Voting For January FOTM

[Damkid]

So first the first month of 2012 we have 3 entries competing for FOTM, they are from

Advancedynamix
Damkid
Neaderpaul

Here are the entries again, starting with Advancedynamix's beautifully swapped festiva

I bought her in April of 2010, but didn't really start work until march of 2011. At the time I had never heard of a modified Festiva, but I had always loved the way the these cars look (yeah, I'm one of the few, I know). I have always been into Rally racing and the little Festiva, with it's wide fenders and stubby hatchback, reminds me of the glory days of WRC, the Group B era.
Originally I was going to mount a Suzuki GSX1300R engine with a turbo where the back seat used to be, but after much consideration I decided to build a more practical car. What I wanted to build was an RS version of fords smallest hatcback, one of the the only hatchbacks Ford has sold that never came in with and RS package (to my knowledge). I set out to build what Ford forgot to.
My goal was to have the car operational by Festiva Madness 5. I had read about the largest Festiva meet online through a google search and it was through the Madness website (thanks to Barb and Jeremy) that I found this excellent website. When I learned that so many Festiva lovers would be in one place I had to attend. Even though I didn't post much in the next 6 months, and I didn't post a build thread, it was all of you who inspired me to keep going, keep building. When I wasn't working or building Tweak, I was reading about all of the great projects going on at FordFestiva.com.
Well, I made my goal. I got tweak running and drove her to work for two days, then pointed her east to Raleigh. She ran pretty good for that 5000 mile road trip and she's still running like a champ. Thanks to you all for the inspiration and warm welcomes into this little automotive niche.

Oh, and for those that wonder where the name "Tweak" comes from. I named her that because her B6t engine is Meth injected. I didn't want to clutter the engine bay with intercooler piping, so I got her hooked on Meth instead. I keep her pretty strung out and she treats me well!


Here she is on the last day of her 5000+ mile shake down run. She's glad to be back in Arizona.

Festiva Madness 5. She was the First Festiva in the Parking lot that morning. I thought I was lost. I was so excited to have made it.

Her engine glistening in the North Carolina sun.

The newest addition to the engine bay, an official RS sticker on her airbox.

[Damkid]

My entry

Here is the story and history of my 1990 LX Festiva

My festiva started its life as a simple stock 1990 LX, then in 2001 a guy named Fred (B6T on here) got his hands on it, a year later he completed the second known B6T swap in a festiva, he did some really cool stuff to the car, like installed a B6D head/intake onto the B6T block with a comlete standalone system etc. and ran a best ET of 13.3 @ 104mph..... here's some pics of when he had it





And he installed some sick suspension, plus an aspire brake swap with cross-drilled and slotted rotors



I believe it was around 2006-07 he had given up on the project and pulled the engine and all the engine management set-up and sold the car to Adam (Sleeper), Adam started collecting parts to put the car back together but didn't have the time to get his B6T installed and running, so thats when i bought it in spring 2008 and took over the project

Here are pics from the day i got my hands on it










It took me a while to get the B6T up and running again but i got it back on the road in spring 2009 and have been punishing the tires ever since, my best time with it at the track with the B6T was 14.5 @ 98 MPH




As fall 2009 aproached i got my hands on a Probe GT tranny and started experimenting with the internals with a goal in mind to swap in a KLZE, i was successful in swapping the differentials so the Probe GT tranny could accept Capri XR2/323 GT axles and make the ZE swap possible without having to get custom axles

Here's the link from when i did the differential swap

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25209

And then i got a free KLDE for mock up



and it barely fit




Then it was full steam ahead with the first ever KLZE swap

The ZE




And then wiring.....


And this is the very first start up, i had major vacuum leaks and there was many things not connected, but after 3 months it was enough to hear it fire



Then after some more work/tweaking it was starting to run better



Then after tracking down the final vacuum leaks i got it running very smooth



So i had to take it for its first short drive



And a pic of it sitting fully completed



Here is the link for my full V6 build thread

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25736

So far my best time at the track has been a 14.14@99.97MPH on street tires

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFfYdTXBA6w

And a pic of me and my festiva at FM5



So even though i am happy with the power of the KLZE, i still want to build something even more powerful, so it's time to add some "power-adders"

Turbo from a Grand National



Some aluminum work so i can make a custom intake to make space for an intercooler




And i've been collecting a few different sized injectors for the current setup and any future upgrades i may go with..... the stock injector size is 230cc

I have a set of millenia S injectors which are 280cc's (which i read are good for roughly 10psi)

These are 330cc injectors from a 929 with the injector retainers to work with the different style connector



And these massive 850cc injectors for when i decide to upgrade the turbo


Then some piping work










Then a Megasquirt 2 DIY kit that i am currently assembling


And for a little added power i bought this nice little nitrous kit, its a wet kit and it came with 5 different nozzles ranging from a 35 shot to a 75 shot



And that's where the progress on my festiva is at right now, for the thread on my progress with the turbo setup, just follow this link

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31905

Thanks for looking

[Damkid]

And Neanderpaul's prime example of a well taken care of festiva

Well shoot. I might could make this interesting.
I present the legendary cream puff.
The story of cream puff goes back many years. My love affair with festivas started in 91. I've had 25 now. In January of 2011 I got a call that a sister of a friend was ready to let her 90 LX go. I had helped this lady out with her festiva 2 different times over the years. She knew I was a specialist. I got a call to repair her faulty fuel gauge. At that time I tightened up her floppy, one year only, swoopy power mirrors. Maybe a year later I got a call to replace her fuel pump. Each time I repaired her festy I reminded her that I would like to be in line to buy should she ever sell. The first time she told me I was 3rd in line. She said her daughter wanted it and that her son in law wanted to motor swap it. The second time I worked on it she said just her son-in-law was in front of me. The third time she called for help her son-in-law had been a jerk to her. She said he refused to come over, jump start it, and take her to get a battery for it. I jumped up and took care of that in a heartbeat. Then she offered it to me for a price many would consider smoking. But per my usual way of doing business I offered less. She took the offer. I had just sold another festiva for a tidy profit. I happened to have the cash ready! I told her I'd be back the next day with cash. Then I picked this up.





This was my favorite comment when I first showed it here. LOL Brad!!

This is the original thread when I first brought it home.

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33493&highlight=puff

Then I got busy waxing and detailing. I painted, waxed, striped, and modified an 88-89 grille. This was the result.



























Before

After

Before



Next with full text tech support from HTCHBK Joseph I installed a complete ac swap.
EJP2fast Eric supplied a rear wiper gear from an escort wagon.

Then I installed a complete aspire brake and suspension swap. Front rotors, calipers (painted them), struts and springs, rear axle beam, drums, struts with front festiva springs cut by 2 coils. And to finish it off I installed 4 tenzo sinko r 15" wheels.






And here is the original thread for the brake swap.

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?p=427019#post427019

Finally my friend Jack made an in bumper trailer hitch. I went to Texas and picked up a small enclosed aluminum trailer.


















So in summary this is the coveted 90LX, optioned out with a factory spoiler, underseat tray, one year only holey headrests, one year only swoopy power mirrors, factory mudflaps, custom 88-89 grille, aspire brake and suspension swapped, rear wiper escort wagon wiper gear (makes the wiper rest in the down position) swapped, with 15" wheels.

[Advancedynamix]

Bump!

[Grey Vw]

Dang! So many good choices. This is tough.

[Smedley]

this is hard. I love all these cars.

[Damkid]

This isn't looking good for me

[91blufestiva]

Wow, very hard decision! Gonna have to think a little bit!