New to Festivas - Need Advice

[robertmee]

New member although been lurking for a couple of weeks, reading as much as possible. Not a new member to old cars having owned several....My current 'toy' is an 86 Buick Grand National (built 10 sec 1/4). My kid turned 16 this year and so we made a deal if he gets his grades up, I'd buy him a project car. Trying to impart the love of wrench turning onto him and teach him some responsibility (can you say lazy teen)? There was a recent article in the N&O raleigh paper about the festiva group and after doing some research and finding this forum, I decided that'd be a great 1st vehicle for him to both drive and improve upon.

Sooo....the search began. I've found a few locally (I have a large area to work with as I travel between two homes), but I'm drawn to one. It's a 90, 5-speed, original owner, no rust. It has 275K on it tho. No A/C.

Would around $600 be a fair price for this? Immediate plans would probably do an Aspire brake swap and fix any suspension issues...want it safe. Longer term would probably be a B8 swap. B6Ts sound interesting but having suffered with the finickiness of a turbo buick, I think that may be beyond his ability and my sanity. I'm great at electronics and wrenching, but not so great at fabrication so the B8 seems more within our means. Oh, and is it possible to add A/C to a non A/C car? Looking at the interior dash it appears to have the controls for A/C.

Anyway, I hope to purchase this car this weekend if it is all that's been represented. Afterwards, I'll encourage the son (he doesn't know yet) to come on here and start to learn. Hopefully we'll meet some locals. The Buick crowd has been great and I expect the festiva group to be even better

[Pu241]

$600 and no rust, many of us up north would consider that a bargain!

275Km is a lot of miles, but if it had proper care it could have many more left in it. If not, it could need a replacement/repair or a swap pretty soon.

AC can be retrofitted.
Only difference in the interior dash is an AC button where a blank off plate currently exists.
There are a few AC installs documented here.

Wish you had known about the Festiva Madness IV meet in Raleigh this last weekend could have got you up and running info wise very quickly.
Hope to see you and your son at FMV in Oct 2011.

Oh, and well come to the sight and thanks for adding your location.
There are a number of NC members and some VA member that should be close to you if you need a hand.

[murrillcg]

Welcome to the forum, you will find a lot of useful information and great bunch of people. I know what your talking about when you say "lazy teen", I have three of them. Only one has a car and all he's concerned with is waking up and going. I have tried to get him out and learn, but if isn't a video game or a girl, he isn't interested. He doesn't seem to care until something goes wrong, and then he wants me to stop what I am doing and go look at his car. So, I have resorted to teach him the hard way by letting him try to figure stuff out on his own. After he sits out there for a few hours or days then I will get out there and try to trouble shoot and fix it.

Anyways, enough rambling about my issues. You and your son will find alot of useful information on here, good luck with the future festy.

[TominMO]

1990 means EFI, 5-speed is good (many of us don't like the autos--too slow and poor MPG), and the deal maker is rust-free. If the motor will run for awhile and yer gonna do a swap anyway, I'd say go for it. But use the 275K to talk the price down if possible.

Te easiest motor swap is the B6; basically the same block as the B3. You get 19 more HP and keep most of the MPG.

[robertmee]

Thanks everyone for the welcome....

Isn't the B8ME a basic swap in too, with the exception of redrilling the passenger side mount? I get a little confused between all the various swaps.

Is there a basic summary of the various swaps available and whether they are for the beginner or expert?

Let's see...

B6 - drop in?
B8ME - drop in, modify one motor mount, TPS/injector harness rewiring
B6T - lot's o work
BP - firewall mods?

Assume straight 5-speed, EFI....no auto or carb switchovers.

[Smedley]

Welcome to the forum. Always glad to have another NC person around.

I know that on the BP swap there is also some rewiring to be done, but there is a good writeup on the forum that we used.

[TominMO]

Welcome to the forum. Always glad to have another NC person around.

I know that on the BP swap there is also some rewiring to be done, but there is a good writeup on the forum that we used.

Also, there's some redneck down in FL who might have a little experience with this. Eurosomething I think.

[eurotiva]

Also, there's some redneck down in FL who might have a little experience with this. Eurosomething I think.

Euro(mycariswayfasterthanyoursandhasachaha)tiva

Welcome to the site

[501Dezz19]

Euro(mycariswayfasterthanyoursandhasachaha)tiva

Welcome to the site

lmao...

[skimsucka]

Thanks everyone for the welcome....

Isn't the B8ME a basic swap in too, with the exception of redrilling the passenger side mount? I get a little confused between all the various swaps.

Is there a basic summary of the various swaps available and whether they are for the beginner or expert?

Let's see...

B6 - drop in?
B8ME - drop in, modify one motor mount, TPS/injector harness rewiring
B6T - lot's o work
BP - firewall mods?

Assume straight 5-speed, EFI....no auto or carb switchovers.

Welcome!


Ive added dealer and factory a/c to a carbed and efi car it is no problem. The B8 swap is extremely simple for the amount of power you get(100whp)! and ac bolts right on !!

Also the wiring doesnt involve any cutting or spliceing wires it just moves them just to be clear

Theres a B8 on ebay down here in fl for 199$ buy it now with 100k on the motor comes complete!

[scitzz]

Euro(mycariswayfasterthanyoursandhasachaha)tiva

Welcome to the site

Also known as the redneck with a sawzall and some auto parts

Welcome to the site! Good to have another NC member for sure! You and your son should be able to find plenty of local support...

I might also mention, this makes the write up in the local paper even cooler...

[robertmee]

Thanks....I look forward to meeting some of the locals...even you, tho you live in tarhole *ahem, I mean tarheel nation ('89 NCSU grad).

Yes, the N&O article surely opened my eyes to the possibility of festivas. I would have probably gone the CRX route (having owned one in my own youth), but I'm not a fan of ricers, and I know my kid would put a fart can on it first thing ....Which brings me to ask...Is the festiva since it is mazda manuf by kia in korea considered 'ricer' Am I crossing the dark side!!

[TominMO]

Thanks....I look forward to meeting some of the locals...even you, tho you live in tarhole *ahem, I mean tarheel nation ('89 NCSU grad).

Yes, the N&O article surely opened my eyes to the possibility of festivas. I would have probably gone the CRX route (having owned one in my own youth), but I'm not a fan of ricers, and I know my kid would put a fart can on it first thing ....Which brings me to ask...Is the festiva since it is mazda manuf by kia in korea considered 'ricer' Am I crossing the dark side!!

No, its too uncool to be considered a ricer. Plus it hides under the Ford logo.

[robertmee]

No, its too uncool to be considered a ricer. Plus it hides under the Ford logo.

whew....that's a relief....My Buick bretheren won't shun me

[TominMO]

whew....that's a relief....My Buick bretheren won't shun me

Much!