When do you call it quits

So, for the past month I've been rebuilding the engine and transmission in my '77 Alfa Spider. Got it all ready to start up today and connect the battery. Get in the car and turn the key - nothing. I figure the battery is dead, so I grab my multimeter to check. I turn around to see smoke coming from the center console. All the console wiring is in flames. I run for the extinguisher and put out the flames and then quickly as I could, disconnect the battery. At this point I'm ready to quit this project, the car is insured - so I'm thinking of letting them know about it and make a claim. I really am not interested in pulling out charred wiring and re-wiring the car. If they will pay for the repairs or pay out the car's value I would be OK with it - I'm just feeling too weary right now.

Has anyone else had similar experiences?

Thanks,

Paul

I wouldn't do anything right away. Sleep on it for a while. Walk away for a bit, then re-evaluate the situation. A rage quit can leave a bad taste in your mouth for a long time.

I learn in threes - first time I put stuff in upside down and backward. The second time it's just backwards and by the third time, I've got a pretty good handle on how it works. Don't quit in round one. FWIW, I don't plan to take up skydiving any time soon.

That car was trying to do you a favor. Sometimes I wish my MG would do that. I would pour gasoline on it to make sure the job was done fully. I wouldn't want to have any way to rebuild it.

Seriously though, take a few days off, and you'll feel better.

aye.. walk away for a week.. do some work around the house.. and come back to the spider when you are ready

With my last Eclipse, I was burned out. Sure it was fast, handled great, and looked awesome, but I was sick of it. I dicked around with it for 3 years, puttering away, sort of working on it half assed when someone would come over to hang out.

Got so sick of it I parted it out and bought a C5 Corvette. "Sometimes you gotta let those hard to reach chips go."

(bonus points for the person who tells me what movie that quote is from)

oldtin wrote: I learn in threes - first time I put stuff in upside down and backward. The second time it's just backwards and by the third time, I've got a pretty good handle on how it works. Don't quit in round one. FWIW, I don't plan to take up skydiving any time soon.

Hey! I resemble that remark!

I understand. The challenge Fiero is giving me fits right now. I'm 2 months behind and have missed some autocrosses. If I had listened to a good friend who knows what he's doing, I'd be happily driving the thing right now.

But no, I HAD to have fuel injection and an electric water pump.

The second time I redid the tranny in the Fiat 124, only to still not have all the gears, I sold the car. It wasn't a car that made my heart do flips anyhow, and I'd had enough.

You don't have to decide today, or tomorrow, or even next week. But, if you continue to feel the same way, let someone else enjoy the project and move on to something you do actually enjoy.

If you used a dry chemical fire extinguisher, I would walk away now.

That powder is hard on electrical stuff and based on my experience with Marelli, it's bad enough on it's own without any help.

Shawn

In reply to Trans_Maro: Yes, it was a dry chemical extinguisher.
Thanks for all the replies folks. I'm going to call the insurance today and see what they say. The only thing that really gets me down is that I was all set to make the first attempt to start it up for the first time.

I will be interested in hearing what the insurance people have to say?

Any idea WHY this self immolated?

As an aside, whenever I do any significant work on the MG, before I put the positive cable back, I have a jumper with a 10 amp fuse that I put in series with the terminal.If it blows when I turn the key to "run", I go looking for a short.

CLERKS. Oh, and Do what you feel on the Alpha. Rewiring isn't sooo hard.

eastpark wrote: In reply to Trans_Maro: Yes, it was a dry chemical extinguisher. Thanks for all the replies folks. I'm going to call the insurance today and see what they say. The only thing that really gets me down is that I was all set to make the first attempt to start it up for the first time.

Look at it as a blessing in disguise. Now you have to make sure the wires are ok.

For sure, I know where you come from- I spent 4 years on a GTV race car- one that spend time doing IT racing. First try out- tore off the exhaust trying to put it on the trailer. Big bummer. 9 month later- try 2- car takes an hour to get running even reasonably well (thought that 5 gal should have been enough), struggle, struggle, struggle.... finally get run 1- wow, car doesn't like to turn- need to do the rear end. run 2- clutch starts slipping wildly. So I put the car on the trailer, then later on a hoist, and it's been there for a year now without a single touch. Still hope to get back to her, but it's part of the reason I got totally burned out of car stuff.

Make the claim then by the car back (if it is totaled) Use the insurance $$$$ to make the project even better.

Yes I agree with others walk away for a while. However I don't think you can let the insurance claim thing sit to long so that end of it you will have to take action on rather quickly.

As for the project. Time between you and it will make the painful things hurt less. I was really close to getting my MS up and running and I reversed the polarity of the wiring to it. Smoke and bad smells resulted. I put it away for a while. I was seriously thinking of just selling it. Things are better now.

Be glad it wasn't the 308 right? Hopefully the insurance company comes through.

oldtin wrote: I learn in threes - first time I put stuff in upside down and backward. The second time it's just backwards and by the third time, I've got a pretty good handle on how it works. Don't quit in round one. FWIW, I don't plan to take up skydiving any time soon.

Amen to that.

Part of the reason I'm drawn to older cars with simple engines. Lights, ignition, gauges. That's it.

Everything else can be a Camry.

In reply to chandlerGTi: Indeed! The 308 is fine. It certainly could have been much worse. I was right there when the fire happened and was able to put it out pretty quickly. I shudder to think if I didn't notice because I was in the house looking for something - my whole detached garage (built last year) plus the 308 and my '71 Honda could have all gone up in smoke. A good friend of mine is coming over tonight to help me assess the damage and we'll take it from there. I was just so bummed as i thought I was so close...

NOHOME wrote: Any idea WHY this self immolated? As an aside, whenever I do any significant work on the MG, before I put the positive cable back, I have a jumper with a 10 amp fuse that I put in series with the terminal.If it blows when I turn the key to "run", I go looking for a short.

I had to move the console aside in order to remove the shifter during the transmission re and re. I suspect that the wires shorted there - I'll be looking at it tonight to get a better idea. Good suggestion regarding the 10A fuse - I will remember that in the future.

This could have been me this morning! Spent the wekend converting the MGB GT back to SU carbs from a DCOE and since it all looked good in the shop, I went for a drive.

Of course the SU needles and seats decided to fail, and on an MGB that sprays fuel all over the hot exhasut manifold (Great design by the way).

What don't kill you makes you stronger and builds character. Look at it this way, you end up with what I call "Campfire Stories"; having these stories to tell is a sign of a life well lived.

I've had a few projects that I kicked to the curb. One thing I can say for all of them are they are things I picked up on a whim because they were cheap and available, not because they were things that I truly wanted to have in my driveway.

Walk away, take it as a message from a superior being that fiats and alfas are inferior. Go buy an MR2

Is this fresh wiring or 1977 wiring? If it is 1977 wiring, it lasted for .....carry the two..... 35 YEARS. That's amazing! It served that car well and should be allowed to go out in a blaze of glory.

I'm always thankful when my car breaks down just as I ease into the driveway. Likewise, a car that catches on fire when you are within reach of a fire extingusher and tools is a keeper!

Sounds to me like you just need to add "Rewire Car" to your 77 Alfa Spider project list.