1986 Chevrolet C10

MY 1986 CHEVY 1/2 TON PU TRUCK CAUGHT FIRE WHILE TRAVELLING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH WITH ME AND MY 71 YEAR OLD FATHER IN IT. I AM CONVINCED THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEATING AND PRESSURE BLOWING THE FLUID OUT THE DIPSTICK TUBE. AT THE TIME WE WERE PULLING A BOAT (18' PONTOON BOAT) DOWN ALABAMA INTERSTATE 65 SOUTH WHEN WE HEARD SEVERAL EXPLOSIONS UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. IT WAS APPROX. 4:45 AM ON 6/18/99. I LOOKED OUT MY SIDE WINDOW AND SAW LARGE BRIGHT ORANGE AND YELLOW REFLECTIONS ON THE PAVEMENT INDICATING A SEVERE FIRE UNDERNEATH OUR VEHICLE (THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF A PROBLEM BEFORE THE EXPLOSIONS OCCURRED). WE WERE APPROACHING AN OVERPASS WITH AN 18 WHEELER DIRECTLY BEHIND US AND ANOTHER VEHICLE OVERTAKING US IN THE LEFT PASSING LANE. THERE WAS NO SAFE PLACE (SHOULDER) TO STOP. I PROCEEDED ACROSS THE OVERPASS AND PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY. WE FEEL VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE WERE NOT INJURED AND THAT THE ENTIRE VEHICLE AND BOAT DID NOT BURN TOTALLY. ONCE I GOT STOPPED, I POPPED THE HOOD, SAW THE FLAMES THROUGH THE DENSE SMOKE, RACED TO THE BOAT, RETRIEVED THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER, RACED BACK AND PUT MOST OF THE FIRE OUT. AFTER COMPLETELY EXPELLING THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER, SMALL FLAMES WERE STILL VISIBLE. I QUICKLY RETRIEVED 2 GALLONS OF WATER THAT WE HAD IN THE BACK OF THE TRUCK AND PUT THE REMAINDER OF THE FIRE OUT WITH IT. THERE IS CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE UNDER THE HOOD BUT APPARENTLY NOT ENOUGH FOR THE TRUCK TO BE CONSIDERED "TOTALED" BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY. AFTER WALKING TO THE NEAREST PHONE I DIALED 911. A LOCAL VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPT. WAS DISPATCHED. A FIRE TRUCK AND FIREMAN ARRIVED SHORTLY THEREAFTERE AND INSPECTED UNDER THE DASH AND HOOD THOROUGHLY TO MAKE SURE THE FIRE WAS TOTALLY OUT. A REPORT WAS FILLED OUT BY THE FIREMAN. THE TRUCK AND BOAT WERE TOWED BACK TO MY DAD'S RESIDENT THAT MORNING BY TATE'S WRECKER SERVICE IN ATHENS AL. (NOTE: THE TRUCK IS A 2 OWNER. IT HAS BEEN VERY DEPENDABLE, WELL MAINTAINED AND WAS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION.)