First, I think he (Peter Graham) did the right thing, most will agree that a full redo will more than use up any loss payment given as a pay off.

Next, I have held several Fire Control meets involving BDC, AMOC, and Healey clubs. There is NO substitute for knowing how to put out an auto fire.

"Being Prepared" is key to keeping your car alive. A single 2.5 pound dry chemical extinguisher looks nice — but you will want to Put Out The Entire Fire — not just a spot of it. A 5 pound or even 10 pound (or better 2 5 pound units will give you a better chance of not needing a full rebuild.

I use Halon, or Halatron, (a gas that displaces oxygen) can be sprayed through bonnet vents or the radiator — avoiding the danger to you of opening that bonnet — and getting burned when the flames meet the new source of oxygen.

There is a lot more to the story, but you go talk to a Fireman in your area, and then follow his advice. Live practice is best, but just some help might save your car.

In my years of NAVBM meets here on the East Coast of the USA I have had two members lose a car, one now rebuilt — not sure of the other — but neither person could get to the extinguisher they had — so remember if you have one, mount it where you can get it — right now — cause it might not do you any good after a few minutes.

The average car (fuel fed) fire doubles in size at the rate of four times per minute.

Whitman Ball, USA
(Owner of chassis 946)
May 3, 2016

Hello Whitman,

Fire in the garage was a big concern to me when I built my large garage in 1986. I installed a Halon tank system with several tanks through the area. I assume it will work if necessary. I hope to never find out. I also carry a large fire extinguisher in the car.

Best wishes,
Robert C. McLellan
VintageBentleys.org
(Owner of chassis 869)
May 3, 2016

Whitman,

Thank you for your response. At the time of the fire we were travelling in convoy with five other Bentleys. Each car had a fire extinguisher — from memory (it is over 10 years ago) two were 2.5 lbs and three were larger.

We achieved very little with these devices, we were lucky to find a farmer with a shovel in the back of his vehicle. Some very rapid work with the shovel and the gravel at the side of the road put out the fire. No oxygen no fire. The damage had been done by then.

I do not believe we could have done any better.

At this time my major interest is coming to grips with just how robust is a Vintage Bentley? How many miles is it reasonable to expect from an engine between rebuilds?"

Peter Graham
(Owner of chassis SL3074)
May 4, 2016

Hello Robert and Peter,

Robert, sounds like you have THE system!

I had a 1910 Pierce Arrow (8 feet high) and the trailer for it had 4 mounted 5 pound Halon units. I never worried about it, or when racing the two Vintage — or BMW Club racers we carried, like you, glad no test was made of that system.

Peter, you will find that that darn 4 banger will go a long way. I had the 3L done in 1999 — finished about 3 weeks before shipping for the BDC tour to Italy in 2000. that got it broken in rather well. The one important thing that I did was to add a racing AccuSump, 3 quarts of oil under air pressure--to pre-lube everything before any turning over of the engine. Since that tour we have had it on 13 years of the Vintage Meet here (medical reasons kept from attending all 15), and in total there have been 35, our car has been on 32 of them so even before the rebuild it just kept running.

Take time to see it has the Proper oil, and is getting it really fast, when you operate the starter — we must be a bit over 10,000 miles since the rebuild.

Good luck, happy motoring.

Whit

Whitman Ball
May 4, 2016