What is the "heart and soul" of a festiva?

[festyxfi]

Group,

Please humor me for a moment. The reason I'm asking such a philosophically silly question is, I'm REALLY attached to my tired ol' 89 festiva (Carby) and I see the day coming soon when I'll ethier have to do a complete over-haul on just about everything (struts, engine, trans. etc.) not to mention fix some lesser but annoying issues (the floor fills up with water whenever it rains for example. I've looked everywhere for the sourse to no avail.) There's a better than not chance that I'll just skate her along until winter has me stuck in the shop needing something to fix (like a tired old festiva) but, I've also been thinking to changing my adventure mobile to something like the 86 Toyota tercel wagon 4wd I recently picked up in Montana. They're another bullet proof vehicle, the 65HP 1.5L motor gets 35+MPG's if driven nice, and most awesome, true 4wd capabilities. (and more room to sleep in the back). The problem is, I can't quite shake the guilt of just scrapping such a well serving car as carby (or even worse, selling her to someone for about all she's worth, a couple hundred bucks) I'm convenced the only thing that keeps this car alive is my love for it. I only paid $150 bucks for her for Heaven's Sake. We've driven across country more times than I can count. We've explored Canada..she's even been to Newfoundland!!! I've spent countless nights sleeping in the back, at truck stops, campgrounds, river beds. If you take the rear seat supports out, there's actually a lot of room in there (if you're 5'10 like me, or less) Who needs a 35 foot RV???!!!

So maybe I could somehow figure out just what part of a festiva is the "heart and soul" (computer? Steering Wheel? Cluster? Ford Emblem?) then transfer over, wire in, bolt on, what-have-you to a new adventure wagon? It would seem easier if she was replaced by another festiva (no cross species organ transplants or anthropromorphic spirit possessions)

Maybe it's easier to just stay loyal, rebuild her (with the aspire gear I have cluttering up the back) and stay true to a good friend?

What do you all think? Anyone have stronger feelings for their festiva than say, their family members?... This one's been bugging me for weeks now.

FX

[freshtiva]

The heart and soul of festivas are intangible !

[MJD]

Maybe it's easier to just stay loyal, rebuild her (with the aspire gear I have cluttering up the back) and stay true to a good friend?

What do you all think? Anyone have stronger feelings for their festiva than say, their family members?... This one's been bugging me for weeks now.

FX[/QUOTE]


FX -- It is a hard one to answer. If I were in a business like you are, having a bit bigger, maybe stronger outfit to travel and pull, or haul, your items of interest, and cars, would be something I would really consider. Especially if the mileage per gallon of gas would be reasonable. You don't have to get rid of your Festiva, but kind of "retire" it for the time being, maybe revitalizing her later.
Just a thought.
I do know that common driving to work 10 miles, scooting around town, running errands.....I can not hack NOT driving our Festiva. Just to easy to drive, park, move quickly down main street...... HA !

:p


MJD

[deathegg]

Hmmmm, Deep. Very deep question.

I can see the logic of just selling it, considering it's old, worn out, and needs a bit of work to stay reliable, etc. But I believe you have to look beyond logic, and realize that we are but caretakers of our cars so that the next owner can enjoy it too. That's the way I think of my Festy (and my '69 VW Fastback especially), as though I'm a museum curator who is simply looking after it for the next person. Perhaps letting it sit and rest for now, and work on it when you have the chance to give it a new life is the best idea instead of getting rid of it.

Also, you can't IMO take something off the car that is the "heart" of the Festiva. The component parts individually do nothing, but taken as a whole they make a Festiva, which is what we're all after.

I think that's why the Route 66 revival over the last 15 years is so strong; because the people who travel and explore it realize that, like Steinbeck wrote, it is the "Mother Road", which nurtures and cares for the traveler, and so it behooves us to take care of it as well.
And so it is with your Festy.

Wow, now my brain hurts....

[Amos]

The heart and soul of a festiva is the love for these little "Throw away cars" that people put into them...

I mean.. How many countless hours have you spent thinking of how to customize or build up your little festy?

They're great little cars, and very well worth the work put into them.

I say go for a complete re-build... You'll be amazed at how nice a fresh festiva is... I just got a Festy with 46,000 miles on it... and this thing is nicer than some of the brand new cars on the road

[batstiva]

Okay, not to get even more philosophical than this thread already is, I think the 'heart and soul' of a festiva, or any car for that matter, is the love that the car's owner has for it.

I have been where you are right now. A year ago, I decided I was done with Batstiva, and commenced to parting her out. Pieces of her are now scattered pretty much across the country. Had no real problem taking the part off, and shipping them, or hauling them to where ever they needed to go. And what was left was sold for scrap. Maybe this makes me sound like a girl, but I almost cried when the rollback came and took her away. The next morning was almost as bad when I got up, and for the first time in 10 years, she was not sitting in my driveway. I tried to let her go, and forget about it. And yet, here we are, a year later, and she is back, sitting in my barn, waiting to be put back together.

In the end, you gotta do what you gotta do, but I don't think there is any part or piece that you can take off the car, and say that you have saved it's heart and soul. Okay, now I need a drink.