Festivas and snow

[drddan]

Festiva's kick butt in snow. Just pick tires with an agressive tread pattern.
Tread pattern is where its at! One manufacturers tires do not equal another manufacturer's. How the tread is made has a whole lot to do with it.
I have Primewell 830's on mine, in 195/60/14 size. They eat snow. I went for a drive on a snow day from work. Went to a conservation area, had 8-10 inches of untouched snow, and the Festy was like a tank! It was a blast. I could almost floor it and jerked me back into the seat. Stable and safe.
These tires dont like anything they cant dig into though. The "missouri gumbo" mud/clay mix we have here can be worse than snow and bad as ice.
It packs hard and when wet gets a slimy soup like mixture on top. No tire can deal with that. I found that out when I parked in a thawing spot and got stuck. Tires just spinning. Pushed it into the snow, and off she went for more fun! Studed tires are fine for a little while. After not getting snow for awhile, and driving on pavement, the studs wear down quickly and it just becomes a reg. tire.

[freshtiva]

Great video of how to get it done Fresh. Way to represent!
If you close your eyes during the video, your car has the low rumbling sound of a damn
battle tank moving into position!
If you ever make your way up to Michigan, I'm inviting you to come out and
school the boys on driving in weather...or spotting the illusive Morel, either or brother.

Thanks iceracer, I take that as a big compliment coming from a professional. Morels Mmmm

[fastivaca]

Here is a video of a festiva in about 8-10 inches of snow. Deep enought to scrap the bottom of the car. Note the other cars at the first of the video that couldnt make it up the drive.

That's quite the driveway you've got there!

[freshtiva]

That's quite the driveway you've got there!

Yeah , you have to be your own public works road crew. It will wash out during a toad stranging rain storm too. ( see this link ) http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/sh...light=driveway Ive been doing some ditching on it and trying to channel water off. Also have taken some measures to prevent the drifting snow in the winter. The tractor has been a blessing. The wife and have lived on the drive for 25 years now. Most of that time the road was unimproved and we've driven festivas. A festiva will get you where you're going, we have put them to the test !

[sketchman]

They sure will take you places. I've taken all of mine back on old gas well and mining roads that are no longer maintained. Tons of fun to see the looks on the faces of guys on atvs turning their heads as I go by.

[bhazard]

Well the 92 is partially winterized. White metro wheels with 175/70-13 winterforce on the front. Maybe rear too next year. Not really a need for them here as flat as the terrain is. Lack of rear traction can be fun anyway





Gonna block up the grill and maybe lower opening here pretty soon. It doesnt get as toasty warm as my b6t does! Not cold enough to suspect a bad thermostat but just not as warm as I'd like, the B3 is just overcooled by that two core radiator.

[freshtiva]

Ooooh , I like ! Love the color of that festiva, the white rims and those aggressive lug tires !! I want it.

[iceracerdude]

You're gonna like those!

[bhazard]

Ooooh , I like ! Love the color of that festiva, the white rims and those aggressive lug tires !! I want it.

It used to be the "thorn" of Brian's fleet!

I'm satisfied with the looks. And I already like the tires. Had the same on her Dodge shadow last winter in 195/60-15 and that car was unstoppable! I've still got the tires in like new shape. I'm contemplating trying them on my b6t car. I know they are way tall but you never know. Resuwrecked runs that size.

[Evil D]

Damn those tires have some bite...that's gonna be fun. You really need some mud flaps behind the front wheels to give it that rally car look. Really my only problem with driving in snow is everybody else. The worst are the retards driving huge over built diesel trucks driving 75 on the interstate when you can't make out where the road ends and the median begins.

I've already coverd about 2/3 of my radiator. I started with the whole thing covered and it ran a little hotter than i'd like so i cut some off the bottom section. I think i could get away with 3/4 covered and it would run fine. It takes forever to warm up though..i have a 7 mile trip to work and when it's low 30s it's just starting to get warm when i get there. Should i look into the thermostat or is that typical? It does get great heat once it gets going.

[Evil D]

Well i must say i am thoroughly impressed. We got a reported 5 inches yesterday and another 3 overnight. I got out in the 5 inch part and drove down every untouched road i could find, up all the hills and even stopped half way up a few of them just to see how capable it was and i didn't have any problems other than stopping. I guess the same advantage that small skinny tires give you for cutting through the snow to get traction doesn't help when it comes time to stop. I think part of being impressed is that it's been 5+ years since i've owned or driven a FWD car in the snow.

[bhazard]

Same here..except the car stops pretty well. Barely any wheelspin though.

[aglatfe1]

I'm never driving my car in the snow again! I'm storing it all winter!!

[ENEMY_]

Here we go test drive

[linchero]

didnt make it

i tried it on my mountain three years ago i almost made it down then i stepped on the brake and skidded off the mountain.there where some bushes that held me back from going down.i lost my driver side mirror,fender,complete driver door and glass. i had all these parts in my shed. never again will i take that chance again.good luck.: