Date:         Sat, 2 Jan 1999 14:20:31 -0800
Reply-To:     Björn <bratjen@DIRECT.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Björn <bratjen@DIRECT.CA>
Subject:      Re: Newsworthy Van Fire
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

At 03:59 PM 02/01/99 +0000, Malcolm wrote:
>...
>"That's One Set of Hot Wheels,  New Glasgow NS.  You can bet this
>sale fell through.  Fire destroyed a used VW van yesterday afternoon
>when the vehicle was taken out for a test drive.  No one was hurt, but
>the van was destroyed.  Fire officials had not determined the cause, but
>said the blaze broke out underneath the van. CP"
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>We all know what caused the fire!  Change your fuel lines NOW!
>
>Malcolm S
>
>
Whereas the fuel lines are probably the cause of most Vanagon fires, let's
not jump to quick conclusions. I attended a fire once where the someone on
the car lot had tried to start a carburated early sevneties VW camper by
pouring gas into the carburetors. He did not aim all that well and
eventually the van lit up. It was interesting though to see the magnesium
fire from the transmission, which had to be extinguished with sand rather
than with water.




Björn Ratjen

Mill Bay, B.C. 

1987 Syncro Est Alia (self camperized)
1995 Passat TD
(1982 Vanagon Diesel)
1979 VW Bus (self- camperized)