This is one of the shop race-cars. It was the first car here that I got to crawl around in. Built for VARA's C-Sedan Class, (limited to 38/38 downdraft weber carb, 14" wheels, and stock fenders) weight is down to 2,020 pounds thanks to a proper gutting, a fiberglass hood (7 pounds), and fiberglass trunk. We didn't initially build the car, so there were some things we would have done differently, one of which was the wiring, which came back to haunt us. Raced the car for the last couple of seasons.
Engine ("conservative" race build... 11:1 compression, IE billet 314 cam, HD rockers, dual valve springs, etc.)
While racing a few months ago out at Buttonwillow the car caught fire. The car coughed, then lost power (no fuel to the engine). Jeff, who was driving, could smell fuel and shut the ignition off, but didn't shut the fuel valve off since it was wired separately (next wiring will have an intermittent override so when the ignition is shut off, so is the fuel). Fire suppression system did not put out the fire, it unfortunately reignited and started burning the fiberglass hood.
The whole thing caught on video (caution, this is painful to watch)
The aftermath
The cause of the fire was a failed fuel fitting right where it threads into the carb. Spilled fuel everywhere which of course ignited.
Engine, after...
Lightly browned interior.
Car was stripped, inspected, and sent off to the soda blasters. Getting it back from paint this afternoon! Looking forward to having this back together and properly wired in the next couple months.
Engine ("conservative" race build... 11:1 compression, IE billet 314 cam, HD rockers, dual valve springs, etc.)
While racing a few months ago out at Buttonwillow the car caught fire. The car coughed, then lost power (no fuel to the engine). Jeff, who was driving, could smell fuel and shut the ignition off, but didn't shut the fuel valve off since it was wired separately (next wiring will have an intermittent override so when the ignition is shut off, so is the fuel). Fire suppression system did not put out the fire, it unfortunately reignited and started burning the fiberglass hood.
The whole thing caught on video (caution, this is painful to watch)
The aftermath
The cause of the fire was a failed fuel fitting right where it threads into the carb. Spilled fuel everywhere which of course ignited.
Engine, after...
Lightly browned interior.
Car was stripped, inspected, and sent off to the soda blasters. Getting it back from paint this afternoon! Looking forward to having this back together and properly wired in the next couple months.
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