fuel tank fires

Best way to prevent a fuel tank fire?? Simple, don't drive the car!

Seriously, though, the fuel tank issue could be applied to nearly all cars made in that time period and even into the 70's. The potential of all factors coming together at just the precise moment to cause a fuel tank fire is very low. You probably have a better chance at winning the lottery <img src=images/icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=images/icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

There is a product called Tank Armor that was featured in a recent issue of Mustang Monthly: http://www.mustangmonthly.com/howto/26763/index.html

Why would you have a gas tank fire in a vintage Mustang???

As a professional firefighter for over 30 years in a very busy metro never heard of a gas tank fire nor in the tens of thousands of Mustangs I;ve seen - never saw one in a yard that was a victim of such a event.

Worry about the steering column (solid steering columns with spear the driver in a front impact), the seats (lack of head support from a rear end accident and the non locking backs fold you up like a tent during similar hits) and the seat belts (lack of upper belts allows passengers to be thrown around the interior of the car and for the driver, meeting the steering wheel up close with the chest and/or head) if you want to worry about things

I wrote an article several years back to a local magazine on this subject and my final point was this - if an exploding gas tank is something you are concerned about, don't buy this type of car, don't own this type of car, don't drive this type of car - just sit in your living room and watch TV.

Jim

We all got to go someday anyway For me (not the family)Going in what I like best is better than wasting away at a nursing home

If you're not racing it there's no reason to be concerned. Front, rear, side - all cars have fuel tank exposure from a directional impact. As for fuel shut of switches - why? Are you worried you wouldn't remember to turn the engine off if it caught fire? (Meant to be funny, not mean.<img src=images/icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>) If you look at these posts you will sense that there is no agreement with the notion of reinforcing a fuel tank in a vintage car for fear of fire.

Edited by - round2K on 07/01/2008 13:46:21

There is the fore mentioned tank armor and there is also the steel barrier that replaces the cardboard barrier and installs in between the rear seat and the trunk compartment - most of the usual Mustang vendors carried them for the past several years. Good points by J Speegel - these are much more serious safety concerns not only with vintage Mustangs but with any vintage car on the road. I accept the fact that these cars are not up to contemporary safety standards and drive my car because for me, the fun and pleasure that I get from driving my K far exceeds the risks involved. I consider myself to be a very good driver overall but I also am much more aware of what is going on all around me when I drive the K then when I am tooling around in my regular daily drivers.

Jack

Sorry if the responses were a little terse. This topic has been beat to death over the years!

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Sorry guys I'm new

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Don't be sorry Pala. Not everyone's an expert. I for one am definitely not. That's why I come here, to learn and on more than one occasion, ask stupid questions, which yours is not.

Regards,

René

Nobody's picking on you; it was a good question.

For sure, nobody is picking on you! As mentioned short of installing a fuel cell the tank armor and steel barrier in between the trunk compartment and the rear seat are the only commons items availiable to address this issue. The tank armor is around $200 and the barrier I believe is less than that.

Jack

Q: The best way to avoid a gas tank fire in a vintage Mustang?

A: Drive FASTER than everyone behind you!

(And keep the 4-wheel drum brakes so you don't stop too quickly!)

Edited by - b9folk on 07/03/2008 00:06:31

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Q: The best way to avoid a gas tank fire in a vintage Mustang?

.............

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Don't store lite flares on top of your gas tank like they did on the tv programs that started much of these stories

The best solution is to use 30 to 33 1/2 inch rear shackles on your car. This lift will give the car crashing into you from the rear enough clearance to miss the tank and hit the rear axle. This will shove the drive shaft into the transmission, but that information should be on a new thread. The long shackles will also allow you to install 36 inch rims. The tires will be available at your local John Deere tractor distributor. <img src=images/icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Jim