A Model A that Runs on Wood?

A Model A

A Model A

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Model A's are tough vehicles that could run on most anything including charcoal. This video shows a vintage setup that allowed an otherwise stock Model A engine to run on a flammable gas produced by burning charcoal. Sometimes called gasification or gasogen this process has been used worldwide almost as long as the automobile has been around.

Check out this video for more information
https://youtu.be/jQSIvL9Zz8M

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I’ve seen photos of vehicles during WW2 in Europe with this modification. I believe they did it because of the shortage of petrol.
 
Interesting video. Might be warm in the winter, could you imagine how much hotter during summer? We grew up having a wood stove for home heat, my back still hurts! I'm glad I can get gas locally for $3.60 a gallon.
 
"Producer Gas for Motor Vehicles" by Cash & Cash. https://www.amazon.com/Producer-motor-vehicles-John-Cash/dp/1559181877?tag=atomicindus08-20

1940 and out of print and hence pricey from this source even in reprint. Can be found for less elsewhere.

Several pix of WWII versions adapted to mostly European vehicles. Europe actually brought the technology to a high level in the run-up years before WWII with commercially available adaptations.

Of course if fired on wood the gas produced would be "green neutral" albeit smokey like my wood stove. If fired on coal Greta will shame you.

One imagines in demand even today in Northern Europe.

George Santayana quote about awareness of the past comes to mind.

Joe K
 
I do not know what heating oil cost now days but in 1958 when I started college on the
GI bill and didnt have much money I ran my A with an extra 1 gal tank under the hood
and the oil was 13cents a gal. Warm it up on regular gas and then switch to oil. It
smoked a lot. But it worked.
 
Gas producers were commonly used by the few cars on the road during the war here too. My late father in law used to talk of how important it was to filter the gas before it went into the engine. A poor filter allowed grit to enter and ruin the engine in short time and reconditioning the engine was not an option during those days of short supply of everything.
 
Thanks for the video. The flame you see in your fireplace when burning wood is the gas from the heated wood. Mostly carbon monoxide with some hydrogen and carbon thrown in. You need to control the air/gas mixture constantly as the fire in the gas producer burns down. About 50% air and 50% gas from the gas producer. Wood chips work best. Synchro is right that the gas needs to be filtered. Along with the gas comes from silicon dioxide, which makes a good grinding paste.
 
ed thibodeau said:
I do not know what heating oil cost now days but in 1958 when I started college on the
GI bill and didnt have much money I ran my A with an extra 1 gal tank under the hood
and the oil was 13cents a gal. Warm it up on regular gas and then switch to oil. It
smoked a lot. But it worked.
Click to expand...

My uncle was pleased to see my Model A as it brought back memories of his wartime "dating years" on Cape Cod. Cape Cod was rural then with many still lighting their houses by use of kerosene lamps.

He described in some detail "starting out on gasoline" and once the engine was warm doing the "switch over" to kerosene - which unlike wartime rationed gasoline - kerosene was half the price and unrationed.

He thought it knocked more on kerosene. Driving was mostly done with the spark "retarded."

I myself was "fooled" once and refilled my Briggs & Stratton lawnmower from the "diesel" fuel can (in those days the cans were not color coded.) The mower if warm would even start well, had lots of power and I mowed until I took a break for lunch.

Coming back with the engine now cold I discovered the mower would not start. Adding more fuel did not solve a mis-perceived problem. THEN I remembered refilling...

Joe K
 
On the French Ford facebook site "Ford A 1929-1931 amateur et possesseur francais !"
there is a video of one running on wood chips, posted about a week ago.




 
Synchro909 said:
Members only, unfortunately. There is no point applying to become a member because I don't speak a word of French.
Click to expand...

15 French Words That You've Seen Before… in English
Déjà Vu and Déjà-Vu.
Mirage.
Façade.
Pot-pourri.
Hors d'œuvre.
Cul-de-Sac.
Matinée.
Encore.

Google translates it and you can look at the pictures.
 
updraught said:
15 French Words That You've Seen Before… in English
Déjà Vu and Déjà-Vu.
Mirage.
Façade.
Pot-pourri.
Hors d'œuvre.
Cul-de-Sac.
Matinée.
Encore.

Google translates it and you can look at the pictures.
Click to expand...

OK, I have heard most of those words but still think that French is a quite insignificant language here. It's difficult to imagine a less relevant European language, IMO. There are more important things to learn.
 
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