[Healeys] asbestos lookalike insulation sheet

[Bob Spidell]

Yep. Asbestos 'dust' is actually tiny/microscopic fibers; this is what 
makes it so dangerous (the usual cause of mesothelioma). The fibers are 
small enough to get trapped in the alveoli (air sacs) in the lungs, but 
too large to be coughed-out (or vice versa). Pretty much any small 
particulate matter is bad news in the lungs, possibly causing silicosis. 
Since we've all probably got a lifetime supply of face masks anyway it's 
probably a good idea to don one--N95 are of course the best--any time 
you might inhale particles larger than an oxygen molecule and smaller 
than a marble. When my dad bought our BN2 he went to town on the engine 
bay with a pressure washer, destroying the panels and leaving wet, 
fibrous stuff everywhere. If you get one of the asbestos pieces off the 
car--with proper precautions--it could be reused if properly 'sealed,' 
using a quality high-temperature paint.

Here in California's Central Valley, there is a little-known disease 
called 'valley fever,' caused by a fungus living in the soil that can be 
fatal and usually causes some scarring of lung tissue. CA natives like 
myself probably got it early in life and have some immunity; non-natives 
can become very sick with it (my uncle, who was born in CA, got it). The 
prison industry is big in CA, and imprisoned non-natives are susceptible 
to it. My retired Marine Lt. Colonel cousin told me a Marine got very 
sick and the drs. were stumped; he suggested valley fever and the Marine 
was treated for that and survived. Also, the hunta virus is present in 
the Southwest, and some parts of CA. I keep my smaller Healey parts in 
an old dresser; yesterday I opened a drawer and a mouse jumped up on the 
side. I contemplated grabbing him and, err, 'euthanizing' him, but 
thoughts of hunta, rabies, etc. caused momentary paralysis and he made 
good on his escape.


On 1/14/2021 8:16 AM, Jean Caron wrote:
>
> I have always been told that it is the dust of asbestos that is 
> dangerous, not the board itself. I recall many years ago helping a 
> friend with these on his Austin-Healey and he was totally afraid of 
> even removing these panels, he was wearing a mask, and then a shield 
> and gloves, that’s even before they had these “hazmat” suits. 
> Meanwhile he smoked a pack to a pack and half of cigarettes daily 
> which eventually and unfortunately took his life.
>
> Jean
>
> Sent from Mail <https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for 
> Windows 10
>
> *From: *simon.lachlan at alexarevel.plus.com 
> <mailto:simon.lachlan at alexarevel.plus.com>
> *Sent: *January 14, 2021 8:47 AM
> *To: *'Perry Small' <mailto:healeyguy at aol.com>
> *Cc: *healeys at autox.team.net <mailto:healeys at autox.team.net>
> *Subject: *Re: [Healeys] asbestos lookalike insulation sheet
>
> Thank you to everyone regarding the sheet.
> I gave it a gentle pry, per Perry's advice, and then one rather less 
> gentle.
> It just popped off. Intact and without cracking or breaking.
> I wonder if it is asbestos. It looked to be in really good condition, 
> but it
> was there when I bought the car back in '96.
> Anyhow, I was able to easily put the slide's 3 T-nuts in and reinstall the
> sheet. All suitably masked of course.
> Simon
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Perry Small <healeyguy at aol.com>
> Sent: 11 January 2021 19:11
> To: simon.lachlan at alexarevel.plus.com
> Cc: healeys at autox.team.net
> Subject: asbestos lookalike insulation sheet
>
> Simon
> Notice the square blocks attached to the big sheet. They have been 
> known to
> bond themselves to the bottom of the floor pan. Gentle pry them loose.
> Perry
>

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