Builds The "Red Rocket" Troopy (4 Viewers)

[Roastchestnuts]

Hey yea thanks for checking in, along with all the other people on here who have my personal number, really appreciate it. Like my dad said I'm miraculously ok. Have some pretty severe 2nd degree burns on my left leg, my scalp is burned, some skin missing from my forehead, neck is burnt a little bit and my hands are all blistering and popping it's nasty. Honestly tho for what happened it's a miracle.

Soooooooo... what did actually happen? everyone must be thinking who doesn't follow my Instagram. This did lol
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To put it simply, the trooper's gas tank exploded while I was under it. The fuel tank was rusty as I had mentioned before, so I was in the garage changing the fuel filter out, had a puddle of gas come out of the line when I pulled it off, about 3x3 inches big. Thought nothing of it. 5-10 seconds later I felt a massive whoosh and then everything around me was in flames. The gas tank had exploded, it was under so much pressure it blew the fuel sending unit's bolts out (mounted on the side of the tank) and spewed flaming gas all over my legs. In a panic I crawled out from underneath the trooper, and tried to roll around on the ground (stop dropping and rolling was not doing anything since there was gas on me). Got up and started running around trying to find the fire extinguisher. My roommates had just organized the basement, of course I knew exactly where it was when it was in a mess and now with it all clean I couldn't find it. Ran into the other room, pulled the pin and shot myself with it all over. Then ran back into the main room with the trooper and could see the ceiling and rafters were already covered in flames. Went to open the garage door and it would only open up halfway, ran over to it and tried pushing it up just for it to come slamming back down. I knew I had gas still in the bowl of the carb so I got in the trooper started it and rammed through the garage door. Couldn't see anything since it was pitch black outside and the back of the trooper was engulfed in flames so I ended up crashing it into the side wall of my driveway, was trying to get it out farther away from the house but oh well. Had to jump out the passenger door since the driver door was slammed closed.



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From there I was screaming at my roommates to get more fire extinguishers. She ran and got one for me so I ran back into the garage and started spraying the ceiling. Once the extinguisher was out, I grabbed the garden hose and started spraying the roof more since it was still on fire along with the walls of the garage. Saw the fire spreading up through the HVAC system of the house and continued to spray it until EMS forced me off the scene. Broke away and got in the zupup started it and drove it out past the trooper, wish someone had a video of that cause it blew up again as I was driving past it haha. Then got in the troopy and drove it away from the fire aswell. That's when they got me and rushed me off to the ambulance.

They said I stenched up the whole ER waiting room for an hour with gasoline lol
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And the day after, very very glad I didn't have to get intubated, they said my throat was black and airway was closing up. I hate the idea of intubation so much. Got released from the hospital and went straight to the house, I have some absolutely amazing neighbors and a great friend group. Helped my roommates and I clean up all the insulation/walls that the firefighters ripped out. Then helped us board up the garage door I plowed through and the hole in the side of the house, cause it was gonna snow that night and to keep thieves out. Sadly, despite my efforts. The fire made it's way into the HVAC system and vents of the house, spreading through it and up into my bathroom and my roommates bathroom toasting them up decently. House wont be livable for 6 months or so... don't really know what happens next

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My really nice camera is gone, that honestly hurts the most. Along with 3/4 of all my tools, all twisted and melted together. Gonna be rocking the harbor freight special whenever I get a bunch of new tools, goodbye gearwrench. Although this sucks so much and I lost a potential $3-4k just from not selling the trooper, it's absolutely insane I'm not more burnt all over. Was on fire for a solid 20-30 seconds. Would like to thank my custom made PNW boots, double-insulated pants, tractor supply welding shirt, and my levi jacket for protecting me pretty amazingly.

That could have been way worse! honestly you are lucky and your room mates. and really just having the quick thinking just to drive through the garage door probably saved a life if your room mates were in the house. You never know how you will react under pressure. Put another person in the same situation and you might have a different story. sorry to hear about your camera too. If you ever need another film camera I have you covered.

 

[FJBen]

would that still not need an ignition source? or pretty high elevated temp of the fuel?

Not for BLEVE:

According to researchers who defined BLEVE:

BLEVE is a physical reaction in which the material rapidly, and instantaneously, converts from a liquid to a gas. It is merely a change of state that yields pressure.

Walls also points out that the definition of BLEVE is independent of the cause of the container failure. For a BLEVE to occur, the container has to be under pressure, the pressure has to exceed the strength of the container, and the container has to be weakened in some way (impact, corrosion, fire). Walls goes on to discuss different types of BLEVEs such as containers failing from flame impingement. If the liquefied gas is flammable and released because of a BLEVE, the important and dangerous dimensions of fireballs and ignition of vapor clouds have to be considered.




Of course the simple answer could be gas vapors and gasoline mixed with that air. Even static could cause that ignition.
He just made statements about pressure and the tank

 

[robmobile73]

You are so lucky man. I'm really in hopes that your landlord recognizes the herculean effort you went through to save the house from burning down. Some things are not predictable and just happen unexpectedly. Take care of those wounds. I have some stuff you might need. sending you a PM. Sorry for your losses.

 

[geo5]

Sending good vibrations your way from MT.

Set up a gofundme for some new tools or Amazon wishlist or something. I’m sure a lot of us would like to help.

 

[AirheadNut]

Wow, sorry to hear about that but glad you made it out only slightly scathed. My Aunt and Uncle lost their house a few years back to a very similar accident. It happened so quickly that they just got out with what they could carry. Needless to say I have been very aware of potential fuel and ignition sources ever since.

Great to see that neighbors still rally round when disaster strikes.

 

[bj70bc]

Whoa buddy! props
Thats a serious....

 

[JuanJ]

Hello,

I am sorry to hear about your accident.

Yet I am so glad to hear that you survived an otherwise lethal situation.

Never underestimate the capacity of gasoline to form explosive mixtures with air. When it comes to combustion, gasoline (and its vapors/fumes) is the girl that cannot say "No," especially in confined spaces.

You will get tools and a camera in time. I would like to see you taking pictures again.

I hope you get well soon and heal from the burns you sustained.






Juan

 

[theglobb]

Gonna go ahead and say a massive thank you to everyone for the kind words and wishes so I'm not saying it over and over in every quote there is lol.

Before all the responses check out this conversation between my buddy and I, pretty funny. The explosion he mentioned was the first one in the garage when I was under the trooper. When I say it became a bomb, IT BECAME A BOMB. He lives a half mile away separated by several hills and mountains blocking sound even more so. My ear were ringing until 3am. Once again, a miracle I'm not more injured let alone alive.

Someone just became even more of a diesel fan

I'm glad you're okay. Thats terrible but could have easily been much worse.

Exactly what I was thinking while sitting in the hospital bed... man oh man gasoline SUCKS compared to diesel in almost any way I can conceive other than drag racing and motorcycles lol (no offense to any gasoline lovers out there). I'm gonna be sticking to my fully mechanical diesels for a long time coming. Yea I'll work on gassers need be but steer clear of anything fuel-related for a while.

Good reminder to check our shop/garage fire extinguisher game.

Yes definitely recommend for everyone to check theirs right now, funny enough both of the extinguishers I had used were dated to 1988... still worked great at putting me out!

Sorry, not making fun, just trying to lighten it up a bit. I am still looking at the pictures and thinking about how much worse this could have been. Good for you for keeping your head during an emergency like this.

No worries in the slightest, I was cracking joke in the ambulance and with the doctors. Take a look at the cake my buddy made me the day after

Did the rig suck air when you filled it up?

No I had a new gas cap on it and everything

It’s called BLEVE or boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion. That’s one of those things you would never think about honestly. You are always worried about flames.

Let alone think about, never even heard of it before haha. Thats a crazy phenomenon

That could have been way worse! honestly you are lucky and your room mates. and really just having the quick thinking just to drive through the garage door probably saved a life if your room mates were in the house. You never know how you will react under pressure. Put another person in the same situation and you might have a different story. sorry to hear about your camera too. If you ever need another film camera I have you covered.

Yea the video of me jumping out of the burning trooper was filmed from the highest story by my roommate. She and her friend said the whole house shaked like crazy and they thought I had done something stupid with making a homemade bomb lol. She called me (while 3 stories down I was actively on fire running around trying to put myself out) and then when I didn't pick up they looked out the window to see the trooper fly through the garage door. Thats when she started filming, she didn't think I was in the vehicle until I popped out the passenger side door.

I'm glad I reacted the way I did instead of running away freaking out and all. Luckily the last film camera you gave me is totally unscathed, just smells a bit like burnt house. But so does everything in my room lol, appreciate it regardless though.

You are so lucky man. I'm really in hopes that your landlord recognizes the herculean effort you went through to save the house from burning down. Some things are not predictable and just happen unexpectedly. Take care of those wounds. I have some stuff you might need. sending you a PM. Sorry for your losses.

So he's on vacation in the Dominican Republic, will be getting back on Sunday. I haven't been able to talk with him cause he has an ancient flip phone. But I've met his sister, cousins, neighbors from the hillside they all grew up together with and they luckily all recognize what I did to save the house. This was his childhood home he grew up in, it's an oldddd Appalachian house, very very cool and I have been lucky to have been able to live in it. I like him a lot as a person, he's not just some scum of the earth landlord. That I believe played a big factor in the effort I put towards saving his house. If it was some massive corporate, bland, cheaply constructed, evil landlord rental situation I would have been nowhere near as inclined to risk my life going back in and putting it out. Let alone getting in the burning vehicle and driving it out aswell.

After all of this even if he still wants me living in the house I dont think I could. I'll never feel comfortable living in it again, let alone doing any kind of automotive work near the property. It's a shame cause its a dream college HOUSE, key word HOUSE. There's a housing crisis in Boone right now and prices for those evil, bland, and cheap apartments I mentioned before are more than what this house costs to live in per month... just overall sucks in every way

Sending good vibrations your way from MT.

Set up a gofundme for some new tools or Amazon wishlist or something. I’m sure a lot of us would like to help.

Just like when the first engine in the troopy blew up, I dont feel good receiving hard-earned money from people that could put it towards something else. However I forgot exactly how but last time someone found my email I think, spread it around and they started paying me anyways As much as I appreciate it, truly I do, it just doesn't feel right. I'm still lucky enough to have a troopy here in the US since I was the age of 17. I'm better off than many other people out there, even after this horrible setback. Lost about 6-7k of tools, camera, lenses, and obviously money I was about to get from selling the trooper. Thank you regardless though, I'll bounce back in time

Needless to say I have been very aware of potential fuel and ignition sources ever since.

Yea I will be from here on out, dont care if it's -40 outside, if its a gasser I'll be working on it outside when it comes to the fuel system. Especially anywhere near the gas tank

Hello,

I am sorry to hear about your accident.

Yet I am so glad to hear that you survived an otherwise lethal situation.

Never underestimate the capacity of gasoline to form explosive mixtures with air. When it comes to combustion, gasoline (and its vapors/fumes) is the girl that cannot say "No," especially in confined spaces.

You will get tools and a camera in time. I would like to see you taking pictures again.

I hope you get well soon and heal from the burns you sustained.






Juan

I will hopefully get a decent camera sooner than later... y'all are gonna be stuck with iPhone photos for a while now haha!

 

[jblueridge]

I dunno if you have renters' insurance on the tools, but when all mine burned up in a fire, I was able to carefully plan what to buy with insurance $$$.
I lost money but came out with a better array of tools.

 

[theglobb]

I dunno if you have renters' insurance on the tools, but when all mine burned up in a fire, I was able to carefully plan what to buy with insurance $$$.
I lost money but came out with a better array of tools.

No renters insurance, no anything, my lease is like a 1/3 of a page long. Like I said old Appalachian man haha. Walk up the hill once a month, give him the money in cash, go on with my day

 

[shellb]

Wow man, what a crazy story...so glad you are ok!

I echo the go fund me, I'd be more than happy to help!

 

[LDowney]

No renters insurance, no anything, my lease is like a 1/3 of a page long. Like I said old Appalachian man haha. Walk up the hill once a month, give him the money in cash, go on with my day

I don't know your situation, ... But while our kids were in college, their car insurance / renters insurance / ... was all covered under our policy (once we had the first learners permit in the house, our policies got big boosts in coverage). It was significantly lower cost to do it that way, plus we were confident that they were fully covered.

After a miracle of this magnitude, there probably has not been a chance to take full stock yet. In the coming days, reviewing coverage in detail might be in order. There might blessing or two yet to be realized.
Glad that you have such great luck in your corner.

 

[theglobb]

Sorry everyone for the week long wait, my grandfather passed away a couple days after the fire happened. It's been a rough past week, hope it's mostly uphill from here. As mentioned in threads before this the input shaft bearing in the Isuzu pup I have is failing, gets louder every day. Well about the only good thing to come from the trooper spontaneously combusting is that the transmission is almost the same as the 4spd zupup trans. The trooper just has a transfer case and a 5th-gear, sooooo that means solid axle swap zupup sometime in the far future!

Had a buddy of mine come over from Ashville who has a built 80 series with a 6 liter LS and sitting on 1 tons... more importantly he has LOTS of tools that I don't have, even just simple hand tools and wrenches I'm now missing. We winched it up on its side so it would be 10x easier to do any work on and had the trans and axle out in like 30 minutes haha.

From there I rented a uhual trailer and towed it to the closest scrap yard, about 45 miles away. The troopy was towing roughly 5,600lbs with the trailer and weight of the trooper on it. Obviously was slower than it usually was but MAN it did way better than I was expecting. Held it's own on steep uphills in 3rd gear, didn't tow in 5th at all cause I heard that is bad for the h55 transmissions. A comfortable 65mph in 4th and it was just happy chugging along.

Thats the only car related stuff that's happened in my life recently, lots of ripping out, bagging up, and hauling insulation, burnt wood, and trash to the dump. Even though I dont plan on ever moving back into that house again as awesome as it is, I still really like my landlord and am doing the most I can to try and help him out.

Wow man, what a crazy story...so glad you are ok!

I echo the go fund me, I'd be more than happy to help!

Thank you! I still find it absurd I'm ok after all of that, insane. As for the go fund me, if anyone really feels like that they need/want to help me out financially you're welcome to paypal me at johnathan.ciarrocca@gmail.com / 910-620-6546. That being said please listen to what I had said earlier. Even though this past week has SUCKED and been a major setback, I'm still much more lucky than plenty other people my age, I will bounce back from this regardless, ANDDDD my friends all chipped in and bought me a little 70-piece craftsman little tool box set so I can still repair stuff in an emergency if something breaks. Think on it before u go sending off your hard-earned money.

I don't know your situation, ... But while our kids were in college, their car insurance / renters insurance / ... was all covered under our policy (once we had the first learners permit in the house, our policies got big boosts in coverage). It was significantly lower cost to do it that way, plus we were confident that they were fully covered.

After a miracle of this magnitude, there probably has not been a chance to take full stock yet. In the coming days, reviewing coverage in detail might be in order. There might blessing or two yet to be realized.
Glad that you have such great luck in your corner.

Will 100% look into this in the coming days, thanks so much for the heads up.

 

[sark]

Sorry to hear about your grandfather.

 

[Rockymtnreaper]

What a wild ride man. Glad you are keeping your spirit up and sharing your story to get it out of your body! Onward and upward my friend!

 

[Tigris]

Hey Johnathan, that's life right there.. Keep at it man.

Long time ago, my brother got a complete third degree burn on his entire right arm and neck draining fuel for a generator out of the bottom of an old 80 series fuel tank I had 20 years ago. It was dark and his lantern was a good 10 feet away and somehow the fumes carried out the fire to him while he was under the truck out camping in the desert. That JDM 80 burned down to the ground
Now I have an extinguisher in every vehicle even the princess's Tesla.

 

[Kroll]

What a wild chain of events! Glad to hear you came out relatively unscathed. I've taken care of smoke inhalation patients that required intubation / ECMO to properly oxygenate them....blackened lungs from the inside don't look pretty on a bronchoscope.
Sorry for your loss. To better days ahead!

 

[Honger]

Saw the Instagram stuff... came to check in. Glad you are okay. Close call there... you kept your head throughout and saved that house. Good on you.

 

[theglobb]

@svsisu came back up in my area and we met up... for anyone that doesn't know I sold my 1984 Mercedes 300TD station wagon and bought an Alu-Innovations pop top in a group buy that @prwillard2 graciously organized. Well svsisu was about a year ahead of us on the group buy and has got his installed! This has made me extremely excited for my decision to purchase it, very impressed and love how it transforms a troopy, so dang cool. Mine will be white thus keeping the classic Red Rocket color scheme haha. Before I ever install it there is SOOOO much rust to cut out and reweld all in my roof and windshield, not excited for that in the slightest...

Traveled for the funeral put like 700 miles on the troopy. No crazy issues but something that started before the trip is ALOT of extra play in my steering wheel, and it feels "chunky" when steering. Kinda like there are easy spots and then it gets hard and then easy again. I don't have power steering by the way. It also started pulling HARD to the right when you let go of the wheel, I didn't hit anything crazy to throw off the alignment, just very weird overall. If anyone has any leads it would be greatly appreciated!

And also right before posting this I started the troopy after sitting for a day to go see the sunset and it died on me, started, not happy, died again. Just like what was happening when it was 5f out and air was getting in my fuel system. Well that's exactly what happened except its been 55f all day... not happy or excited about that all. Cracked the bleeder screw on my fuel filter and held it at WOT until it cleared up and all the air got out of the system.


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Sorry to hear about your grandfather.

its all good, just a part of life that we all have to go through.

Hey Johnathan, that's life right there.. Keep at it man.

Long time ago, my brother got a complete third degree burn on his entire right arm and neck draining fuel for a generator out of the bottom of an old 80 series fuel tank I had 20 years ago. It was dark and his lantern was a good 10 feet away and somehow the fumes carried out the fire to him while he was under the truck out camping in the desert. That JDM 80 burned down to the ground
Now I have an extinguisher in every vehicle even the princess's Tesla.

You're 100% correct, definitely life right there lol. That's horrible about your brother, and the 80!!! Man even though all this sucks so much I'm just so glad it was the trooper and not the TROOPY... then again since diesel is better than gas in every way conceivable ever (totally not biased) it would have never even happened with the troopy in the first place.

What a wild chain of events! Glad to hear you came out relatively unscathed. I've taken care of smoke inhalation patients that required intubation / ECMO to properly oxygenate them....blackened lungs from the inside don't look pretty on a bronchoscope.
Sorry for your loss. To better days ahead!

I know right! Absolutely insane still when I look back on it! I was coughing up so much black snot for a day or 2 but then it cleared up. I guess all my years abstaining from smoking and vaping has now been for nothing lol.

Saw the Instagram stuff... came to check in. Glad you are okay. Close call there... you kept your head throughout and saved that house. Good on you.

Very very close call... I'm glad I responded the way I did, no way of telling how you will respond until you're thrust into hell. All in the past now, to better days ahead.

 

[sark]

When did you put the other grille on? Love the topper dude!