So a friend is picking up a '80 (I think) Fiesta, and he wants to make it his race car/track day car/possible Challenge car. His only real requirements is he wants to make it at light as possible, he doesn't want to spend a lot of money on it, and it needs to be RWD. He's really stuck on a bike engine in the back, but I'm thinking Zetec in front (possibly boosted) with a rear axle assy. What angles are we missing? Any idea on what suspension to use?
Edited because I left out a word or two
Find a Ford Of Germany (FOG) Type E/Rocket 4 speed, bellhousing, and rear axle from a 4 cylinder Capri/Pinto/Mustang. Throw in a Zetec for funzies.
Added fun: Keep Bellhousing but remove Rocket and find a Type 9 from a XR4ti for 5 speedyness.
This car has been built many times in my head.
Miata engine (preferably with a migic spinning snail on the side) with it's attached gearbox. FB Rx7 rear axle with proper 4 link and panhard. Front, modified stock with decent hub's and bearings. Full cage and strengthend dash panel as the stock one flexes. In my IT Fiesta the front arm of the cage ended at a plate that was the max size per the rules and just happend to double up the brake pedal/clutch area :)
OK, this is about to get big on pics. As I've fantasized about this for years, I've collected a number of RWD Fiesta magazine articles over time. Here are some pertinant ones
A rally car
$500 for my Zetec Zx2. Pull the engine. Has stage 2 clutch. Who knows if that will fit the transmission you want. Pacesetter headers. Peppy.
If the transmission has a Ford Kent bellhousing bolt pattern, a Zetec will physically bolt up. There may be issues with the starter, input shaft splines, or pilot bearing, but none are insurmountable.
Old old mid engined madness
Not RWD for the Fiesta, but it's got BDA goodness and RWD Escort to boot.
Are these pictures giving anyone else a hard on?
I'll just leave these here.........theres a cannuck currently in the process of replicating the molds for the shogun body kit.......
I would build a tweaked Locost frame (meaning the wheelbase and track is adjusted to fit the Fiesta) and drop the Fiesta body on top. Use the drivetrain that best fits the requirements, plop it in the chassis and go racing.
A cheaper method might be to buy a Mazda/Ranger pickup frame, section it to fit the Fiesta wheelbase, add Fiesta body, wide tires, box flares and BOOST!
Leave as much of the factory Fiesta floorpan in place and go to the Challenge. You may still end up in Exhibition, but you'd likely get in the mag and have a ton of fun.
Jay Leno said: What up, bitch?
N Sperlo wrote: Are these pictures giving anyone else a hard on?
and yes, I do have the weirdest boner right now....
yamaha wrote: I'll just leave these here.........theres a cannuck currently in the process of replicating the molds for the shogun body kit.......
I can't believe that on GRM of all places I have to say this but... FIESTA! Not Festiva! 
Tom_Spangler wrote: I can't believe that on GRM of all places I have to say this but... FIESTA! Not Festiva!
meh, festiva is better......and I didn't catch that when I read through. Fiesta, festiva, aspire, fiesta, they're all the same for the most part.....just different generations
16vCorey wrote: He's really stuck on a bike engine in the back, and thinking Zetec in front (possibly boosted) with a rear axle assy.
Huh? Bike engine and Zetec, or Bike engine or Zetec? At any rate, I agree with Adrian re: a boosted Miata drivetrain swap. When you start talking about making the Zetec RWD, you need custom bellhousings/adapters, which can get expensive.
What about an 80's Starlet, Corolla or GLC? Seems like this is already done and came from Japan.
yamaha wrote:Tom_Spangler wrote: I can't believe that on GRM of all places I have to say this but... FIESTA! Not Festiva!meh, festiva is better......and I didn't catch that when I read through. Fiesta, festiva, aspire, fiesta, they're all the same for the most part.....just different generations
They most certainly are not. Fiesta (Mk 1 as discussed here) was an actual Ford, Ford of Germany to be precise, that was sold here from 1978-1980. See my avatar. The Festiva was a Mazda-designed and Kia-built car that came to the US in 1987. The two share exactly nothing except a similar name. The Aspire was the second-generation of the Festiva, so I'll give you that.
Does it have to be RWD only? A dual-powertrain swap seems like a way better value-for-effort...
A RWD swap or bike engine in the rear would both be more work and leave you with only one powertrain.
petegossett wrote: If the transmission has a Ford Kent bellhousing bolt pattern, a Zetec will physically bolt up. There may be issues with the starter, input shaft splines, or pilot bearing, but none are insurmountable.
I put a Zetec in an '86 Escort, then turbocharged it, so I'm not too worried about that swap. The owner of the car wants it RWD, so that kind of rules out using the stock trans.
Winston wrote:16vCorey wrote: He's really stuck on a bike engine in the back, and thinking Zetec in front (possibly boosted) with a rear axle assy.Huh? Bike engine and Zetec, or Bike engine or Zetec? At any rate, I agree with Adrian re: a boosted Miata drivetrain swap. When you start talking about making the Zetec RWD, you need custom bellhousings/adapters, which can get expensive.
Sorry, I got busy at work and missed a few key words. What I meant was "He's really stuck on a bike engine in the back, and I'm thinking Zetec in front (possibly boosted) with a rear axle assy.".
GameboyRMH wrote: Does it have to be RWD only? A dual-powertrain swap seems like a way better value-for-effort... A RWD swap or bike engine in the rear would both be more work and leave you with only one powertrain.
I had a small hand in building the twin engined Escort, and I'm not sure this town's big enough for another twin engined monstrosity.
If you don't need reverse than 100% go bike engine in the back.300+ lbs lighter,no driveshaft to run thru the car,better weight distrib for putting power down,sequential gearbox,big rpm,simply grab an irs of your choice to convert to chain driven so its super easy to get the gearing you want/need for differing uses.Remember that all modern big bore sport bike engine(that's really all you should be looking at for choices)have a very tall 1st gear so you will have to balance getting out of the hole decently with cruising rpm/top speed.Car needs to be as light as you can make it for best effect. All the popular bike engine choices responf very well to boost,for a tight budget I recommend a pre 2002 yamaha R1 as they are carb'd,cheap and you can boost them easily without the expense of standalones,bigger injectors etc etc.They also only require a baffle plate for oil control and slight overfill,suzuki and kawasaki WILL blow up almost immediately if custom oil pans,swival pickups or dry sumps aren't used. Google turbo R1,or turbo-bike I think it is on how to boost thru the R1 carbs.
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