Garth S

An attention grabbing fortunate near miss story with several happy endings - in the final chapter, the GT will emerge as new!
Had I read your story much earlier, ...
During the winter, I pulled the T100 4X4 into the garage for oil/filter - and a fuel filter. After opening the fuel cap, I loosened the rear line, but the front was seized, and about to twist the line off. Things stayed dry for the hour I was fooling around with that, so to be safe, I 'finger tightened' the rear line, and left to get a different filter, fuel line hose, flare tool, etc to improve the breed!
When I returned, my cardboard creeper left under the truck looked awfully dark: at -20deg, the smell wasn't too bad, but there was ~1.5 gal. of gas on the floor - rapidly spreading: Even with the cap off, a siphon had started, and wasn't going to stop with a half tank of gas powering it.
It was probably funny from a distance, but up close, much less so. You can't start the vehicle, probably couldn't have pushed it out myself, it was dark, and who's going to plug in a drop light - not me!
After dragging the sodden cardboard out ( which saved the day by sopping up more than half of the gas), I locked a fire extinguisher between my knees, and with wrenches and a small flashlight gripped in my chattering teeth, crawled under the small stream thinking " no slips, no sparks!".
It's amazing how cold your hands get at those temps with gas evaporating from them as you back of a cross threaded gland nut, and work to get a steel line to cooperate as things finally got buttoned up correctly.
Phew! Done, but why? The truck could have burned - but the 928's were in there too!
so again, had I read your story much earlier, I'd probably have found a way to push/tow it outside, and better manage the risk.
Next time I'll follow your lead - and go grab a sandwich and a cell phone.

Scott M.

So Jim...

What's the story on the red 90 GT you got from Jersey?

Track related issues? wink, wink

Scott

Jim_H

Thanks Everyone,

Yes, I am lucky I didn't get hurt. And like Nicole said I still have a place to stay. I was only out of my house 10 days while the replaced all the attic insulation and back sprayed etc. etc. You know the weird thing, while I was crouching across the street, watching smoke coming out of the eaves of my house, all I could think about was the GT. I don't know if this is healthy? Anyway I just bought the house 6 mos. ago and this is speeding up the process of getting rid of the blue trim.

tuk_928

Jim,
Thanks for sharing the saga of your GT's fire. So you bought her back from the insurance company. Nice! Wish you the best on the restoration...keep us posted. Also...glad you, your house, and anyone else around are OK.
I imagine that inhaling the fumes from that fire would have been detrimental to one's health...yikes...thick, black smoke, eh? Beats a gas tank explosion ANYDAY. Be safe...
Best,
TUK

ps.
Am I supposed to be LESS stressed after reading this?

Jim_H

Thank you Scott, how could I forget.
I have a lot of 928 related things I want to do this summer and so found myself shopping again, for a GT.
I had seen the Red GT before on e-bay and the price had been reduced.
Anyway, I buy the Red GT in joisey fly out and have a great, fast drive back. Some slight issues but overall for the price felt real good. Strongest 928 I had ever been in except a friends GTS.
2 weeks after I get back take it to Spokane Raceway where PNW928's lease the track for the day, all the driving you can do, very cool. The track gets wet, I go through some VHT not really knowing how slick it makes things, on a straight at about 60 and next thing I know I am going backwards. End up hitting the wall on the front drivers side. I am sitting in the car thinking I am going to puke all over myself, this could not of just happened. 8 weeks, 2 GT's. No F'ing way!
Jump ahead 2 1/2 weeks (today). No frame damage, suspension parts are all installed, fender and door are getting edge sprayed today (hopefully) then install and get final spray. In the process have ordered new 18" wheels which end up costing more than the repairs. If you look at this pic real close you can see how close I came to big time damage. If I hit another 1/4" towards the front instead of the side, I am in deep doodoo. So I am lucky, right? How has everyone elses year been?

Jim_H

If you look close, right at the signal light edge you can see a little scrape from the wall......

Jim R.

You are very lucky. I was a volunteer firefighter for 8 years, and saw too many garage fires that turned out much worse. Working in an attached garage can be quite dangerous. The flash point for gas fumes at room temp. is quite low, luckily nobody was hurt. Property can be fixed or replaced, people can't. Good luck with the rebuilds, glad they both could be saved.

Jim R.

Jim_H

Jim, Thanks for the post and I hope everyone reads what you said. I learned a lot about vapors from the inspectors. ALWAYS have circulation in your garage. I won't get on my soapbox but it is much easier than I ever knew for vapors to ignite.

sharkmeister85

Hi All!
I actually had the good fortune to meet Jim when he came up to my neck of the woods looking for parts for the resto. Over a "long" breakfast he told me the story that you've all read about here. Undoubtedly Jim has suffered a string of bad luck I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy, let alone a good guy like him. I'm glad to see the resto's are progressing well. But I'll wait and see how they turn out before I decide whether or not Jim should be trusted with a third GT.
Glenn

Jim_H

Sharkmeister,

Thanks. "When" I shop for another GT it will be under a different name. I wouldn't sell me a 928 after the 2 months I had.

Ispeed

I had a small garage fire once. It's totally sobering. I have drums of VP C-12 race fuel in the garage for the MX bikes, that stuff is very volatile. Sorry to see the pics and story.
You need a personalized license plate now.
"SMKN928", "SMOKIN", "HOT928", "BURNER" or something. If you go with it, you will change your luck.

Old & New

How about "PHOENIX"?