|
|
Post by sandysixtysfan on Feb 15, 2017 9:54:09 GMT -5
What caused the pit road fuel tank fire in Parnelli's '64 car? I've heard spilled fuel, a vent issue and also a static charge. What was the car's frame color?
Thx, Sandy
|
|
|
|
Post by pje on Feb 15, 2017 19:59:25 GMT -5
Wasn't it the same metallic blue as 1962 and 1963?
Paul Erlendson
|
|
|
|
Post by sandysixtysfan on Feb 15, 2017 20:29:00 GMT -5
Wasn't it the same metallic blue as 1962 and 1963? Paul Erlendson Just wondering as the '63 car's roll bar is blue like the frame, but the '64 car has a white roll bar. Was it just the roll bar or the whole frame? Sandy |
|
|
|
Post by oldphotos on Feb 15, 2017 21:49:51 GMT -5
Since the car was totally rebuilt for the 1964 race with a new nose and a new different tail section, and the car no longer had any Blue in the paint job the frame was painted White to match the rest of the car.
The car sat in Gasoline Alley all month long in 1965 with out a engine and a For Sale Sign on it.
If you only new then what we know now How many of us would have bought this car. In 1965 you couldn't hardly give a front engine race car away NOBODY wanted them, and nobody raced or displayed them like now.
A great example is the Corvette Grand Sport Race Cars, 1 was listed for sale in Road & Track magazine for $6500 and an extra $500 for a spare engine and Wheels and Tires along with all the other spare parts.
That same car now without all the extras is worth more that 1 MILLION dollars.
Oldphotos
|
|
|
|
Post by Calvin on Feb 16, 2017 1:40:08 GMT -5
What caused the pit road fuel tank fire in Parnelli's '64 car? I've heard spilled fuel, a vent issue and also a static charge. This is bugging me.....I used to know...Im trying to remember.... |
|
|
|
Post by sandysixtysfan on Feb 16, 2017 9:13:32 GMT -5
Thanks Walt! I had a good feeling I'd be hearing from you! Great story. Just amazing how cheaply the great race cars of the '60's were sold for, but with technology advancing as quickly as it was then you can understand the cheap sell offs. Here's another example, when Shelby focused on the GT program he sold off the race Cobras- this from a price list for a Feb '66 Shelby American sale- "Cobra 289 race cars, $6000 each... Cobra Daytona Coupes $8,700 each..." Actually a fair chunk of change for back then, but like you said Walt, if we'd only have known!
Sandy
|
|
|
|
Post by sandysixtysfan on Feb 16, 2017 9:14:16 GMT -5
What caused the pit road fuel tank fire in Parnelli's '64 car? I've heard spilled fuel, a vent issue and also a static charge. This is bugging me.....I used to know...Im trying to remember.... yeah, me too! |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2017 11:42:43 GMT -5
I believe the fire on Parnelli's car was caused by the fuel caps were somehow ripped off after fueling and i suspect the fuel spilled on the hot exhaust. In the youtube of 1964 indy 500 classics shows as he pulled out the fuel caps ate missing.
Steve
|
|
|
|
Post by eagle36 on Feb 16, 2017 12:09:38 GMT -5
I believe the fire on Parnelli's car was caused by the fuel caps were somehow ripped off after fueling and i suspect the fuel spilled on the hot exhaust. In the youtube of 1964 indy 500 classics shows as he pulled out the fuel caps ate missing. Steve From the pictures I've seen, Parnelli did not hang around to satisfy his curiosity on that point. |
|
|
|
Post by alwaysindy on Feb 16, 2017 13:13:45 GMT -5
Guys: From Joe Scalzo's book : "Indianapolis Roadsters 1952-1964"    Basicallly, if the asbestos tube over the exhaust was pulled off too fast, the methanol would light and burn invisibly...and an aluminum tank to save weight... Parnell says, a few pages later, that he jumped out at 30mph, but if it would have been 170mph, he would have bailed...why? He saw 3-4 inches of methanol in the bottom of the cockpit!?!!. Tim |
|
|
|
Post by sandysixtysfan on Feb 17, 2017 7:25:10 GMT -5
OK, that's it then! Thanks for the all the info guys.
Sandy
|
|
