fcris

The CL was in the garage when the Diablo caught fire. The insurance co wrote me a check for it and I bought it back from them. Small scratches from the fire dept on the trunk lid, and some of the chrome plastic trim stained. Otherwise no other signs of damage. I sent to dealer for inspection and they didn't find any issues. Working on some photos, but I think I should put them in classified. Thanks, Frank

Not sure how far we can take this conversation before the mods move it to the classifieds. I just want this to go quickly and quietly. This is hard for me guys... I've always been a car guy, but since the Diablo fire, it just hasn't been the same. All I could think about is all the oil changes for nothing, all the claying and waxing. The fact that my butt never touched the seats without a cover. Never driven in the rain. Never wore shorts while driving. Never driving while too hot or too cold. Being a fanatic about the temp and humidity. Then it burns. All this seems silly since I wasn't the only one that's owned these cars. Like I said, aside from the AC in the Murcie needing a charge every spring and some scratches on the CL from the fire dept, these cars will make someone very happy for short $. Thanks, Frank

Thanks guys, I’m just getting around to reading these posts. Yes, Roy is who I was thinking of. And the same thing that happened to kinnsella happened to me when I did this with a ferrari. All of the sudden there were things wrong with the car... like the radiator leaked? I ended up taking 10K off the price because of these issues. I didn’t think anyone here would be interested in these cars, though you may know someone that is. Both have salvage titles. The cars are an 03 Murcie and a 06 MB CL65. The CL was in the garage when the Diablo burned and the insurance co just gave me a check for it. I got the Murcie years back as a project car. I replaced the bumper, bonnet and some other small items due to minor damage. The CL can’t be worth much. And it will have the most power to dollar ratio of any car one could own. The Murcie would be a good car for someone that could not easily afford or justify owning one. Thanks, Frank

I have a few cars I would like to sell, but I have little experience with this. I usually hand them down, but that's not an option with these cars. Does anyone have any opinions on consignment, and any pitfalls involved. I did this many years ago with a f car and it didn't go well. I have a dealer in mind, but I'm not sure I can mention them or not because they are a sponsor here. Thanks, Frank

Thanks for all the support guys. My head is still spinning from all this. It doesn't help that I have never had a claim before. So I'm learning as I go. My insurance co is still treating me ok. My agent is a good guy and he's doing all the work advising and protecting me. I'm coping my attorney's office with all the correspondence in case they need to jump in. I just can't wait until that take the car. I can't explain what I feel when I look at it, all burned and mangled in that dark corner of the garage. I almost get mad at myself for having strong emotional feelings about a car. For a while there I thought I could cry, but I kept reminding myself that I didn't cry when my dad past away. Anyhow, I don't want to depress anyone. I really wanted to mention some things I learned as they come up... When I purchased the 6.0 about 6 years ago, I put a fixed value on my policy for this car as I've done in the past for cars that I feel can't use "blue book" values. That value stayed for as long as I can remember, but as it turns out, the insurance company decided to deprecate it starting on this current policy. It's written in the fifty pages that no one reads that they can do this. I'll keep you guys posted. And thanks again for your support. I wonder when I'll loose the multi lambo owner title. Frank

Hmmm, now you tell me. My insurance company is treating me ok so far. It was just the county prosecutor that surprised me. In a case like this, I can't blame them for at least gathering some facts. It just caught me off guard. My mind was filled with the loss of the car, and all the damage to the garage I just built, and I had to deal with the thought that they think I may have done this on purpose. And I did check with my lawyer. He said I can entertain them, but stop talking if they read me the Miranda Rights. My lawyer knows what these cars mean to me, so I don’t think he had any worries about me being accused of doing something like this. I found out yesterday that the clean-up company cannot clean the walls good enough for paint, so they recommend replacement of both the sheetrock and the insulation. Since the Diablo is mostly carbon fiber, there was a lot of smoke. After a year long ordeal with building this and having to deal with contractors and town officials, I don't have the energy to do it again. And while I'm waiting to get this all done, I have to worry about my Murcie parked in my house garage along with my teenager, bicycles, garbage cans, lawn mowers, and my wife who can't park straight.

Just an FYI to protect yourselves... They ask over and over about last time the car was serviced. Who worked on it, and were there any modifications. They scrutinized the trickle charger connection to the battery. In fact, the video is somewhat incriminating because it shows me on the opposite side of the car, bending down out of sight, plugging in the charger. 30 min later a fire erupted from that same location. Good thing I actually plugged in the charger and didn’t just bend down there to do something else. The fact that the charger was still plugged in, fused and mostly unburned, lead them away from that being the cause. I’m not sure if it’s just my case, but this feels like are trying to find a reason to fault me. And Limey, the battery is tight, but the cable does run through the metal frame, up to the isolator switch. If I were you guys, I would inspect that cable. It’s large enough to flare up and start the carbon on fire. It’s just so odd that 30 minutes after I parked it it started.

I stared at it for quite some time, and I can’t figure it out. I see bare battery cables going to the isolator switch, but everything is burned and melted, so it’s impossible to see what may have caused it. What is obvious is, it was the hottest just above the rear tire. And that looks like where it started. What a mess though. The fire caused little or no physical damage to the garage. The major damage to the Diablo was just to the rear quarter area. The smoke damage is extensive. Though, there was no damage to the interior of both the Diablo as well as the CL65. I shouldn’t speak badly about the fire dept, but delicate they are not. I watched the whole event from feet away. It was hard to watch three of them pry the front bonnet open with their giant pry bars. When they were struggling with it, I told them that I could just pop it open with the lever under the dash. I was told that they knew what they were doing. Anyway, the doors got opened on the Diablo and everything got foamed. Last night, while staring at the car, still in disbelief, I looked at the muck and glass in the seats and thought, my butt never touched the leather. I always put something between me and the leather. To think, I almost didn’t take the cars out because of the pine pollen blowing around. I guess if it was going to catch fire, it would have eventually anyway. And once again, to make matters worse, tomorrow I’m meeting with the county prosecutors again, along with a “specialist” they’re bringing. I wish these people knew what cars mean to people like me. Thanks for your support guys.

I always pop the bonnet on the lambos when I park inside. Once they cool down, I close them. Why do you ask?

Sorry guys, but my 6.0 burned today. It was a busy day. I never thought that one of the consequences of loosing a car like this is to also be integrated by the county prosecutor office. Good thing I had survalance footage showing the whole event. I took it out for 15 – 20 minutes. Parked it, and then took the Murcie out. The shot you see was when I was out for about 30 minutes. I have always been leary about parking these cars in a still air garage while hot, but this could not have been caused by heat so long after I parked it, right? It looks like it originated directly above the drivers rear tire, right in the area of the battery switch. Whata mess. Between all the smoke and what the fire dept did... I tried to explain that these cars have been known to burn, but all I got was odd looks. If anyone knows of any history that may cause a fire in this area, let me know. The attached is a shot from the video. As I said, the car was parked for about 30 minutes before any smoke was seen.

It seems the best way without drilling is through the front, out over the diff. Then wire tie to the power steering lines all the way up the engine compartment. This video cable probably can't take much heat, so I made sure it stayed behind the heat shield in the engine compartment. The cable was just long enough. It was warmer out today so I shoveled the snow and chipped the ice around the outside lift. It just sucked a little climbing under to set the rear lift pads.

Does anyone know the best way to get a wire from under the dash to the rear of the car? The only way I know of, is out the front then under the car along the tunnel. There's a large opening the stereo installers used. The problem is, I need a lift and mine aren't installed yet. Besides, I'm not sure the wire is long enough for this route. I was looking at the area above the ECU's, but it will be tricky drilling through. I can wait for the lifts if I have to. I was just looking for some inside winter projects. Thanks, Frank

Damn Jeff! That sounds too easy. Good thing I checked LP before trying something else. I just got done trying to run from the rear view mirror... NFG. Thanks, I'll give it a try.

Hey All! I'm adding GPS to my stereo. Both stereo and GPS antenna are Kenwood. It's fairly small, but I can't decide on where to place it. Assuming it can't see through carbon fiber, here are some options. At the third brake light on the engine lid. Best for signal, but you can clearly see it. Inside the windshield in front of the rear view mirror. I'm not sure this is possible and how well it would work. On the dash in at the bottom of the windshield between the two vents... tough job. Outside at the bottom of the windshield in front of the wiper arm. It's on an angle, so I may have to make a small bracket. Thanks, Frank

He just told me it will be a Kevlar clutch. After a hundred years of driving stick shift vehicles, I consider myself being very easy on clutches. Now, instead of having to change the Murcie clutch in 20 years, I can wait 50 before having to change it.