The most dangerous things that happened to me around cars
Discussion
Let's picture the scene, mid winter, half way through my winter season rebuilds I decided to remove the engine from my Cobra rep'. Left the wife indoors nursing a cold and watching a Christmas movie, I ventured out into a freezing cold garage. Things were going well, I'd removed the engine using a ratchet winch hung from a beam in the garage, only problem was, to get enough clearance I had to stand on a plastic garden chair to reach the ratched handle. Once the engine was clear of the car I stepped down from the chair and rolled the car out of the garage so I could lower the engine to the floor. All going well and now around 7.00pm I climbed back onto the chair and switched the lever across to the lower position. As I did something released in the gears and the engine came crashing towards the ground. The next I knew everything had stopped with the engine just short of hitting the garage floor slowly swinging back and forth...
The reason it had stopped was because I was keeping my balance by holding the spare chain on the hoist. My hand had been dragged into the pulley and was acting as a brake! Not a good situation, I'm stuck on a chair with nobody around to help me.. After a couple of moments my only option was to pull my hand out and watch the engine crash to the floor....Ouch (on both counts)
A trip to A&E a few stitches and all's well......Strange how 20 years later I'm now a health and safety manager ;-)
The reason it had stopped was because I was keeping my balance by holding the spare chain on the hoist. My hand had been dragged into the pulley and was acting as a brake! Not a good situation, I'm stuck on a chair with nobody around to help me.. After a couple of moments my only option was to pull my hand out and watch the engine crash to the floor....Ouch (on both counts)
A trip to A&E a few stitches and all's well......Strange how 20 years later I'm now a health and safety manager ;-)
Not exactly scary, this one but it made me think, a lot.
Driving to work from Ely to Cambridge in an old Triumph Spitfire. Caned it down the A10 overtaking everything in my path drove it into Cambridge, turned the wheel to go round a 90 degree bend about 200 yards from my work and the car went straight on. I stopped, hadn't hit anyone or any thing but when I got out and checked the steering column had sheered completely at the bottom.
I called the AA and it being Cambridge, the only person who acknowledged my presence was a woman on a bicycle who slowed down to tell me how badly I'd parked before speeding off again so I wouldn't have time to answer.
I kept thinking about what might have happened if it had snapped 10 or 15 minutes earlier, when I was doing 80mph, because it must have been close the whole way.
Cheers
MTM
Driving to work from Ely to Cambridge in an old Triumph Spitfire. Caned it down the A10 overtaking everything in my path drove it into Cambridge, turned the wheel to go round a 90 degree bend about 200 yards from my work and the car went straight on. I stopped, hadn't hit anyone or any thing but when I got out and checked the steering column had sheered completely at the bottom.
I called the AA and it being Cambridge, the only person who acknowledged my presence was a woman on a bicycle who slowed down to tell me how badly I'd parked before speeding off again so I wouldn't have time to answer.
I kept thinking about what might have happened if it had snapped 10 or 15 minutes earlier, when I was doing 80mph, because it must have been close the whole way.
Cheers
MTM
A friend was loaned the use of his parent's immaculate 1980 Opel Ascona 2.0SR as his Mini was off the road for repairs at the time.
It was an automatic, which he was not used to. He managed to select reverse at 60mph on a busy A-road. . . . . spun the car in front of an oncoming lorry and ended up facing back the way he came on the verge on the other side of the road with a ruined kerbed rear wheel.
Then about a year later - Renault 20 auto this time - same bloke accelerated off up the road in the big Renault with another mate following rapidly behind his bumper on a 350cc bike. He selected reverse again by mistake and the Renault tried to stand up on it's front bumper . . . ouch, and some broken bits of car and bike.
scary said:
I kept thinking about what might have happened if it had snapped 10 or 15 minutes earlier, when I was doing 80mph, because it must have been close the whole way.
I'd somehow forgotten a very similar incident, in another Firenza. Having a quick dice with an almost-new Nissan 300ZX in my 1600 Firenza (he won), I pulled into a pub carpark. As I turned the wheel to back into a space, the rubber bit on the steering coupling finally fell to pieces, no steering left. I reflected in the same way as you did, although of course the forces involved in turning at very low speed are much greater, so far more chance of it happening how it did. Still scary though.I vividly remeber being underneath my first car (Clio) unbolting the exhaust manifold from the back of the engine.
The block was a few inches above my nose, dangling from a very safe ratchet strap hung off a piece of box aluminum resting across the suspension top mounts set up (
)
Predictably, something slipped and the block suddenly dropped by an inch or so. Very close to my face (
). Got out from under there quite rapidly and haven't done anything so monumentally stupid since.
The block was a few inches above my nose, dangling from a very safe ratchet strap hung off a piece of box aluminum resting across the suspension top mounts set up (
)Predictably, something slipped and the block suddenly dropped by an inch or so. Very close to my face (
). Got out from under there quite rapidly and haven't done anything so monumentally stupid since. I lost a rear wheel from my old Landcruiser (sheared all of the el cheapo wheel spacer bolts) but luckily it came off doing about 5mph at a junction about 100 yards from home.
However, the journey and day before, it had towed a loaded car trailer up and down the M6...
I've also had a super hot coolant hose explode, geyser style, literally about two seconds after taking my head out of the engine bay.
However, the journey and day before, it had towed a loaded car trailer up and down the M6...
I've also had a super hot coolant hose explode, geyser style, literally about two seconds after taking my head out of the engine bay.
Doesn't matter how careful you are, sometimes s
t happens!
I was helping a mate out a couple of weeks ago with his XR3. Car was up on a lift. I had just drained the oil out of it and put the bung back in. Was putting the car back down, holding the button on the lift, didn't think to look at the car. One side of the lift came down, the other didn't and the car was at an almost 45 degree angle. All of a sudden, the other side came down with an almighty bang. Really scared the crap out of me! If the car had fell off, I dread to think what would have happened, especially with me standing 12 inches from it! A mate of mine was killed just over a year ago when a car fell off a lift (his own fault) and crushed him. Brought it all back to me. Never get complacent, an accident can happen at any time!
t happens!I was helping a mate out a couple of weeks ago with his XR3. Car was up on a lift. I had just drained the oil out of it and put the bung back in. Was putting the car back down, holding the button on the lift, didn't think to look at the car. One side of the lift came down, the other didn't and the car was at an almost 45 degree angle. All of a sudden, the other side came down with an almighty bang. Really scared the crap out of me! If the car had fell off, I dread to think what would have happened, especially with me standing 12 inches from it! A mate of mine was killed just over a year ago when a car fell off a lift (his own fault) and crushed him. Brought it all back to me. Never get complacent, an accident can happen at any time!
quiraing said:
A friend was loaned the use of his parent's immaculate 1980 Opel Ascona 2.0SR as his Mini was off the road for repairs at the time.
It was an automatic, which he was not used to. He managed to select reverse at 60mph on a busy A-road. . . . . spun the car in front of an oncoming lorry and ended up facing back the way he came on the verge on the other side of the road with a ruined kerbed rear wheel.
Then about a year later - Renault 20 auto this time - same bloke accelerated off up the road in the big Renault with another mate following rapidly behind his bumper on a 350cc bike. He selected reverse again by mistake and the Renault tried to stand up on it's front bumper . . . ouch, and some broken bits of car and bike.
He must be good, in 30 years driving i've never managed to get an auto to engauge reverse at aanything over 3 or 4 MPH It was an automatic, which he was not used to. He managed to select reverse at 60mph on a busy A-road. . . . . spun the car in front of an oncoming lorry and ended up facing back the way he came on the verge on the other side of the road with a ruined kerbed rear wheel.
Then about a year later - Renault 20 auto this time - same bloke accelerated off up the road in the big Renault with another mate following rapidly behind his bumper on a 350cc bike. He selected reverse again by mistake and the Renault tried to stand up on it's front bumper . . . ouch, and some broken bits of car and bike.
My Rover P5b 3.5 wouldn't start on a Morrison's garage forecourt on a blisteringly hot day after I had just put a load of fuel in the tank. I did the normal checks, which showed there was no fuel reaching the carburretors, so I elected to change the fuel pump (mechanical) - big mistake. As the pump is located on the side of the engine and is below the level of the tank, gallons of fuel poured out all over the place and it was a very frightening experience. To be honest I thought I was in danger of dying but could not stop trying to reconnect the pipe nuts to the pump as all the fuel kept coming out. I am still here to tell the tale but I was sure that there would be a huge fireball!
SteveinTurkey said:
My Rover P5b 3.5 wouldn't start on a Morrison's garage forecourt on a blisteringly hot day after I had just put a load of fuel in the tank. I did the normal checks, which showed there was no fuel reaching the carburretors, so I elected to change the fuel pump (mechanical) - big mistake. As the pump is located on the side of the engine and is below the level of the tank, gallons of fuel poured out all over the place and it was a very frightening experience. To be honest I thought I was in danger of dying but could not stop trying to reconnect the pipe nuts to the pump as all the fuel kept coming out. I am still here to tell the tale but I was sure that there would be a huge fireball!
A simler thing happened to me.Under a MGB trying to nip up the banjo on the fuel pump it all went wrong.Petrol running down my arms,the petrol itself burnt under my arms and under my watch strap.Many moons ago I had a much-modified 2.5 Spitfire. One trip back from North Wales on the A55 Chester by-pass, I travelled in convoy with my brother in his tweaked Mini. We kept up a very, very, entertaining average speed for the entire trip, much fun was had, etc etc and I don't think we were passed by any "moderns" for the entire run.
Next day I set off for somewhere in the Spit, pootling up the cul-de-sac that my folks lived in at the time. 100 yards or so up the road, the front of the car collapsed onto the tarmac. One front upright had sheared off. That one made me think a bit. Gingerly, the car was reversed back down our road, the front propped up on a trolley jack being guided by an oppo who lived nearby.
I also had a rear halfshaft let go (Rotoflex suspension) during a spirited getaway from some traffic lights, that made quite a racket at 50 or so mph.
RJ
Next day I set off for somewhere in the Spit, pootling up the cul-de-sac that my folks lived in at the time. 100 yards or so up the road, the front of the car collapsed onto the tarmac. One front upright had sheared off. That one made me think a bit. Gingerly, the car was reversed back down our road, the front propped up on a trolley jack being guided by an oppo who lived nearby.
I also had a rear halfshaft let go (Rotoflex suspension) during a spirited getaway from some traffic lights, that made quite a racket at 50 or so mph.
RJ
woodytype S said:
SteveinTurkey said:
My Rover P5b 3.5 wouldn't start on a Morrison's garage forecourt on a blisteringly hot day after I had just put a load of fuel in the tank. I did the normal checks, which showed there was no fuel reaching the carburretors, so I elected to change the fuel pump (mechanical) - big mistake. As the pump is located on the side of the engine and is below the level of the tank, gallons of fuel poured out all over the place and it was a very frightening experience. To be honest I thought I was in danger of dying but could not stop trying to reconnect the pipe nuts to the pump as all the fuel kept coming out. I am still here to tell the tale but I was sure that there would be a huge fireball!
A similar thing happened to me.Under a MGB trying to nip up the banjo on the fuel pump it all went wrong.Petrol running down my arms,the petrol itself burnt under my arms and under my watch strap.To add something more in keeping with the thread, I was once trying to remove the flywheel assembly from an A series, it was unsecured on a small trolley and I had a crowbar wedged against the floor while applying huge force with a breaker bar. The crowbar gave way and it fell straight onto my foot. Not only did it hurt like hell, but I had to lift all 160kg of it to free my foot.
Another was trying to remove the cats from my TVR. I wedged myself under the car as it was a PITA to jack up with the jack I had at the time. I used an impact wrench with a UJ and a short extension to allow me to work in such restricted space. The third bolt I undid sheared and left the extention bar and socket flailing around mm from my eye with not even enough space to turn my head. Oddly my first reaction was not to release the trigger!
In our Austin/Rover garage in the early 80's we had one of the few unsold Rover SD1 2000 automatics in captivity- in fact maybe the only one! After 14 months in stock we found a buyer so it went for PDI. Gear selector didn't seat correctly in it's positions so up on lift with apprentice in car and mechanic underneath. Car is ticking over whilst the apprentice moves the selector (handbrake on, of course) but the car twitches when reverse is selected. Apprentice stamps on brake but hits....THROTTLE PEDAL. The Rover somersaulted backwards off the ramp, dropped 6ft and lay rocking on it's roof on the floor. The noise was exactly like the biggest roller shutter door in creation shutting. It missed four other mechanics, the other cars in the workshop and just left a gibbering apprentice lying inside on the roof. The silence afterwards was classic. No-one hurt but we gave the apprentice the rest of the day off (generous sorts that we were). And the Rover was a right-off.
20 years ago a Rolls Royce arrived at my house one morning and I stupidly got in. It drove me to a building where, to my continuing surprise, I agreed to share everything I had, and would ever have, and agreed to ask for permission before doing anything other than breathing, with some woman.
She's still here.
I've hated Rolls Royce ever since. The bds.
She's still here.
I've hated Rolls Royce ever since. The b
ds._Leg_ said:
20 years ago a Rolls Royce arrived at my house one morning and I stupidly got in. It drove me to a building where, to my continuing surprise, I agreed to share everything I had, and would ever have, and agreed to ask for permission before doing anything other than breathing, with some woman.
She's still here.
I've hated Rolls Royce ever since. The bds.
You were misled by the hype that RR are the best quality! I trust that the lady in question was of better quality and that you are still enjoying the smooth lines and the comfortable suspension.She's still here.
I've hated Rolls Royce ever since. The b
ds.I was helping a friend change the front dampers on his car - remove MacPherson Strut from car, compress spring using a pair of proper spring compressors, remove top bolt then the top bit of the Strut that holds the spring in place, remove spring, get new damper from its box then fitting is the reverse of removal...
Simple? Cue hollow laughter
.
We got as far as getting the new damper out of its box when the two spring compressors started slowly sliding towards each other and the spring started twisting and writhing - in slow motion, as always happens when the brown stuff seems about to hit the fan...
Aware of the grave warnings about being on the receiving end of a 'punch' from a compressed suspension spring, I automatically moved like a character from The Matrix with a neat little whooshing jump about 15' sideways just like that!
I use 3 spring compressors nowadays
.
I've done the usual stuff like finding leaking fuel pipes under the car just after filling up (why do these leaks usually show up with a full tank???). Draining off 8 gallons from a full Mini fuel tank - on a day like today - into buckets and beer fermentation vessels seemed a good idea at the time... I survived that particular stunt
.
Simple? Cue hollow laughter
.We got as far as getting the new damper out of its box when the two spring compressors started slowly sliding towards each other and the spring started twisting and writhing - in slow motion, as always happens when the brown stuff seems about to hit the fan...
Aware of the grave warnings about being on the receiving end of a 'punch' from a compressed suspension spring, I automatically moved like a character from The Matrix with a neat little whooshing jump about 15' sideways just like that!
I use 3 spring compressors nowadays
.I've done the usual stuff like finding leaking fuel pipes under the car just after filling up (why do these leaks usually show up with a full tank???). Draining off 8 gallons from a full Mini fuel tank - on a day like today - into buckets and beer fermentation vessels seemed a good idea at the time... I survived that particular stunt
.A few years ago I owned a Honda CB750FB motorcycle and it broke down a few miles from my house. I called a friend who came in his car and suggested he towed me to my home. So we tied a rope around the middle of the handlebars and to the back of the car. Never, ever, have I been so scared in my life and I was convinced that I was going to be killed! My friend was not travelling fast but it was the being totally out of control and being pulled sidewards at junctions and the feeling of doom.
If you have ever been towed whilst riding a motorcycle with no means of letting go of the tow rope, you will understand!
I will never do that again!
If you have ever been towed whilst riding a motorcycle with no means of letting go of the tow rope, you will understand!
I will never do that again!
[quote=ecurie]Some years ago the steering column on my Dolomite Sprint decided it was time to part company from the steering rack.
I ended up in a (luckily dry) ditch, with only my pride and the car damaged.
I reshelled and fully restored it before selling it to Germany.
quote]
Had the same problem with my Sprint but without your disastrous consequences. It happened just as we emerged from the Dartford tunnel into Essex on the RH lane of the RH bore. The steering wheel suddenly span free and luckily there is a hard shoulder on the RH side. As I braked the car veered right and we came to a safe stop.
Definitely a bowel-loosening moment.
I ended up in a (luckily dry) ditch, with only my pride and the car damaged.
I reshelled and fully restored it before selling it to Germany.
quote]
Had the same problem with my Sprint but without your disastrous consequences. It happened just as we emerged from the Dartford tunnel into Essex on the RH lane of the RH bore. The steering wheel suddenly span free and luckily there is a hard shoulder on the RH side. As I braked the car veered right and we came to a safe stop.
Definitely a bowel-loosening moment.
Gassing Station | Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff