New Festiva!

[festyboy1995]

So here it is in all its glory. The dog turd white paint, the used tampon red pin stripe and the rainbow ricky looking decal on the back. I was just driving down the road today not to far from home and saw the back bumper of it sticking out of a barn. I was think no freaking way, could it really be? Did the planets actually align? I drove on past it into town to pick up a 6 pack and a def leopard CD. On my return trip home I decided I would just go ahead and see. I walked up to the front steps of the house which was in front of the barn knocked on the door and this little old man came up. I told him my name, my fathers name, my mothers name, their fathers and mothers name ( thats just how people are here).... any way i asked if that was a Festiva in the side bay of the barn. And well tickle my pickle it was! I asked if it was for sell and if he has the title. Yes and Yes although he said he never figured anybody would every buy one of these things. (boy was he wrong lol) Said it was sitting for about 1 1/2 years and needed a battery. I pulled my truck around to it and hooked up the ole life lines and like some kinda odd dream she began to breath!!!!!! Although sounding like she might have a slight case of asthma... but she ran! I asked a price and he said tell you what, Give me 300 bucks and carry me a couple of cases of green beans from my basement to my kitchen and shes yours. I slapped out 3 big bills and im telling you a streak of lightning couldn't have caught me with those beans.....

Sorry to be such a long drawn out story but man I had no idea when I woke up today that I would come across this. I shall call her the mobile midget. Shes got a little sputter and a little bit of smoke but shes solid except for those two small rust spots on the body. Now time to get her mechanically sound and stable!

So now here is the question... what do i do with it!? maybe some kinda mobile midget camper/hang out or dooms day prepper escape/survival car? I've got a fab shop. I could maybe come up with an amphibious design? Maybe a independent out board? So many ideas. So little festivas... my wife already hates the thing so of course im going to go insane with it. Look forward to all the suggestions!



Festiva.jpg


festiva front.jpg


festiva interior.jpg


crappy dashy festiva.jpg

[FestYboy]

Take good pics of the graphics package, somewhere on this site is a catalog of factory and dealer graphics, this should be added.

As for its present condition, I'd take a baseline of its health with a compression test, and visual inspection of the plugs and a good shake down of the suspension and brakes/bearings. Change ALL the fluids, I guarantee they're all past due.

[festyboy1995]

Going to start with all of that this week! I'm tearing down the motor regardless and giving it some new guts. Oil still looks like oil and not like milk so that's a plus. I might start a build thread after I decide what I'm going to do with her.

[TominMO]

Just on general principles, run some fuel system cleaner thru it, and some seal reconditioner in the fresh oil. Great find!

[festyboy1995]

Shes gonna get new pistons, rings, all new gaskets, timing kit, blah blah bah. Then going to move on to the trans, new clutch bla bla bla then suspension system. any boy know where you can find connecting rods? I cant seem to find them any where

[FestYboy]

No need to replace the guts... Just clean them and reassemble. I suspect you'll find that the rings are just stuck in the lands and the guide seals are leaking due to age. Free up the rings and replace the seals and you'll have a new engine. If you insist on new components, fine OEM parts (NOS), not aftermarket replacements.

[Twistiva]

Congrats on the find! Found my 'Laztiva' about the same way. BTW, best part of your story is this:

........I asked a price and he said tell you what, Give me 300 bucks and carry me a couple of cases of green beans from my basement to my kitchen and shes yours. I slapped out 3 big bills and im telling you a streak of lightning couldn't have caught me with those beans.....

You oughta call her "Beantiva".

htd

[sc72]

I like the story it adds to the buy. Congrats it's a good looking car.

[festyboy1995]

I figured if I had already have then engine tore down might as well slap new parts in her. Beantiva, I like that!

[TominMO]

You oughta call her "Beantiva".

htd

+ 1000. Bean there, done that!

[radi8u]

:ia: Good one, Tom!

[1990new]

Instead of rebuilding the engine, why not just avoid the parts search, work and expense and drop one of these in.. only 2 left. The one I put in Rosie last year is running great.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-OEM-Ford...pXM2RH&vxp=mtr

You will still need your old head and a few new parts such as maybe a new water pump and oil pump.

Congrats on the find and welcome to the forum.
What year is it?

[firebush357]

Awesome Find!

I have found that pumping all of the old fuel out and then putting a new filter in with some fresh fuel makes one heck of a difference in the way it will run. If you decide not to tear down the engine right away then just change the oil and add some good Oil Flush or a Quart of ATF to it and let it idle for about 20 minutes to get all of that gunk out and then change the oil again. I did this with mine but I let it sit in there for about a week while I worked on other stuff and just let it idle for about 10-15 minutes a day and it really cleared up all of the the Tapping and Ticking noises.

[Advancedynamix]

Great story and welcome to the forum!