No photos. I was going to take some with my cell phone camera, but after talking to the lead investigator there it felt wrong. I saw the car at Bobileff's today, yellow/black 355 Spider. It had obviously been flat-bedded because it looked absolutely frightening. The fire investigation team was photographing/going over the car in extreme detail. About 1/4 of the deck lid was scorched behind the driver's seat. He had been driving with the top down. The top was burned away directly behind the driver's head and the headrest (you know how close those are to the folded top) was charred on the back. Apparently, the fire started when a hose clamp chafed through a fuel line directly behind the driver. He's in the hospital now receiving skin grafts for burns to his head and probably upper body. There are huge scrape marks and crumpled metal down the passenger side - the driver hit it against some kind of barrier as he tried in a panic to get the car off the road. I didn't see a fire extinguisher anywhere, but honestly looking at the location of the fire there was no time for him to pull over, grab it and aim. It's absolutely perfect here today in San Diego, and I was out in the 328. So obviously it scared the crap out of me seeing what happened there. I'm not a mechanic, but if you own a 355, the next time you or (better yet) your experienced mechanic are having a look in the engine bay, please take the extra time to inspect those fuel lines. I know on the 308/328 board we all have old cars, so it's a given that all the old rubber fuel lines need to be replaced. I had them all done last year, even the ones that looked OK. We don't think of the 355 as being so old, but obviously whatever it costs to make sure you don't have clamps digging into those fuel lines is worth it.
Cars are replaceable--people are not!! Hope the driver recovers quickly--Wish him the best of luck!!!
Sounds familiar! Hope the driver is as lucky as Joey Kramer was. Gasoline leak eyed in car fire that injured Aerosmith's drummer By Stephen Kiehl, Globe correspondent The investigation into the cause of a car fire that injured Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer in Scituate Wednesday night focused yesterday on a pool of gasoline that witnesses saw underneath the car before the fire: how it got there and how it was ignited. Kramer, 46, suffered second-degree burns on his left arm and minor burns on his legs. He was pulled from his burning 1998 Ferrari by an attendant at Scarsillino's Sunoco on Route 3A. Kramer was sitting in the driver's seat when the flames engulfed the car. He was released after treatment at South Shore Hospital in Weymouth. Kramer could not be reached for comment yesterday. The gasoline may have leaked from a ruptured fuel line or a faulty gasoline pump, said fire officials. The tip of the nozzle of the gasoline hose snapped off inside the fuel tank of Kramer's Ferrari. The fumes from the pool of gasoline may have been ignited by the intense, 1,500-degree heat generated by the car's catalytic converters, authorities said. Investigators also said yesterday that the car was running while the gasoline tank was being filled, which is illegal and increases the chance of fire. The engine in the Ferrari is in the middle of the car, near the gasoline tank. "If the fuel line had lost its integrity and the product leaking our of the fuel line puddled underneath the car and came in contact with hot engine parts, there is the potential of fire," said Scituate Deputy Fire Chief Charles Curran. The fire, which produced flames that reached 15 feet, destroyed the car and damaged a gasoline pump. The owner of the station, Gerald Gorman, said the pump was in good condition and that it had serviced "thousands" of cars without incident. Making sure that a motorist shuts off his car engine while fueling is the responsibility of a gasoline station owner. Gorman said he did not know whether the Ferrari's engine was running when it was being fueled. Investigators said they have not decided whether to press the issue. An Aerosmith spokeswoman said Kramer is resting at his home in Marshfield Hills with his wife. An Aerosmith tour will go forward as scheduled later this summer, including an Aug. 20 show at Great Woods.
Yeah, interesting re: the hose clamp. I want to say that is similar to what happened to another SoCal f-chatter's 355 spider a year or two ago, with a similar ending although he got out without injury. There is something specific about the way a particular hose clamp goes on near the fuel line apparently. Hope this most recent driver recovers well.
Wow, thanks for posting these stories to make us more aware of the potential for disaster. I would think something serious like this would 'spark' an NHTSA investigation / recall...
While there, I heard a six-figure number bounced around in conjunction with a lawsuit. I don't know who is being sued, but the incident I described happened recently and there is some sort of legal action in the works (beyond the usual insurance claim.) Likely the car ended up at Bobileff's because Gary is an expert witness in this kind of stuff and the investigators wanted the car gone over thoroughly. Maybe when the owner recovers -- and it sounds like he will -- and if he's a member of FChat he can fill us in. Hopefully he's just focused on his health right now.
Don't think it was an original install problem so much as reconnection after an engine-out service which by now every F355 certainly should have had.
Yes, If I recall correctly it was 1998. The fact that the incident occurred when the 355 was new would be more cause for concern. Sorry for not indicating the date of the article.
Make : FERRARI Model : F355 Year : 1998 Build Dates : 19960901 - 19970930 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 98V058000 Date Owner's Notified: 19980315 Date Received by ODI: 19980316 Date Added to Databse: 19980327 Manufacturer's Involved: FERRARI NORTH AMERICA Manufacturer's Responsible for the Recall: FERRARI NORTH AMERICA INC Manufacturer Campaign Number: Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINEELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS Potential Number Of Units Affected : 649 Summary: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE FUEL INJECTION LINE CAN WEAR DUE TO INTERFERENCE WITH THE WATER HOSE CLAMP ON THE COOLANT PIPE.
All 355's from 1995 to 1998 (not 1999) are included in the recall to CHECK for interference with the fuel line and water hose clamp. If there is a problem, they will replace lines and adjust the hose clamp.
Believe the exact same thing happened to ART360s old 355, after a major by a dealer they put the fuel hose clamp on backwards causing it to rub and rupture a fuel line then a small fire, its a common error. He put the fire out though with his FE
I too saw this car last Friday at Bobileff's. It was buttoned up waiting for the investigators and Gary was under orders not to touch it. It did not look that bad at first. The driver's side front edge of the engine cover is pretty charred. Then your eye moves up to the folded top, which is burned and charred right behind the driver. Then you see the back of the headrest and that is pretty burned up as well. The right side of the car is dented up from the driver trying to get off the freeway quickly and into the dirt so he could exit the car and do a "drop and roll". Story goes, this was the owner's first Ferrari and Gary had recommended a 348, like he did me many years ago for numerous reasons we of the Brotherhood know. The guy got the red mist when he saw this car in LA and bought it without a PPI and did not order a subsequent PPI post purchase. Too bad, because this may have caught the problem. The fire started while driving top down on the freeway and the flames were fanned into the passenger area by the slipstream. The cause might have been the fuel return line. Very tragic and traumatic experience for your first Ferrari puchase. Imagine dreaming and saving for years and then this happens. Moral of the story - trust us folks when we tell you to get a PPI. Not only will it save you $$, it just might save your life. I will be watching this story unfold like Bullfighter.
How can you tell if a car has had the hose clamp recall (relocated?) performed without a PPI? Can you run the VIN thru a dealer and find out? How many of these cars are out there that might ingite on the driver? I posted about the Blue/Tan 355 that was burnt on Ebay a while back, and it sure looks like thats what happened to it. I think someone commented on this problem when I posted, but I'm a non-owner and hadnt researched these cars so I never knew about this problem. Hmmm.... it sure is good to have a resource like FChat.... James in Denver
The fuel line set up on a 348 is not the same as a 355 and they are not in the same place as on the 355. There is nothing wrong with the way Ferrari did the fuel line configuration on the 355. It is the way it is reassembled by someone who shouldn't be doin' it. Everyone who ownes a 355 and has had someone else do their engine out service ought to take a minute to open their engine hood(bonnett for PAP) and take a look at the fuel line area near the upper coolant hose and make sure there is no contact. Regards, Vern
If you were a true brother you'd know already! Actually, as a first Ferrari, the 348 (in good repair and services up to date), is the best "modern" Ferrari due to its less sophisticated and fussy mechanicals (compared to a 355). It is a modern enough car that does not require that much upkeep or specialization. It's a car that many ppl can work on (including me!). It has looks, handling and performance as well. I was looking at a TR and got turned in the right direction (for me). The 355 is more of a car that an existing Ferrari owner would move into, but it was not a car that Gary thought I should jump into without having some experience in exotics. Moreover, value for money made much better sense.
As you know from our previous verbal skirmishes, I am not a brother, just a looker but am interested in why a dealer would recommend a 348 over the much loved 355.
That's why you spend $130 for an **AUTOMATIC** fire extinguisher for your engine bay (e.g. Fire Foe units that can be special ordered from West Marine). That Fire Foe unit (I have no connection to the firm) is just a plastic (well, PVC) pipe filled with compressed 3M fire retardent. Fires will melt the plastic and then the compressed fire retardent blows out the fire. There's not much that can prevent that system from working. You don't have to be conscious or sober or even in your car. Fire in the engine bay...Fire Foe puts it out. Apparently I need to start a charity fund for Tifosi as so few seem able to afford such simple protection.
+1. As vvassallo posted, this guy was a (presumably enthusiastic) new Ferrari owner and now he's hospitalized with skin grafts to his head/upper body. After seeing the result, I wouldn't get into a 348 vs. 355 spat. Just make sure you don't have the issue Vern describes.
Heading to the garage to take a look at the fuel line right now. Just had the major service done at Ferrari of CF so hope mine is ok. Thanks for the info Bullfighter and best wishes for a quick full recover for the unlucky driver. Fire is nasty stuff...
