Fiesta engine options

Nephew just bought a Fiesta LeMons car with a blown engine. Are there any options for replacement that will give it MOAR POWAR?! Thanks.

what generation fiesta? i know the 1.8 from an escort gt is a good swap for the early 90's festiva

Not sure; I haven't seen it. But his father says it looks kind of like an old Rabbit, so I'm assuming it's a first-gen car.

Cosworth!

Gram put a ztec inside a gen 1... But not quick bolt in.

Real the Kent motor is not that bad with right parts in it. Cam, header and carbs make huge difference. you don't need to port the head unless he's real looking for more.

I think I saw that car for sale at the Lemons forum. I have owned 3 of those Mk I Fiesta's, a '78,'79,& an'80.

Staying with the stock engine is the easy way to go. The blocks can be taked out to .060 easy and select blocks have been bored to .090. That being said an early CVCC engine from a Ford Escort will bolt right in as well as the late model Zetec 2.0L. It may take some more work if you want to keep the stock fuel injection and even more it you want to swap it with the stock 5 sp tranaxle. That wont fit without cutting & welding of the front unibody.

The Kent engine with a good cam, better carb, a header, etc. can make an easy 110-120 HP. In a 1700 lb car that is more then enough.

And don't think that the sprit of Lemons precludes you building an engine for the car. I have been involved with Lemons for the past 3 years and know of many cars that have rebuilt engines. Nothing special, just a reliable engine that will last the race or races. Most times it's a team that tried with an old stock engine that blew up and now they just want to go out and turn laps and race.

my first car was an 80 fiesta (hence the name) and those kent engines are bullet proof. I would say for a lemons car keep the 1600 in. super reliable and simple to fix

The stock 1.6 has plenty of power for that car. Your challenge will be getting the power to the ground (the stock 12" tires are pretty hopeless) and the brakes are...well, 'adequate'. Oh, and don't think you can just swap in a RWD version of the Kent...won't fit.

Good, good, good car otherwise. Very nimble, very reliable and will surprise you (and lots of others on the track). I owned four of them.

OK, thanks, everybody!

If the answer is always "Miata" to "what car?" questions, I think the answer to "what engine?" questions needs to be "LT1".

Yes, even if it is a Festiva.

Hey guys, this is my car. Thanks for all the input! I want to pull the motor in the next week or so. The head is off now to reveal a melted piston... I think from a blown head gasket. Not sure.

I have access to a 99 Escort ZX2 with 170,000. I can strip the whole car. Or I can rebuild the Kent.... I am undecided. There is also a SVT Foci Zetec for sale here... but it is a bare engine and trans.

I also need to find some cheap suspension bits...

Thanks Ross