Refurbing a Fiesta Mk 6.5

[rfr1]

Hi guys, new to the forum and thinking of taking on a project that probably isn't a good idea, but my logic is if I don't ask around I'll never know. Or I'll try it and make a right hash of it.

I'm thinking of getting my hands on a Mk 6.5 Ford Fiesta (which seem to be ten a penny at the minute) and refurbing the interior so that it has all the gadgetry and niceties of a Mk 8, i.e. the Sync radio/sat-nav screen, digital speedo, interactive steering wheel, reverse sensors, air con etc. I get the impression this will probably involve ripping out the dash and fitting a new one from a Mk 8, or at the very least taking bits out and bolting new parts to the existing dash.

The question I've come to ask you lot is how much time and effort would I be looking at taking this on? I'm not a professional by any means - just someone with a bit too much time on his hands and wants to soup up an old runner so that it at least resembles and acts like a modern car. Advice, tips and potential talking-out-of-it much appreciated!

[blue_haddock]

The question is quite simply - why??

[DaveyBoyWonder]

blue_haddock said:

The question is quite simply - why??

In short, this.

I'm all for modifying cars but taking a run of the mill Fiesta and making it into a slightly more modern run of the mill Fiesta seems a little odd.

[A1VDY]

Absolutely nothing from the interior from a mk8 fiesta will fit a mk6. Everything from the dash, door cards, wiring loom, steering column ect is totally different. The only things interchangeable are the front seats and mechanical items like engine/ gearboxes and wheels. It's not worth the grief..

[Darkslider]

I'm guessing you're quite young and enthusiastic which is great! But unfortunately you've missed the boat on this kind of whole car improvement, I did the exact same thing when I was 17, kitting out my grandad spec rover 216 with much newer MG ZR half leather seats, carpet, dash and doorcards to the immense jealousy (probably) of my college peers at the time. But these days it's just not possible without expending the kind of money that would get you into the mk8 fiesta in the first place.

[Olivergt]

A1VDY said:

Absolutely nothing from the interior from a mk8 fiesta will fit a mk6. Everything from the dash, door cards, wiring loom, steering column ect is totally different. The only things interchangeable are the front seats and mechanical items like engine/ gearboxes and wheels. It's not worth the grief..

^^ This.

Why not buy a mk8? by the time you have bought a mk 6.5 and all the parts from a mk 8 (that won't fit) and the time/effort you have put in, you would be able to get a mk 8. Also, you will be on your own, there is no expertise out there on how to do what you are proposing.

If you really want to go messing with a car and modding/fixing up, then get something like an old MX5 or BMW 3 series, where there are plenty around for reasonable prices and more importantly, there is a whole world of expertise out there on the WWW to help you with any work you want to do.

Edited by Olivergt on Monday 28th September 17:55

[gazza285]

Good luck getting the CAN bus to work, non of the instrumentation will be plug and play.

I wouldn’t bother myself.

[Bennet]

Still looks pretty modern to me...

[Kev T360]

would it not be easier and a lot cheaper to buy a good mk6.5 with air con already and fit a good touch screen double din unit with backup camera, apple play, nav etc - easily done for less than £400 (+ the cost of the car, obvs) and maybe get the seats from an ST?

[A1VDY]

Bennet said:

Still looks pretty modern to me...

They're not bad at all.
Great driving and handling cars.
We have a 1.4 16v with big valve head /schrick cams/ verniers and 4/2/1 manifold. It's pretty rapid for what it is and cost..

[MC Bodge]

A1VDY said:

They're not bad at all.
Great driving and handling cars.
We have a 1.4 16v with big valve head /schrick cams/ verniers and 4/2/1 manifold. It's pretty rapid for what it is and cost..

We too have a 1.4, it handles really well and is great to drive. The engine is in quite a low state of tune, although it is nice and responsive compared to a modern engine.

Did you modify the engine or was it modified by a previous owner? What Ecu and injection is it using? What sort of performance and flexibility does it give? I wouldnt have thought that many people would bother tuning the 1. 4, given that the ST is a 2.0 and not that rare.

Edited by MC Bodge on Monday 28th September 19:20

[MC Bodge]

These are great cars that don't rust.

I would just swap the CD/radio for DAB, Bluetooth, Carplay infotainment system.

Fit a set of good tyres, give it a good service and an Italian tune-up.

I bought a plug in DAB and a handsfree Bluetooth kit for ours. Ours has A/C fitted, although it hasn't worked for a while.

We really like the car. It was given to us, we don't worry about it and it just keeps on going. I would have another.

Edited by MC Bodge on Monday 28th September 19:28

[anonymous-user]

Unless you’re an electrical software and hardware engineer with a years of automotive experience you will never do it. Sorry but you just won’t get the electronics to work. You’d need to be a wizard with vehicle networks. Buy a crashed mk8 in need of mechanical work instead?

[E36Ross]

Iv a Mk6.5 Fiesta.

Mine has air-con, heated seats, bluetooth with voice control for radio/phone functions, reversing sensors, electric/heated mirrors, auto dim interior mirror etc...

Half way through doing the Auto lights/wipers and next on my list is powderfold mirrors and to retrofit the digital climate control. (Which conveniently can also be voice controlled)

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...


Could very easily use an Android unit so you've a touchscreen radio with app connect/say nav and then add a reversing camera or even use it to run an app with feed from a dongle in the OBD port to give a digital speedo read out on the radio.

Edited by E36Ross on Monday 28th September 21:53

[A1VDY]

MC Bodge said:

A1VDY said:

They're not bad at all.
Great driving and handling cars.
We have a 1.4 16v with big valve head /schrick cams/ verniers and 4/2/1 manifold. It's pretty rapid for what it is and cost..

We too have a 1.4, it handles really well and is great to drive. The engine is in quite a low state of tune, although it is nice and responsive compared to a modern engine.

Did you modify the engine or was it modified by a previous owner? What Ecu and injection is it using? What sort of performance and flexibility does it give? I wouldnt have thought that many people would bother tuning the 1. 4, given that the ST is a 2.0 and not that rare.

Edited by MC Bodge on Monday 28th September 19:20

I took it as a trade in around 5 years ago, it's a Fiesta 1.4 'flame'. We use it as our runabout and really love driving it. Most of the mods were already done apart from the exhaust manifold. There's receipts for the work done Inc a bill for the head and cams (Vulcan Engineering) a reworked ecu and injectors from somewhere else but I'm not sure of the exact specs. The rev limiter has been raised to 7k rpm though. I had the cambelt replaced with a kevlar one. The airfilter is K&N and fits inside the original casing so under the bonnet it all looks pretty standard.
The idle is a little lumpy but smooths out at 2k rpm. It likes to be revved and proper power comes in at circa 4k rpm upwards although it's still tractable at lower revs. Max is now 117 mph.
I've been toying with the idea of Jenvey throttle bodies but will take it way over the cars worth.

Edited by A1VDY on Tuesday 29th September 01:55

[MC Bodge]

A1VDY said:

I took it as a trade in around 5 years ago, it's a Fiesta 1.4 'flame'. We use it as our runabout and really love driving it. Most of the mods were already done apart from the exhaust manifold. There's receipts for the work done Inc a bill for the head and cams (Vulcan Engineering) a reworked ecu and injectors from somewhere else but I'm not sure of the exact specs. The rev limiter has been raised to 7k rpm though. I had the cambelt replaced with a kevlar one. The airfilter is K&N and fits inside the original casing so under the bonnet it all looks pretty standard.
The idle is a little lumpy but smooths out at 2k rpm. It likes to be revved and proper power comes in at circa 4k rpm upwards although it's still tractable at lower revs. Max is now 117 mph.
I've been toying with the idea of Jenvey throttle bodies but will take it way over the cars worth.

Brilliant. That's was a great find.

Even with the standard engine (tops out at around 100mph) , I really enjoy driving the car. The narrow width compared with modern cars is a bonus too.

Is it insured as a modified car or on some sort of trade policy?

[aka_kerrly]

rfr1 said:

all the gadgetry and niceties of a Mk 8, i.e. the Sync radio/sat-nav screen, digital speedo, interactive steering wheel, reverse sensors, air con etc.


I get the impression this will probably involve ripping out the dash and fitting a new one from a Mk 8, or at the very least taking bits out and bolting new parts to the existing dash.

First off, fair play for asking and having ideas of upgrading your car, we all had to start somewhere and no doubt there will be a lot of "why bother" but if it's your hobby and you are keen to learn then go for it. Get a Haynes manual and a Halfords tool kit and get stuck in!!

That said, gadgetry & niceties on a 10+ year old Fiesta, before getting too carried away why not study the OPTIONS list available ( you will likely find someone selling a Ford brochure on ebay) for the mk6.5 Fiesta and figure out if it's better to just buy a better starting point for example a Zetec model or some of the many limited editions.

Out of all your ideas I'd consider chucking a new head unit in that has bluetooth/phone connectivity - you might find a standard Ford one that offers that or go aftermarket double din size with a dash adaptor. You may then find that with a stereo with a higher output that your standard speakers sound a bit weak so you may also want to look at speaker upgrades to.

A Digital speedo - really what is the point?? You can get a GPS digital speedo on your phone using Google Maps if you are worried your analogue speedo is not accurate. An interactive steering wheel ? What the hell is one of those or do you mean you want pointless buttons for the stereo?? Quite often these only work with the original stereo and aftermarket ones will not work.

Reverse sensors, on a Fiesta - come on, if you can't park a Fiesta get more driving lessons, Air con, you would be amazed how many additional parts you will need to get a AC system working, you've got the condenser, the pump which may involve different brackets on the engine to support the pump, the pipework for the gas, the electrics & the controls to consider.

I'd have a hunt around for a written off Fiesta ST to raid some nice bits off!!

[AlmostUseful]

You’ll have probably already been put off by now, but just in case you haven’t... my wife has Sync 3 in her ‘19 Kuga ST Line and it’s crap, I don’t know why you’d want it.
I prefer the command set up in my 6 year old merc.

You’re probably better off with one of the Android options you can get.

[MC Bodge]

Do something like this

[MC Bodge]

AlmostUseful said:

You’ll have probably already been put off by now, but just in case you haven’t... my wife has Sync 3 in her ‘19 Kuga ST Line and it’s crap, I don’t know why you’d want it.
I prefer the command set up in my 6 year old merc.

You’re probably better off with one of the Android options you can get.

Sync 3 works well in my car.