How I lost my first P-car
08-10-2003, 05:47 PM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: University of Oklahoma (Norman)
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How I lost my first P-car
Here it goes.
One spring morning of my junior year of high school i was getting ready to head down to the local park for my tennis regional. I was running a little late but i still gave the car a good 35-55 seconds to warm up before heading out for the 2.5 mile drive to the park. I did not keep the revs low shifting close to red-line in first and second leaving my house. Everything was going fine until I started to slow down for the 25 mph school zone coming down from the 55 mph speed limit by my high school. I down-shifted to 4th going around 45 mph and there was a very loud pop. Not soon after smoke was pouring into the cabin and people coming in the opposite lane were flashing headlights, honking, and trying to get my attention. One man yelled "your car is on fire!" I thought to myself... Gee, i should really try to get this thing stopped as soon as possible. I hit the clutch peddle and it went all the way to the floor. Pulled my hand brake but the linkage was loose on it (I had been meaning to get it tightened) and it did not engage properly brakes were out too...
I pulled into the grass on the side of the road to try to get my speed down and then i turned it onto the high school soccer field and aimed it for one of the goals. I opened the door and dove out while still going about 15 mph. When i hit the ground and rolled i could see the flames billowing under the car. The car hit the goal and stopped and I ran across the street yelling choice expletives to have someone call the fire dept. The fire truck got there within 3 or 4 mins and i watched in horror as the fireman pryed open the hood of my baby with a crowbar. The blaze was out soon after but the damage had been done. Everything from the front to the firewall was torched. I did qualify for the state tennis tournament that day but i didnt really care. I had lost my first car. On the 88 I only had liability insurance and we didnt have anyone investigate. The hot-spot seemed to be centered around the headlight motor but again an investigation was never performed.
What was crazy, is how my dad and I were talking about how the car had been so great and we had not had any major problems just a couple days before the fire happened.
One spring morning of my junior year of high school i was getting ready to head down to the local park for my tennis regional. I was running a little late but i still gave the car a good 35-55 seconds to warm up before heading out for the 2.5 mile drive to the park. I did not keep the revs low shifting close to red-line in first and second leaving my house. Everything was going fine until I started to slow down for the 25 mph school zone coming down from the 55 mph speed limit by my high school. I down-shifted to 4th going around 45 mph and there was a very loud pop. Not soon after smoke was pouring into the cabin and people coming in the opposite lane were flashing headlights, honking, and trying to get my attention. One man yelled "your car is on fire!" I thought to myself... Gee, i should really try to get this thing stopped as soon as possible. I hit the clutch peddle and it went all the way to the floor. Pulled my hand brake but the linkage was loose on it (I had been meaning to get it tightened) and it did not engage properly brakes were out too...
I pulled into the grass on the side of the road to try to get my speed down and then i turned it onto the high school soccer field and aimed it for one of the goals. I opened the door and dove out while still going about 15 mph. When i hit the ground and rolled i could see the flames billowing under the car. The car hit the goal and stopped and I ran across the street yelling choice expletives to have someone call the fire dept. The fire truck got there within 3 or 4 mins and i watched in horror as the fireman pryed open the hood of my baby with a crowbar. The blaze was out soon after but the damage had been done. Everything from the front to the firewall was torched. I did qualify for the state tennis tournament that day but i didnt really care. I had lost my first car. On the 88 I only had liability insurance and we didnt have anyone investigate. The hot-spot seemed to be centered around the headlight motor but again an investigation was never performed.
What was crazy, is how my dad and I were talking about how the car had been so great and we had not had any major problems just a couple days before the fire happened.
08-10-2003, 07:54 PM
#3
Instructor
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: University of Oklahoma (Norman)
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well, I guess I was just bored on this Sunday afternoon. I guess the point of the post is that my love for these machines can't even be destroyed by something of this nature. That happened in May, I had a jeep grand cherokee for some months and then in November of that year. I got my 951. The grand cherokee was a good vehicle and now is my younger brothers daily driver but I could not help missing driving a fine sportscar such as the 944 series.
08-10-2003, 07:55 PM
#4
Nordschleife Master
Good thinking aiming the car at the soccer goal. I cant help it, im sorry but i chuckled somewhat when i read "I opened the door and dove out while still going about 15 mph. When i hit the ground and rolled i could see the flames billowing under the car. The car hit the goal and stopped". Glad you made it out ok.
08-10-2003, 08:00 PM
#5
Instructor
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: University of Oklahoma (Norman)
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yeah, Techno a lot of people chuckle when i tell them the story. My fraternity brothers found it amusing as well as my current girlfriend. Even I think back and can laugh a little when im not thinking of the whole "potentially life threatening" part of it. Just rest assured that the firewalls in these cars seem to be very effective if an engine fire occurs. 
Trending Topics
Fire 1 Porsche 0
08-12-2003, 10:05 AM
#10
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
That sucks. Glad you were able to buy another Porsche.
I guess the title of this thread should be either:
"Why you should fix your emergency brake"
"Always release the hood before diving out of a burning 944"
or
"Goal !!"
I guess the title of this thread should be either:
"Why you should fix your emergency brake"
"Always release the hood before diving out of a burning 944"
or
"Goal !!"
08-12-2003, 10:37 AM
#11
Nordschleife Master
Am I the only one who doesn't understand why you didn't just come to a stop using regular brakes?
Why the hell did you have to use the goalie net to stop the car?
Why the hell did you have to use the goalie net to stop the car?
08-12-2003, 05:02 PM
#14
Instructor
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: University of Oklahoma (Norman)
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
LOL!! you guys are cracking me up...
We get 7 for personal plates in Oklahoma... my plate right now is TYLR951.
The car actually hit the side of the soccer goal, so i didnt score
We get 7 for personal plates in Oklahoma... my plate right now is TYLR951.
The car actually hit the side of the soccer goal, so i didnt score