Ehren & Jen’s Fiesta – The Unlikely Candidate
There is no particular reason I drive what I do. I am shaped by the circumstances of the time. About 10 years ago I was looking for a more competitive and affordable autocross car than the air cooled Volkswagen I was driving. A long time club member in my region was looking to get out of autocrossing for a while. Joe had a Ford Fiesta and he was placing consistently in the top 10. Looking for a buyer, he let me fun run the car for a couple of autocrosses, and I found the car to be very willing and nimble. I liked the car and bought it. Since that time, I have come to appreciate the Fiesta’s virtues. The bodywork and chassis are sturdy, the engine is bulletproof (although tractor-like), the very few repairs I have ever had to do are cheap, as parts are readily available through various importers. I think the best part is the oddity of the whole thing. For example, the Baked Potato Beige original (but good) paint job. Or the fact that the car was only sold for 3 years in the U.S. Conversations go like this:
“What do you race?”
“A Ford Fiesta.”
“A FESTIVA!?”
“No, a Fiesta.”
“Why would you want to race a Festiva?”
“I don’t…. It’s a FIESTA.”
“A Fes…. a Fe… a Fiat…. a Fif… what the did you say?”
“A Fiesta. F-I-E-S-T-A.”
“Oh… I think I know those. My aunt Esther had one of those. Ran forever.
Good mileage too.” “Yup.”
“Where is it?”
“Right over there.”
“WHAT!??? that BEIGE thing!?… You’re tellin’ me that there is a race car?”
“Yup.”
Joe was the original owner, and autocrossed the car since it was new. He ran in stock class for about 2 years, before he started setting the car up for Street Prepared in 1980. He autocrossed nearly every month until 1985, when he moved up to Prepared. He ran in Prepared for two years before selling to me. I’ve autocrossed the car every month since 1987. In 1994 my fiancé gave up trying to beat me with her Honda Civic, and began racing the Fiesta also. The engine has 168,000 miles (most of those have been racing) and the bottom end of the engine has never been apart. The head has been off twice for port work and valve springs. I’ve fantasized about other cars… what my next race car might be. I’ve seen the limitations of my trusty Fiesta, and someday it may be obsolete. At this point I cannot prematurely retire this car. The unlikely candidate is still right.
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