Celebrating the Classic Woodgas Vehicle

General Discussion
#1

I am starting a parallel topic to the “Newer Donor Vehicle”. I will never buy a nice, newer vehicle and cut it up for experimentation. My pocket is not that deep, I am not a great mechanic. I like mid-90’s Dakotas, and other proven conversions. I like small car, four-cylinder one-off experiments. I can afford to tinker with older stuff, and lose a few bucks in the process if the project is a bust. So, here is my first post. Please keep the subject on topic. If you are interested, post your own favorites :cowboy_hat_face:

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#2

The first video is Joost Conjin, who is an artist /mechanic/ inventor type, very creative. The self-built wood- bodied car, driving on wood, going past a mass burning of woody material, is poetic. This next one is Wayne Keith and his big-block Ford, working for a living. It is an early post from Wayne’s own YouTube channel, 13 years ago or so…

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#3

Here’s Gengas Werner and his old Chevy Van. I’ve always liked how it’s set up to refuel with the ladder.

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#4

And many more in the last 10+ years can be posted up. And even more previously.

One of the best overall video’s made. Individual family “vehicle” auto travel begins at 4:00.
(Note no road salt is being used. The car has rear wheel chains instead.)
S.U.

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#5

This is Andrew Heath’s Chevy LS-V8 powered Silverado. It is a 1999 model, this is its first woodgas run at Argos 2016. Still the latest model GM V8 I have observed driving on wood.

Unfortunately, rusted frame was so bad, truck had to be scrapped.

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#6

Herb Hartman’s Wood Powered Caddy:

To quote Herb: " I went out looking for a Dakota and came home with a 91 Caddy".
4.9L engine.

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#7

The Ballad of Drag’nwood. John Stout. This is an art piece that you may want to pop some popcorn and watch it a couple of times. Lord knows I have. :cowboy_hat_face:
The music is from “Carmina Burana”. (Carl Orff) It took me a long time to figure that out! :upside_down_face:

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#8

A follow-up to the Calvin Rader video posted by Steve Unruh, another news interview.

Ron Lemler’s 1960 Ford, and IHC tractor, with bonus material (it’s a long video).

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#9

Hey for a peek of operating controls like the Swedish family had to have used:

Then a very modern presentation:

Powering a big V-8 automatic transmission vehicle. Made to be woman drivable. Made to not soot up intakes. Watch on YouTube then watch more on VesaM’s channel.

MikeR. Thanks Much, Much that John Stout video, “Drag’nwood”. I’d missed that one back-in-the-day. He’s a real getter’ done guy. Not, New-Tech pixillated; slowed down. Flip switches; turn levers; push and pull knobs will get it done. Just as long as he showed you can keep up with the wood fuel making.
Steve Unruh

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#10

Just found another, even more obscure John Stout video, same day?

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#11

I was looking for some Australian woodgas vehicles on a YouTube search, and way down the list, this video appeared…

Ron Lemler, 2012-ish. :grinning:

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#12

These next two videos, by “Eco-Jaunt” 12 years ago, are what brought me here to driveonwood.com
They are reasonably well produced and watchable, showcasing Wayne and the Ram V-10

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#13

Here is the Wikimedia commons jpeg photo of that iconic Opel Kadett that often shows up in searches. :cowboy_hat_face:

Opel-Kadett-mit-Holzvergaser
Opel-Kadett-mit-Holzvergaser729×486 133 KB

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#14

This video is CC enabled allowing you to text translate from German to . . . yours.
Thanks MikeR.
S.U.

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#15

Thank you as well, Steve! I had no clue where to find that video. I knew there was one out there somewhere! :smiley:
Found this on the (re-directed holzgas(dot)ch ) museum site (still Daniel I believe):

There are links to two YouTube videos at the bottom of that page. The first video is like the above. the second video is a nine-minute documentary. On the website, there is also an “about us” section with a bio of Daniel and his father. :sunglasses:

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#16

About the first 10 min is gasification .

I don’t understand what is being said but I think the driver has little gasification experience :slightly_smiling_face:

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#17

I was able to turn on captions and the car broke down the first time because of an air leak or maybe his damper was malfunctioning.

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#18

Mother Earth News did a video series with Wayne Keith some years ago, here are 9 videos as edited together by M.E.N. :popcorn: :cup_with_straw: :grinning:

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#19

Yep. I was still subscribed to Mother Earth News back then. Spring of 2012 I saw the article “Wood Gas Wizard” and signed up on DOW. Heavy into prepping back then and the idea of making my own electricity with my own resources was compelling.

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#20

Hey Tom .

I have a lot of trouble trying to explain gasification even sitting in my rocking chair . Driving down an unfamiliar road fast and trying to is about more than I can chew :slightly_frowning_face:

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