Fourtraxjay Posted May 31, 2012 Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 (edited) I'll totally admit it, I'm a grown man, but I cried when this happened. No one was hurt so I am very grateful. Stuff can be replaced right? Driving home from my cottage on a very hot long weekend with the A/C pumping, my 3 1/2 son sleeping in his car seat, my sister riding shot gun, with all the gauges reading perfectly, I hear a whooof! I look in the rearview and for a split second thought my tonneau cover had somehow flopped up over the rear window untill I realized it was smoke! Luckly there was an exit right there, so I got on the binders and pulled off. The truck was still running perfectly, but I had a horrible, horrible feeling...... I maintain this thing to a 'T' and I knew this was no rad hose. Once stopped, told my sister to get my boy out of the truck immediately and go away. She did, but I could tell she was wondering why I was so worked up. I'm a gear head, break downs don't phaze me, but she could tell I was serious. Shut down the perfectly running 13 second SSS for that last time, ran around the truck trying to find source of burning rubber, plastic, smoke smell. Praying to find a bad tire, I opened the hood to find a few tiny flames between the firewall and the blower on the pass. side. I grabbed some water bottles knowing full well this truck was done. Water 1- flame out, flame, up, water, 2 flame out, flame up. water 3 same thing. I start scrambling thinking of disconecting the battery when I realize this is done she's gonna go no matter what I do with out an extinguisher. I empty what I can out of it as the fire starts to rage then simply walk away and try to console my son who's screaming like someone is killing his puppy. He loved that truck so much watching him scream "daddy fix it, I don't want the red truck to burn, Fix it now!!!" I say what I can to help him and his crying that "you said I could drive the red truck when I was an adult!!" This didn't make it much easier. By the time the Fire dept. arrived the forest beside my SS had caught fire. Caution for SSS lovers the following pictures are graphic. This SS was my father's last truck before he passed in 09. I pledged to build the truck GM should have to honor his last vehicle. (he was a big hot rodder, car collector, gear head, CHEVY guy). Oversized brakes, Radix, 3'pulley, Dynatech longtubes and hi flow cats, Magnaflow, 2 inich drop w rear sway, E fan conversion, Self taugh EFIlive basics but with tuning from Blackbear, JVC double din, with sub, amp, etc. And a bunch of other stuff. My goal was to get this thing to 12.99 ET as a true daily driver. I got to 13.3 while infuriating all the Mustangs and most other daily drivers at the strip. This story goes on...... This is what many would call the sad part. I'm over the loss and am simply grateful no one was hurt, so I don't see this as sad anymore. Stay tuned. Edited May 31, 2012 by Fourtraxjay (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverad0 SS Posted May 31, 2012 Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 holy SShit!!! thats crazy, still don't know what the cause was? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willoverkill Posted May 31, 2012 Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 x 2, thats sad to hear on more then 1 count. Im curious on what could spark a fire in that area? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miller812 Posted May 31, 2012 Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 i didnt read it but that ius a terrible site to see man. sooooo sad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSenvy Posted May 31, 2012 Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 Man, glad nobody got hurt... really sorry for your loss, i would have shed a tear myself, specially with the son involved. You will find another one, may the red SS rest in peace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwalk Posted May 31, 2012 Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 (edited) Reading this gave me some major chills... I'm glad everyone got out safely.. that's a shame. Sorry for your loss Edited May 31, 2012 by SikSSS (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Chivo 1986 Posted May 31, 2012 Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 Sorry about da SSS man, and that it was ur pops. Happy ur sis and boy and ur self our ok. Shes in GM heaven. Running 12.00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fourtraxjay Posted May 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 Well I did not sleep for about 3 nights thinking of what caused this. All kinds of possibilities went through my mind. Only 1 makes sense...... First I thought maybe a tranny cooler line went and soaked the header wrap until it got hot enough to combust, but I did not smell any oil burning smell... Maybe a cat overheated? My wideband was on drivers side bank reading all good, but possible problem on pass bank? I doubt this. Maybe a fuel rail broke, popped?? Again, I doubt it, this would have been a whole different kind of fire..... All my lines were good, no tranny lines were rotten despite the fact she was within 500km of turning 200,000km. (125,000miles) I was under this thing all the time tweaking stuff and inspecting at the same time. All my gear head buddies and mentors actually called me to make sure I was not beating myself up about this that maybe is was something I had done. "Dude, your so meticulous when you build stuff its irritating. Do not think this was your fault......" Also, I had put over 40 000km on the truck with all the major stuff done, so if something was gonna go it would have by now, no? Then I researched some more and found this: http://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/7/VRDB-BDRV/SEARCH/RecallDetail.aspx?rn=2011074&lang=eng When I drive I feel I am really in tune with the vehicle. Especially if I have worked on it for a long time. That day, I was watching my gauges, listening to stuff, etc. and I was listening to the Blower motor. I leave the Climate control on auto. That day was very hot. I heard the blower motor change tones, and thought 'huh, the temp in here is constant and right around where is should be....." then whooof. Every time I re told the story, no one really cared about that part. Then I spoke to another mechanic who said his buddies truck started on fire cause of the blower motor..... I read that recal. My truck never had ANY symptoms before this happened. When it combusted, it combusted. and I assume that when a certain part melted got air, then whoof!! I did not smell burning plastic or rubber, no smoke in cabin, NO SIGNS OF TROUBLE until too late. I do not know if this the cause. But is makes the most sense considering where I saw the flames when I opened the hood. Regardless...... I do not like it when "life kicks me in the balz" I'm never got my dad's truck to 12.99 so......... see my next post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superredss Posted May 31, 2012 Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 Dude that sucks!! But the good thing is that you guys are okay. You'll be able to find another truck to build. It won't be your dads so that memory will just have to rest in peace. Dude that sucks!! But the good thing is that you guys are okay. You'll be able to find another truck to build. It won't be your dads so that memory will just have to rest in peace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JC03SS Posted May 31, 2012 Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 Wow man sorry to see this. Glad your family is ok. U can replace the truck but not your family. Don't be yourself up crap happens and it's out of our control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fourtraxjay Posted May 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 There were many reasons I got so into the SSS. Edit. wow I can really ramble on..... My father taught me everything about cars, fixing things, etc. When I was a teen we'd do father son road trips to Bonneville to help our friend pit. Those were long drives full of talks on engine theory, the new developments in turbos, what are dream cars were etc...... Well my dream truck was a Syclone. My father oversaw my first build when I was a teen. He gave me an old company truck with a blown motor ('82 s10) and another old company truck that was wrecked (full size p/u) and said "here, I bought you your first truck, be careful......." With his help, I stuffed the v8 out of the full size into the s10. Can you say sleeper, beater, high school hero? Syclone, Syclone, Syclone that's all I'd talk about. So 13yrs later when he gets the SSS I totally get on him to build it right. Modern day, Full sized Syclone. Come on who can resist a 13sec daily driver that you can put your dirt bike in the back? I never got my father's SSS into the 12's. I did not want to think of this as a failed goal. So. I spent 30hrs on my computer, flew half way across the country to drive 20hrs back with what I am going to call "the Phoenix" (rise from the ashes). Blk, 05, awd, only 80 000km, factory sunroof. Super nice. The build starts again. This I will get into the 12's!!! Wasn't really in my budget to build 'revision 2', but whatta ya gonna do? I'll figure something out. I think an Mp122 instead of the 112 ole red had, may help the cause??(12sec) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmJake Posted May 31, 2012 Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 Wow that sucks. I'd cry too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fourtraxjay Posted May 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 (edited) Sorry about da SSS man, and that it was ur pops. Happy ur sis and boy and ur self our ok. Shes in GM heaven. Running 12.00 I'm not a religous person at all, but I did find solice in the idea that if there is a car heaven, then my father is ripping around in that thing with the biggest $h1T eating grin!!!!! Edited May 31, 2012 by Fourtraxjay (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bag Posted May 31, 2012 Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 I will be putting my fire extinguisher in my truck immediately after seeing this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willoverkill Posted May 31, 2012 Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 My friend had a 07 GMC fill the inside of the truck with smoke and the blower motor wouldnt turn off. We went right to GM and they replaced the wiring harness for the blower and a couple other things too I think under the recall. Makes me wonder tho, you didnt smell anything... Odd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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