Mike Scherer lost his shop and several cars including the famous
wheel-standing 1959 Lark with the 259 engine.

http://steeltechsolutions.com//images/Mike-wheelie.jpg

Mike  drove a customer's rough-running 1984 Corvette into his shop to
work on it.
 Before he could get out of the car, the Vette started spraying fuel
under the engine area. Flames were coming out from under rthe hood and
under the car.
   
    He had to step away quickly, and couldn't get the car rolled back
outside.

   People came running from down the street to help push cars away.
Some were saved but many were destroyed.
FIVE fire departments showed up.    

BOTH buildings were burned to he ground.
  Helpful people were able to roll out  a few of the several customers'
cars in building ONE, but in building TWO where the oldies were kept,
Mikes 32, and his uncle's 1916 Buick made it out.

   The Lark was on jack stands so as not to put flat spots on the
slicks, so the small crowd or rescuers that ran into the hot smoke was
just not enough to  push the car off the stands.  Mike directed the fire
department to keep shooting cool water on the Lark as the building came
down around it,  but even the fire department hoses couldn't protect it
enough.

 There was a rust free late 50's  Hawk that also melted alongside the
race Lark.

   Those of you who have seen the videos that I used to hand out might
also be interested in knowing that the 401 Gremlin with the big slicks
that I was driving at the dragstrip, was several yards away and was not
harmed.

http://steeltechsolutions.com//images/gremlin-burnout.jpg

The tube framed Avanti (Super-Gas  or Pro-Stock style)  car that Mike
and I were working on in building TWO  was not there at the time so it
was not harmed.

     The Lark, however is not recoverable.
Even the top of the tunnel ram was melted.    
      There may be a few things left like the scattershield or
something, but for all practical purposes the car is  no more than a
smashed and melted lump.
Did I mention that both buildings came down to the ground on top of the
cars?
     
      Insurance paid for the customers'  cars, and Mike will end up
being able to  
build a smaller shop where building ONE once stood, but much was lost
that wasn't covered, and lots of hard to find parts and old-time tools
are gone including a wall full of excellent Hawk and Coupe fenders.  
     It will be a long while before Mike goes racing again.

 Mike and I had planned to put forward another Stude-powered race car
with 1,000 lbs less weight than the Lark (think how THAT would fly!) but
kept running out of free time and funds.  
Now, it looks like we are  being forced to either finish the project
avanti or give up our dreaming about it
 One or the other. I can't tell which it is right now.  
Maybe the racing is over..

   Mike and his wife Karen sure have a lot of extra work to do now.

    ***************************************
On a different subject-
HALLP!!

I have an engine (in pieces) that Mike and I were building to go in the
next drag car.

It was miles away from the fire.
All parts are NEW except for the block + crank.
I bought some forged pistons from Ted for about $800, .060 over.  some
Total Seal gapless rings for over $250,  and took a perfect mid 50's
partial flow block (the ones with the thick walls and no core-shift like
the later blocks have)

   I had the block blasted, hot-tanked, crack-checked, pressured, super
cleaned, and then bored with a torque plate bolted on. Gallery-brushed,
then cleaned again in a special cabinet.  That block work by itself cost
me several hundred.
   
   It was intended to be the next engine for the drag car, but I don't
think I'll get to it soon.  

  I have a good used 289 crank that after miking two journals, looks
like it doesn't need grinding, but I'll have to have that
double-checked.

Does not include crank gears, shims, pan, and smallstuff.  I can
probably dig up some small parts from the storage shelves,  but don't
have the time to do it right now.

     I have about $1400-$1500 in it just for the "store-bought" stuff,
not including the value of the block and crank.    
     
   Located in Southern Illinois about 2 hrs from St Louis.

There is an urgent "Time-Value" involved here.
If someone wants it bad enough to pay for it right away and pick it up
or meet me somewhere, I can let it go for somewhat less than what I paid
for just the parts and machining.  Block and crank go with it for free.

   Like I said, there is an urgent time-value involved here due to
pressing matters.  If it doesn't bring any offers over $1300 or so, it
won't do me any good, and I'll just save it for later.
    If someone will pay for it FAST, then it will be worth it to sell
it below cost.

I would have put it on eBay (DOUG100), but by the time the auction was
over,  I will have to wait too long for it to do me any good.
   
    Thanks

D L