It Plowed Into All The Junk In The Garage | FerrariChat

It Plowed Into All The Junk In The Garage

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by donaldh2o, Dec 13, 2003.

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  1. donaldh2o

    donaldh2o Karting

    Nov 10, 2003
    143
    Irvine CA
    Full Name:
    Don
    Who says Ferraris are hard to start! Wish I had a picture of this event.

    I had just test driven the thing ('76 308) after adjusting the points and carbs. Didn't run very well, so I drove it back into the garage, turned it off and went to get a glass of water.

    Came back, half reached in/half sat in and started the car to begin tuning it again. Whoa, it was in 1st gear and it started with the first tap of the starter.

    Already in the garage, it took off towards the rear of the garage, straight towards the hot water heater. Luckily, there were two rows of boxes packed with household goods, a Fender Twin-Reverb amp, the cotton car cover draped over the amp and numerous other junk piled in the back of the garage.

    The Ferrari first hit the amp, climbed up on that, then started climbing onto the rows of boxes before I finally got it turned off. This was a Kodak moment that in the confusion got overlooked.

    After the dust settled, both front wheels were nearly 10" off the ground and the nose of the car was resting atop all the garage junk. I started it and backed it off without a problem. Boxes were crushed but nothing was seriously damaged including the car and the twin reverb. The car cover draped over the amp acted as a sort of cushion for the whole thing.

    Lesson Learned: The cotton car cover is a great insulator for low-speed collisions in the garage.
     
  2. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 30, 2003
    17,564
    Savannah
    wow ! you must have a great angel watching over you. drive that car, it will run so much better.... if your going to let it sit , sell it to me!!!! glad to hear the amp is ok, i purchased a TRAYNOR tube amp last summer and have been really pleased with it. be glad your guitars were not lined up in the garage.
     
  3. Doc

    Doc Formula Junior

    Sep 13, 2001
    886
    Latham, New York
    Full Name:
    Bill Van Dyne
    I did exactly the same thing with my 308 this summer. I wasn't as lucky though--smashed into a space heater, work bench, and metal shelving holding numerous can's of paints, cleaners, etc. I would up replacing the hood, having body repair done on the spoiler and a repaint of the front. All with the flick of a wrist and anout .5 secs of time. These cars do not have no-start switches. Be careful!
     
  4. jbrosseau

    jbrosseau Karting

    Nov 26, 2003
    182
    kirkland,wa
    Full Name:
    joe brosseau
    i did the same thing a few months back with my 308. i always leave it in neutral, but i guess someone had moved the car out of the garage briefly and when they put it back in the garage left it in 1st. so the next time i started it, i shot right into a bunch of boxes and a old chair. well i killed the chair and took a chunk out of the front of my bumper. after much yelling and swearing i got out the filler and filled the chunk. sanded into shape. smoothed and painted. can never tell what happened. still cant get anyone to fess up. grrrrrrrr!!!!
     
  5. atlantaman

    atlantaman Formula 3

    Mar 31, 2002
    1,726
    Roswell, Georgia
    Full Name:
    Charles
    the lesson here is to be in the car before you turn the key---hmmmm--maybe the new ignition lock-out without depressing brake might be a good thing after all
     
  6. 308GTS

    308GTS Formula 3

    Dec 27, 2001
    2,223
    TN
    Glad to hear everything is ok. I have a 70's Silverface Twin. It is my favorite amp. Glad it made it to. What was it doing out in the garage?
     
  7. Birdman

    Birdman F1 Veteran

    Jun 20, 2003
    6,687
    North shore, MA
    Full Name:
    THE Birdman
    I guess I'm lucky that owning a Honda for the past 14 years has trained me to push the clutch when I start it whether it needs it or not. (The thing won't even turn over unless you push the clutch). I never even knew that the Ferrari would start in gear without a foot on the clutch. Man, that's not a good design!
     
  8. Chiaro_Slag

    Chiaro_Slag F1 Veteran

    Oct 31, 2003
    7,789
    CA
    Full Name:
    Jerry
    Wow - I bet you were scared - Probably woke you up real quick!

    Glad to hear nothing was damage - A pic would have been nice. :)
     
  9. rivee

    rivee F1 Rookie

    Jan 20, 2002
    3,731
    Nowhere important, USA
    Full Name:
    John
    I had an old Mercedes a few years back that I used to push out of the garage by hand to clean the garage.

    Before it took off down my fairly steep driveway I would jump in and hit the brakes. The last time I did that, I jumped in and pushed in the brakes.

    You guessed it, there wasn't any pedal. Panic set in as I caught myself riding this death machine down the driveway and eventually over an embankment with a 45 foot drop into rocks. With about 15 feet to spare, as I'm riding her down the path of doom, I suddenly got smart and pulled the xergency brake handle.

    Luckily, it worked saving my family the anguish and the expense of a funeral.

    Or, maybe not so lucky for the wifey, eh?

    Now that I think about it, I never did find a leak in the brake system!

    Hmm......
     
  10. donaldh2o

    donaldh2o Karting

    Nov 10, 2003
    143
    Irvine CA
    Full Name:
    Don
    Wow, Doc.

    Sorry to hear you weren't so lucky. I was very lucky nothing was damaged, including me - I wasn't entirely in the car when it took off. Left leg was out and left hand was holding the door open.

    It all happened so fast, I can't remember how I got in and shut the !@#$% thing down.

    The Twin-Reverb was in the garage because I'm getting it ready to sell on EBay. I bought it from the Stone Canyon Band in 1974 and was told at the time it was Rick Nelson's and the one he used to record Garden Party. It's a rocker. Silver faced but with the old black face amp chassis.

    Did I just hijack my own thread?
     
  11. Ontogenetik

    Ontogenetik Karting

    Nov 2, 2003
    149
    Amusing, glad no one was injured.

    When I taught myself manual, some years ago, I came up to a red light on an rather steep incline. Very nervous. When the light turned, instead of 1st I put in reverse, and pressed quite sharply on the accelerator.
    Ouch! And yes, someone was behind. Fortunately no damage to either car, besides some small scuffs. A very bizarre feeling expecting to go one direction and going in the opposite.
     
  12. Napolis

    Napolis Three Time F1 World Champ
    Honorary Owner

    Oct 23, 2002
    32,118
    Full Name:
    Jim Glickenhaus
    This is sometimes useful in a 308 ,which tend to snapping clutch cables, if you have to come to a stop. Turn ign. off, put in 1, start in gear and your off. By matching shift points you really don't need a clutch and can make it home, or at least to a safe spot to wait for tow.
    One other safety note. Brakes are more powerful than engine. Stomp on brakes, you will stop and stall engine. Also always leave car in a gear (1 or R) when parked that will cause you to move in a direction where you won't hit something if posssible if this happens. (Starting in gear). One last point. In a right hand drive, right hand shift car NEVER climb in or out of a running car that you've left in neutral. You can snag the shifter with your pants and have a big problem.
     
  13. dwhite

    dwhite F1 Rookie

    It is always a good habit to start any car with the clutch pushed in. Helps the starter and will stop those heart stopping moments.
     
  14. DGS

    DGS Six Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    May 27, 2003
    60,049
    MidTN
    Full Name:
    DGS
    Thanks, Dad.

    My father got me in the habit: Always jiggle the shifter handle (to verify neutral) before reaching for the key.

    Now if I can just stop trying to start a car that's already running. (Not a problem with the (loud) Ferrari, but the ricers ...)
     

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