Hi Big Damo.
Many thanks for your reply & it is good to hear some positive FESTIVA-TALK & I know how extremely HOT as HELL it can get in VIC where ya may need chillin' AIR-CON while drivin' just like QLD.
(as well as= heater-demisters/wipers/foglights/snowchains/bag of clothes for all-seasons, etc.. all in the ONE day! ..sorry mate!)
.... At least ya can 'modify' a car down there without an expensive & bullying NIGHTMARE !!!!
Yes I knew FORD didn't make 'em & I did see the KIA on the plate but I did NOT know that they were both MAZDA donks-(1.3/1.5) & EVERYONE I have talked to :literally 50+people=owners/mechanics/usedcarsalesfolks,etc,
.....[ EVERBODY who wasn't 'outa the loop' during the 1980s-2010 ] ,......
... and they ALL say only GOOD things about these FESTIVAs!
My EF FAIRMONT is a 1995-model & does have the 'r134a' -AIR-CON gas but my 1970's Loony FRENCH Renaults cars-(came with "optional-air-con") & were all 'r12a' -AIR CON gassed, (which when I spent $500 swapping all over to 'r134a' gas was totally USELESS!), so I got this EF just 4 AIRCON.
This HY-CHILL sounds very GOOD!
I wish I'd known of it & it hadda been common & available 10 years back when I wasted $500 converting a RENAULT from 'r12a' to 'r134a' AIR-CON-gas, as it may have WORKED ??!
Apparently, the newer 'r134a' AIR-CON gas burns@much hotter/higher temps & when 'retrofitted' to many old 'classic' vehicles often works OK belting along the hiway@100klms/hr BUT in peak-hr CITY-TRAFFIC heading WEST into the blazin' sun,(when ya REALLY NEED IT ?)- it STOPS functioning completely & these same cars had really FREEZIN' Air-Con when they ran previously on 'r12a' gas !
Can the 1995 FESTIVA have an 'engine-transplant' from the 1.3 to a 1.5 motor or is that too hard ? (these were once simple swaps in the "oldaze")
I s'pose now ya have to swap the entire '
ECU thingy' if such a transplant was possible?
My next question is: Can ya gas-up with HYCHILL if the car has factory 'r134a' gas like the 1995 FESTIVA & my EF FAIRMONT ?
Where do ya get it done & roughly what sorta BUCK$ assuming both compressor & condensor are fine ?
Any good AIR-CON place or what ?
Any QLD/Brissie/Darling Downs FORDIES know?
Even a FESTY@180,000 klms in VGC is gotta be worth $2000 with RWC/6mths rego IF I can gas it up with HYCHILL & they seem to be, as ya say;
" Tuff mothers who won't die ".
[I could even change from 'r134a' gas to HYCHILL if I hadda keep my EF ? ]
I will NOT be drivin' this FESTIVA hard-(EXCEPT monthly for 5-10 mins I always give 'em a "full-on Flatout FLOGGIN"
)
Fixes 'em everytime!
I wish I COULD afford a later model but I just don't have the $$ & also I want one with "manual-wind-up-windows" & as little "electronica-BS" to breakdown as is possible in a computerized car.
I mean apart from tiny old ladies, who needs POWER-STEERING in a 2door hatch with 13" wheels that probably weighs as much as Big Damo & me?
As for 'lecy-windows, my EF takes longer to press the button & watch ONE window go up/down than I can hand-wind all 4-windows in my 1974 RENAULT 12,..... wot 'techno-BS' ! ....... (Sorry 'tech-lovers' )
I now feel lots more confident about changing to a FESTIVA from my EF Fairmont than I did before,(now I've hadda good ol' *****!)& as this 1995 car=(WB?)- I'm lookin' at needs it's AIR-CON done anyhow, it SHOULD work much better anyway & later I can always later change to HYCHILL to really "Stiff the Missus" !
Many THANX Big Damo for your info & 'inspiring,encouraging & commonsense' advice mate!
May you find a good home for your small FORD & stay well & safe.
See ya, Marcel
