Fire

[Eneto-55]

Paul, Sorry to hear about the fire you had.  I had seen something about it on your blog, but that didn't seem to have the first part, to help me make sense of what had happened.  I just now found this thread, and read the whole thing through up to this point.  I've often thought about this sort of thing, especially about trying to preserve copies of family photos in other locations, but you know that our real home is with our God & Savior, and fire can never reach or damage that.

[pflaming]

our real home is with our God & Savior, and fire can never reach or damage that.

 

You and I are on the same page with that belief. 

 

 Any item involved in a fire will smell whenever you get a few damp, humid days.  And it will never go away. 

 

Does the above apply to steel as well? One can quite easily paint the inside of the cab including under the dash, then put i all new seats and that should eliminate order in the cab. Same holds true for the body of the truck, but how about the under carriage? Just how much of that will need to be cleaned and . . .  

 

If that smell cannot be eradicated without a down to the frame resto, then the chassis of this truck it literally, toast. 

[JerseyHarold]

My 2 cents about odor:   I've seen several home repair shows (admittedly not the best source of knowledge) where the renovators were surprised to find old fire damage to a house once they started tearing things apart.   It would seem that, at least in those cases, there was no residual odor, even with primarily organic materials like wood.   I'd say to clean what you have thoroughly and you'll be fine. 

[Scruffy49]

Just looked at the daylight, "good side" truck pic. Better than I expected. I have a set of those mirror heads if you need/want them. I actually have the complete mirror assemblys, but, one of the rubber retention cords snapped. I think it can be replaced with truck stop bungee rope fairly easily though.

[pflaming]

Thanks for the offer Scruffy and others. Too early yet to make a final list. 1) the city has approved building on the current slab, but must retain the 8' wall height. BUT I can put on a hip roof, can't recall the name just now, and I can put a bay on either or both long sides. Two 12' bays opposite each other would effectively make the middle of the building 22' wide. I would put my work shop in one bay and maybe built in FIREPROOF cabinets in the other. The hip roof would allow me to put a very nice storage room up.  

 

Moved the truck close to the pressure steam cleaner, hope it's fixed by Friday, still picking and cleaning. Tomorrow I will be where my major work bench was and there will be stuff in that rubble. And I hauled off two more large tipsters full of BLACK debris. 

 

It appears the fire was at the driver's front fender and the driver's door. If I could find a door and a fender, I may just do a swap, especially if the two were dark blue. Maybe a different hood as well. The door concerns me the most because of the inner parts, the door handle and the window leveler. 

 

The engine compartment is not as bad as it looks. I think with a new fuel pump, (I have a new electric one ready) it would start. May find out next week. If so, then windows, run it through a car wash and I good to go to the Q . Mark, want to ride shotgun again?

 

 

 

Edited February 19, 2014 by pflaming

[TodFitch]

Repaired, or preferably, replaced wiring would be on my list before trying to drive it very far.

[pflaming]

Todd: I am going to pull ALL  wiring. I have a kit ordered, should be here any day now. I won't trust patched wiring. But thanks for the reminder. 

 

All hoses and rubber parts will go also. 

[Jeff Balazs]

Paul;

I have some extra handles and escutchions as well as a drivers door latching mechanism you can have. I also have an extra inspection panel.

 

I hate to ask this but is there any chance the fire started in the truck? It looks like the drivers side firewall got pretty hot.

 

Jeff

[Dave72dt]

I was just going to mention a rewire and the rubber.  Some of your electrical components may also be  toast.  Burned wires can short things out.  The regulator has fairly fine wire inside and likely unreliable, the gen and starter should at least be checked as well as all the gauges and switches.  The door and fender look to be ok.  Some rust treatment and some rattle can paint will help protect it until you get serious about repairs.  The hood can be fixed if needed, replacement panels may be your best route time wise.  You can get rattle cans in clear if you want to go that way.

[Todd B]

I am thinking you mean a gambrel roof style.  Looks like the old barns.

[pflaming]

Todd: Yes, gambrel roof, you or someone else, put me on to that style. I didn't realize how much attic room that type of roof gives. In Maine, east coast, in the old homes that is common, then they put in a dormer, several styles, and increase the use of that space even more. I will check out the cost of a gambrel roof on the new structure.

 

I will also double check all electrical components as well. 

 

No, the fire started in an area in front of the truck, and Dave, yes structurally the fender and door are fine. Maybe I should just do the work, remove them, clean them up inside and out, etch primer and paint to protect and re install.

. . . I hate to take that fender off, that is a lot of work, but will consider that.

 

I appreciate all the help. Once I know what is and what is not, I will "make a list, check it twice, and find out. . . " 

 

Paul 

Edited February 20, 2014 by pflaming

[Frank Elder]

[55 Fargo]

Todd: Yes, gambrel roof, you or someone else, put me on to that style. I didn't realize how much attic room that type of roof gives. In Maine, east coast, in the old homes that is common, then they put in a dormer, several styles, and increase the use of that space even more. I will put a gambrel roof on the new structure. I will also double check all other electrical components as well. 

 

No, the fire started in an area in front of the truck, and Dave, yes structurally the fender and door are fine. Maybe I should just do the work, remove them, clean them up inside and out, etch primer and paint to protect and reinstall. . . . I hate to take that fender off, that is a lot of work.

Hey Paul, going up, with a gambrel roof would certainly give you a lot of storage space. I would check with local codes for foundation requirements, if adding a loft, you of course will need beams and joist for the loft floor, and a perimeter foundation to code to handle the load.

I built a 24X36 garage 8 years ago, 3 overheads on gable end wall, 2X6 construction R 20 walls R40 in the attic. I would think you do not require insulation, but when it is real hot here, that insulated garage stays nice and cool.

If you cannot build on the ground the size you want, then go up, just get a spec for building codes, if you plan to use the existing cement pad. Up here any garage over 880 sq feet needs an engineered foundation/floor. Under this you still require a re-bar, cement type, and a thickened edge on the perimeter. So do your homework first.....good luck, just clean up the truck re-wire, etc and get her going...

[pflaming]

Fargo, good advice. I was at city hall, building dept and they approved a gambrel roof on the existing slab.  But I will do some extra checking, It is after all mine and I want it correct.  Don't want to do this job twice.

[Mark Haymond]

Paul, I will be happy to convoy up to Clements with you. I'll drive one of my old Plymouths and be your wing man.

[Dave72dt]

 Maybe I should just do the work, remove them, clean them up inside and out, etch primer and paint to protect and re install.

. . . I hate to take that fender off, that is a lot of work, but will consider that

 

Paul 

 

it's the same amount of work to take them off to replace them

[Fernando Mendes]

Paul,all of us are sorry with this happening.Nobody is prepared to this.The life is more important.Be strong.God bless you and your family.Regards.Fernando.

[TheMoose]

Sorry to hear about this.

As a retired Firefighter I've seen this type of thing way to many times.

I've been through it myself, lost a house in 93 & it took my 69 SS RS Camaro.

 

Something to think about is a "Cathedral" type ceiling.

 

I added on to my shop & the building has 10' walls but because of the cathedral ceiling I was able to get a 12' high ceiling in the center & that was enough to get my '03 Ram high enough to walk under it without ducking.

 

Edited February 20, 2014 by TheMoose

[55 Fargo]

great idea Moose, cathedral trusses and 10-12 ft walls make good sense. I see you have what looks like a Yamaha 200 cc Blaster, we have 1 of those a 2007, just got it for my Son. Maybe you can guide me on the maintenance and care of a 2 stroke engine, I know nothing about them.

[JerseyHarold]

Two more of my cents regarding construction:  Avoid wooden trusses in the roof because, in a fire, the metal connecting plates buckle, lose their grip, and the roof collapses.  I was a warranty manager for a large homebuilder, and many towns where we built truss-roof homes instructed their firemen that, if there was a truss roof, to get the people out and let the house burn.

[55 Fargo]

Two more of my cents regarding construction:  Avoid wooden trusses in the roof because, in a fire, the metal connecting plates buckle, lose their grip, and the roof collapses.  I was a warranty manager for a large homebuilder, and many towns where we built truss-roof homes instructed their firemen that, if there was a truss roof, to get the people out and let the house burn.

While this may be true, not many buildings are using built on site rafters. Would not the lumber(usually spruce), burns up,either way, a rafter nailed together with support strapping/bridging, collapse once the lumber has burnt enough.

With a lot of rafters you require more support for load bearing, trusses all but eliminate this, which is a strong building. If Moose had on-site built rafters, would he not have a beam and support posts throughout the building, less floor space and more obstruction..

[Todd B]

I have built for over 30 years with wooden trusses too many building to count.  I have never had an issue yet and I totally agree with Fargos,  I would give the fire protection more thought such as 5/8" drywall on walls and ceiling's. Fire stops from one floor to the next, fire extinguishers by each exit and wired by a professional.  

 

You can also have your  trusses engineered to carry a loft without lower beams or posts. 

 

My .02

 

Todd B

[55 Fargo]

I have built for over 30 years with wooden trusses too many building to count.  I have never had an issue yet and I totally agree with Fargos,  I would give the fire protection more thought such as 5/8" drywall on walls and ceiling's. Fire stops from one floor to the next, fire extinguishers by each exit and wired by a professional.  

 

You can also have your  trusses engineered to carry a loft without lower beams or posts. 

 

My .02

 

Todd B

I have 5/8 fireguard on the ceiling in garage, fire extinguishers too...

[TheMoose]

great idea Moose, cathedral trusses and 10-12 ft walls make good sense. I see you have what looks like a Yamaha 200 cc Blaster, we have 1 of those a 2007, just got it for my Son. Maybe you can guide me on the maintenance and care of a 2 stroke engine, I know nothing about them.

Not quite a blaster! It's actually a Raptor 660R set up for sand dunes.

2 Strokes are easy.

 

Only problem with tall ceilings though is light, you need lots of them!

[Eneto-55]

Two more of my cents regarding construction:  Avoid wooden trusses in the roof because, in a fire, the metal connecting plates buckle, lose their grip, and the roof collapses.  I was a warranty manager for a large homebuilder, and many towns where we built truss-roof homes instructed their firemen that, if there was a truss roof, to get the people out and let the house burn.

If the concern is the metal plates letting loose, you could nail the tar out of those plates w/ a nail gun.  That would extend the grip deep into the wood.  I have built smaller sized buildings both ways, with rafters & a ridge board, or with trusses, but none of them have burned, so I don't know how that would compare.