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Re: Near Disaster

To: Bill Babcock <BillB@bnj.com>
Subject: Re: Near Disaster
From: Bob Bownes <bownes@seiri.com>
Date: Thu, 01 Aug 2002 13:24:56 -0700
Guy in our region has a half enclosed trailer he got a bargain on. The 
front half is really nice, the back is a bit charred where it melted. :-)


iii


Bill Babcock wrote:

> Open trailers don't help that much. I friend of mine (the guy who built my
> Norton--Kenny Dreer) had a number of really fine bikes burn up on an open
> trailer. Fuel leak + cigarette out the driver's side window=boom. An
> ex-friend of his was driving and tossed the cigarette. 
> 
> I listened to what Carroll Smith said about aeroquip gas lines. Still, I
> had one come loose and filled my trailer with a spooky layer of gas. 
> 
> It's amazing that we don't have more fires. 
> 
> My '67 Mistral Maserati was a Molotov cocktail. They have two gas tanks
> connected with a balance line that runs from low point to low point. They
> have stainless braided line and Aeroquip connectors (or the Italian
> equivalent) from the tanks to the engine, but the balance line is a wimpy
> rubber line with hose clips. Unremarkably, there were many Mistrals that
> burned in the back end. I got a nose clip from one after I clobbered mine
> into a bridge abutment. 
> 
> Stock TR3 tanks are insane! A wimpy flat steel tank strapped right behind
> the driver and passenger. Yikes!! They make Pintos look safe.
> 
> Bottom line--old cars leak gas. Be werry, werry ca-a-a-a-uwful.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: N197TR4@cs.com [mailto:N197TR4@cs.com] 
> Sent: Thursday, August 01, 2002 7:11 AM
> To: EISANDIEGO@aol.com; fot@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: Near Disaster 
> 
> 
> Wow! Had not given this much thought. Good to draw attention to it.
> Something 
> to be said for an open trailer, but an eye opener for those who transport 
> their race cars in an closed trailer, as well.
> 
> The life you save may be a FoT.
> 
> Joe (A)
> 
> 
> 
> 
>>Joe
>>
>>       I received a call yesterday from the guy who was transporting a 
>>TR7
>>parts car for me. Somehow in the process of loading or transporting, the
>>
> 
>>deteriorated fuel line on the TR7 was further damaged, resulting in the 
>>leakage of gasoline into his enclosed trailer during transport. In any 
>>case, 
>>three quarters of way to the destination he is alerted by a motorist
>>
> that 
> 
>>liquids (gasoline) where leaking from the back of his enclosed trailer. 
>>Fortunately everything was brought under control quickly without
>>
> explosion 
> 
>>or 
>>fire. The spillage was contained, but the trailer floor has obviously
>>
> been 
> 
>>soaked with gasoline. 
>>
>>       It was a deteriorated fuel line that caused this problem. This 
>>made
>>me 
>>think of the previous FOT discussions about how newer fuels seem to be
>>
> more 
> 
>>damaging to older car rubber and plastic parts. This car had been stored
>>
> 
>>outside for a number of years with a relatively full fuel tank by the 
>>seller. 
>>It was not operating. Just the type of situation that some of you
>>
> mentioned 
> 
>>earlier would lead to this type of problem.
>>
>>       Like most of you, this transportor and I have picked up number 
>>cars
>>for parts over the years. There were no leaks when where the car was
>>
> stored 
> 
>>or immediately upon loading. However, we just did not inspect the fuel
>>
> line 
> 
>>carefully enough to see it condition. 
>>
>>       I personally am going to start removing all fuel before 
>>transporting
>>older stored parts cars (which may not have averted some spillage, but 
>>certainly would not have been smaller).  
>>
>>Cary

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