Keeping fire out of the cockpit was high priority for Kuhlmann. He installed what he calls "fire shields" in front of the door jams to help keep the fire from coming through the door jams.

During the fire in Kuhlmann's 'Vette he got the steering wheel off but had trouble clearing the steering column. With that in mind Kuhlmann modified the steering column on the '57 so that it separated further down the shaft as well as the standard quick disconnect for the steering wheel.

Bill Kuhlmann had to hold his breath for a couple of minutes when he had his fire. Doesn't sound like a long time until you have to do it in a race car that is crashing and burning at 200mph. Kuhlmann installed this fresh air system in Wood's '57. The bottle is filled with the same compressed air that scuba divers fill their tanks with. The blue line goes directly to the driver's helmet.

The '57 shoebox has a wing similar to the one that Bill first ran on his Berretta Pro Mod years ago. A pair of chutes covered with fire resistant material will help stop the car.

The fire bottles are also at the rear of the car, just behind the sheet metal of the trunk lid.

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