HEY notadeere

[Kansas Cockshutt]

I don"t know what is going on in all the other threads but I remember seeing a brand new colorado burned up in wheat stubble not shortly after they first came out. It was on the front page of the paper. Lost the truck, the owner had just purchased it. They think the cat converter started the fire after they drove into the field. Nobody hurt BUT that should tell something about use as a farm truck and ground clearance? I know it was kinda like driving into a tinderbox, and it could happen to any truck or equipment under the right circumstances, but just something to consider.

 

[notadeere]

Thanks for that heads up, Um i guess i hope im lucky, im not a farmer so dont plan to be in fields & its gonna be like a car to most people will only be driven to get outta snow & mud when needed & be a go shopping pickup, as i have my Duramax for everything else, & a Geo metro for work (45 mpg) so if i go with the colorado ill hope for the best & stay outta the fields

 

[big fred]

My uncle had a early 60's Mercury Monterey that had the same thing happen. Didn't lose the car, since he found a place (quickly) where there was a dip in the ground that gave him enough clearance he could crawl underneat and pull out the burning straw while it was just starting to flame up. He got lucky. Nice car, though, it was one of those with the "Breezeway" rear window. Don't need a cat converter to start a straw fire.

 

[Anonymous-0]

One of the guys at work has one. It is a fleet vehicle. He has mentioned a few things. No key lock on passenger door. Without power locks, you have to reach across to open passenger door for anyone needing in on that side. He felt it was kind of cheaply made.

 

[El Toro]

I had one of those Mercury's with Breezeway window. I bought it used from a Mercury dealer, but I worked with the man that bought it new and tried to buy it from him. He wanted as much as the dealer offered on a tradein. I had offered $1800.00 and he still wouldn't sell.

One morning I saw him riding in new 1965 Mercury and went in and took the rest of the day on leave
and stopped by the dealer and was nosy around and I found the 63 Mercury and ask what they wanted.
They said we will take $1800.00 and I said how about $1600.00 with no trade. They accepted the offer. I sold the 57 Chevy later. I should've kept it too. The Mercury only had 10k miles on it. We drove it to FL in 1967 and it would cruise at 70mph at a fast idle. Still liked the gas though with that 390cid engine. I bought a 1981 Mercury Cougar from my wife's sister and it had 15k on it and my brother-in-law told her to get rid of it since it was worn out. I still have the Cougar I could run Historic tags on it , but you're limited in your driving. There was a problem with these cars having problems catching fire. Not sure which years were involved. I still keep mine in the garage. Ignition switches were the cause. Hal

 

[Anonymous-0]

Catalytic converters have started more fires than known about or reported each year not just in farm fields but lots of grass right aways along highways. Whose fault is that? The vehicle manufacturer, the state highway dept., the driver? They have also been known to heat the bed sheet metal too much starting something on fire in the bed of a pickup truck too. Another Ralph Nader fine invention!!

 

[Anonymous-0]

Mice can build a nice tender-filled nest over the exhaust system - probably caused a lot of auto fires. In-law relative lost pickup on camping trip because of this.