A good safety first reminder.
05-27-2018, 08:18 AM
#1
Safety Car
Thread Starter
A good safety first reminder.
Yesterday was our big Super Cruise in our town. A guy I know pulls in with his brand new Eleanor Mustang that he had built from the people who build them. Absolutely a stunning car and people flock to it instantly when he parked.
He shuts it off, gets out and starts to get his chairs and stuff out and someone asks him to pop the hood. So he does and almost immediately I can tell something is wrong over there.
i walk over and fuel is leaking down the fire wall pretty good. They have rags going I. Trying to soak it up, and even though the car is off the pressure on the line keeps the fuel leaking.
A couple of guys tear into it and after about a half hour it’s determined a .80 cent O ring didn’t seat properly and got mangled in the threads.
The guy paid about $250k and waited forever for this car and could have burned it to the ground on its maiden voyage. Didn’t have a fire extinguisher either.
He shuts it off, gets out and starts to get his chairs and stuff out and someone asks him to pop the hood. So he does and almost immediately I can tell something is wrong over there.
i walk over and fuel is leaking down the fire wall pretty good. They have rags going I. Trying to soak it up, and even though the car is off the pressure on the line keeps the fuel leaking.
A couple of guys tear into it and after about a half hour it’s determined a .80 cent O ring didn’t seat properly and got mangled in the threads.
The guy paid about $250k and waited forever for this car and could have burned it to the ground on its maiden voyage. Didn’t have a fire extinguisher either.
05-27-2018, 08:25 AM
#2
Team Owner
A classic, check-writer, quasi-hobbyist.
Nuf sed..
Nuf sed..
05-27-2018, 08:29 AM
#3
Safety Car
Thread Starter
05-27-2018, 08:29 AM
#4
Race Director
Fire extinguisher is always a must. Just as important a fresh build needs "shake down" inspections and short runs. Look for and expect the unexpected. Thankfully no tragic ending. If the car caught fire it could have been interesting to see who's insurance was taking the loss and how the builder was going to make things right.
05-27-2018, 09:31 AM
#5
Team Owner
Frankly, for $250K the builder should have installed a sexy fire extinguisher....
I feel for the guy a bit - I think the "Eleanor craze" has left the building....
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; 05-27-2018 at 09:32 AM.
05-27-2018, 11:37 AM
#6
Drifting
Member Since: Jan 2016
Location: CENTCOM, Tampa, FL
Posts: 1,673
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USMC
Glad you were there to help out and did the right thing.
Some people feel good taking shots at other folks - hopefully you tactfully schooled him up.
I love the Eleanor cars and know they’ll be classics forever...
Some people feel good taking shots at other folks - hopefully you tactfully schooled him up.
I love the Eleanor cars and know they’ll be classics forever...
05-27-2018, 12:00 PM
#7
Melting Slicks
**** happens. 20 cent part, go figure, no predicting.
in 1996 I had a 66 coupe literally explode in flames with me inside no joke.
Smelled fuel while driving, pulled onto shoulder did what I thought was a thorough inspection and found nothing.
Hopped in turned the key (ign obviously sparked it) and in a split second the rear of the car was surrounded in flames. I will never forget that sound. Made it out without getting burned. Yes I had a fire extinguisher and no I didnt even think to try and use it as it was instantly too dangerous to reach for safely. The cars was basically gone in minutes. This was well before cell phones so by the time the FD got there it was a smoking blazing melted scrap heap.
Oh and people that write checks for cars like the Eleanor Mustang do it because they can so good for them☺.
in 1996 I had a 66 coupe literally explode in flames with me inside no joke.
Smelled fuel while driving, pulled onto shoulder did what I thought was a thorough inspection and found nothing.
Hopped in turned the key (ign obviously sparked it) and in a split second the rear of the car was surrounded in flames. I will never forget that sound. Made it out without getting burned. Yes I had a fire extinguisher and no I didnt even think to try and use it as it was instantly too dangerous to reach for safely. The cars was basically gone in minutes. This was well before cell phones so by the time the FD got there it was a smoking blazing melted scrap heap.
Oh and people that write checks for cars like the Eleanor Mustang do it because they can so good for them☺.
Last edited by phil2302; 05-27-2018 at 12:03 PM.
05-27-2018, 11:47 PM
#8
Race Director
05-28-2018, 03:54 AM
#9
Le Mans Master
Glad it turned out OK for this guy. I had a buddy who was invited to a photo shoot for Hot Rod a few years back, I went with him to the shoot down in S Calif.
My buddy had a 72 Challenger that is really pretty and was invited to this shoot.
Hot Rod had the cars there from the then current Fast and Furious film and another guy who built a group of Tanning slalons into mega bucks. He built a custom 67 Eleanor.
They widened the entire car by 1 foot to fit over the huge tires. Had a 427 Roush engine with a 5 speed. IRS rear axle. Bumper to bumper the car was beautiful, he told me the build cost him $250K. They ran it on the track and at the drags. I always liked this car but this one was off the charts beautiful. It got a full write up in Hot Rod and did not miss a beat at the track or at the drag strip. The guys that built the custom car were there also since it had just been completed to make sure all went well.
They had a better day than we did. Our Optima battery decided to choke on us and after fixing the battery, the clutch in the 72 Challenger could not handle the power and went up in smoke on the acceleration tests. New builds have issues that is why you take shake down rides in progressively long distances till you trust the job is ironed out.
Stuff happens.
My buddy had a 72 Challenger that is really pretty and was invited to this shoot.
Hot Rod had the cars there from the then current Fast and Furious film and another guy who built a group of Tanning slalons into mega bucks. He built a custom 67 Eleanor.
They widened the entire car by 1 foot to fit over the huge tires. Had a 427 Roush engine with a 5 speed. IRS rear axle. Bumper to bumper the car was beautiful, he told me the build cost him $250K. They ran it on the track and at the drags. I always liked this car but this one was off the charts beautiful. It got a full write up in Hot Rod and did not miss a beat at the track or at the drag strip. The guys that built the custom car were there also since it had just been completed to make sure all went well.
They had a better day than we did. Our Optima battery decided to choke on us and after fixing the battery, the clutch in the 72 Challenger could not handle the power and went up in smoke on the acceleration tests. New builds have issues that is why you take shake down rides in progressively long distances till you trust the job is ironed out.
Stuff happens.
05-28-2018, 07:01 AM
#10
Melting Slicks
Got to have one of these just in case, even if you can’t act fast enough (or dare to risk injury) to use it. I also have 2 larger extinguishers in the garage.
Also, after I park the C2 in the garage, I usually go back and check it quickly for smoke or gas smell. I’ve had leaks at the sending unit so I’m paranoid.
It’s like driving, you need to be defensive.
Also, after I park the C2 in the garage, I usually go back and check it quickly for smoke or gas smell. I’ve had leaks at the sending unit so I’m paranoid.
It’s like driving, you need to be defensive.
05-28-2018, 07:31 AM
#11
Le Mans Master
05-28-2018, 08:03 AM
#12
Team Owner
05-28-2018, 10:01 AM
#13
Race Director
05-28-2018, 10:23 AM
#14
Melting Slicks
05-28-2018, 09:50 PM
#15
Race Director
Just wondering - should that same evaluation apply to another Forum member and frquent poster here who a few years ago “wrote a check” for a restored SS396 Malibu, found out that its Holley carb had a problem, didn’t know how to remove the fuel bowls, and had to be schooled by another forum member on how to remove 4 simple bolts. He subsequently and shortly got tired of the car and sold it
Sounds pretty darn similar to me.
You could look it up.......
Sounds pretty darn similar to me.
You could look it up.......
