Hello festiva people :) just want to introduce myself and festiva

[r31andy]

If all the nuts and bolts aren't seized the whole process could be pretty quick. But as with anything the first time around is always much much slower (took me half a day to install the first one) than the second time around. Notice that you will not need to remove the sway bar body brackets from the front of the Aspire (but hang on to the cover plates and the rubber bushings) since they are not compatible with Festy frame bolt holes. Originally took me hours to get those things loose from the Aspire only to discover you can't use them anyway. The new sway bar will pinch-in nicely on to the old Festy mounts. Use whatever rubber bushings are in the best shape. Make sure you slip the sway bar into the LCAs before you attach or tighten anything else.
Some of the guys are putting the sway bar on upside down so as not to have to tangle with transmission cross members or rad hoses but I have no experience with this. The sway bar slope going into the LCAs will certainly be different but perhaps not enough to mess up those bushings.

I don't know how common these 2nd generation Festys (Aspire) are in Aussie but around here just finding one is already an ordeal.

Hope it fit's on all ok, and ALSO on the way home from work today there was a White Aspire infront of me AND behind me LOL, I was looking at "BENDIX STREET ST" rotor's on the web today, there around $80 slotted ect, do you think it's worth getting or are the Aspire brake's slightly larger allready?

[Bert]

It's typical youthful enthusiasm to lust over performance brakes, if you're feeling flush financially, but standard Aspire drums and rotors are already a huge improvement over what you've got. They have much more surface area. You will not be able to mount a 12 inch rim (even if you could find one with 100mm spacing) over the new brakes. You've gotta remember our Festys are almost same weight (100 lb more) as a tiny Smart car and a whopping 3 passengers (400 lb) lighter than a new Fiat 500!

I never did mention anything about Festy master brake cylinders and boosters. Some folks swap over to the larger Aspire gear but I was lazy (and wanted the space) and kept the Festy parts on the firewall, and have never felt under-served or somehow lacking because of it. But if you're a real purist and have unlimited access to a complete car switching that stuff over won't be to your detriment.

[r31andy]

It's typical youthful enthusiasm to lust over performance brakes, if you're feeling flush financially, but standard Aspire drums and rotors are already a huge improvement over what you've got. They have much more surface area. You will not be able to mount a 12 inch rim (even if you could find one with 100mm spacing) over the new brakes. You've gotta remember our Festys are almost same weight (100 lb more) as a tiny Smart car and a whopping 3 passengers (400 lb) lighter than a new Fiat 500!

I never did mention anything about Festy master brake cylinders and boosters. Some folks swap over to the larger Aspire gear but I was lazy (and wanted the space) and kept the Festy parts on the firewall, and have never felt under-served or somehow lacking because of it. But if you're a real purist and have unlimited access to a complete car switching that stuff over won't be to your detriment.

Would i be able to fit the 13" rim over the brake's? or do i need larger 15" wheels? If it make's a big diff then it will be worth it

And i love how light festiva's are too hahaha

[[YTRY4]]

Very clean festiva, nice I would agree with Bert and just do the "Aspire" upgrade

[Bert]

Would i be able to fit the 13" rim over the brake's? or do i need larger 15" wheels? If it make's a big diff then it will be worth it

And i love how light festiva's are too hahaha

I don't know about 'Down Under' but in n. America all Festivas came from the factory with 12 inch rims. Aspires (our version of gen. 2 Festys) had 13 inch rims but thanks to their more common 100mm wheel nut spacing can interchange with dozens of different makes and models for different rims.