Needs a video clip of the beast when she fires it up!
Needs a video clip of the beast when she fires it up!
I’ll be following this!
I have a line on a clean Mk1 fiesta from a family member and this might push me over. I can’t engine swap here in CARB land but I’m hoping to learn something about the suspension on these cars.
In reply to spandak :
You can engine swap but just need to take everything over. Probably wouldn't be terribly difficult actually.
In reply to jfryjfry :
It’s true I can put a newer engine in the older chassis, carb allows that. But all of the builds I’ve seen require custom manifolds on both sides. I haven’t researched this at length but finding carb legal intake and exhaust manifolds will be a challenge.
The real challenge is being an apartment dweller. I barely get away with working on my motorcycle.
In reply to 84FSP :
You got it!
Fired right up! I’m super stoked... it’s a pretty big step in getting it done. Shut it right off, it’s loud in my closed garage with an open header!
She lives!!! Should be pretty nasty with this setup. Any ideas on total weight?
In reply to 84FSP :
Everything I’ve read says the Zetec is about 20lbs lighter than the 1.6 Kent. It’s a bigger engine, but has an aluminum head. The trans probably weighs a little more, so it’s likely pretty close to a wash.
Mk1 Fiestas are supposed to be around 1700lbs from all sources I can find. Anyone who raced them have a number?
That should be really fun. My rabbit is spunky with 100wheel hp and 1850lb wet so this should be a fun torque steer exercise...
Back when I raced mine in ITC I remember seeing numbers in the mid 1700#'s without driver.
That's with a 1 3/4 DOM tubing roll cage but of course no carpeting or rear seat but a stock pass. seat.
I believe that a sub 1700# weight dry is no problem.
The Getrag 6 speed is one heavy trans compared to the stock 4 speed Fiesta so I don't think you save any weight there, the SVT head is aluminum but the cams are steel. Without actually weighing both I would find it had to believe you'll be lighter. Never the less with almost triple the horsepower I don't think you'll notice if the car is heavier or lighter.
Cool project. With my current Fiesta I plan on keeping it stock appearing for now. I may do some more extensive mods in the future but for now just keep it a good driving car to have some fun in.
Still at it!
I made axles (but didn’t take pictures.) It turns out by dumb luck that the the stock Fiesta axle shafts are the same size and spline as Mk1 Focus spi automatic axles! So, I was able to bolt together a working axle for the rh side with parts I had laying around using the stock Fiesta shaft, and a Focus inner joint! The lh is similar but I had to spline and weld the inner joint tripod on the shaft to shorten it. We’ll see how well that holds up I guess! I’d really like them to be about 1” longer (story of my my life!) but this solution was the simplest.
Then, I tried my hand at rust repair for the first time. Turns out I’m not so good at this, lol. Some of you guys make it look so easy!
my patch panel:
Cut out old panel:
Weld in new panel and some grinding: I was really struggling with burn thru. Most of the back edge is weld, lol.
Got tired of my ears ringing from grinding and put a temporary coat of primer over it:
Then cut out the floor:
Need to drill out the spot welds in that center section.
I just saw an mk1 US turbo fiesta with the 1.3L in it. Blue, mostly original. I was just thinking of this project but with the fiesta RS turbo motor in it would be fun. bookmarked for a cool project.
In reply to FunkyCricket :
Thanks!
I haven’t seen the turbo one you’re talking about. Where did you see it?
This should be the fate fr all Mk1 Fiestas and SVT Focus.
Northern Lower Michigan. and sorry, I typo'd that Festiva, not Fiesta.. MK1 Festiva (maybe early MK2, but pretty sure MK1, friend had one in high school). Was blue, had Dort? and Turbo on the back, slight wheel arches. I was driving my 2015 Fiesta, rolled down window at stop light. I asked if that was the rare 1.3 liter turbo. I had heard about EU ones, but this was left hand drive. Was clean. I should have gotten a picture. I had never seen one before.
EDIT: it said DORF (the ford letters rearranged). So it may just be a project car and not an actual factory turbo. Thing was cool though.
Pretty awesome, man!
For being new to welding, your beads look alright. And thin dirty sheet metal is hard to work with.
Looking good!
Awesome! That should scoot
Thanks guys! Appreciate the encouragement!
I felt like I had a pretty good hand on the welding until I tried that 1/4 panel patch, lol. That really kicked my butt, and took a lot longer than it should have. This is the 1st project I’ve welded on, and I’m pretty much learning as I go. I have watched a lot of YouTube videos though, lol.
I actually spent hours drilling out the spot welds on that center section of floor this past weekend , and cleaned it all up, and sprayed some weld thru on the panels.... started to weld in the new floor pan and I made about 2” of tacks before I ran out of shielding gas. Hope to get more this weekend.
I need to get the floor done so I can mount the pedal box and then plumb it.
My plan from here is to get the body work done, get it painted, then clean everything up on final assembly.
Where's the pedal box from? Looks fancy-pants.
In reply to USERNAMETAKEN :
Obp Ltd in the UK. They make this pedal box setup where base plate is bent to fit specific cars, supposedly making it a bolt in part.... however realistically you still need to weld in retaining nuts for the floor, so it’s not exactly bolt in. A one size fits all from Wilwood, etc. would probably have been just as easy, but this came with everything (master cylinders, balance bar setup, hoses, reservoirs, etc.)
Back from the dead!
Finally got a chance to work on this some more this weekend. Got the new drivers side floor pan mostly installed... just need to spot weld the rest of the crossmember to the bottom and clean up the welds some more. The front toe board area was a mess, and it’s mostly made of weld now, lol. The tunnel area was tough because it was so thin! Put a temporary coat of primer on it to prevent rusting till I can finish. Think the other side should go smoother.
I guess not too bad for my first attempt.... and it’ll most likely be covered by carpet anyways.
Nice! Good to see the update!
Looks good. Glad to see your back at it.
Re: water pump
Saron81 said:In reply to 914Driver :
Thanks! They’re a pretty rare sight around here in the Mid Atlantic!
That is just begging for a rotary.
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