RIP 71 Buick
 

New Years Day. The rain stopped, the sun was out and had not had my car on the road for a good 3 weeks.  Figured I would take it out for a quick spin.  I turned off our road and headed up the main drag.  I smell smoke.  I see smoke coming from behind the dash and immediately pull over.  It wasn't much smoke at first.  I look under the dash and see a wire burning, I was able to blow it out.  I thought that was the end of it.  I popped the hood and disconnected the battery to cut off the electric.  I came back to the drivers department only to see the smoke has continued but worse.  I can see fire behind the radio panel.  I start to panic.  I frantically try to rip the radio out with my hands.  The smoke was now heavy and black.  I couldn't breathe.  I ran down to the canal and found a couple bottles thrown to the side of the road and filled them with water.  I tried dowsing the flames but it was way too involved to be put out manually at this point.  I knew it was over.  I flagged down someone and called 911.  By the time the fire department got there 15 minutes later it was destroyed.  The interior was burned down to bare metal, the metal is warped and the paint burned off.  I had to sit there feeling helpless as I watched it burn. Not the way I wanted to start 2003. Advice to all classic car owners, carry an extinguisher in your car! Here are the post mortem pics.

Makes me sick.....