Don't Forget Your Fire Extinguishers

[1935Packard]

I'm sure everyone here has fire extinguishers on each of their cars, but my 2 cents is just a reminder to check them and make sure they're new and ready to go. I had a small fire in my engine compartment on the drive home from a show yesterday in my '49 Cadillac, and fortunately I had the fire extinguisher handy and had the fire out in seconds. I don't yet know the extent of the damage, but it would have orders of magnitude worse without that fire extinguisher. I've never had to use one before yesterday, but boy-oh-boy was I glad I had it and ready to go when I popped the hood and saw flames.

[Shop Rat]

Years ago at one of our region's shows the last car to leave the showfield backfired up through the air filter and it caught fire. He had forgotten to put a fire extinguisher in the car, he had just bought the car. Luckily for him our RV was there being used as the show HQ. Bill handed the extinguisher to me, I ran it to another friend and he put the fire out for the owner. The owner was trying to put the fire out with his jacket by hitting the fire with it.

Some damage but it was okay to drive it home.

Having a fire extinguisher in each car is not some silly rule made up by the AACA to help the fire extinguisher makers.

As these two stories, and I am sure others will share additional ones, point out it is to protect the vehicle and those in it from harm.

[imported_Badger Guy]

I have had to use the extinguisher in my cars 3 times over the years. But it's always been on someone elses car.

[novaman]

I needed one to put out an electrical fire and suffocate the engine on my '95 Dodge Dually diesel on Sunday morning. Had drove the truck 5 blocks to church. (I leave there and head to my parents place for lunch). Truck wouldn't shut off and when I raised the hood, the wiring harness was on fire. Put it out then had to shut the engine down by suffocating it with the extingsher.

[R W Burgess]

David, we always use a board or piece of steel over the intake to shut off diesel engines. Extinguisher powder is a little hard on engine rings.

In the old days of Detroit Diesels, you <span style="font-weight: bold">ALWAYS</span> had a helper stand by with a board when first firing up a rebuilt engine.

Those things loved to run away. ........which in turn, made others around you, want to "run away"!

Wayne

[Argyll]

Best advice I can give from 25 years experience - it takes years to build your pride & joy, it takes minutes to watch it totally destroyed - buy a good extinguisher.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: R W Burgess</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Those things loved to run away. ........which in turn, made others around you, want to "run away"! Wayne </div></div>

Had the diesel in our fire truck "run away" as we were responding to a call - watched the flywheel go straight through the cab roof!

[Ricko1937]

Speaking of fire extinguishers, do we still need a new specific type for AACA meets or did they wave that and still accept the older ones from before? I thought they waved the new type but I'm not sure. I'm going to Hershey and I don't want to be non-complient. I have no problem buying the new one since there must be a good reason to change.

[Steve Moskowitz]

Bring what you got! As long as it is fully charged and operational it will be accepted (oh, and in view!). We made it simple!

[Ricko1937]

Thanks Steve!!!!

[MarkV]

2 funny stories about my cars:

About 2 years ago, I was driving my 1941 Dodge around at 10 at night in Claremont,CA and I was on a dark and lonely street, so, anyway, I started smelling a weird smell I cam up to a stop light and all of the sudden smoke was pouring out of the hood, grill, and vents! I pulled over and it stopped, I had smoke one other time in the car, when I first got it, because there was some crap underneath the car that needed to be burned away, so, I thought this was some more crap but, it wasnt! I opened the hood and the wiring was glowing red and it had that horrible plastic smell! No fire but, it was bad, I had the fire suppressant stuff ready!

Fast forward to 2 months ago, I was getting my 1948 Lincoln ready for a local show, and I was trying to figure out why the new switches to the fog lights and overdrive did not work, so, I got new ones and I began flipping them and nothing was happening, then smoke started to pour out from every hole I opened the hood and the coating on the new wires to both wires to the fog and overdrive were melting away! So, I quickly reached into the burning wiring and unplugged the battery, then I hosed the whole thing down that little mishap burned through the oil line and ruined the hookups for the fog and overdrive, so, I ran to the store quick and got a oil line and I tore out all of the burned wiring (it did not damage any of the crucial stuff) And, I actually ended up getting to the show on time!

[Guest John_Lawrence]

The car shows in which I participated in the San Francisco Bay Area (Palo Alto, Hillsborough, Sacramento, Iron Stone, Silverado) all required fire extinguishers. All the car shows in New Mexico and Texas I have participated in since moving from the area have not required extinguishers. This makes me a bit nervous as one car fire can spread and damage others near it. Is it a requirement of AACA sponsored shows to have fire extinguishers on all vehicles exhibited? If not it should be.

[Steve Moskowitz]

We absolutely require all vehicles to have a charged, working fire extinguisher...although we don't test it! The absence of a fire extinguisher is automatic disqualification from our judging program.