1989 Ford Festiva Hatchback Grey FWD Manual LX

1989 Ford Festiva LX

This 1989 Ford Festiva is a project vehicle with updates to the drivetrain. The owner has had it for 1 year. The vehicle is drivable and is not regularly driven.

Vehicle Details

1989 Festival (not Fiesta) LX. 5 speed manual. Interior is in amazing condition and very clean.

Exterior needs body work and the prior owner did a not so amazing primer job.

Since owning, I have completed the following repairs and upgrades.

- Cooling system flush

- New thermostat

- New temp gauge sender

- New radiator fan switch

- New clutch/ pressure plate/ flywheel/ throw out bearing

- Oil and filter change

- Repaired fuel delivery system

- 1986 Escort carburetor swap

- Cleaned crankcase

- Cleaned/ degreased entire engine and engine bay

- New front end shocks and struts

- New front hubs and bearings

- New control arms

- New tie rod ends

- Lug stud conversion

- Repaired multiple electrical issues, mostly exterior lights

- Replaced sparks and cables, distributor looks recently replaced by prior owner

- New door locks and keys (not rear hatch though)

- Repaired exhaust leaks (still has catalytic converter)

- New intake manifold gasket

- New valve cover gasket

- New transmission mounts

The car starts and drives, but the cross member wouldn't align and one bolt needed to be ground out when doing the transmission/clutch job. Brakes need to be looked at, they became squishy after the transmission work (of course not related to the transmission). Shifter bushings are in great shape with no play in the shift lever.

Front end needs alignment, inner tie rods boots need to be replaced. Carburetor needs to be re-jeted because the new Escort carb is meant for a 1.6L and this is a 1.3L engine. CV axels look and feel to be in great shape.

I have spent a lot of time under this car but I never bought it to be a project. I learned a ton about these cars and had fun working on it, but never had fun driving because it never left the parking lot of my work.

She isn't in the best of shape exterior wise. To restore the exterior, it will probably just need a new driver's door, new front fenders, and there is a big dent below the fuel tank door.

I will include lots of parts that I ended up not needing or never got to installing, including but not limited to...

- Exhaust gasket

- Front brake pads

- Carburetor air filter

- Front struts

Please reach out with questions, it will need to be towed. Firm on the price, I know you don't buy and restore cars as an investment but I have well over $1800 into it plus many many hours of labor.