.

the car junkie daily magazine.

.

Like That: The Argument For Checking Your Machine Out Regularly And For Packing A Fire Extinguisher


Like That: The Argument For Checking Your Machine Out Regularly And For Packing A Fire Extinguisher

My first project car nearly set my right arm on fire. That’s not joking. Had I not had the reflexes of a cat on crank, my arm from the elbow forward would’ve been showered with raw gasoline from a backfire that was quickly igniting, and there would’ve been about fifteen seconds between ignition and the first step anybody nearby would’ve been able to do to help me out. It’s happened since: I had automatic transmission fluid pour out onto a hot exhaust manifold and I nearly got the James Hetfield treatment in the pre-dawn hours of a cold morning. I’ve had a small “cough” turn into a flaming air filter. I’ve had wheels up and disappear off of the car, not ten minutes after I torqued the lugs. I’ve had a steering wheel pop off the column, in my hand, while I was at speed and many other pucker factor moments that I will never, ever admit to.

I got lucky. Somehow, in nearly thirty years of wrenching, driving, racing and hooning, I haven’t killed myself and I haven’t burned a car to the ground. But one thing that I am constantly aware of is the chance that things could happen. You never know when you will bypass Murphy’s Law and go straight into danger territory. I did that when I was getting the Dirty Cougar together and while driving to the gas station, a brake line popped, the pressure bled out and I was without brakes on a wet, narrow and curving road with two options: plow into a Jeep Cherokee or plow into the ditch. Happily, the emergency brake worked, so I didn’t have to choose.

Kyle from 1320Video recently got a reality check he never anticipated when a monster of an Audi he was riding shotgun in caught fire in the middle of filming. A brake line failed, sprayed brake fluid onto the hot rotors, and all hell broke loose from that moment forward. Zero brakes, no engine (read: no downshifting a transmission that’s offline) and smoke pouring in through the air vents…that’s hell if I could ever think of such a place, made worse by the fact that they were still at highway speeds. If you need a “scared straight” moment, this is your video. A fire extinguisher might be the difference between some mild scorching and a burned-out hulk. And while this accident seemed to be a freak situation, remember to look over your ride every now and then. Look at the lines. Check the rubber bits for degradation. Look for leaks. Regardless of the situation, we hope none of you ever have to endure something like this.


  • Share This
  • Pinterest
  • 0

5 thoughts on “Like That: The Argument For Checking Your Machine Out Regularly And For Packing A Fire Extinguisher

    1. john

      Adding to my own comment…since the left headlight was on, the driver (idiot) probably bailed out leaving the ignition on, with the fuel pumping away. Meanwhile…weren’t those kitchen fire extinguishers cute?

  1. PT

    Had a parachute, but the pin was still in?!
    Kyle may have had a wake up call about getting into a super fast street car (devoid of any professional scrutineering for maintenance, crash safety or fire suppression) and a driver he probably doesn’t really know anyway.

  2. tw

    Some good evidences for his insurance company . Modded car , chute on the back , street racing . This channel is always portraying street racing as cool , now they got bitten hard .

Comments are closed.