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MG TD TF 1500 - Fire Extinguisher size & mounting

Ladies and Gentlemen,
I've put it off long enough and must get a fire extinguisher on board the TF. Two fuses for the whole car is scary enough, but carbs and overflow tubes right over a hot exhaust could reduce me to tears someday as I stand idly by and watch my little gem turn into a charcoal brickette. What is everyone using, how big/small is it dimension wise, and where are you storing/tying down?
Gene
Gene Burgess

Gene - I don't know if what I did is applicable since I have a TD, but I got a halon extinguisher many years ago (back when they were legal). It is one that is about 15 inches high - standard size. I mounted it horizontally on the seat back, right below the toneau bar. I don't know if that is possible in a TF with bucket seats. We have a friend with a TF and he got one of the small chrome extinguishers and has it mounted on the side of one of the foot wells. My problem with the small extinguishers is that they won't handle much of a fire (the larger ones like I have are only barely adequate). Where ever you mount it, the extinguisher, to be any good to you, needs to be where it is readily accessible and not in an area where the fire is likely to start (in other words, not in the engine compartment or on the bottom of the area behind the seats where all the luggage will be packed on top of it. The dry chemical extinguishers (which are about the only type you can get now days, need to be shaken well at least quarterly - the dry chemical extinguishers that I have are shaken and knocked on a wooden post periodically, to keep the powder in them from clumping at the bottom of the extinguisher) Good luck - Dave
David DuBois

My dry chemical extinguisher is about a foot long and is mounted on the floor directly in front of the passenger seat. The pressure gauge is against the tunnel carpeting and there's a quick release latch.
Bud Krueger

Gene,
Whichever model toy decide to fit may I suggest:

1) Mount it so it is reachable from the driver's seat with the belt still on.
The suggestion of the passengers side floor mount is a good one.

2) Take the mounting screws usually supplied and throw them in the spare box for some other item.
A loose 1kg (2.2 lbs about the smallest practical size in my opinion) hammering around the cockpit is a fatal weapon waitng for a victim.
Use bolts and double nuts (or Nyloc nuts) and a steel mounting with a single action release clip.

Cheers, Pete.
P Thomas

Gene,
I went with a chrome Halon mounted to the cowl "roll bar" on passanger side. Zip tied the mount to the bar. This puts it on the same side as the "SU eye wash" (carbs)! TF interior is so small I can still reach it from drivers seat. It sounds like someone has "cut" your overflow tubes same as mine were. These should be routed via a "clip" on engine to drain below the exhaust...I would strongly advise re-soldiering new tubes (off the engine of course) to do this. Sending you a pic off line of the fire extinguisher mounting.
Cheers,
David 55 TF1500 #7427
David Sheward

Gene,
I'm pretty happy with the solution we came up with for our TF. Mine is an inexpensive dry-chemical 12" long extinguisher. I spray painted the round bottom of the extinguisher the same color as the dashboard and mounted a dashboard "MG" medallion in the center. I then masked off the bottom and painted the balance of the extinguisher a flat black. (My carpeting is black.) I got from Walmart a package of 2" wide black Velcro ($5), and attached two 6" long strips ahead of the stick-shift perpendicular to the transmission hump. The adhesive was surprisingly agressive when attaching it to the carpeting (I thought originally that I would have to sew it on, but that did not prove to be necessary.) I then put the other two Velcro mating strips around the bottom semicircle of the extinguisher but added two short 3/8" dowel rods on each side at the bottom to increase the surface area where the Velcro would mate, as well as to create a concave surface to match the hump.
So, what you end up with is an extinguisher that you can get to easily from your seat even if seat-belted, is easy enough to detach, and from outside the car does not scream "fire extinguisher". The thing is really very well camouflaged, and the bright red circle with the MG medallion results in a surprising number of observers asking, "Hey, what's that?"
If you'd like I can e-mail you a picture.

Safety? Fast?
Scott Ashworth '54 TF
S. R. Ashworth

Was hoping Scott would chime in on this one...his is "First Class" for sure!
Very nice job he did on his!
Cheers,
David 55 TF1500 #7427
David Sheward

Scott, I've mounted my fire extingusher in a manner similiar to what you've described but it is not a permanent arrangment. I would really appreciate seeing the picture that you offered Gene.

Cheers - Dennis - Sacramento
Dennis Rainey

Scott,
I'd like a picture of what you've done.
Many thanks to everyone!
Gene
Gene Burgess

Scott - Your method sounds like a really great way of mounting the extinguisher that would work for any car (Tc, TD, TF) that doesn't have a heater mounted ont he tunnel. I would like to encourage you to send pictures and a write up of your method to Art Mafli for inclusion on the TF Record web site: http://hometown.aol.com/tfrecord/index.html
and Chris Cooper for inclusion on the Original MGTD midget web site: http://www.mgcars.org.uk/mgtd/
Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

I sure have to give credit to Scott for his ingenuity, but I'm having a problem here. For the life of me I can not fathom why one would want to camouflage a fire extinguisher.
Bud Krueger

All of the previous responses are great, just depends on your preference. My "two cents" is a second extinguisher. I suggest other than a 5 or 10 lb. ABC rated extinguisher, you also procur a small handheld "halon" dispenser they are the size of pint of you favorite drink ND CONVIENTLY FIT IN THE TOOL BIN UNDER THE BONNET I stoe mine on the passenger side right there above the fuel bowls and overfills right over the "hot exhaust"
Jon Levine

While we are thinking about safety, how about a pair of fire proof gloves to retrieve the fire extinguisher from the tool box. A flame proof blanket might also save our treasures. Then add a crash axe and smoke goggles and we are talking Boeing!
John James

I mounted my fire extinguisher,on the floor in front of the passenger seat. Using the same two bolts that hold the seat frame. This allows me to reach it without getting out of the driver’s seat.
The fire extinguisher sets low enough, that it dose not interfere with the passenger’s legs. The wood adapter is painted black and is hidden by the fire extinguisher

Tom
1953 TD
T.L. Manion

This thread was discussed between 17/07/2004 and 23/07/2004

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