Classic Fire, you won't believe this.

So I had a fire on a classic at the weekend, quite bizarre.
It's a scrapper which lives next to our house, been there 10 years ish and is a handy supply of parts for my 87 classic.
Well on Saturday it decided to set its drivers side wing mirror on fire, bit dodgy as there is no window in that side so could of been very serious for me and next door.
Smelt the fire and put it out with a couple of buckets of water.

Now the odd thing is that there is no battery on the car and has not been for years, also no way anyone could get near it as dogs would of gone nuts (ask my postman)

So how on earth did it start the fire all on its lonesome?


This is NOT a windup

Is there anything like a backup sounder for an alarm with lithium batteries inside?

It's an 87 so was not fitted with an alarm.
Was thinking there is the motor in there and copper wire

Was it sunny on Saturday where you are? Could it have been the sun's rays reflected / refracted off something glassy? But then why hasn't that happened in the last 10 years.... Hmm. Odd.

or next door are sick of looking at it hint hint

Could have been the Spiders that live in the mirror having a barbecue.

Simon Goodall said:

Was it sunny on Saturday where you are? Could it have been the sun's rays reflected / refracted off something glassy? But then why hasn't that happened in the last 10 years.... Hmm. Odd.

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Sun - East Midlands, Nah.

tomcat59alan said:

Sun - East Midlands, Nah.

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Is east midlands not a Sunni area then? As opposed to a Shiite area that is.

Some poor bu**er around here had a PA Cresta in a garage, no battery, petrol, sunlight, vandals - nothing................... went up in flames with no explanation at all - apparently it can just happen..................

Spontaneous Vehicle Combustion.

Can only think it would be focused sunlight on the mirror creating an ignition source - d'you mean there's a motor/copper wires behind it for moving the mirror?

Some oils are known to spontaneously combust. Boiled linseed oil is the only one I've had experience of. No idea if that helps.

Lots of stuff will spontaneously combust given the correct conditions, even human beings. Don't sit with your feet to the gas fire.

waldamar said:

Some poor bu**er around here had a PA Cresta in a garage, no battery, petrol, sunlight, vandals - nothing................... went up in flames with no explanation at all - apparently it can just happen..................

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What's a butter doing having a PA Cresta? Had one myself early 70's, 3 speed 2.6, got caught in Oxfordshire speeding 70 in a 30 zone and 105 in a derestricted (it was passed midnight trying to find a hospital as the ex wife had gone into labour)) . Police couldn't catch me so was flashing his headlights and I stopped' Ended up with a police escort to Colerne.

Did the 70's Ford slow you down ?

Could have been the Spiders that live in the mirror having a barbecue.

Could have been the Spiders that live in the mirror having a barbecue.
They moved out when the rats moved in

Spontaneous Vehicle Combustion.

Can only think it would be focused sunlight on the mirror creating an ignition source - d'you mean there's a motor/copper wires behind it for moving the mirror?

RogueTrooper, Today at 11:29 AM

Moving mirror, if they don't move on a button I 1987 you were in a seires dear boy.

Real bummer is the mirror was worth 15 notes and the damaged door and wing (exposed Hinge) a few hundred.
House was insured but RR not, life is a bitch

markSX said:

Did the 70's Ford slow you down ?

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If i had ignored the flashing head lights they would never would have caught me. But they were very considerate and gave me an escort and no ticket.

tomcat59alan said:

If i had ignored the flashing head lights they would never would have caught me. But they were very considerate and gave me an escort and no ticket.

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There are some decent coppers out there who can think for themselves and access situations realistically.