New member. Old car. Maybe somebody will recognize it?

[RdstrBlk]

Heya everybodey! I just bought a new to me festiva last night. $650. Completely modified into a track car. Came with an extra Aero wheel set. First pic of many. Will provide details after paperwork is sorted out. Drove it home and learned the definition of torque steer. Fat tires with some toe out. Yank!

Excited to be adopting this baby. My first real adoption of somebody else's project.

Apparently it made it into some magazine as readers car of the month. Let me know if you recognize it!

Sorry, first pic is just from the back in my garage. More to come!

[w4rkry]

I saw this craigslist ad, not a bad price for a starter racecar.

[RdstrBlk]

More as promised

[skeeters_keeper]

hmm... i don't recognize that one. What engine is in it?

[RdstrBlk]

Original b3, rebuilt 5k miles back with a catback and diy cai. PO thinks it has 75 hp but i remain skeptical. Timing advanced. Not sure what else. Pretty excited to dig in and find out, but right now my hand is recovering from surgery.

Im a miata man, so these mazda engines are not unfamiliar, just normally oriented 90 degrees out. Im really interested in swapping in a motor, and have read through the stickies and some of the threads here and elsewhere, but i still do not know which swap is the easiest. I have time to figure that out while i assess the other things

[dliverance]

Welcome and nice find. It definitely has a lot of potential. That sparco seat looks right at home. As for easy engine swaps, thats up to you and what you define as easy. I personally think the b6d might be the easiest swap.

I was a miata guy too. I had 7 total. 2 turbo nb and 5 na. Great cars. Miatas are probably the only thing I can think of thats more fun to drive than a festiva. The festiva is a lot more practical though.

[RdstrBlk]

Thanks, i can tell this community is tight knit like the miata community. I am going to try to bring this baby back to street status while still keeping as much of the track setup as possible. Right now, my miata is a little more practical haha

The festiva was so fun to drive home, i was so impressed. I owned an 82 honda prelude which was a similar weight with slightly more power but the suspension was nowhere near as predictable as this. Im pretty blessed to now have both a RWD track car as well as this FWD track car. Both cars have a lot to teach me

Do you still have a miata?

[shorestiva]

I remember the car can't remember the username though. It was years ago and he didn't post much.

edit: found him http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=57978

[ryanprins13]

I kinda like it does it still have that massive catch can under the hood? And could you take some closer up pictures of the gauge and switch panels he made? Id like to see what the stickers say and what gauges he has. That car sure has character! Wow.
What are the 2 holes with mesh over them on the front bumper just ahead of the tires for?


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[RdstrBlk]

Brake coolers! My miata has em too!

Chris the PO really knew his stuff. Almost became a track instructor

[Advancedynamix]

I think there are some track videos of this car on YouTube.
These cars have much more potential than a Miata when tuned properly. I built my first one to play with Miatas on track days and ended up lapping nearly every Miata on the track. Lol. A Festiva with 180hp is the equivalent of a Miata with close to 400hp. It sounds crazy, and I would have never believed it myself. These little cars are capable of unbelievable things on the track and off.

Proof of my ridiculous claims.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=q5F7RWJ7Sro

[RdstrBlk]

You are right, I stumbled across them the other night on YouTube. PO was a champ! Have been watching a lot of videos on FWD technique and after a few spirited drives I am finally getting the hang out if. Watch for that rear end! Never thought that would be a concern

[Advancedynamix]

Oh yeah, that oversteer will be your best friend, or your worse enemy depending on what you do with it.

[FestYboy]

Fwd oversteer FTW!

[avitsefdrof]

That thing is sweet.....I love it!!