festiva Motorsport lowering springs & front end aspire swap.

Planned Modifications = I plan/in process of take stuff off this car & put it in/on "sticky" the power steering, a/c 1991 festiva GL. I'll post that one up here when I tell kemp to finish his up.

Some Pic's for you to look at.

[festymick]

I have to comment on the photo (cars shadow as you drive). That is really well done, and truly unique! I love it!
I must remember to take a shot like that next time i'm on the road.

[Damkid]

No longer accepting!! Winner will be announced Nov. 1st