RE: Why do Alfas burn?

["Fred Russell (Xerox Corporation)" <v-freru@domain.elided>]

Date: Sun, 15 Sep 2002 23:06:46 -0400
From: "Brian Shorey" <bshorey@domain.elided>
Subject: RE: Why do Alfas burn?

> There does seem to be a greater proportion of Alfas burning
> up than other cars (or perhaps their unusual status just
> gets them noticed, I'm not sure).  A Milano caught on fire
> in my town a few years ago and was in the local paper, and
> my parents recently reported a similar event where they live
> now in Maine.  I suggested that it's just the extra
> attention because they're odd cars, but they insist that
> since both of these towns have fire department logs in the
> papers that any burned car would be in there, and that only
> Alfas seem to be burning up.  Curious.  I have, of course,
> replaced my fuel lines in both cars by now, as being in the
> paper never seems to be a good thing...

Milanos burn because leaves and debris collect in the heating ducts, and
Alfa conveniently engineered an ignitor inside the ducts to incinerate
the debris (but failed to recognize that the rest of the vehicle would
be incinerated as well).

bs

I can't speak for all flammable Alfas, but my GTV6 caught fire twice so
far.  First time the thieves stole an Amp from the trunk, but left a
live power wire to arc against the metal, igniting the carpet. That was
entertaining!  Then it backfired upon starting one day, blowing the
plastic air chamber from the plenum, spreading ignited gas all over the
right side of the engine compartment.  This was not very exciting for
me, but the old lady who owned the home and garage I was in, thought it
was.

Fred Russell
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