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The last month of 2009 has 3 entries, the entries are from
drddan
Flyin4stroke
Festiva_Fred
Here's drddan's entry again
drddan
Flyin4stroke
Festiva_Fred
Here's drddan's entry again
Originally posted by drddan
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I will enter mine.... It is red.... and a story too!
I had been looking for a Festiva for about a year. Not finding any in the area worth considering, most were ready for boneyard or rebuild. Not wanting to take any more projects on, I put it on a secondary burner, still keeping an eye out for one. Well time passed, lost my job in april this year. Things were starting to get rough after a couple months, when my very good friend of many years, Mark, offered me a position as Light Tech/ roadie in his band.
Well, it wasnt a lot of money, but anything is better than nothing and on top of it, I get to hear some great music and hang with good people.
Well, looking forward to the first gig, I jump in my 1990 F-150, the only vehicle I own, and head out with glad heart to the gig which is like 40+ miles away. About 3 miles from the place, I hear this grrwwrrr? like sound and then then THUMP! Engine revs up like I threw it in neutral. Push clutch and it drops to floor and stays there. Ugghh! Make it to shoulder across 3 lanes of traffic. I pull pedal up and it pumps up, shifts gears, but nothing to the rear wheels. Its dead. Tranny gone. So, $200 on charge card, and i'm back home. I called Mark and told him I was sorry, that I broke down and he says no problem, he will pay me for the night anyway!!!! I also call Gino, another good friend who was to meet me there, tell him the story, and CHECK THIS!!!
Gino lives by where the gig was, so he offers to drive the 40+ to pick me up, 40+ to the gig, 40+ to take me home, and then 40+ so he can get back home!!! Amazing guy!!!! Amazing Friends!!!! Sheesh! So I am able to make the saturday night gig and Mark pays me for both nights! Sheesh x2!
Now here is where the Festiva I now own comes in. I go to craigslist friday night, the night of the breakdown, and there is a FESTIVA for sale!!!
A couple actually, one too high $$$$, one needs a lot of work, and both had been on CL for a while. BUT, this one was new on CL and had been posted 12 minutes before I got on CL. I call right then, 10:00pm, and get hold of the guy. He is selling it on consignment thru a small repair shop close by. He said they're open saturday morning, so I told him i'd be there first thing. Well price was $800, and I didnt have $800...yet! I had some $$$ in an IRA, got hold of my agent and got the ball rolling on the money, but 2-3 days before I got it.
I pulled what I had, and again, Gino comes thru and gives me $100! I have $200 for total of $300. Not enough. So I go early and talk to the people at repair shop. As soon as I pull into lot and see the Festy, I knew it was the one! I tell my story(shorter than this version) drive the car, and ask if he'll hold it until my check comes mon or tues and he says yes! Well, I just had to get this Festiva, period! Nice, hardly any rust, drove great. And I needed wheels fast.
I thought about it and the money wasnt going to be on time with the bank wanting to hold it 1-2 days, so I call in a few favors and get up to $700. $100 short. I call him monday morn and tell him I really want this car and all i've got is $700. He says good enough and to come on down and get it!!!
I was there in the wink of an eye!
And now without further ado, some pics:
The car had new fuel pump, new wheel bearings, and new battery. Drove it to station, passed inspection, drove to license bureau, and had plates the same day, been driving it daily since.
I now have a job, am still the light tech/roadie and now videographer also for ARBOGAST, the band and my FESTIVA ROCKS!
My F150 will be on the road next week, too. More photos to follow and my photo album has pics of of it and stuff aquired for it since.
Hope ya all enjoy the story at least, it was a heck of a ride!
And thanks to all the great folk at "THE ST. LOUIS MEET", I now have some really fantastic pics of " The Beast".
I had been looking for a Festiva for about a year. Not finding any in the area worth considering, most were ready for boneyard or rebuild. Not wanting to take any more projects on, I put it on a secondary burner, still keeping an eye out for one. Well time passed, lost my job in april this year. Things were starting to get rough after a couple months, when my very good friend of many years, Mark, offered me a position as Light Tech/ roadie in his band.
Well, it wasnt a lot of money, but anything is better than nothing and on top of it, I get to hear some great music and hang with good people.
Well, looking forward to the first gig, I jump in my 1990 F-150, the only vehicle I own, and head out with glad heart to the gig which is like 40+ miles away. About 3 miles from the place, I hear this grrwwrrr? like sound and then then THUMP! Engine revs up like I threw it in neutral. Push clutch and it drops to floor and stays there. Ugghh! Make it to shoulder across 3 lanes of traffic. I pull pedal up and it pumps up, shifts gears, but nothing to the rear wheels. Its dead. Tranny gone. So, $200 on charge card, and i'm back home. I called Mark and told him I was sorry, that I broke down and he says no problem, he will pay me for the night anyway!!!! I also call Gino, another good friend who was to meet me there, tell him the story, and CHECK THIS!!!
Gino lives by where the gig was, so he offers to drive the 40+ to pick me up, 40+ to the gig, 40+ to take me home, and then 40+ so he can get back home!!! Amazing guy!!!! Amazing Friends!!!! Sheesh! So I am able to make the saturday night gig and Mark pays me for both nights! Sheesh x2!
Now here is where the Festiva I now own comes in. I go to craigslist friday night, the night of the breakdown, and there is a FESTIVA for sale!!!
A couple actually, one too high $$$$, one needs a lot of work, and both had been on CL for a while. BUT, this one was new on CL and had been posted 12 minutes before I got on CL. I call right then, 10:00pm, and get hold of the guy. He is selling it on consignment thru a small repair shop close by. He said they're open saturday morning, so I told him i'd be there first thing. Well price was $800, and I didnt have $800...yet! I had some $$$ in an IRA, got hold of my agent and got the ball rolling on the money, but 2-3 days before I got it.
I pulled what I had, and again, Gino comes thru and gives me $100! I have $200 for total of $300. Not enough. So I go early and talk to the people at repair shop. As soon as I pull into lot and see the Festy, I knew it was the one! I tell my story(shorter than this version) drive the car, and ask if he'll hold it until my check comes mon or tues and he says yes! Well, I just had to get this Festiva, period! Nice, hardly any rust, drove great. And I needed wheels fast.
I thought about it and the money wasnt going to be on time with the bank wanting to hold it 1-2 days, so I call in a few favors and get up to $700. $100 short. I call him monday morn and tell him I really want this car and all i've got is $700. He says good enough and to come on down and get it!!!
I was there in the wink of an eye!
And now without further ado, some pics:
The car had new fuel pump, new wheel bearings, and new battery. Drove it to station, passed inspection, drove to license bureau, and had plates the same day, been driving it daily since.
I now have a job, am still the light tech/roadie and now videographer also for ARBOGAST, the band and my FESTIVA ROCKS!
My F150 will be on the road next week, too. More photos to follow and my photo album has pics of of it and stuff aquired for it since.
Hope ya all enjoy the story at least, it was a heck of a ride!
And thanks to all the great folk at "THE ST. LOUIS MEET", I now have some really fantastic pics of " The Beast".
Good candidates all around. Best of luck to all!!
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