Devastating loss

[SwallownAmazon]

Originally Posted by Isimmo

It does question mark that insurance process though. If nothing else, because basic physics says metal is structurally different after thermal annealing.

While I have very sympathy for the owner, I couldn't agree more. As a retired industrial chemist with a bit of knowledge about the integrity of steel structures after fire, any car that has been in such a high temperature fire should not be put back on the road. You only have to look at what is done to make steel malleable and the subsequent plunging into cold water or oil to give it back its strength. Not practical with a car bodyshell.

[Isimmo]

Originally Posted by SwallownAmazon

While I have very sympathy for the owner, I couldn't agree more. As a retired industrial chemist with a bit of knowledge about the integrity of steel structures after fire, any car that has been in such a high temperature fire should not be put back on the road. You only have to look at what is done to make steel malleable and the subsequent plunging into cold water or oil to give it back its strength. Not practical with a car bodyshell.

You’ll probably know more about this than I, but isn’t it something like annealing occurs around 300deg and petrol burns around 900deg. So that suspension turret is toast. Literally.

[SwallownAmazon]

It's more like 500 deg C to heat to "cherry red" which is when steel softens but to get the strength back it needs to be tempered by plunging into cold water or sometimes, oil for specialist applications.

[4v6]

11K! Is there that amount of spares still left in it?

Ok engine box diffs some of the panels and wheels etc would be ok but that seems awfully steep.
As simmo says the steels been affected by the heat anyway, youd have to replace all those parts and where would you source them these days?

As stated rather unpalatable part of the process, shame to see a great car come to this.

[Ben]

Originally Posted by 4v6

11K! Is there that amount of spares still left in it?

Yeah, it's log book and ID.

[msh]

Originally Posted by theschmallfella

I've always had one in all of my cars since an engine fire in a Fiat Ritmo (Strada) I had back in the early 90's where I was lucky to get away before it went up in a ball of smoke. I'd highly recommend having one in any classic car.

Are UK drivers legally not obliged to have one?

Originally Posted by moonwatcher

Waste of time, I've had one in the car for twenty years
Never needed it

Better to have one and not need it, than other way around. We over here, in latvia, are required to have extinguisher in car to pass technical inspection, however control is lax, I haven't seen inspector to look at date label, all the control I've seen - the guy, when walking around the car, opens the boot and looks around in order to spot first aid kit and extinguisher. In any case, since I repair and upgrade my cars for me, not for technical inspection, I don't have obligatory 1 kg extinguisher - I have 4 kg extinguisher; I would prefer to have 8 kg, but it's inconveniently big.

[Isimmo]

When you look at the cost of a fire extinguisher and the cost of the loss of a lovely car like this, coupled with the emotional loss, hassle and inconvenience and the ultimate financial loss, a £16.00 AFFF 750g extinguisher is actually worth several thousand quid. Certainly more than a set of fancy wheels for those of such persuasion.... Hindsight is a wonderful thing sometimes...All, of course, in my humble opinion.

[BackintheFold]

Originally Posted by SwallownAmazon

It's more like 500 deg C to heat to "cherry red" which is when steel softens but to get the strength back it needs to be tempered by plunging into cold water or sometimes, oil for specialist applications.

Just throwing this in fro consideration, but as the car wasn't burnt out totally, it must have been hosed down by the fire brigade, yes?

Would that hosing down of hot metal be sufficient to temper the metal?

[msh]

Fire brigade very likely used foam, not water.

[BackintheFold]

Can't see any foamy residue...