Looks like more than fireworks were ablaze yesterday. A 1985 C4 caught fire in Michigan and though no one was injured, let’s have a moment of silence for the fallen C4.
Ben Bergen of Sault Ste. Marie escaped a fiery death but here’s the kicker, he bought the car just a week ago. He said “I heard a pop so I pulled over. I heard a hiss and it caught fire.” An ambulance on a non-related call stopped and put out the fire.
Hindsight’s 20/20 and it might be a good idea for all Corvette owners to take a long, hard look at the pics to see what a little forethought could have prevented.
Having a fire extinguisher on board is a good idea. Here’s a link to a very informative article by our sister publication, Turnology and it’s a great primer on the ins and outs of fire suppression. Having a fire extinguisher on board should be mandatory for all cars but especially our beloved ‘Vettes.
Also, it’s unclear if the new owner of this car had the vehicle inspected but that’s the next takeaway here. Accidents do happen, we get it. But unless you’re a ASE tech or very well versed automotive mechanic, we say get a full blown used car check from a reputable source. Yeah, it might not have prevented the fire, but an inspection of the fuel delivery system might have flagged it.
Lastly, check out the location the fire. It’s not under the hood, but centered around gas tank area. Mr. Bergen is lucky he escaped unharmed.
In the meantime, the pics are interesting as it illustrates what burned fiberglass, (actually sheet molded compound) looks like and what’s lurking underneath the body of a C4.
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