(7/22/2013) New Hampshire Avanti Destroyed In Garage Fire

[DEEPNHOCK]

http://www.unionleader.com/article/20130722/NEWS07/130729742

(snippet copy....See link for complete article)

July 22. 2013 9:33PM

Antique car destroyed in Claremont garage fire
By MEGHAN PIERCE

Union Leader Correspondent

CLAREMONT

[SN-60]

This fire could have happened for many different reasons,.....but the Avantis elevated fuel tank always caused me some concern when these cars are parked for a time inside a garage.

[Bill Pressler]

This fire could have happened for many different reasons,.....but the Avantis elevated fuel tank always caused me some concern when these cars are parked for a time inside a garage.

Might a battery cut-off switch have avoided this disaster? Who knows?

I know some folks who go "nah" when I've mentioned how cheap they are to buy and easy to use. I don't understand it.

[gordr]

A garden hose is not exactly the tool of choice for dealing with a car fire. Might take too long to deploy, for one thing, and water is of little or no use in the case of a flammable liquids fire. This guy should have had dry-chemical fire extinguisher on hand, I have several of those, and also a 2.5 gallon pressurized water extinguisher that I charge up and have handy whenever doing welding or using the burn barrel.

[WCP]

A solenoid fuel shutoff at the tank region is the way to go.

[studegary]

That Avanti owner is neither in my AOAI Roster nor my SDC Roster.

[sweetolbob]

A solenoid fuel shutoff at the tank region is the way to go.

I agree totally, but remember that unless it screws directly into the tank bottom fitting, you have not gotten rid of the most likely culprit, the short piece of fuel hose that exits the tank. So unless you are changing to something better then you are only lessening the potential.

That's why I've chosen to use stainless steel reinforced fuel injection grade hose to plumb the lines. Then adding the shutoff.

Bob

[57pack]

As a active member of our local fire dept, I have seen this happen many times.
Most recently a Ford Model T Huckster. Breaks my heart when I remember how many antique and collector cars I have seen gone up in flames. If folks would only disconnect the battery when they park their cars in a garage for any time period.
Also be careful storing gasoline and oily rags!

[lschuc]

He joined the AOAI since your roster was printed and is a current member of the Avanti Owners Association.

[64V-K7]

What was his car's Chassis #?

[Corley]

Gee, I also own a '63 Avanti, and I didn't realize I owned an "antique car"! I thought it was an almost new sports vehicle, or at the most, a collector car or classic car. But, "antique"??? (Since I'm about twice as old as the Avanti, I guess you know what that makes ME!)

[sweetolbob]

(Since I'm about twice as old as the Avanti, I guess you know what that makes ME!)

Yup!! 100 years old and to think you don't write like you are over 85. Hopefully working on Studebakers will let me do as well.

Bob

[jclary]

I don't recall how many Avantis David Walker lost in his tragic fire, but I suspect that this year has been one of the worst losses for the limited production in a long time.

Let's be careful out there.

[studegary]

Gee, I also own a '63 Avanti, and I didn't realize I owned an "antique car"! I thought it was an almost new sports vehicle, or at the most, a collector car or classic car. But, "antique"??? (Since I'm about twice as old as the Avanti, I guess you know what that makes ME!)

Only 4% of all produced Avantis are NOT now antiques (1989-2007).

That makes you about 100 (about twice as old as a 1963).

[lostavanti]

FYI

A garden hose is not exactly the tool of choice for dealing with a car fire. Might take too long to deploy, for one thing, and water is of little or no use in the case of a flammable liquids fire. This guy should have had dry-chemical fire extinguisher on hand, I have several of those, and also a 2.5 gallon pressurized water extinguisher that I charge up and have handy whenever doing welding or using the burn barrel.

I am the Guy!
I did in fact have an extinguisher and it did in fact not work.
The garden hose was my second choice and as stated, did not work very well.
Avanti was R4414.
Hindsight is a great teacher!