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Junk Healeys

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I have the little Healey now, and it is my second one in life. Some 15-20 years ago, a good friend had the opportunity to be a big cheese for a US company in Saudi Arabia. Well, he could sell his house, dog, furniture, leave all his friends, but he couldn't give up his BJ8. He left it for me FOR SAFE KEEPING. Every year he and his family would return to the states for a week or so and he would "borrow" it to drive around. After about 4-5 years, one year I really cleaned it up with a wash of the engine compartment. Just before I put it in the garage after the wash, I keep hearing a buzz sound. Turned off the engine, no sound. Not to worry, I said. Well I got the word that night at the dinner restaurant, there was a small fire in the garage. The Healey was a total, and my garage was seconds from exploding. I can not tell you how awful I felt having to call him in MN and tell him the bad news. I had to tell him at least 4 times, before he believed me! (BTW, water had entered the wiring harness at some point causing an intermittent short.)
Somehow, I just can't shake that experience with the big Healey. BTW, my little Healey has 6 additional fuses and 3 relays, all installed under the dash and virtually out of sight. Cheers, Scott in CA
 
smaceng said:
Somehow, I just can't shake that experience with the big Healey.
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Don't beat yourself up too badly. If he was a cheese working in Saudi Arabia and getting those fabulous tax breaks that go with that, he's probably REALLY fixed and the value of the Healey - even if it had not been insured, although it probably was covered somehow - would be a trivial amount.
 
We had a club member here in Oregon a few years ago loose a 3000 MKII in his driveway and almost took his house with it. This car was a mildly build rally style with headers that were cover with heat wrap. Well, after taking it for a spin around the block he parked it back in the driveway and went in side. It seems a stuck float bowel had caused gas to overflow and saturated the heat wrap which spontaneously combust into flames. His neighbor frantically notified him that flames were rolling out the rally vents on the car and at that point all he could do was push the car far away from his house and call the fire department. No fire extinguisher available and water was no use with a gas fire........ total lose.
 
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