Death of a Well-Loved Festiva...Rainbow Death.

[nick7764]

Hey everyone...
Well, it looks like my Festiva's goin to the big salvage yard in the sky...(Actually, I'll probably post something in the for sale section in case someone could use parts).. but I just can't believe it- it hasn't sunken in yet.

I was doing a U-turn about a week ago, hit some ice, and slammed into the curb...We had to get the little guy towed home...leaked transmission fluid everywhere.. I was hoping it would be fixable and that I hadn't bent the frame, but I just got the verdict back from my mechanic today...its not good.. It would cost at least $1000 just to fix the bent frame, not the mention the control arm, other parts he mentioned, and transmission. Still runs great, but sigh.. its like losing a best friend. We've had SO many memories in this Festiva. It always got the best gas mileage, so it was always the road trip car with my friends...Its been up and down the east coast, to upstate NY almost a dozen times, even to Canada (I live in MD). We've gone round round-a-bouts for 15 minutes, taken ferries across rivers, even raced a Geo Metro.. And ha, everyone at the University of MD has seen that car at one time or another (I've actually gotten facebook messages from random people saying "are you the guy who drives that car?!" which makes more sense if u see the car).
Haha, and first conversation after the curb incident with my friend Natalie:

Me:"Omg Natalie, I was doing a U-turn in the Festiva with Julia and her friend Rob when we hit some ice and slammed into a curb!"
Natalie:"Oh no! Is she/he ok??"
Me:"Oh, they'll live..."
Natalie:"I meant the car!"
(We're unsure of the car's gender, its just been called Rainbow Death up till now)


Here's Rainbow Death...






A few friends help me paint Rainbow Death the 3rd or 4th time with Lowes house paint...


Next to my other baby, a 61' Imperial Crown (slightly bigger)


In Montreal a few weeks ago...bumper stickers:
"You have to be real secure to be seen in a car like this."
"I think your car looks funny too."
"Get in, sit down, hold on, and shut up!"
and on the window, "Honk if something falls off!"


About a year ago... my car's the big blue one on the left.


And finally, Upstate NY... Seasonal road? ha!


So yea, its gonna be hard to imagine life without a polka-dotted Festiva...And in case you were wondering, only minimum liability w/ insurance, so Im just gonna be without a car for a while...

[25Horseplay]

Well that certainly is an interesting paint job! Sorry to hear it can't be fixed.

[hawkdoc60]

Don't give up on Rainbow Death like that. Exactly what all is damaged besides the transmission and control arm? How bad could the frame honestly get bent from hitting a curb? You are a couple hours from me. If we can get it up this way, I believe that I can help you out. Let me know what you think.

Besides, I am a firm believer that there is nothing that can't be fixed with a good oxy-acetylene torch. LOL

[Sparky]

Be brave, nick!!! That was an awesome paint job, BTW...one-of-a-kind!!

[nick7764]

Alright, I just talked to the mechanic, and here's what he said. Needs to be replaced: right front strut, right front knuckle, lower control arm, and don't know more until axle gets put back in (popped out of tranny and wont go back in with everything in its current state). The right front frame rail is bent so there's only a 1/16" gap between it and the crank pulley. He also thinks once the axle goes back in, the transmission will be ok. So thats what he said... What do you guys think?

[hotfordcat]

Nick,
Hook-up with hawkdoc and try to save the festy. Oh, by-the-way, is the Collegetown Grille still there by the U of MD?

[hawkdoc60]

I have a control arm, no problem there. We will need to try and find a strut and knuckle. All the ones I have are pretty rusty. There may be a salvageable one, but hopefully someone on here can help us out. I will need to see the frame rail damage for myself to fully determine what would need to be done there. As for the axle coming out of the tranny, I am hoping that it is the other collateral damage preventing the axle from going in straight and not something that will require teardown. It is ultimately up to you if you want to try and save Rainbow Death or part it out. I believe we can get her/it back up and on the road cheaper than what the mechanic quoted you. It will be next weekend or the weekend after before I can think of trying to do anything. Let me know what you would like to do.

[hawkdoc60]

Can you post a pic of the damage, especially the frame rail/crank pulley? Thanks.

[nick7764]

Alright, here's a few pictures I took when it was on the lift- sorry if they're not clear.

Where axle popped out of tranny:


Bent frame rail:




Warped front right panel:


Sitting at shop:




And hawkdoc, if you really think its fixable, maybe, I just gotta think about things for a day or two..


Oh, and I forgot to say before, its an 88' Festiva L, in case anyone was wondering. Has 252,000 miles, engine rebuilt at 180,000 according to previous owner.

[elcamino1]

Looks fixable from what I can see!!

[Biff]

Hook a chain onto or around something in the front end and hook the other end to a big tree, back up a little to start, progress to what is required!

It might pull out enough to go!!

[hawkdoc60]

OK, here's the good news. Yes, I believe it is repairable. The bad news is that it will not be a weekend project. It would probably take two to three weekends. IMO, the best way to fix the frame rail section would be to cut that section out and to cut the same section out of one of my donor cars. Weld it into place and it should be good. (Someone else on here might have a better idea.) To do this, the engine and tranny will have to be pulled and then reinstalled after the repair. We would have to be careful to ensure perfect alignment of all components pertaining to that frame rail. That should not be as bad as it sounds. I also believe that if I welded it properly, it should have the same integrity as the original. This is a project that I would only be able to tackle during weekends due to my work and school schedule.

Looking at the axle, I believe it should pop back in if we get the load/torque off of it by fixing the other damage. The one thing I would want to be sure of is that it is not bent or damaged, as it would require replacement if it is.

My overall verdict is that it is do-able. It would depend on whether you would be willing to be without it for a couple to three weekends. I will be willing to donate the frame rail section and the control arm, but the other parts will need to be purchased. I still believe it can be done for less than a grand with no problem.

The way I see it, this is the type of thing this forum should exist for. If we are unwilling to help out a fellow Festy owner, then why should we bother being on here.

[freshtiva]

I say no death to rainbow death, fix it and rename it rainbow life.

[FestYboy]

i have all the parts you need to fix, all you should do is have the frame professionaly pulled, no need to cut and weld that, it isn't bent severly enough for that.

[hawkdoc60]

Festyboy, if you think that it would be better to have it straightened, then I'm all for it.