On Wed, 10 Oct 2007 22:27:19 -0500, cavelamb himself wrote:
Pete C. wrote:
Ivan Vegvary wrote:
"Grant Erwin" wrote in message

Old Volkswagen engine blocks were made from magnesium. I have a friend who
has the dubious honor of being the only guy in history to ever get banned
from Alta Lake State Park in eastern Washington. His misdemeanor? He
brought a stripped VW block and put it in his campfire to see what would
happen. When it ignited, it made an eyeball-searing blast of light that
must have been most dramatic to judge by the behavior of the local law
enforcement officials. Yet it was done legally - after all, everyone makes
campfires and fireplaces are for flammable substances. He didn't go to
jail but he did get thrown out of that park and banned for life. :-)

You could buy an old VW block ..

When my VW hatchback caught on fire (highway) the fire department came out
and just watched. Well, they did play the water hose on the front end of
the car to keep the gas tank cool, but I was told that the engine will just
have to burn itself out. Water would not help on Volkswagens. Magnesium!!

If a magnesium engine block actually did get going, water on the other
end of the car wouldn't keep the gas tank from going up too.

You have been watching too many movies.

A gas tank goes whoof.

No big fireball or anything like in the movies...

I saw an ordinary pickup truck burning once - when the tank went up, it
was eerily quiet - a great big greasy sooty fireball went up, about as
loud as waving your hand past your ear. ;-) But by this time, I think
that most of the gas was already on the ground, so it wasn't constrained
at all, and it might have been diesel.

Cheers!
Rich