Background Story
The year was 1975 and a Wichita A's club
member was doing extensive repair work
on a fellow club member's Town Sedan. The repairman had taken out the gas
tank, took the tank to a radiator shop to get it cleaned out, and then
re-installed it. He put a small amount of gas in the tank and installed
the wire harness to the dash panel, but hadn't installed the panel yet.
He could then start the car by twisting the two necessary wires
together.
The repairman had all new or
re-chromed gas gauge components and was about to install them on
afternoon when he discovered that he was out of cigars. So, he hooked
the two wires together and drove the Model A to the store to buy cigars.
He returned home and, as he
disconnected the wires, a spark was emitted and VAROOM!!, the fumes from
the gas gauge port ignited. The repairman, being the quick thinking and agile
individual that he is (and actually scared to death), leaned back in the
seat, lifted his foot and put his shoe over the port, snuffing out the
flames. Was he lucky or what? He quit smoking many years later and
now suggests that this incident could be another reason that smoking can
be hazardous to your health.
This was not an isolated
incident. We knew a fellow Model A'er in the Kansas City area that also
ignited his tank when he accidentally shorted the ammeter. I cannot
remember how he extinguished the fire but I think his neighbors were
involved. This gentleman ended up with singed eyebrows and hair.
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