How 3 Become 1

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David Hawkins
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Joined: Wed Jun 10, 2009 7:36 am

How 3 Become 1

Post by David Hawkins »

I've been asked to document the repair process on my 06, so here's the tale.To start with, I buy salvage vehicles to part out and I'm always looking for vehicles with the 2ZZ/6speed as the MR2 Spyder guys like to plop this into their cars to make it how Toyota should have.I bought the red car with the intention of doing this, but once I got to looking at the damage I realized that it wasn't terribly bad. It dove under whatever it hit and the chassis rails are still straight. I think a lot of the totaling was the damaged wiring harness in the front ($1400) and the broken air injection pump ($1200).Once I decided to fix it, I had to find the parts. The blue car came up for auction with good front sheetmetal - so I bought it. That left the airbag and driver's seat belt (pre-tensioner had fired). The silver car came up - it's a GT, so I was going to bid on it anyway - and it has good SRS pieces...so I bought it.I've gotten the blue car gutted and the front half cut off - it's going to the body shop with the red car to be grafted together into one finished unit. Once I get it back, I'll swap over the SRS stuff and take it in for a reconstructed title. Fun!
lovemyraffe
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Post by lovemyraffe »

That is a very intensive project. Keep us posted!
March 2011 MOTMFebruary 2010 MOTM My GenVibe garage
David Hawkins
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Re: (lovemyraffe)

Post by David Hawkins »

Quote, originally posted by lovemyraffe »That is a very intensive project. Keep us posted!The hard work has been done. I don't do body work (I'm great with a sawzall, but I'm not so good with a welder...and the PA DMV is pretty picky about reconstruction), so we're going to load the red car and the front half of the blue car onto my trailer and take it to a body shop.Once they're done with it, I'll swap over the little bits that need replacing from the sliver car and it should be finished.
bodhi_tree777
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Re: (David Hawkins)

Post by bodhi_tree777 »

Quote, originally posted by David Hawkins »The hard work has been done. I don't do body work (I'm great with a sawzall, but I'm not so good with a welder...and the PA DMV is pretty picky about reconstruction), so we're going to load the red car and the front half of the blue car onto my trailer and take it to a body shop.Once they're done with it, I'll swap over the little bits that need replacing from the sliver car and it should be finished.Is this a keeper for you, or are you piecing them together to sell as a roller (as opposed to parting it)?Very cool to watch in either case. Yours and Audiovibe's soundproofing thread give a great view into the guts of these cars that many of us haven't had to dig into yet. Do yourself a favor on the ones you part, before you scrap them, and pull all of the cladding off (you may already have that in mind). Those pieces are ridiculously expensive as I found out recently (at least several hundred dollars each for some molded plastic). It's funny, give these cars a couple more years to depreciate, and you could technically "total" one by gouging a single line around the base of the car through the cladding.
james / bodhi tree studio / tattoos & illustration / http://www.bodhitreestudio.comebay store : vintage clothing & toys---03 Satellite Vibe GT // 04 Neptune base // 1986 VW Golf // 1990 VW Golf GL---
David Hawkins
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Post by David Hawkins »

I'm on the fence as to what I'm going to do with the red one. I need a parts hauler since all of my other cars are MR2s, so I may keep it...but I could use the money also, so I may put it up for sale when it's done.I save everything I can when I strip one of these. About the only things that go to the scrap yard are the body hulks (after being cut up) and any broken parts.
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808 Vibes
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Re: (David Hawkins)

Post by 808 Vibes »

Oooh....me spots me some door panels with manual locks and windows...just...like...mine! hmmm...LOLLooks like a fun, adventurous project!
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Kincaid
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Post by Kincaid »

How far and wide did you have to go to find all three?
1997 Civic EX sedan w/auto trans2001 Accord EX sedan w/5-spd manual2009 Vibe 2.4L w/5-spd manual, sunroof, monsoon, GT spoiler, Magnaflow muffler and rolled SS tip, lowered on H-Tech springs, window tint, debadged (save the red arrow!).
David Hawkins
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Re: (Kincaid)

Post by David Hawkins »

Quote, originally posted by Kincaid »How far and wide did you have to go to find all three?They pretty much came to me. I'm a member of an auction website for insurance salvage sales. These all came from that site.
wyatt89
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Re: (David Hawkins)

Post by wyatt89 »

If you don't mind saying, how much did each of them run you?
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star_deceiver
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Post by star_deceiver »

I can just imagine the looks on wives faces everywhere whenever a husband decides to do something "creative."
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2009 Vibe. (Traded in - 12/12/12)
David Hawkins
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Re: (wyatt89)

Post by David Hawkins »

Quote, originally posted by wyatt89 »If you don't mind saying, how much did each of them run you?The two GTs were ~$2500 each. The blue car was ~$2100.
WhiteFiver
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Post by WhiteFiver »

You interested in possibly selling me the passenger fender? If so, how much & how much do you think shipping would be?
2008 G5. K&N SRI, 16x7 Akita AK-7, Painting, CCFL Projectors, tinted tails.2004 Vibe Base, 160,xxx KM, 37,xxx KM on motor
David Hawkins
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Re: (WhiteFiver)

Post by David Hawkins »

Quote, originally posted by WhiteFiver »You interested in possibly selling me the passenger fender? If so, how much & how much do you think shipping would be?The only decent passenger fender that I have came off of the blue car and it was a little crumpled down where it bolts on near the pinch seam behind the wheel. Probably not noticable once installed and painted to match your car.Shipping to BC? Gonna be a LOT.
bull77
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Re: How 3 Become 1 (David Hawkins)

Post by bull77 »

nice work -- those leather seats look so comfy...now I know what my car would like gutted Quote, originally posted by David Hawkins »
David Hawkins
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Post by David Hawkins »

Quick update - the blue car is no more. I got the back half cut into 4 big pieces and it's in the scrap heap now. All that's left are the parts and front clip - which is going to the body shop with the red car.
damronjr
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Post by damronjr »

And you called MY Vibe FrankenVibe, looks like we got a more official FV now that mine is lost! lol
Jason Damron, San Diego, CA, Supercharged 2004 Vibe base - Gone to the wind My Vibe pics on Cardomain2009 Chevrolet HHR SS!
BlueCrush
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Re: (damronjr)

Post by BlueCrush »

Your's was, and will always be, the original FrankenVibe, Jason.....This one should be the Bride of FrankenVibe or the Son of FrankenVibe...lol.
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David Hawkins
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Post by David Hawkins »

No new pics, but the red Vibe went to the body shop a few weeks ago. I called Tuesday and they already had the bad stuff cut out and were lining everything up to weld in the replacement panels. With any luck, I should have pics of the finished product within the next 7-10 days.I'm getting kind of excited - I've never driven one of these further than a few hundred feet!
Wolfman213
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Re: (David Hawkins)

Post by Wolfman213 »

Quote, originally posted by David Hawkins »I'm getting kind of excited - I've never driven one of these further than a few hundred feet!hahaha For some reason that struck me funnny.Can't wait to see the finished product!!
April 2010 Co-MOTM * Custom LED Gauge Cluster swap * LED dome, HVAC, and shifter * Retrofit projector w/ blue halo * Kenwood KDC-HD942U * Herculined cargo area * Debadged *Wolfman's Garage
bodhi_tree777
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Re: (David Hawkins)

Post by bodhi_tree777 »

what are you going to do for paint? If it's getting painted anyway, it'd be cool to go a custom color, although I realize that costs might restrict you to sticking with stock. I vote sea foam green, anyway
james / bodhi tree studio / tattoos & illustration / http://www.bodhitreestudio.comebay store : vintage clothing & toys---03 Satellite Vibe GT // 04 Neptune base // 1986 VW Golf // 1990 VW Golf GL---
David Hawkins
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Re: (bodhi_tree777)

Post by David Hawkins »

I'm just doing a repair for resell - nothing fancy.
David Hawkins
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Re: (David Hawkins)

Post by David Hawkins »

Well, it's back from the body shop - paint match is nearly flawless. I spent 4 hours yesterday installing components that had either been damaged or were missing and cleaning up the interior. Replaced the driver's airbag and seatbelt as they had both fired.I did the little dance with the OBDII connector to reset the SRS DTCs, but I still have an airbag light. The codes are cleared - if I jump TC and CG, the airbag light flashes twice a second repeatedly....but the light stays on when the jumper is removed. Anyone know how to clear this?
David Hawkins
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Post by David Hawkins »

Well, if anyone has an airbag pop - just toss the SRS ECU and buy a new one. They retail for around $200 and that's the only way to clear the airbag light. Got my new one today, the light went out and the car's going in for it's salvage inspection Monday.
David Hawkins
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Post by David Hawkins »

I think it turned out pretty well....the front airbag had been painted, so the lower part had to be painted to match the plain plastic bits on the car. He came really close on the color there.
Sublimewind
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Re: (David Hawkins)

Post by Sublimewind »

Holy misleading thread title Batman..
David Hawkins
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Post by David Hawkins »

What's misleading about it? I took 3 Vibes and made one 1 good one....
keithvibe
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Post by keithvibe »

Looks good David. Loving the Salsa LOL But i did notice that there is a pritty big gap on the hood where it meets up with the front bumper. You might want to adjust that hood lower.
2010 Vibe & member of the yeargarage Email me if you need to talk to me, click my siggy and send the email threw the contact page.
David Hawkins
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Post by David Hawkins »

salsa?
keithvibe
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Re: (David Hawkins)

Post by keithvibe »

Quote, originally posted by David Hawkins »salsa?the dark red, is called salsa from the factory.the light red is called lava from the factory.
2010 Vibe & member of the yeargarage Email me if you need to talk to me, click my siggy and send the email threw the contact page.
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