The Cal-look Lounge

The aim of this thread is twofold.

Since Ruff's engine bay caught fire, I was curious who ever has experienced the same mishap. I'm sure you didn't like it, but what was the damage, did you rebuild the car or did you maybe even took advantage and upgraded some bits and bobs.

And secondly, who's prepared for this. Are you going commando or do you carry a fire extinguisher. What sort of extinguisher do you have, powder, foam, gas? And where did you hide it in the car?

Bates.

I always carry 2 extinguishers (1 & 2kg). Having just 1 (1kg) is useless.

I ALWAYS carry one too - ever since my friend Rob blew an oil line on the highway and I thought he was going up in flames :)

I have an Amerex Halotron.

http://www.amerex-fire.com/Literature/halotron.pdf

Kinda pricey, but its not all that expensive if you need to use it.  I wish I could buy a few more for the other vehicles.

I've had a couple minor engine fires in my bug, but none that required an extinguisher. I did burn up a lot of my interior once, though.  A long time ago, I was welding up a quarter size rust hole in the left front wheel well in my bug and as near as I could tell, I set the seam sealant on fire where the wheel well meets the heater channel above the heater vent. I was under the fender, so I didn't know it was on fire for a few minutes. It ended up burning up the carpet as well as melting the fuse panel and the driver's door panel and it just barely got the driver's seat. Amazingly, it didn't hurt any of the paint or the EMPI steering wheel, but it did melt a photo of my girlfriend that was stuck in the front edge of the headliner. When I scooted out from under the fender and saw the smoke coming out from around the door (the window was up) I has to open the door and reach over the flames to get to the extinguisher hat was attached to the kick panel beneath the rear seat on the passneger's side of the car. I ended up replacing the entire interior because I could never get the smell out of the car. Ever since then, I keep extinguishers in every car.

Boy, I'm never gonna live that one down am I?  ;D

I caught an air cleaner on fire trying to fire up my 1776, Engle W125, 44 IDF motor about 14 years ago. I'm not sure why I had the K&N air cleaners on at the time, but I did. Like an idiot I sprayed ether into the air cleaner and started cranking away. Like on every engine I build, the distributor drive was installed 180 out of index and the engine popped back through a barrel and caught the now soaked with ether K&N air cleaner on fire. No damage done that I remember. I just felt like a dumbass.  :-[

Every car should have a hand held.
It's good to have in case your heat soaked car should ever stop on dry grass.
Headers/muffler heat can start a grass fire right under your car, good time to have a hand held.
But the best system for a car fire would be an on board Fire Suppression system.
In the last couple of years these along with HANs devices have become common at the amateur level.
http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/group.asp?GroupID=FIRESYSAFFF (http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/group.asp?GroupID=FIRESYSAFFF)
Could fit behind your rear seat and firewall. :)

I have mine hidden away under the passenger site, you barely see it and it's safe.

never ever dude.  ;D BIG D goes towards flywheel...    ;D

you almost burned down the garage and all our laundry.

I will never forget the sound of that ether lighting off....  WHUPMF!!!!

How could i get 2 Halon's over to here.....

I have/had an A,B,C one in the Car right behind the driver's seat. I also have two, one on each side, of the garage.

--louis

Whumpf...
heey i recall that sound as well :)

I've been thinking and when I eventually finish building PROJECT 66 I am going to install a full race car style system but nicely hidden away - I used to fit them in the Old ferarri's I used to work on.

There will be 2 handles/levers under the dash with cable routed to 2 hidden extinguishers under the rear seat - there will then be 3 nozzles - 2 aimed at the carbs and one aimed at the back of the dash area (wiring)

wrenching on ferrari's...  :o  more info please Lee!  ;D

had a fire once when an oil line came off, now only use proper AN compression fittings, gave my self a hose-clip ban! carry a hand held fire extinguisher just in case ;D

Check this link out: :)

http://www.dkeng.com/frames.php

Very nice cars, you can install my system any day. :)
Did you install them on both the old and new Ferraris’?
I'd think some purists would balk at having something non original in the car.
Why no interior port?
Do the owners of these high end cars with expensive leather rather not risk damage from the fire suppressant material?

In a competition car I'd have a port pointed at the driver too.
The better driving suits only give you 20 seconds of fire protection.
That’s several seconds better than shorts and a t-shirt. ;)

We only ever fitted them to the "Old/vintage" stuff - the best install I did was on a "pontoon nosed" 250 Tesstarossa ;D
These were the only cars that ever saw the track - The rules only said you needed the carbs/engine AND dash/wiring covered
I got pretty good at hidding these systems by the time I left  ;) :) Good Idea to cover the interior too.

I've had experience of a few fires - first one was my Dad welding on a bug in the garage and set fire to the front of his overalls - he said he thought he could smell smoke but carried on as he knew it couldn't be carpets - we'd taken them out after the last fire... :D 12" diameter hole in front of overalls!
Then was the time he set fire to the compressor - there was a fair build up of paint dust all over the motor, which was ignited by the angle grinder showering it with sparks!
And I managed to set fire to my race car, on its first outing in new paint, in the scrutineering area... :o :D

I have 2 in the car,one in the trunk and one on the passengerside,above the feet

We had a little oil fire earlier in the year but I guess you couldn't run quick enough with your hand held Ben ;D  Bernie
http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=N7wFSyBG1Dg

Hope that was not too expensive.
Meanwhile the flaming locked motor has slung oil on the slicks as you clutch the motor through the lights at 115. :o
Then activate the on board fire sytem. ;)
Wild video Bernie.

Where did they hide the tank?
I'd have it behind the front axle line behind the crush line.

It was a choice between the camera and the extinguisher, can't put an extinguisher on you tube! ;D

Good reply. Ben!  ;D

You see, a journalist should never try to change the course of history – his job is simply to record events.   :D

For Keith.