ddavidv wrote:
Fiesta. I've owned four. I'd love to make it five someday.
I just don't get the Corolla love. I think some of you probably have never driven one (let's not include the GTS Twin Cam for the moment). They are truly a pedestrian car with merely adequate power and nothing much going on in the handling department. I'm sure you can turn them into something, but at what cost?
The Fiesta (US version) came with the largest available engine (1.6) in an incredibly light body (1800-ish lbs, IIRC). Nimble handling, quick steering and a shifter not using cables (stupid Mopars) it's only real flaw was the 12" wheels and wimpy brakes. I imagine a lot of the voters have not driven a Mk 1 Fiesta, either. Though the prettier but duller (and far more rust prone) Corolla will probably win this by simple name recognition, the Fiesta whups it's ass. All the rest of you are wrong. 
Fiestae do have their weaknesses. Like the hubs were never designed to handle the loads imparted by road racing with sticky tires. Ask me how I know. Nothing like having your race car towed back to the pits, and then having a corner worker bring you your wheel a few minutes later after he retrieved it from the parking lot.
But I don't care. Fiesta all the way.
Fiesta,
Truely underappreciated. I haven't seen one on the road in any condition in 15-20 years. Seen a few nice race cars.
The four (yeah, 4 here too) I had were fun, torquey, cheap and nearly unbreakable.
Best ice racing car I ever drove, soooo light!
I agree with a previous poster: "....apples to oranges" until you make it a FWD Corolla vs a Fiesta.
IF, you must keep it RWD Corolla, how about vs a RWD Escort? Yeah, I know, most folks here have never driven a RWD Escort.
As a former owner of a '80 Fiesta, I would take exception to the description "...available as a 1.6 liter hotrod called a XL2" or words to that effect. It was called the XR2, to bring it into line with other Ford XR models (XR4ti Sierra/Merkur, XR7 Mercury Cougar, XR5 Mercury Topaz, XR3 Escort, and I believe there was a South African V8 powered Sierra called the XR8).
Do I really have to tell you which car I'd vote for?
Aside from the 12 inch wheels, another drawback to the Fiesta is a lack of a 5th gear in the gearbox....tho I suppose dealers will tell you that lack of any automatic gearbox didn't help it, either. BTW, Ford first used a CVT in the Fiesta.
ddavidv wrote:
I just don't get the Corolla love. I think some of you probably have never driven one (let's not include the GTS Twin Cam for the moment). They are truly a pedestrian car with merely adequate power and nothing much going on in the handling department. I'm sure you can turn them into something, but at what cost?
hmmm, I'm guessing you've never seen a 9 second Corolla packing a boosted 700hp 3TC... Or you've never seen a TE27(like the Orange one) with a twin cam 2TG (8 valve engine).
A complete study of Toyotas 70s-80s rwd line show a cross mix compatibility... for example, mixing/matching OEM LCAs and spindle/strut assemblies offers the possibility of installing Supra/Cressdia brakes, it also allows you numerous camber configurations. The rear suspension is a solid axle, but it is 4 link with panhard rod, and well controlled
Much of the performance parts for the GT-S twin cam can be retro-fitted to other versions, as already mentioned much of the suspension is, but the twincam engine is also easily transferred into most of these cars... and fwd donor engines have no issues being "adjusted" to operate in a longitudinal operation.
Think of a Corolla as a Japenese Capri without a V6 option... suspensions are similar - struts up front and solid axle in the rear(Corolla is better controlled), overall dimensions are similar
I DO appreciate the Fiesta... from memory the first Shogun was a Fiesta... also I have driven them, and they are peppy... but it ends there...
Shogun was a Festiva, the successor to the Fiesta.
But I think ddavidv's point was that STOCK vs stock the Corolla is a dull car. I agree, having owned one and loved it, it was a slow and ill handling car. It was really enjoyable despite that and sure they can be turned into monsters but stock they're not that great. Modified, I would take the Corolla any day though!
I don't want to call this fight yet.. they are still going at it punch for punch...
Tom_Spangler wrote:
ddavidv wrote:
Fiesta. I've owned four. I'd love to make it five someday.
I just don't get the Corolla love. I think some of you probably have never driven one (let's not include the GTS Twin Cam for the moment). They are truly a pedestrian car with merely adequate power and nothing much going on in the handling department. I'm sure you can turn them into something, but at what cost?
The Fiesta (US version) came with the largest available engine (1.6) in an incredibly light body (1800-ish lbs, IIRC). Nimble handling, quick steering and a shifter not using cables (stupid Mopars) it's only real flaw was the 12" wheels and wimpy brakes. I imagine a lot of the voters have not driven a Mk 1 Fiesta, either. Though the prettier but duller (and far more rust prone) Corolla will probably win this by simple name recognition, the Fiesta whups it's ass. All the rest of you are wrong.
Fiestae do have their weaknesses. Like the hubs were never designed to handle the loads imparted by road racing with sticky tires. Ask me how I know. Nothing like having your race car towed back to the pits, and then having a corner worker bring you your wheel a few minutes later after he retrieved it from the parking lot.
But I don't care. Fiesta all the way.
Having raced a Fiesta I know about this problem but most if not all FWD cars raced with sticky tires have this problem. (VW Mk I's & Mk IIs, Neons) Once I bought "new" updated hubs from BAT and stopped using the 1978-1980 production hubs that problem went away. I raced it from 1988-1995 and then sold it. I found out just last year that the car is still a race car only now runs in SCCA GTLite class and has been taken to the RunOffs by the current owner.
N Sperlo wrote:
Ford guy here. Picking Theres Carolla.
Another Ford guy and Toyota HATER
and I choose Rolla
come on guys... I need a winner here
FlightService wrote:
N Sperlo wrote:
Ford guy here. Picking Theres Carolla.
Another Ford guy and Toyota HATER
and I choose Rolla
mad_machine wrote:
come on guys... I need a winner here
I'm sorry, how many Toyota fans said they wanted the Ford???
ok... going to have to call it then... Rolla.. by 1 vote
Would the fact that the Rolla stared in a Japanese anime series put it over the top? Or knock it out?
jimbbski wrote:
Having raced a Fiesta I know about this problem but most if not all FWD cars raced with sticky tires have this problem. (VW Mk I's & Mk IIs, Neons) Once I bought "new" updated hubs from BAT and stopped using the 1978-1980 production hubs that problem went away. I raced it from 1988-1995 and then sold it. I found out just last year that the car is still a race car only now runs in SCCA GTLite class and has been taken to the RunOffs by the current owner.
Yes, I bought a set of those (though they were technically illegal for IT at the time) after my little incident. Unfortunately, I had a much bigger incident soon after, and the hubs didn't survive that, nor did the rest of the car......
Tom_Spangler wrote:
jimbbski wrote:
Having raced a Fiesta I know about this problem but most if not all FWD cars raced with sticky tires have this problem. (VW Mk I's & Mk IIs, Neons) Once I bought "new" updated hubs from BAT and stopped using the 1978-1980 production hubs that problem went away. I raced it from 1988-1995 and then sold it. I found out just last year that the car is still a race car only now runs in SCCA GTLite class and has been taken to the RunOffs by the current owner.
Yes, I bought a set of those (though they were technically illegal for IT at the time) after my little incident. Unfortunately, I had a much bigger incident soon after, and the hubs didn't survive that, nor did the rest of the car......
No, these were new Ford OEM replacement hubs. It was the used ones that I got from junked 78-80 Fiestas that would break on me. I knew about the billet hubs but didn't think the price was worth it.
The current owner uses Escort/Tempo parts in the front end now.
