The Free-Esta1.25

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Discussion

amancalledrob

Original Poster:

1,248 posts

133 months

Monday 23rd May 2016
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Here's the Free-esta (I think we all know where this is) way before this ridiculous plan was conceived



Here's the Puma. The chap selling it actually believed this was a 32k mile car. I asked him how much he paid, he said £100 plus £50 auction fees - I gave him £200.



The bit we want. A bit dirty but no leaks in spite of its age, and runs like a peach. Oil seems fresh too, and there's enough of it. The cam belt will be done while it's out and later this year I'll change the cams for uprated ones and remap at about 150bhp with some exhaust work - that's probably all I'll do. I was pleased to learn the Fumesta(?) will also now gain power steering smile


molineux1980

1,197 posts

218 months

Monday 23rd May 2016
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Watching with great interest. Love threads like this!

poing

8,743 posts

199 months

Monday 23rd May 2016
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amancalledrob said:
Fumesta(?)
Nope we need something better, Free-Esta works well though.

Fiema?
Piema?

Actually they don't work either so it's anagram time, chucked Fiesta Puma into this: http://wordsmith.org/anagram/anagram.cgi?anagram=f...

Mafia Setup is actually pretty good and you could make that up from the badges wink

amancalledrob

Original Poster:

1,248 posts

133 months

Tuesday 24th May 2016
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poing said:
Nope we need something better, Free-Esta works well though.

Fiema?
Piema?

Actually they don't work either so it's anagram time, chucked Fiesta Puma into this: http://wordsmith.org/anagram/anagram.cgi?anagram=f...

Mafia Setup is actually pretty good and you could make that up from the badges wink
Oh my god that's almost too good for words. I'm doing it

geeks

9,121 posts

138 months

Tuesday 24th May 2016
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Are you going to go and lend a hand with the conversion? Would be good to if they let you, you'll learn a lot!

Digitalize

2,850 posts

134 months

Tuesday 24th May 2016
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This conversion is very trodden ground, I've seen more done than I can even remember. ZSOC used to be a great place for advice, might still be.

Pumaspeed are a pretty rubbish company run by a moron, they mainly resell other manufacturers parts under their own packages, having no idea on the technical side, and I definitely wouldn't trust them to fit an engine!

Also, they're called Pumestas.

amancalledrob

Original Poster:

1,248 posts

133 months

Tuesday 24th May 2016
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geeks said:
Are you going to go and lend a hand with the conversion? Would be good to if they let you, you'll learn a lot!
That's a good idea, I'll see if it's possible. Transport could be an issue as if they don't finish it in a day, I won't be able to get home! Would be a good opportunity to take some pics for you guys too.

I've got a question about this actually - before this decision was made, the Free-esta had new front springs and wishbones. Is it easy for them to stay put? Reason for asking is that the quickest way to do the swap is to move the whole engine and subframe across. I'm guessing that means the wishbones too

Digitalize

2,850 posts

134 months

Tuesday 24th May 2016
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They're fairly simple to swap over, two bolts on the subframe and a ball joint below the hub from memory.

I'd probably suggest if you're doing the 1.7 swap to also do some springs/dampers, and ST170 (Mk6 Fiesta ST) front brakes which bolt straight on. The standard Puma brakes aren't the best.

amancalledrob

Original Poster:

1,248 posts

133 months

Tuesday 24th May 2016
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Digitalize said:
They're fairly simple to swap over, two bolts on the subframe and a ball joint below the hub from memory.

I'd probably suggest if you're doing the 1.7 swap to also do some springs/dampers, and ST170 (Mk6 Fiesta ST) front brakes which bolt straight on. The standard Puma brakes aren't the best.
Thanks, that's a good call. Might be something for next year along with the cams and extra horses

Re: wishbones - I'll see if they'll let me grab the nearly new ones off my Fiesta. Can always do the swap later

I've really not thought about this. The front wishbone D-bushes got done at the same time as the springs. I should have waited until the swap had been done

Vitorio

4,296 posts

142 months

Tuesday 24th May 2016
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Excellent plan OP! should be loads of fun having a Puma engined fezzer.

t4thomas

394 posts

165 months

Tuesday 24th May 2016
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I love a sleeper!

amancalledrob

Original Poster:

1,248 posts

133 months

Monday 6th June 2016
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Ok so the car is with OC at the moment and I expect to pick it up on Saturday. Looking forward to driving it home! They're changing the cam belt and tensioner while the engine's out and checking the clutch, too. I'll also be gaining power steering which will be most welcome next time I drive home after chest day at the gym!! Pics to follow

amancalledrob

Original Poster:

1,248 posts

133 months

Tuesday 21st June 2016
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A car is born

Engine swap done. The Fiesta's 100kg lighter than the Puma, and the Puma engine is a similar weight so it's quite a transformation. The whole subframe from the donor car has gone in, including brakes, and it's been fully serviced including cambelt and tensioner, plugs etc.

It's got the Puma wheels on it with a new set of Hankook tyres. Because of the new suspension and wider track, the handling has improved enormously - I'm still getting the hang of it, but I've tried a bit of enthusiasm on a roundabout on the way home and it begins to understeer quite predictably, transferring to easy and predictable oversteer when you close the throttle. It's grin-inducing stuff. It also pulls, unsurprisingly, very well indeed. It's gained 50bhp and I think later this year I'll also uprate the cams for another 30bhp, taking it to 155.

Lots of people have asked why I didn't just get a Puma. I don't like them. They're good looking cars and they make great track toys, but the boot's awkward and the rear seats are tiny, and I really like my Fiesta.

Here are pics

PS I've had some useful info from you guys. Thanks for that smile



amancalledrob

Original Poster:

1,248 posts

133 months

Tuesday 21st June 2016
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amancalledrob

Original Poster:

1,248 posts

133 months

Tuesday 21st June 2016
quotequote all
I've resized the images in Paint and it hasn't gone well. Sorry about that. Images are of engine bay (of course), having new tyres put on, and outside with Puma wheels and tyres. I think it looks nice. I'm probably finished with it cosmetically, let's face it you can't polish a turd, but it's such a transformed car I'm thinking of taking it to the Ring next year just for sts

Digitalize

2,850 posts

134 months

Tuesday 21st June 2016
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You won't get to 155hp with just the FRP cams if that's the route you're meaning, you also need the now very expensive inlet and obviously an ECU/remap.

I'm not sure if the gains to be had are big enough. Without the inlet you're looking at maybe 140.

amancalledrob

Original Poster:

1,248 posts

133 months

Tuesday 21st June 2016
quotequote all
Digitalize said:
You won't get to 155hp with just the FRP cams if that's the route you're meaning, you also need the now very expensive inlet and obviously an ECU/remap.

I'm not sure if the gains to be had are big enough. Without the inlet you're looking at maybe 140.
That still sounds pretty good to me, and FRP ECUs can be had for about £200. What's different about the inlet, is it just the hose diameter or is it a bit more complicated than that?

Digitalize

2,850 posts

134 months

Tuesday 21st June 2016
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It's quite a bit more complicated from that, from memory it's basically a trumpet setup enclosed in a tuned box.

You can have the FRP map flashed to some ECUs.

Bigger change than FRP cams and map would probably be making an FRP or 'Hybrid' box. FRP gearbox had quite short ratios, you already have a 1.7 box I assume so it's not as big a jump from it as the 1.6 one, but still shorter.

You can make an FRP box by fitting the Final drive from a 1.6 box to the ratios of a 1.7 box. The 5th becomes quite short when doing this so you can also create a 'Hybrid' which swaps the 5th from a 1.6 too to essentially create an overdrive and 4 enthusiastic gears.

Also removing the torque limiter from 1st and 2nd will make it feel quicker.

You can get cheap spacers for the rear beam which go behind the drum widening the track if you find the lift off oversteer a bit lively.

Great cheap cars, loads of cheap little mods you can do. It's not the easiest to get power out of past the FRP bits (or cheap) so I don't see the point, just use it and enjoy it!

spreadsheet monkey

4,544 posts

226 months

Wednesday 22nd June 2016
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amancalledrob said:
A car is born

Engine swap done. The Fiesta's 100kg lighter than the Puma, and the Puma engine is a similar weight so it's quite a transformation. The whole subframe from the donor car has gone in, including brakes, and it's been fully serviced including cambelt and tensioner, plugs etc
Good stuff OP. Well done for creating something interesting out of a free Fiesta.

I had a Puma 1.7 a few years ago and loved it.

PerfectDark

47 posts

106 months

Wednesday 22nd June 2016
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Good work OP. I miss my old 1.25 Fiesta and always thought about fitting a 1.7 unit, so fair play to you for doing so. These engines do respond well to tuning, cams in particular. I think I have an old copy of Performance Ford at home with a 1.7 that had been cammed & mapped up to approx. 150bhp without the FRP inlet - I'll see if I can dig it out. I know the owner used to have a build thread but sadly the site it was on went under a few years ago (UKFN for those who remember!).