Original thread on SELOC
Here is what happened:
I was driving down the A1 at around 60mph in rush hour traffic at about 5pm. Then the engine cut out so I looked ahead for a lay-by, fortunately there was one a few hundred yards up the road. About ten seconds after that the engine bay went up with a 'whoosh' and it was alight. And by alight I mean two-foot flames pouring out of the mesh and through the joins where I chopped it up.
Naturally I was eager to get out, so I undid the harness and prepared to exit the car. I had just the right amount of momentum to take me to the edge of the lay-by otherwise I would have jumped into the path of the traffic but as it was I steered it to the verge and jumped out to watch it burn.
About thirty seconds later the petrol tank went up with quite a bit of violence. However, the magnesium wheels were the best, once the spokes got hot enough to burn it was like a firework display!
I was pretty calm throughout, as is my nature really, and I was thinking about what to buy next even before it was put out by the fire brigade.
There was nothing left, it was quite literally a pile of ash on the undertrays, only the engine roll bar and titanium exhaust remained, along with some unburnt wheel, the firemen were keen to put them out once I explained what they were made of.
I rescued the charred badge from the ash as a memento.
Thanks for the sympathy everyone I was pretty gutted I have to admit, but I didn't burn to death and **** happens. I see people far worse off than me everyday at work.
The video
No idea what caused it but it has to be a fluid fire to go up so quick. Probably petrol if it cut out first. No way of knowing really. May have been an engine problem, I have heard of an an engine having an oil pressure release valve stick and setting on fire but who's to know? There's nothing left to diagnose a problem.
I'm truely gutted for the guy. I've only ever seen a 340R at a show and it's a stunning car.
Here is what happened:
I was driving down the A1 at around 60mph in rush hour traffic at about 5pm. Then the engine cut out so I looked ahead for a lay-by, fortunately there was one a few hundred yards up the road. About ten seconds after that the engine bay went up with a 'whoosh' and it was alight. And by alight I mean two-foot flames pouring out of the mesh and through the joins where I chopped it up.
Naturally I was eager to get out, so I undid the harness and prepared to exit the car. I had just the right amount of momentum to take me to the edge of the lay-by otherwise I would have jumped into the path of the traffic but as it was I steered it to the verge and jumped out to watch it burn.
About thirty seconds later the petrol tank went up with quite a bit of violence. However, the magnesium wheels were the best, once the spokes got hot enough to burn it was like a firework display!
I was pretty calm throughout, as is my nature really, and I was thinking about what to buy next even before it was put out by the fire brigade.
There was nothing left, it was quite literally a pile of ash on the undertrays, only the engine roll bar and titanium exhaust remained, along with some unburnt wheel, the firemen were keen to put them out once I explained what they were made of.
I rescued the charred badge from the ash as a memento.
Thanks for the sympathy everyone I was pretty gutted I have to admit, but I didn't burn to death and **** happens. I see people far worse off than me everyday at work.
The video
No idea what caused it but it has to be a fluid fire to go up so quick. Probably petrol if it cut out first. No way of knowing really. May have been an engine problem, I have heard of an an engine having an oil pressure release valve stick and setting on fire but who's to know? There's nothing left to diagnose a problem.
I'm truely gutted for the guy. I've only ever seen a 340R at a show and it's a stunning car.
) and the dry weight is 658kg.