The biggest car at the little car show

Showed the Fiesta in a micro and mini car show this weekend in Westwood KS. As a friend put it Betty was the biggest of the little cars in the little car show. There were loads of Isettas, multiple Morris Minors, 3 Austin Sprites but only one Fiesta.

Bushings + Struts + Exhaust + K & N Air Filter = Whoa!

I replaced the last two pairs of old bushings, the top mounts and the front tie bar bushed.  It stiffened the steering up a little, but it still seems a little vague.  I'll need to look into that, perhaps its the steering rack or the its bushings.  I also put on the NOS Koni sport struts.  Got them adjusted they way I wanted, and wow, did the make a big difference in ride.  I got the top mounts from http://www.motomobil.com/ .  That + the new Koni's eliminated a nasty clunk from the front end,

 I took the car in and had a 2" exhaust put on including a new Catalytic Converter.  The old cat was all clogged up.  When I pulled it out of the garage, it was very lively and you could tell it was breathing much better, but still felt a little bit reserved.  When I got home I replaced the air filter with a K&N air filter, and it woke right up.  Whoa!  It was super responsive and quick.  The  new GT cam seems to like higher revs than the stock cam.  It sounds like a proper British motor now.

She's a Runner

A little over a year since we dropped the engine out of Betty with a goal of increased power and pep, and yesterday, I turned over the engine and fired it up.

Since it had been sitting a while, I pulled the spark plugs, disconnected the coil, and cranked the engine for about 30 seconds.  This did 2 things:

1.) The fuel pump filled the bowl on the new carb
2.) The Oil Pump moved oil around to all the critical bits like the bearings.  By taking out the plugs, you remove the compression from the cylinders and don't put pressure on the somewhat dry bearings.

I put the plugs back in, hooked up the coil, and it started on the first crank.  There are just a few more things to do, and she'll be ready to hit the streets.

Fordopedia

Have you ever wished for access to the dealer's computerized  in-house parts catalog?  You know, the one with the exploded views, part number lists for all the various versions of your vehicle?  Well if you own a classic European Ford, like our favorite car the Mk1 Fiesta, then...shazam!...your wish is granted.

Fordopedia

You will waste hours exploring this wonderful resource...Enjoy!  Thank you fordopedia, whoever you are.

Finding Gear Box Lubricant for a 1980 Fiesta - AKA "Snipe Hunt"

I've spent a week researching what gearbox oil to use in the gearbox. What a mine field this is. There are different specifications of lube that are suitable for certain applications. Ok, that makes sense. But if you use the wrong one you could ruin your gearbox. For instance, certain chemicals in gl-5 transmission fluid can oxidize yellow metals such as copper and brass...aren't some bushings made of that? So I have all the manuals ford created for the Fiesta: Shop, Haynes, owners. And the only specification I can find is Ford Spec ESP-M2C83-C. None of the auto parts stores that I talked to could cross reference that with their oils. I went to the local Ford dealer and they didn't have a cross reference in their computer either. Finally the parts guy dug up a note about "Motorcraft Full synthetic manual transmission fluid" is now the recommended oil for the IB5 gearbox and older manual transmissions requiring GL-3 and GL-4 grades. It costs $21.31 a quart. It requires 5 pints or 2.5 quarts.

Haynes manual say it requires SAE80 EP. Castrol product is Hypox Light... I don't see it in the US, but the UK has it at a classic car site.
http://www.holden.co.uk/displayproduct.asp?pCode=090.917

Here is what Castrol US has to say: Manual Transmission

NO MATCH
EP 80W - "WE`RE SORRY, NO OIL RECOMMENDATIONS ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR THE VEHICLE YOU SELECTED. TO RECEIVE FURTHER INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATIONS, PLEASE CONTACT OUR HELP DESK AT (800) 462-0835"

I can't believe that, of all things on a 33 year old Fiesta that could prove difficult to find, it was transmission fluid.

Happy Holidays Fiesta Generation

Not much progress in the last few weeks as we get ready for the holidays, but tomorrow I get a full day in the garage and hope to get Fuel, Cooling, Vacuum and Electrical all hooked up.  In the mean time enjoy this vintage holiday gift of how this little car came to be in this series I found on YouTube: Ford Fiesta Generation Mk 1...I love the extensive market research in this series. It hits every 70s film cliche' perfectly.  Especially impressive is the computer analysis of the body. Enjoy.

Fiesta Generation 1/5
Fiesta Generation 2/5
Fiesta Generation 3/5
Fiesta Generation 4/5
Fiesta Generation 5/5

Next up, why the hell can't I find the right gear oil to fill the gearbox.

Will the $100 big brake kit work with 13" wheels?

The short answer is maybe, but not likely. I'm sure it depends on the 13" wheels.

The center line to the high point of the caliper is 5 7/8" you would need 1/4" clearance. So you'd need an inner diameter of 12-1/4" at the inside of the wheel. The wheel profile is also not flat, it tapers from larger on the inside of the car to smaller towards the spokes. The tightest clearance on my 14" wheels with 30mm offset is by the spokes. That outside part of the caliper also has a smaller distance from center line (5-5/8") than towards the inside of the calipers where the cooling/reinforcing fins and fittings are.  I have over 1/2" at the outside point of the caliper ( by the spokes), but with the balancing weights, there is less than 1/2".  So theoretically it is possible that the big brake kit will work with 13" wheels but it would be really tight.  Caveat Emptor.

If you wanted to test it you could buy 1 rotor and 1 caliper, slide the caliper over the rotor, and bolt up your wheel with out it being mounted on the hub...allow for 1/16" between the rotor and the carrier.  If it doesn't fit, return the parts for a refund.  You may even be able to take a loose wheel to a local auto parts store and have them pull the parts and see if they provide the clearance for your particular wheels and offset.