Festiva Project Car - ideas?

[gsimpson]

It's been a while since I posted here on EM, though I've been lurking lots. I've just added a new vehicle to the stable, a 1993 Festiva.


Over time I'll be ecomodding the heck out of this car, and I would like suggestions (especially photoshopped body mod ideas). Here's where I'm starting:

1. hypermiling techniques. She's got a 5-spd, so I should be able to make a pretty big difference just by changing the nut behind the wheel
2. over-pressure tires
3. weight loss - removing interior trim, etc
4. grill block
5. MPGuino to help with above hypermiling

Then I'll go wild, but don't know what all or what order. Here are some plans:

1. under-body pan maybe with air dam/skirts to reduce air under the car
2. lexan rear side windows, maybe the driver/passenger windows too, depending on how the rear sides go
3. wheel discs
4. rear wheel covers
5. kammback
6. boat-tail

Please feel free to fire off all your great ideas, and I'll use this thread to keep everyone updated

Thanks in advance!

[bgd73]

I see one of these evrytime I go outside, owned by a disabled person. Sits for so long the little peg footprint of 12 inch wheels is sinking in the pavement...


I thought of what I would do to it..and a two cyl diesel hack seemed interesting, or a motorcycle drivetrain in the back....

or just leave it alone and paint flames of hot rodding fury on the hood.

[gsimpson]

Originally Posted by bgd73

or just leave it alone and paint flames of hot rodding fury on the hood.

Definitely thinking that an entertaining paint job is in store once I get the rust all sorted out. Maybe a HotWheels logo

[roadkill17]

I photoshopped your car, unfortunately i havent posted enough times to link the image, or to pm you the link...



remove the - in the http and it should work

[bhazard]

Heres what I did back in the day...





Im not sure how much it helped mpg because that was in like November and winter came right away... It DID help the car heat up quicker in the winter, something festivas dont do very well.


And of course it got looks...

Its stock now, well except for the engine of course... but if I do anything it would be a more "normal" lip spoiler and a belly pan... I like the car as a sleeper and dont want it attracting any real looks unless I hit the gas.

[bwarchitect]

I had a 1990 5-speed Festiva that I bought new and put 120K on- great car.
At the time I had a 30-mile commute in rural/suburban roads and I averaged between 40 and 44 mpg, without coasting or shutting off the engine, all stock including air pressure. The only time gas mileage suffered was when I went for long distances on the interstate- driving 65-70 dropped mileage to 38.
I think your best results will be from aerodynamic improvements. Good luck!

[gsimpson]

roadkill17 - thanks for the 'shop work, lovin' the moon-eyes! I like the looks of that kammback, and I've been checking out the build thread that MetroMPG has been kind enough to share. Maybe it's time to try out my own fabrication chops. I have little experience with fibreglass, but have been itching for a project for a while.

bhazard - great work with the grill block and chin spoiler (is that coroplast?). I was looking at the grill today, and I wonder if I might take the stock grill out altogether and start from scratch with cardboard to both block the wind from entering the engine bay, and maybe try to help it get up over the blunt nose. The rad is so small and tucked way over on the driver's side, clearly I can cover at least half the current opening and not cause any loss of cooling ability.

bwarchitect - I definitely want to run a tank or two through her before I start serious modifications, just to set the baseline. My most common commute (not always predictable) is about 70km that I can choose either Interstate-style highway or county roads. I've always gotten better mileage no matter what vehicle I'm driving by taking the county roads route, even just because I can keep the speed down safely. Plus it has more slight rises and dips that I can coast in.

This is a fun project, I should be getting the ownership transfer and licensing all sorted out tomorrow, then let the fun begin!

[gsimpson]

So it has been many months since I last posted here, but I have been enjoying the low price of driving a tiny car. New modifications have been completed, though they're pretty rough right now. I have added rear wheel skirts, will post pictures shortly. I would like to see a few tankfulls average out before I believe they're making a massive difference, but I just posted my best MPG yet.

Front grill block has been on since the mid-winter some time, I never really noticed it making a massive difference.