Car fires (in classics)

[daverclasper]

Hi

 

Tend not to worry about this too much, but now and then see a photo of an old car pretty burnt up and think, oooh.

 

Looked on the net and seem to find lot's of uninformed opinions as usual.

 

Anyone got any links to good info on this, eg, causes, prevention, what best to do when it happens ( to save car, without too much danger to ones self).

 

Looking for practical advice without very,very stringent H/S, which of course the Fire Brigade, etc would have to promote.

 

Any help great, thanks.

 

Dave

 

[mishmosh]

I had a fire once. Caused by the live overdrive supply chafing on the clutch pipe.

The wiring behind the battery was alight I probably did everything wrong at the time. And pulled off the positive battery lead and smothered the fire. Then chucked water over it

Since then I have always carried a fire extinguisher. Cheap at Aldi etc.

[dougbgt6]

Sort the fuses out!

 

GT6, for instance, has NO fuse for the head lights, ALL the head light current goes through the switch on the dash. The switch corrodes, gets resistive and hot, fire hazard! Get relays and additional fuses.

[Pete Lewis]

Most fires are electric so a quick relaese battery terminal seems useful

fire extiguisher is realy a standard bit of kit, dont get one too small

 

many car fires start with brake fluid on the exhaust , it will burst into flames , water will extinguish

so spare bottle of water coild prove useful

petrol will not Ignite on the exhaust, it just evaporates

someone else can explain why

 

just rambling pete

[dougbgt6]

Yes, brake fluid ignites at a much lower temperature than petrol, good reason to change to silicon.