A Range Rover bonfire

Vehicle electics!

The Range Rover pictured in the following photos is a 1985 model which had the typical South Australian gas conversion (dual fuel as it still had its petrol system).
It was participating in the S.A. Landrover club's annual Blinman (a town) rally. The vehicle had given no indication of trouble until one of the passengers noticed flames level with their window!

The pictures below shows the vehicle after the fire had burnt itself out and the vehicle had been dragged clear of the track it had been following.
Take note that the alloy wheels had been consumed in the fire as has the roof insert and outer skins on the panels and doors.
Why? Because on Range Rovers these parts are a Magnesium alloy, which burns rather than just melts as would an Aluminium alloy. It is worth noting that it takes a special fire extinguisher to put out a Magnesium fire (I am told this is also the case with VW "Bug" engines. In this instance 5 "normal" powder extinguishers were used without any visible effect.

Once it was obvious that the vehicle had become "fully involved" (thats what the military would call it) ie., situation hopeless, everyone moved away and waited for the petrol and gas tanks to explode. I am told that this is not even similar to what Hollywood would have us believe.
The petrol tank went with an impressive "whoompf" and fire ball (but not the all destroying explosion seen in the movies).
The gas tank blew it's safety plug (as it should) and vented a flame about 10 feet long sideways from the vehicle, for quite some time. The tank did not explode.

The interior.
Note the gloopy mess in the upper centre of the picture. It is the remains of the windscreen glass!

The engine bay.
The pulley object at lower left is what remains of the air conditioner compressor.
Note the grey ash coating everything and how little (obvious) damage the motor has suffered: not that I would want to buy it!

My thanks to Craig Videon for the photo's and story.