Well the day started out ok...but then....

Glad you're ok Paul! That really sucks....

 

sorry Paul, i'm sick to my stomach. glad your ok.

 

Thanks for all the concern guys. I did have a fire exstinguisher in the car behind the seat. But everything happened so fast and with me trying to bring the car to a stop with thress wheels from 50 MPH and having trouble getting the seat belt undone and watching the flames get closer to me I forgot all about it. Believe me I thought about that exstinguisher many times today and how Imight have saved most of the car but also wonder what might have happened with a full tank of gas on fire and me standing so close. Ya dont know what its gonna do. I just thank God I didnt get hurt at all.
Thanks again for the thoughts.
Paul

 

Saving yourself is Job 1, saving the car is Job 2. Glad to see you're OK.

 

Hey Paul, sorry to see that happen to your ride. Looks like you know how to build a beautiful car... youll get it back together again! Whether its this one or a new project.


*The following isnt directed at Paul, but to all HAMBers who drive*

A lot of guys snicker at me for being a safety freak. Always wearing safety glasses, ear protection, gloves and I might overdue it at times. I have 4 fire extinguishers throughout my house and 3 in the garage. I have 2 in my '53! One is bolted on the floor, to the right of my Hurst shifter. One is in the trunk.

The thing with fires is that they are scary, like many have said. Thing is, if it comes to the point where you need to pull the pin and actually USE the extinguisher, it better be easily accessible and not under a bunch of shit or hard to get at. If you plan on having one in your car, make sure you can get to it or you might as well not have one at all.

I go over board on safety, but its better safe than sorry.

 

Well that sucks. But look on the bright side, you're practically garenteed that tommorow will be a better day . . . unless your house burns down or something . . . really hope that deosn't happen.
Glad you're ok, anyway

 

want to cry?
i would have been in tears, sorry for you and that car.Glad you are safe.

 

glad your ok beautiful car

 

I'd rather deal with a burned car than a burned body, a lot less painful. You have insurance and the car can be replaced, but the human body, well that's a little harder to rebuild. You're O.K. and that's the main thing. That was a really nice coupe, but who knows maybe the next one will be nicer.

 

Huge bummer dude! keep us posted on exact cause, really hope it was fuel line coming lose other than poly tank failure. sounds really strange to say your day actually was pretty lucky but ....

 

WOW, that was a stunning car and that middle pic of it burning is just surreal. So sorry to hear of this and REALLY glad no one was hurt at all. Glad you have insurance!

 

Sorry about your car and glad your O K. Please keep us posted on how the insurance co. treats you and the process. I lost an entire rig a few years back, truck,trailer and hotrod in a roll over. Seemed like the end of the world but it all worked out in the end and even the car was repaired and was better than before. All was insured BUT the car and I learned alot about collecter car insurance and insurance in general. Gotta be a rainbow in this deal somehow. Hang in.

 

Sorry about your car man that sucks big time...I would have probably had to be toted off the the burn unit cause I think i would have been throwing dirt on it from the shoulder of the road!...

 

That sucks....at least you're ok & had insurance.

 

Glad you're okay. Damn that sucks. You made the right choice by just getting the hell away from the car. On the bright side, you could rebuild it and call it the Phoenix.
Best wishes on the rebuild or the next project.

 

Glad you are ok, now go beat the snot out of something with a bat.......it wont solve anything but it sure does make you feel better.

 

really devastating to see but soooo glad you got out without any injuries. hope you have no hassles with insurance and can find another car equally as cool real soon PB

 

Freaky....
I read this thread earlier, and the pics made me feel bad, but i, like the others were glad you werent hurt.
Ducked out to pick up a steering wheel that a mate and i had worked on this afternoon, got home, had some food, and heard a fire engine coming down my street. Then i could here it stop, and knew it was close.
So i open the back door to see the night sky glowing orange and flames shooting into the sky above the nieghbours houses.
Thinking its could be a car buddies home i go down the street to find his nieghbours shed on fire.
It was put it by the time i get there. Freaky!

 

This made me laugh out loud! Thanks Mutley I needed that.
BTW, the tank did not fail. the wheel lug nuts failed (even though I tightened them the night before) which caused the wheel to come off and the car dropped on the tank somehow (at 55 MPH) and ruptured it. The sparks ignited the gas, etc. I dont want anyone to think that poly tanks are bad or was the cause of this incident.
Thanks again for all the kind thoughts. The reality of how close I came to getting hurt started to sink in late last night (while searching online for another car! ) Must have been in shock. I was dumbfounded that this even happened since the car was so well put together by the previous owner. I've only had it since July and did some engine valve work and oiling system work to it over the winter. It was running so nice!!
Paul

 

Sorry about the car, but glad you are OK. I saw scrub line mentioned, but that is measured with the rim on, how much higher would the tank have to be to avoid this when the wheel comes off ?

 

Glad you are alright, was a nice car, but now you can build it the way you wanted, not the guy you bought it from.

(Have to look on the bright side somehow!)

 

WOW...that's terrible, Paul, sorry to hear that!!

On the bright side if there is one...I'm glad your OK!!

 

What a bummer indeed...
First, glad you are OK.
I would have a tear in my eye too....that was one awesome lookin' car...
Good luck with your insurance...hope all turns out OK...

 

I'm really glad you came out of this unhurt. I can't imagine what it would be like to watch my car burn.

 

Thanks Keith (and all). The shock has worn off and I'm starting to "feel" the weight of the whole incident. Slight depression or something like that. Driving a burning car on 3 wheels is a little scary. I'm going to church today!! Sometimes I feel like I dont want to get in another one. Fighting that though! Was online looking at whats for sale to decide what toget next. I'm impatient when it comes to this. My options are open with only cost being an issue. And it has to be safe!!

The more I've thought about this the clearer the picture gets. I think when the wheel came off it stayed in the well for a couple of seconds and knocked off the filler hose (which I found on the ground), gas spilled out from that, the wheel then came out of the well and rolled past me (weird feeling), the car dropped on the drum, sparks flew and ignited everything. I need to stop thinking about this...and find another...the season just started and I dont have a hot rod to drive!!!

Paul

 

Wow, glad you were able to get it over and get out. Beautiful car but life cannot be replaced. God is good.

 

"I need to stop thinking about this...and find another...the season just started and I dont have a hot rod to drive!!!"

Sorry you had this experience, real bummer. However, after reading your comment above, I think you really need to think about it. Try to diagnose what occured [why the wheel fell off] and learn how to improve your chances for avoiding this type of incident in the future.

 

Not even close!

 

Wow, sad about your loss but no one was hurt....hopefully things will work out.

 

What kind of shit for brains statement is this.. to compare losing a car to having your child die............