Mt. Dora Sunshine

C

chris_skeeles

Guest
As I nurse my sunburn from the constant sunshine and 80's temps
found at the 15th Annual Mount Dora Antique Boat Festival I would
like to say thanks to everyone who attended.

Especially Gord Souter, who became a lifesaver to me. Friday
afternoon several of us Amphi's made a road trip to get some lunch.
On the way there my car had a near fatal failure that resulted in a
large engine fire requiring the use of my fire extinguisher. (this
now convinces me to carry one in ALL my vehicles).

As it turns out, my oil cooler blew an 1/8th in hole in the lower
corner, spewing a heavy stream of pressurized hot motor oil over an
extremely hot muffler, tailpipe and manifold. Smoke so thick blew out
the louvers like a high rise apartment fire. Then came licks of
flames working out through the hot smoke. I am doing about 35 MPH
down a very busy 4 lane street and I need to shut down and get out
fast!

I pull into a church parking lot and we jump out. Here is where a
habbit that I have becomes a blessing. I DON'T LOCK THE ENGINE LID. I
do not lock it because it does not need it. That lid is heavy enough
(with weight left over) to hold itself closed even while towing it on
my trailer at 80 mph. When my car is blowing flames out the engine
vents, the last thing I want to do is to have to find the key, unlock
the hood THEN begin to think about putting out the fire.

With fire out and smoke cleared the damage was assesed. I am out one
oil cooler and eveything else, although oil soaked and somewhat
blacked where the greatest heat was (tail pipe, muffler) turned out
to be in good shape with minimal if any damage.

To my sheer delight, it just so happens that Gord Souter had shown
me earlier that day an oil cooler that he brought with him to give to
David Chapman who came all the way from the U.K. for the show. Gord
(with the blessing of Mr. Chapman) offered the cooler to me (with no
mention of how I was going to manage to pay him) and installed it
RIGHT AT THE BOAT SHOW. Here is this guy, who drove all the way from
Canada to relax and have fun, and he is stuck working on some other
persons car! (and it was a very messy operation too with oil and
coolant and every other amphi-fluid).

I was under my own power by night fall and back at the show in full
color the very next day thanks to Gord.

It was another perfect example of the value of our community and how
special we all are to one another when it comes to these finiky cars.
I also had the pleasre of meeting Hugh Gordon and his wife and a few
others from Gordon Imports. What a pleasant and highly informed group
of people. Thanks again to EVERYONE!

BTW: Fox 33 in Orlando aired footage of me in my car in the water
at the event. It was recorded at about 10am Friday morning and played
on the 10pm news that night.


Chris Skeeles
Sunburned in my Red 63
 
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