[Judge-1969]

Up in smoke! Was a great weekend to get your cars out here in Wisconsin! But not for this guy and his '70 Chevelle. This happened over the weekend in Burlington, WI. Don't know the whole story but he must have had an electrical/engine fire of some sort. Sounds like it was a numbers matching car too. Sad to see....

[Tim Younker]

This is why you should always have an extinguisher on board.

[72projectbird]

Man that sucks! And it was a 70, which is the best year Chevelle imo.

It's very savable, but I hope he had good insurance because it wont be cheap!

[66sprint6]

Oh, that would hurt after doing all that work to it. Hopefully it can be fixed and the owner doesn't mind doing it all over again.

[77 Canamman]

I just had the original AC fuel pump on my Trans Am decide to piss gas out the side. There appears to have been a weep hole there. The new AC Delco pump does not. Fortunately, I caught it in the driveway. With the airflow passing around it, it is probable that I really could have had a "Firebird"..

[Greg Reid]

I feel for him. I lost my first '68 GTO the same way back in 1985. The difference is that he'll fix his...I sold mine for $200.

[Heybuck]

Originally Posted by Tim Younker

This is why you should always have an extinguisher on board.

An extinguisher on board should be mandatory for ALL cars be it they are old or brand new.

BUT, engine fires should NOT be extinguished by simply opening the hood and firing the extinguisher. Opening the hood allows a massive surge of oxygen into the engine bay and a probable explosion of flame possibly with catastrophic results to the person attempting to put out the fire.

Looking at the pictures shown, it seems the fire department did not open the hood. Probably shot retardant up from underneath or let it burn out while hosing down the exterior and the interior.

Some years ago, I was parked at a sports oval waiting for my kids and the car right next to me had an engine fire. The fire department arrived very quickly and I was surprised that they chopped an axe through the hood and directed foam through the hole. I had backed away but saw the whole event. Fireman told me they NEVER open a burning hood.

All that is easy to say, but I still can't blame anyone in the heat of the moment (no pun intended!!), trying to save their car especially if its a classic. I'd probably react the same way.

Ian

[400 4spd.]

Burn jobs are no fun to work on. Everything stinks, and everything you touch or lean against leaves black residue on you.
Here is one we fixed a few years ago. The owner provided the hole that the firemen used to extinguish the fire.

[dataway]

Wonder how effective a basic under hood fire suppression system would be, and I wonder how inconspicuous it could be made.

[Greg Reid]

Man, Steve....I've always had a thing for those cars...

[indymanjoe]

That is useful info Buck.Makes sense about not opening it.

[Hikin Mike]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

Man, Steve....I've always had a thing for those cars...

Me too.

[Hikin Mike]

Years ago I was driving my Firebird into town and I started seeing black smoke. Pulled over and grabbed the fire extinguisher and opened the hood and put it out. Don't remember why, but it was a little oil dropping on my wrapped headers. Thankfully it only blistered the paint on the hood....still there to this day. If I had my fiberglass hood, it may have been a different story.

[92GTA]

I had an electrical fire back on Nov 1st in my 69. My first car fire. I was freaked I was going to loose the car an luckily I caught it VERY early.

All my classic cars I have always carried an extinguisher but this time I was driving the car home after flying out to buy it.

I suggest EVERYONE own one of these type of extinguisher:

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/htr-hg250r

I've smelled gas the last 2 times I have made a hard turn and accelerated a little this past weekend, strong like it's coming from the rear of the car. I need to look into it asap.

[Chris65LeMans]

I hope those people didn't pull into the gas station while there was a burning car 75 feet away.

['ol Pinion head]

Originally Posted by 66sprint6

Oh, that would hurt after doing all that work to it. Hopefully it can be fixed and the owner doesn't mind doing it all over again.

I'd bet everything can be replaced with the the swipe of a credit card. Every remaining '70-72 Malibu in my region has been puppymilled into builder SS "Chevelles" & sent all over the country. Would also bet a leaking rubber fuel line leading up to a junk E carb or Holley, started the fireworks. It's just too much trouble to run a steel line

[mudslinger]

Hopefully we won't ever need it but it's close at hand to the driver





Bill

[Greg Reid]

I carry a small extinguisher myself but I wonder if it's any good. I've had it for a while. How do you guys verify operation? Having one serviced cost every bit as much as buying another one.

[fiedlerh]

I would also have a means to disconnect the battery quickly, in case you catch it early and are able to open the hood.

[Stuckinda60s]

An extinguisher won't kill an electrical fire but it can suppress a gas fire until the short burns itself out or the battery goes dead. Don't just blast away with the extinguisher, use it to knock down any flame and then try to ration it, using it when flame flares up. If you use the extinguisher up while there's still a short, the gas in the carb can catch and you could lose everything.

It's a good idea to have a kill switch with a reach rod accessible from outside the engine compartment. Unless things are just smoking, don't try to pull the battery cable, you can get some really nasty burns. And, even then, check to see how hot it is before you try to pull it.