| Author | Message | ||
| Jim E (Jimpo1)
Intermediate Member Username: Jimpo1 Post Number: 1948 Registered: 7-2001 |
Does anyone have a good source for a fire extinguisher? I've decided it's time to buy one. Chrome would be nice since it's going to be inside the car. | ||
| Jeffrey Wolfe (86mondial32)
Junior Member Username: 86mondial32 Post Number: 184 Registered: 5-2003 |
My only comment on this thread is how odd it is. I can only wonder why it comes up now. Does it not just supply some here with a culprit? I remember reading about "Fons" crash in a Ferrari after he continued to race with a damaged fender that was rubbing on a front tire. After the crash the press blamed Ferrari and the Englebert Company but not the driver. My Esprit twin tanks are in the same location as on most modern Ferrari's. One on each side of the engine. Many sedans wedge the tank between the rear bumper and the axel. There is no safe place to put several gallons of Gas. | ||
| DGS (Dgs)
Junior Member Username: Dgs Post Number: 90 Registered: 5-2003 |
Rob: Now I'm really getting annoyed with Big Bother. When these dweebs at EPA decided that fuel cells were "bad" and Halon extinguishers were "bad", did they stop to consider the ozone impact of a car burning to the ground? EPA: We can't save the forest, because it might hurt the trees. Your tax dollars at work ... and play.  And yes, I have extinguishers in all my cars. | ||
| Martin - Cavallino Motors (Miami348ts)
Advanced Member Username: Miami348ts Post Number: 4924 Registered: 5-2001 |
A hand held fire extinguisher costs $30, just as much as a nice 1:18 model Ferrari. | ||
| Martin - Cavallino Motors (Miami348ts)
Advanced Member Username: Miami348ts Post Number: 4923 Registered: 5-2001 |
Wise thoughts. I personally think that no matter what every car should carry a hand held fire extinguisher. It will likely no safe your life but it may safe somebody elses. If the legislator makes it mandatory for all cars to carry one we will not have these avoidable deaths on our roads. No matter what the reason for the Ring accident was if it would be mandatory there whoever came around the corner next could have sprung into action. Who knows what if but it gives a second chance. Have them installed in your cars, your daily drivers, even DES in his Sentra should have one. As for the fire sysem on race cars, this is a great improvement. It should go into a car before you install bigger this and better that. They can come inexpensive if you do the "plumbing" yourself. You can also have the tricked out ones. No matter what always a good idea. On my 308GT4 Race car I have one thatc an be set of from inside and outside. Just in case. | ||
| James Glickenhaus (Napolis)
Intermediate Member Username: Napolis Post Number: 1798 Registered: 10-2002 |
Race cars should have a fire button on the outside of the car as well as a battery kill switch. Remember to Disarm when you come in so it doesn't get set off by someone asking: "Whats this red button for?" as they push it. | ||
| Faisal Khan (Tvrfreak)
Member Username: Tvrfreak Post Number: 281 Registered: 3-2003 |
Steve, can the fire extinguishing system be triggered from outside the vehicle? In a shunt, the occupants can easily be knocked unconscious. Rgds, Faisal. | ||
| James Glickenhaus (Napolis)
Intermediate Member Username: Napolis Post Number: 1792 Registered: 10-2002 |
Solly I agree and would add two things. Check and test fire fire system every time before you set off. Change batteries in it often. Think about installing a fuel PSI gauge in the cockpit. If you lose fuel PSI: SHUT DOWN! (Use an inert liquid isolated fuel PSI gauge.) Din't forget to really tighten down those belts! Best | ||
| TomD (Tifosi)
Advanced Member Username: Tifosi Post Number: 3924 Registered: 9-2001 |
Steve, Probably a wise move. Be safe | ||
| Steven J. Solomon (Solly)
Member Username: Solly Post Number: 500 Registered: 6-2001 |
Due to the nature of the recent tragic events with our fellow F-chatters on the Nurburgring, and having recently had my Dino lose an oil line while driving locally that developed into a fire when it hit the exhaust (luckily i was next to a gas station with a fire extinguisher and they got it right away before any damage was done), I have decided to never track a road car again. I used to track both the Dino and the 360 spider. Even strapping in a portable extinguisher isn't good enough, because in a crash you may not be able to get to it, release it and operate it, and you certainly won't be able to extinguish an engine compartment fire if you are stuck in the passenger compartment. The 360 Challenge is the only car i will track, due to its excellent fire suppression system custom designed to hit fires in engine compartment, over fuel cells, and passenger compartment. It also requires just pressing a red button on the console. I do not plan on being the next Schumacher and i have 2 young kids, so safety first. Anyone tracking their street cars at speed would be well advised to have a roll cage and a comprehensive fire suppression system installed. | ||
| Rob Schermerhorn (Rexrcr)
Member Username: Rexrcr Post Number: 690 Registered: 11-2002 |
True rubber-bladder fuel cells are not DOT / EPA / FMVSS approved due to evaporative emissions and product maintenance / product liability concerns. I was involved in discussions concerning conversion to fuel cells for Challenge in the US a few years ago. Yes, Fuel Safe and ATL will custom build a bladder or complete system for your car. I personally used Fuel Safe for an F40, so they still have the templates to build this one easily. They utilized the OEM in-tank fuel pumps, too. My concern lies with Ferrari's decision to use a fuel transfer tube between the tanks, which IMHO, is a potential risk. I'd place a large dry-break fitting at each end of this tube on a new project car. In Europe, the F40 is standard with a bladder-type fuel cell and external pumps, and requires recertification of the cells every five years. So, theoretically, a Euro-spec F40 should have been fuel system recertified twice by now. The 360 fuel tank is not above the exhaust, it is adjacent to it though, but meets all crash safety standards mandated by government and industry. | ||
| Russ F (Russf)
Junior Member Username: Russf Post Number: 141 Registered: 3-2002 |
I have wondered about the fuel tanks in the 3-8 series being located on the sides where they are vulnerable to being hit from the side. Anyone have any thoughts on this. | ||
| JT (Mightymagician)
Junior Member Username: Mightymagician Post Number: 81 Registered: 11-2002 |
if the fuels cells are mounted above the headers, that sounds like that could be a major legal problem in the future, with the production numbers and popularity of the 360. | ||
| DGS (Dgs)
Junior Member Username: Dgs Post Number: 83 Registered: 5-2003 |
A number of companies make racing fuel cell conversions for Ferraris, Porsches, etc. -- many provide conversion kits for the stock tanks. Something to consider for those who track their cars -- or drive on metro area highways. | ||
| William H (Countachxx)
Advanced Member Username: Countachxx Post Number: 2658 Registered: 2-2001 |
I ahve the fuel cell mounted in the front of the 512TR. A fast head on crash could be bad but where else can you put the bloody thing ? | ||
| Andreas Forrer (Tifosi12)
Intermediate Member Username: Tifosi12 Post Number: 1346 Registered: 10-2002 |
I'd be interested in seeing some statistics in regards to the 360s catching fires on accidents. Jens and Amar are just the latest story I heard about. A couple of years ago I read an article about a guy, who rented a 360 in Switzerland, crashed it and died with it as it burnt to the ground. While at Indy watching the Challenge race a 360 stopped, the driver jumped out and the engine bay was on fire, not accident related. The fire brigades put that one out though. Are 360s more prone to fire or is this all just coincidental? Statistics would help. | ||
| James Glickenhaus (Napolis)
Intermediate Member Username: Napolis Post Number: 1762 Registered: 10-2002 |
Robert Modern race cars and fuel systems with check valves and fire systems are relatively safer than street cars but that said nothing can protect you in every case. Roll cages. 6 point belts. Hans devices. Drivers with all of that still die. Personally I don't think it's safe to drive ANY street car ANYWHERE at 10/10ths. For the vast majority of us I feel the same about race cars as well. Best | ||
| Robert (Rjklein4470)
Member Username: Rjklein4470 Post Number: 263 Registered: 3-2002 |
It seems that when late model Ferrari's crash they catch fire. I was looking at the 360 manual, and it was clear, the fuel cells are directly over the headers, so if you rupture a fuel cell in a crash the car is going to catch fire, not when. Also I noticed that in the 360 the fuel cells are split, one on each side of the car, above the headers, so it does not really matter what side of the car is hit, there is a chance. Why would Ferrari not use race car type safty cells, or locate them in the front of the car? |