Best Fire Extinguisher Location

[steveg]

Any opinions (pictures, hopefully) on the best location in the passenger compartment for a fire extinguisher?

 

[HealeyRick]

 

[Keoke]

Sorry no picture Steve:

However ,i located mine horizontally on the air ducts under the dash on the passenger side of the car.
I even used existing fasteners on the ducts to attach the extinguisher brackets.

 

[steveg]

Ha ha - guilty of hijacking my own thread!

Rick - like the rearview mirror; is that from a Jag?

 

[HealeyRick]

Ha ha - guilty of hijacking my own thread!

Rick - like the rearview mirror; is that from a Jag?

Yep, it's a repro. Has a nice day/night feature. Here's how I did it: https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcf/showthread.php?91171-BJ-7-8-Rear-View-Mirror-Day-Night-Mirror

 

[DerekJ]

I have a fixed position Cobra sport seat and my extinguisher is bolted to the floor right in front of it, under my legs.

 

[bdcvg]

I make My Wife hold it in Her lap.

 

[BJ8Healeys]

I located mine horizontally on the air ducts under the dash on the passenger side of the car.
I even used existing fasteners on the ducts to attach the extinguisher brackets.

Ditto. The extinguisher is out of sight, but easily accessible in the cockpit if necessary.

 

[Keoke]

----Yep Steve just like that.---

 

[John Turney]

Mine's behind the passenger seat attached to the roll bar.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

What kind of extinguisher y'all using? I'd hate to powder my engine, but the awesome halon extinguishers--one saved my butt once--can no longer be bought except at exorbitant prices.

 

[Keoke]

What kind of extinguisher y'all using? I'd hate to powder my engine, but the awesome halon extinguishers--one saved my butt once--can no longer be bought except at exorbitant prices.

Bob:

Try Home depot as well a other similar type suppliers.

 

[HealeyRick]

What kind of extinguisher y'all using? I'd hate to powder my engine, but the awesome halon extinguishers--one saved my butt once--can no longer be bought except at exorbitant prices.

Bob,

I think the best way to think of an extinguisher is a bug out bag. Get the passengers out and after that, it's the insurance company's problem. If you want to really protect your car, see what the SCCA racers are using with a full system with nozzles in the engine compartment, driver's area, and fuel area. Halotron won't powder up your car, but do you really want to go into the passenger compartment to pull the hood release, open up the hood and fight a fire with a puny hand-held extinguisher? You're probably going to lose the car anyway, so get the heck out, collect the insurance money and plan your next Healey build.

 

[AUSMHLY]

What percentage of Healey owners have had to use one?
My dad drove his Healey for 11 yrs, daily driver. He didn't have one and I don't remember ever seeing an extinguisher in any daily driver sports cars back then.
Not saying it's not good insurance to have one.

Fire extinguishers is right up there with what spare parts do you carry, as better not leave home without it.

Having the extinguisher in plain site in the cockpit, is it look how safe I am, or does it make passengers nervous as in, why do you need to have an extinguisher?

 

[steveg]

I have two Healey friends who have had fires within the last couple of years. Our little local group is pretty sold on fire extinguishers.

 

[AUSMHLY]

I have two Healey friends who have had fires within the last couple of years. Our little local group is pretty sold on fire extinguishers.

Interesting. What condition were the cars in and how/why did the fires start?

 

[steveg]

One was on this forum and he had a shorting accident in his trunk - maybe he'll weigh in. The other had the electrical part of his fuel pump self-immolate for no apparent reason. Both cars in VG to excellent condition.

 

[HealeyRick]

Having the extinguisher in plain site in the cockpit, is it look how safe I am, or does it make passengers nervous as in, why do you need to have an extinguisher?

I put it on the tunnel because I thought it looked cool.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

One was on this forum and he had a shorting accident in his trunk - maybe he'll weigh in

That might have been me. I'd installed a separate wire from the 12V source on the fuse box--always hot--and ran it to my fuel pump to try to debug pump issues. I was taking the pump out and the end of the wire contacted the chassis and ignited some gas that leaked when I pulled the pump. I was seconds away from destroying my BJ8, my house and myself in a 'big bang,' but remembered the small halon extinguisher my flight instructor had given me was in my glove box. You never saw somebody move so fast, and only discharged a fraction of the extinguisher's contents.

 

[AHBN1]

Bob,
As my car is still hibernating I can't get you a photo but when Martin MacGregor completed the trim work on our cars (he did full interiors before selling materials ie:Goldie is his work) he was nice enough to trim up a nice matching leather pouch for the fire extinguisher which sits loose behind the passenger seat. Easy to reach with no clips or fasteners to undo in a time of crisis. Just a thought.
Good luck,
Dave