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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