I almost lost us an American Classic Yesterday.

[OUTFXD]

Took a trip to the city. Working for the man every... Sorry.  Getting off topic.  Drove to the city.  About 50 miles.  Driving back when, almost home, I noticed a big trail of smoke following me.

 

I looked around to see if another vehicle was having problems and noticed vile smelling smoke coming from the back seat.  I start to pull over and there is a loud BANG. 

 

First thing I did was walk around the car inspecting the tires. I was thinking maybe one of the tires was rubbing on something and blew out(not that I'm speaking from experience or anything).

 

All the tires good I inspect the back seat and there is definitely smoke coming from the seat. of course the back seat is loaded up so I push some aside enough I  can lift the back seat up enough I can look under it.

 

A plume of acidric smelling smoke came out from under the seat. I keep a couple jugs of water in the car so I dumped one out on the top of the seat and on the floor pan to put our any fire but the smoke got worse.

 

I pulled the seat up more and could see glowing embers on the bottom of the seating area of the seat.  I grabbed the second jug, which of course was only  half full, and tried splashing it UP to the bottom of the seat.  I got the embers out but it was smoking even more now.

 

I pulled the seat up even more and it let a giant plume of smoke out, stinging my eyes and temporarily blinding me.  I had let the smoke out and oxygen in and the back seat began to burn and was spreading fast!

 

I let out a war cry of "Oh hell no!" I began pulling everything from the back seat and throwing it where ever so I could pull out the lower back seat. By the time I got enough out the seat was practically enveloped in flame and gushing acidric smoke that burned my eyes and throat.

 

Using my battle chant of (A very panicky)"No!   No!  No!" to gather strength,  I grabbed the back seat and started yanking on it to get it out of Jacquiline before the fire could spread.  Having no rear seat "Door cards"  the upholstery caught on every hole in the sheet metal and window crank arm, wedged against the door frame, and didnt want to clear the front seat.  

 

The heat near unbearable,  smoke in my eyes and lungs flames licking at my arms I managed to yank the back seat free and threw it clear of the car into the grass.

 

I leaned against a tree, out of  breath and coughing to clear my lungs.  a construction crew in a crew cab pick up pulled over and grabbed a fire extinguisher  and put out the remains of the seat.

 

Eventually the fire department showed up and doused the seat with a couple 5gallon buckets of water.

 

One of them asked me how I got the seat out of the car.  "Desperation"  I responded. 

 

One of the fireman looked at my car,  we located the ignition point but where puzzled at the apparent lack of a source. 

They cut the upholstery  off the frame

 

The next morning I cleaned all the junk out of the back of the car expecting to find an aerosol can that had overheated and burst but found nothing.

 

End result the bottom of the back seat was completely burned but I think the frame is savable.  There are some scorch marks on the floor. and some gashed on the back of the front seat created in the fight to get the back seat out.

 

 

Edited November 18, 2022 by OUTFXD

[Sniper]

No more flicking your butt out the window.

 

Glad to see you saved it, maybe the mystery of the fire starting will become apparent during cleanup?

[Los_Control]

Hrm.... is Jacquiline related to Christine?

 

Glad your safe & the car can be fixed ..... spontaneous combustion is a little strange.

[OUTFXD]

29 minutes ago, Sniper said:

maybe the mystery of the fire starting will become apparent during cleanup?

 

Still doing clean up,  nothing obvious showed itself but the hot rear floor pan just got kicked allot further up the priority poll.

[OUTFXD]

34 minutes ago, Sniper said:

No more flicking your butt out the window.

I was trying to think of a joke about mooning people but couldnt think of one.

 

 

[Saskwatch]

I thought your opening line was priceless, I laughed out loud ! …… then things started to get very serious, quickly ?

   Good to hear we will still be able to read about Jacquline !?

[andyd]

Thank your lucky stars YOU are o/k.......and the car as well..........have you had a chance to check underneath as that area looks like above where a muffler might live......maybe something got caught between the muffler/exhaust pipe and ignited?.........also check wiring etc..the source seems odd...........andyd  

[desoto1939]

Here is a prime reason why everyone should have a fire extinguisher in their car, modern and or antique.  The FE should always be in a spot where you can always get to it easily.  Also, when you all now go out to your car you should also check the expiration date on the label or the date of manufacturer.  Most FE have a lfe span of 10-11 years.  The date of manufacturer might be on the label or even stamped on the bottom of the FE.  This also goes for the FE's i your home.

 

Also Check the date of manufacturer of your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. They also have a shelf life of 10 Years and Since it now winter or late fall replace all of the batteries in your Smoke detectors and CM detectors. The cost of a $2 battery just might save your life.

 

When you put the new battery in each unit put some masking tape around it and mark the date of installation so that each year you know when a fresh battery was installed and periodically test each of these units. I do this every October which is known as Fire Prevention Month when I was in school.

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

 

[allbizz49]

I guess the lessons here are to carry a fire extinguisher and don't use your back seat for storage. Glad you're ok and the car isn't lost. 

[OUTFXD]

51 minutes ago, andyd said:

have you had a chance to check underneath as that area looks like above where a muffler might live.t he source seems odd...

 

I Havent inspected above the muffler yet,  But that got kicked WAY up the priority pole!

 

The source is indeed odd.  I assumed a can of spray paint or something got heated by the floor above the muffler got superheated and burst.  But I found no evidence of such when I cleaned out the car today.

[Jerry Roberts]

It hasn't been directly asked , but , are you a smoker ?   Once when driving to work in the still dark early morning hours ,  I was traveling at freeway speed and suddenly my windshield was covered with sparks . Quite shocking . Someone must have flicked a cigarette out of a passing car window . 

Edited November 19, 2022 by Jerry Roberts

[OUTFXD]

1 hour ago, Jerry Roberts said:

It hasn't been directly asked , but , are you a smoker ?

Quitting smoking is easy! I quit over a hundred times!

 

and once in 2004 it took.  Havent smoked since.

[chris 48 P15]

nice save!

dirty oily rags can also combust in proper conditions 

[DJK]

Possible a tiny exhaust leak on the top of the muffler or pipe directed at the floor pan super heating the affected area????

[Dan Hiebert]

As with the others, I'll be on the edge of my seat waiting to see if you can isolate what caused this!  Glad you are OK, and your car as well.  We out here in Forum Land can only guess as to the cause, some of those guesses being educated, but still just guesses.

[soth122003]

Glad you saved the car and are all right. On a related note, I just had my entire exhaust system replaced today. Been meaning to do it for years now due an exhaust leak at the manifold connection. Up on the lift the mech said the muffler was expanded due a backfire (probably) previously. Had small leaks along the pipe so I took the plunge. They said $150 for the header pipe or $450 for the entire thing. Best $450 I spent on the car. Sounded better and quieter, not to mention when I drove it I feel the sleepy creep up on me from the leaks even with the windows open. One less source of worry for a fire.

 

Joe Lee

[JerryinTx]

Did you ever figure out the source of the fire?

[OUTFXD]

3 hours ago, JerryinTx said:

Did you ever figure out the source of the fire?

Nothing evident in the passenger cabin.  She has a history of heating up the rear passenger floor on longer trips.  I am of the theory the heat shield over the muffler is missing and/or there is a pin hole leak that leaks exhaust gas against the floor board.

[JerryinTx]

Guess I'd better check mine.  Sure glad you got the fire put out before the heat got to the gas tank!

[Adam H P15 D30]

On 11/22/2022 at 5:07 PM, OUTFXD said:

Nothing evident in the passenger cabin.  She has a history of heating up the rear passenger floor on longer trips.  I am of the theory the heat shield over the muffler is missing and/or there is a pin hole leak that leaks exhaust gas against the floor board.

Plugged muffler will get very hot even if there are no leaks 

[OUTFXD]

I Removed the old Backfire impregnated but new looking muffler.   It must weigh 30pounds. I plan on cutting it open and seeing what the insides look like.

[OUTFXD]

I replaced it with a Hush Thrush go louder pipe. I asked the lady behind the parts counter for the cheapest muffler they had as I was planning on having a full exhaust system made in the spring.  She was all over the catalogs trying to find  headers etc.  All told possibly the most aggressively helpful parts person I ever met!

 

Its loud at idle and low RPM.  Crank it up a little and it quiets down to a spooky level.

 

I took her down to the local mill road and took her up to 50 mph for about 5 minutes,  the back floor got mildly warm.

[JerseyHarold]

Be careful if you cut open the muffler.  Some old ones were lined with asbestos as an insulator.

[MarcDeSoto]

1 hour ago, OUTFXD said:

I took her down to the local mill road and took her up to 50 mph for about 5 minutes,  the back floor got mildly warm.

You took the counter lady down to mill road?  Wow, she was helpful!  

[Adam H P15 D30]

14 hours ago, OUTFXD said:

I replaced it with a Hush Thrush go louder pipe. I asked the lady behind the parts counter for the cheapest muffler they had as I was planning on having a full exhaust system made in the spring.  She was all over the catalogs trying to find  headers etc.  All told possibly the most aggressively helpful parts person I ever met!

 

Its loud at idle and low RPM.  Crank it up a little and it quiets down to a spooky level.

 

I took her down to the local mill road and took her up to 50 mph for about 5 minutes,  the back floor got mildly warm.

Judging by the way your floor looks cooked above the muffler, you may have found your problem.