Getting my shell tomorrow.

[CharlieZ]

Apply for some "stimulus money." You've got a "shovel ready" project.

[91_festy_Gl]

Here we go. She looks rough but is rust free!


























I didnt arrange them in any order. We did get the festy jacked up and put on blocks so i can put some suspension under it so I can get it home. We also ripped out the carpet because if had moss growing on it. We got the carpet out basically to see the floor pans just to make sure there wasnt any rust and sure enough there wasnt!

There was something really odd I noticed aswell that I have never seen on any other festiva. The seatbelts for the rear are mounted at the bottom next to the rear seat. Not up high usually near the rear speaker. That kinda threw me off. Also this is or was a 89 that came factory FI. I guess that was the years they switched?

[Basement_Modder]

There is a bit of surface rust, though. And that 'small dent' looks to be enough to warrant a full panel replacement. Good luck, man. I probably wouldn't bother with it but it should turn out nice.

[91_festy_Gl]

Dude this puppy is a gem compared to the rusted out donor car ill be using for all parts. Building this car will be no problem. I have 2 parts cars for body panels. My brother can weld and I can do body work so this is going to work out great. I have no other choice for a car plus I love building festivas!

[91_festy_Gl]

Does anyone know if those festiva decals have been remade. I think they look pretty cool and would love to replace them after I get it sanded and repainted!

[Safety Guy]

Looks like a big enough challenge! But very little rust for the condition it is coming in. The rear seatbelts were lap only for '88 and '89, but it will have holes for shoulder belt mounting in the c pillars. Automatics were FI in '89 but not the manuals; all Festivas getting FI from 1990 on.

Be aware that 1989 automatics will have some weirdness to their FI system since that was a transition year. It will be different from later FI systems. You may wish to gut everything and go with a later (front, engine) wiring harness.

For safety, I'd have new webbing put on the old seatbelts and I'd install all new hard lines. At least inspect all the hard lines for corrosion and dents etc. before you go any farther.

Also, you'll need '88 or '89 seats for easy installation. Or you can get totally different seats and make or mod your own brackets, etc. Later model Festiva seats will not bolt up at the inner rear mounting points due to no auto belt brackets there.

The only thing "odd" that I see is in the engine compartment. The brake booster has a hard line connection mounted on the firewall that I've never seen in a Festiva. Maybe that was a one year occurrence? I've seen it in 323s but not Festivas, which have simply had a long rubber hose connecting the brake booster with the intake manifold. Weird.

Karl

[91_festy_Gl]

Thanks for the heads up! For the Fi wiring ill be using a Fi harness from a 91 and will be installing a B8 for the power plant. For the seats I will be installing a set of sport seats from the 88 LX we have. Its also got maunal seat belts so that shouldn't be a problem. I really believe this will turn out great! I know it looks rough but its something I can manage and rebuild top to bottom. Is there any other crazy stuff I should know about?

[doylerl]

My brake booster line on my '89 L 4spd is the same hard line.

[Safety Guy]

Yeah, Doyler, I just figured that out when I looked at my '89L firewall (front end cut off so it's easy to look at!). I had the same hard line but I removed it during the junking process. I may still have it somewhere.

So the '89 auto FI retains the older brake booster routing like the carbies had. In '90, they probably switched to the all rubber connection for all cars. Interesting.

91 festy, I think you'll do great! Sounds like you'll be doing her up right. I'd be tempted to simply swap out bad parts, put in better ones, ensure safety and keep the outside as stock as possible--dents, creases and all! (I do like the silver with hockey stripes.)

Karl

[Damkid]

It sure looks rough but salvagable, not sure if I'd go through all the work though but in the end it'll make for a hell of a FOTM entry :thumbright:

[thered56]

I love those old Econoline vans.

Too bad about that dent, but it sounds like you've got all the resources you need. Right on man!

[91_festy_Gl]

Ya the build thread is going to be huge fellas. Every little thing that get swapped over will be posted with pictures. Im still confused on the seat deal. I looked at how the seats mounted in a 93 and compared them to the 88 that has manual seat belts and everything appears to be the same. Im also confused at how the 93 that I will be using for parts Has the sport style seats. I though those were only used in the LX models? Maybe someone swapped them?

[91_festy_Gl]

Here is some pictures of the donor car. The body looks straight but this thing is wasted with rust. Floor pans, rockers, hatch, quarters, fenders, even the center caps are rusted beyond use! It has everything I need to build a complete rust free car so im happy with it.

[Safety Guy]

"I looked at how the seats mounted in a 93 and compared them to the 88 that has manual seat belts and everything appears to be the same."

Look at the inside rear seat mounts. In the older cars, the seats are bolted directly to the floor stud underneath the e brake cover. In the auto seatbelt cars, there is a bracket that bolts to the floor stud and then forms a platform to which the inner rear seat "foot" bolts.

If you put newer seats into a manual belt car without also installing the auto seatbelt brackets, the inner rear "foot" will be hanging in air with nothing to bolt to.

Karl

[91_festy_Gl]

"I looked at how the seats mounted in a 93 and compared them to the 88 that has manual seat belts and everything appears to be the same."

Look at the inside rear seat mounts. In the older cars, the seats are bolted directly to the floor stud underneath the e brake cover. In the auto seatbelt cars, there is a bracket that bolts to the floor stud and then forms a platform to which the inner rear seat "foot" bolts.

If you put newer seats into a manual belt car without also installing the auto seatbelt brackets, the inner rear "foot" will be hanging in air with nothing to bolt to.

Karl

Ok cool, I looked but didn't look where you told me to. Ill just use 88 seats in my 89 that way it saves time. Just bolt and go.